Is The 1D Mark 3 Now A Good Idea?

I have wanted a new body (camera that is) for a while. The 1DMK3 AF issue has kept me away for 2 years now. My old 1DMK2 is getting long in the tooth. Hope for a new 1 series introduced by this summer is fast fading. I have considered a 50D, but the noise above ISO 400 has worried me and I sure like the fast AF of my Mark 2.

So, with the latest fix from Canon addressing the peripheral AF points is the camera now a good choice? I know that it is Digi 3 - not Digi 4, and that the screen is less desireable than the 50D, but it is the performance/image quality I am looking to improve over my 5 year old Mark 2.

What is the feeling among Cannon shooters?

If I do get a new Mark 3 how do I know if the latest fix is applied?

Thanks

I'm waiting for Canon to catch up to Nikon's D3, which is better than the 1DMkIII in several ways that matter to me.

This article, by a shooter who recently got a D3 but kept his Canon gear, contains several suggestions to which Canon should pay prompt attention:

http://www.prophotohome.com/canon-can-win-me-back-again-1dmark4?utm_source=MailingList&utm_medium=email&utm_content=PPH+Full+List+Main+Week+3+-+March+Madness

You might have to paste that long URL into your browser to get it to work.

I've had a 1DMkIII since they first came out. I never had the problem, or if I did I sure didn't notice it. It is a phenominal camera in my estimation. I have a new 5DMkII also which has the Digic 4 processor and it too is an amazing piece of equipment but the MkIII still competes with it very well. I would not hesitate at all to purchase one due to any concern over autofocus issues. I do not have a 50D but do have a 40D and I actually use all 3 bodies almost equally. The 5DMkII with full frame is my wide angle to mid-tele body, the 40D is used almost exclusively with a 500 for the extra reach and for everything else, which is a lot, the MkIII is my baby. It does a great job.

If anything, I would still wonder, as you have, about when the next 1D series upgrade will appear. I'd hate to plop down big bucks only to have a newer version available in a few months but that's the game we're now in. It's good that Nikon is now starting to work on innovation again. The competition can only be good for us but it will take a massive realignment of the stars to get me and my Canons apart.

JR

I'd echo John's reply, I've had my 1DmIII from the start and never had any problems with it.
the af issue (while they where there on some camera's) where hugely blown out of proportion via the internet.
the quality of the images that this camera produces are excellent.
I regularly print these to 60x90cm without any problems.

Wim

I bought a refurbished 1D MkIII from B&H a year ago and am still knocked out by the image quality. I agree with Wim that the focusing problem was greatly overblown by the Internet's chatting class. Those guys who have never even held the camera, but are all experts. Go for it!

I have a III as well and have had it for about 6 months and am generally pleased with it. The AF is a lot faster than my II and the dynamic range is quite a bit larger. I find that the rate of acceptably sharp images is about the same as with the Mark II but there are a number of images that are so sharp as RAWs that I have to remember to reduce the sharpening in my post processing. I like that. All in all it's a good camera with a lot of very useful features not found on the II.

As for waiting for a next model that would depend on how much you need a new camera now. Given the state of the economy worldwide I don't expect Canon's going to be in a great hurry to release a new high end model. From what I've read there doesn't seem to be any growth in the market for these types of camera bodies right now so they may just decide to take their time and wait and see. (I should hasten to add that I am NOT a well-respected clairvoyant so my predictions could be completely off base )