Has the 1Ds MKIII got any noticeable niggles or problems like the 1D MKIII? And do the users think the upgrade from the 1Ds MKII is wholey worthwhile? Just looking for honest comments from people who have one.
TIA
Regards
Rob
PS I still have a 1D MKII body for sale, excellent condition £800
I've not used the 1DsMkii in the same way that I have with both the 1D and 1Ds Mk3. But both Mk3s behave similarly in terms of focus using the same lens. With the Ds it returns around 60% of frames of a fast moving subject (in my case normally a shinty player running full speed towards me) as critically sharp (i.e pixel peeping at 100% on a 'puter screen) and around 90% are acceptably sharp for printing up to 24"x16". The D returns a similar number critically sharp but when it comes to printing to 24x16 only those that are critically sharp on screen are worth bothering with. The acceptably sharp ones are still good enough for half page broadsheet (probably good enough for full page too but I've not been lucky enough to get one to that size yet)
The D is about 2/3 of a stop better at handling high ISO noise than the Ds.
The Ds eats computer space like no tomorrow
The Ds files look to be better at handling highlights, certainly the tonal transitions between blown and not blown are much smoother
The Ds takes forever to transfer files wirelessly, but again this is down to sheer file size
The D is a pure speed machine with the emphasis being on continuous speed rather than continuous quality.
I'm happy using either. Strangely though when I use my 1D2 it does seem slow compared to the Mk3, slow to show the image on screen, slow to clear the buffer and quick to fill the buffer, although it does produce consistently sharp files.
If you're ever up this way feel free to call in and try both, there's even the option of a couple of D3 Nikons here too, but they're another story for another time.
I have the 1DS3.. and would agree with the above; but it has additional benefits which if you search the other forums you will find.
My recent shots of Puffins in flight where taken with my 1ds3. I have been to Gigrin with both the 1DS2&3 and had a similar % of 'critically sharp' results from both cameras on the Kites flying, of the one that where not critically sharp the 1ds3 produced more acceptably sharp results. Most of the 'misses', on both cameras, where clearly down to the monkey behind the kit.
I beleive the focus system in both 1D3 and 1DS3 is the same (edit - other than the larger box/mirror assembly - and let's hope Chris's technical contact was right - see below), and await what RG says with interest. But that said I have no experience of the camera faultering on a static subject whilst on servo focus - and yes I have tried.
Hi Rob
I shoot with the 1Ds3 and would agree with most of what has been said. Before purchasing I pushed a Canon technician on the question about AF reliability; his response was that the shutter box, including the sub-mirror mechanism, had been designed independently of the 1D3 and that any AF issues should not have migrated to the 1Ds3. Maybe he was just being loyal, but either way the shots I took on my own memory card on a sample camera produced a lot of sharp pictures containing masses of detail - a day after viewing them I went ahead and brought one. In practice, I've found that it performs better than the 1Ds2 AI servo, has a much improved menu interface and that live view is brilliant, particularly with the large screen. Most importantly, picture quality is of the highest order.
WARNING: if you are planning to use the camera with anything other than 'L' series lenses, don't!!! The resolution is very unforgiving - even some 'L' lenses I've tried struggle when used wide-open, e.g. 180 mm macro.
Finally, and contrary to what you might have read in a certain professional's 'review' pages on Warehouse Express, the noise levels produced at high ISO's are more than acceptable for most purposes and a big improvement on the 1Ds2 (particularly in colour noise terms). A lot has been made in the press about ISO comparison's with the Nikon D3 (a very capable camera that is supposed to have the edge), in reality the gulf isn't as big as we are lead to believe, especially when you consider the difference in pixel counts being compared. I'm really glad that Nikon has raised its game and kicked Canon up the backside, because competition is exactly what Canon needs to stave off any complacency that may have crept in.
Finally . . . again! All of the above is really just wind and pish because, as this forum shows time and time again, it is great pictures that matter, not what you shot them on! Anyone fancy buying a camera !!
Discussion
5 repliesHas the 1Ds MKIII got any noticeable niggles or problems like the 1D MKIII? And do the users think the upgrade from the 1Ds MKII is wholey worthwhile? Just looking for honest comments from people who have one.
TIA
Regards
Rob
PS I still have a 1D MKII body for sale, excellent condition £800
Rob Galbraith is posting his report on the 1D3 and 1DS3 later this month if that helps-may not but will be worth a read
Dave
The D is about 2/3 of a stop better at handling high ISO noise than the Ds.
The Ds eats computer space like no tomorrow
The Ds files look to be better at handling highlights, certainly the tonal transitions between blown and not blown are much smoother
The Ds takes forever to transfer files wirelessly, but again this is down to sheer file size
The D is a pure speed machine with the emphasis being on continuous speed rather than continuous quality.
I'm happy using either. Strangely though when I use my 1D2 it does seem slow compared to the Mk3, slow to show the image on screen, slow to clear the buffer and quick to fill the buffer, although it does produce consistently sharp files.
If you're ever up this way feel free to call in and try both, there's even the option of a couple of D3 Nikons here too, but they're another story for another time.
John
My recent shots of Puffins in flight where taken with my 1ds3. I have been to Gigrin with both the 1DS2&3 and had a similar % of 'critically sharp' results from both cameras on the Kites flying, of the one that where not critically sharp the 1ds3 produced more acceptably sharp results. Most of the 'misses', on both cameras, where clearly down to the monkey behind the kit.
I beleive the focus system in both 1D3 and 1DS3 is the same (edit - other than the larger box/mirror assembly - and let's hope Chris's technical contact was right
I have the latest firmware installed.
I shoot with the 1Ds3 and would agree with most of what has been said. Before purchasing I pushed a Canon technician on the question about AF reliability; his response was that the shutter box, including the sub-mirror mechanism, had been designed independently of the 1D3 and that any AF issues should not have migrated to the 1Ds3. Maybe he was just being loyal, but either way the shots I took on my own memory card on a sample camera produced a lot of sharp pictures containing masses of detail - a day after viewing them I went ahead and brought one. In practice, I've found that it performs better than the 1Ds2 AI servo, has a much improved menu interface and that live view is brilliant, particularly with the large screen. Most importantly, picture quality is of the highest order.
WARNING: if you are planning to use the camera with anything other than 'L' series lenses, don't!!! The resolution is very unforgiving - even some 'L' lenses I've tried struggle when used wide-open, e.g. 180 mm macro.
Finally, and contrary to what you might have read in a certain professional's 'review' pages on Warehouse Express, the noise levels produced at high ISO's are more than acceptable for most purposes and a big improvement on the 1Ds2 (particularly in colour noise terms). A lot has been made in the press about ISO comparison's with the Nikon D3 (a very capable camera that is supposed to have the edge), in reality the gulf isn't as big as we are lead to believe, especially when you consider the difference in pixel counts being compared. I'm really glad that Nikon has raised its game and kicked Canon up the backside, because competition is exactly what Canon needs to stave off any complacency that may have crept in.
Finally . . . again! All of the above is really just wind and pish because, as this forum shows time and time again, it is great pictures that matter, not what you shot them on! Anyone fancy buying a camera
DPreview have just put up their 1ds3 review, it is possibly the most comprehensive I have seen.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/CanonEOS1DSMarkIII/
T