Canon 5DIII / 600EX-RT / ST-E3-RT

[Glenn NK]

It's here, and pretty well what most people were wishing for (and predicting I might add):

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canoneos5dmarkiii/

1) slightly increased MP (didn't really need more),

2) better high ISO (good idea),

3) slightly faster frame shooting rate at 6 fps (it wasn't really a deal buster at 5 because it was made for landscape shooters),

4) However - it's main weakness has been fixed - hopefully - better AF system - something that many complained about in the 5DII. And this has really been changed - more features.

Actually there is a lot more, but the article covers it.

Glenn

[inkista]

3) slightly faster frame shooting rate at 6 fps (it wasn't really a deal buster at 5 because it was made for landscape shooters),

Think you're confusing the 5Dii with the 60D. The 5Dii's burst rate is 3.9fps. 6fps is a definite step up. And now the 5Diii has a higher burst rate than the Nikon D700 (5fps) and the D800 (4fps). This actually will be a game changer for some folks.

[Glenn NK]

Yes, you are right - it's a little bit better than my 30D which will do 5 I believe.

But other than that, what do you think of it?

Glenn

[herbert]

It's expensive. RRP in the UK is £2999.

With the same autofocus mechanism as the 1Dx they have gone and addressed the main weakness of the 5D II. I am not sure if it is exactly the same or a slightly worse version. The 1Dx has the use of the 256 zone colour exposure meter to help in subject tracking based on colour. The 5D only has the 63 zone metering from the 7D and so will probably not have colour tracking capability.

It now has a headphone socket for sound level monitoring during filming. This is a big bonus for movie makers.

The specifications for the custom mode dials C1, C2 and C3 state that automatic registration update is available. This could mean that you can change settings when in a custom mode and not have to specifically save the changes. This would be a welcome bonus.

All the rest of the specs seem to be little improvements.

The UK press release mentions the new wireless radio 600ex speedlite. I would like to know more about this. Will they have a receiver that can attach to existing flashes to use their new radio wireless system? The new speedlite zooms from 20-200mm and has a gel holder with gels. However this is 629 dollars and the radio wireless transmitter is 430 dollars. That seems to be about the same as a 580ex flash plus pocket wizards or radio poppers. However you can control all flash settings remotely, e.g. Zoom the head, manual flash power.

As ever, we will have to wait until samples are in reviewers hands before we can judge image quality. However if it is the same as the old 5D it will be great. I suspect it will have maybe 1 stop better high ISO performance. This means potentially shooting useable photos at ISO 12800. That is a ridiculous level of light.

Alex

[russellsnr]

Well it's good news for those who wanted to buy a 5D MkII and could not afford one, there price I would guess will drop quite a bit.
Russ

[rpcrowe]

"But other than that, what do you think of it?"

I seem to keep repeating myself but, here are some features what I would like in a DSLR camera. These are realistic features which are already available in other Canon and Nikon cameras.

1. Ability to retain autofocus at f/8 allowing the use of the 400mm f/5.6L lens with 1.4x TC...

2. Dual slot memory card capacity...

3. Five + shot burst in AEB to facilitate increased HDRI quality...

4. Audio record capability to link information with shots...

5. Lower ISO capability in order to achieve slower shutter speeds without the use of ND filters...

6. Additional shutter release button (without using the heavy and bulky battery pack) to facilitate portrait configuration shooting...

7. Sync speed of at least 1/250 second without using HSS

[Glenn NK]

I thought I read that it has dual memory cards - one CF, one SD?

I guess the video stuff is OK, but the only time I used it on my 5DII was by accident.

Since our beginnings on Earth, we've been able to see (videos/movies) just by opening our eyes. Our eye/brain system can't capture one image which can be stared at, studied, interpreted, and pondered; only a still image offers that unique experience.

Still photography isn't going to be replaced by moving images - humans have always had moving images, they're a daily occurrence.

Glenn

[herbert]

"But other than that, what do you think of it?"

I seem to keep repeating myself but, here are some features what I would like in a DSLR camera. These are realistic features which are already available in other Canon and Nikon cameras.

1. Ability to retain autofocus at f/8 allowing the use of the 400mm f/5.6L lens with 1.4x TC...

2. Dual slot memory card capacity...

3. Five + shot burst in AEB to facilitate increased HDRI quality...

4. Audio record capability to link information with shots...

5. Lower ISO capability in order to achieve slower shutter speeds without the use of ND filters...

6. Additional shutter release button (without using the heavy and bulky battery pack) to facilitate portrait configuration shooting...

7. Sync speed of at least 1/250 second without using HSS

I agree with all your points. I'd like faster sync speed but then that is the realm of leaf shutters. Interestingly canon do have electronic first curtain sync. If you set manual flash negating the need for preflash metering then surely faster sync speeds would be possible.

1. No (shame but if it happens it will be on the 1Dx)
2. Yes - CF + SD
3. Yes, 3,5,7 shot bracketing with the 'middle' frame configurable
4. No
5. No. It does have additive in camera multiple exposures. I wonder if this could be averaged. Note that a 10 stop ND filter would require 1024 consecutive images to be averaged instead.
6. No. It is 480 dollars for the grip too. A doubling of the previous model price just to get an additional joystick control in portrait mode.
7. No. It is 1/200. Must be a limit of the full frame mirror.

Having read more specs what caught me eye was programmable ISO limits and shutter speed limits for auto ISO. Finally. Nikon have had this for a while.

This appears to be a wedding photographers dream camera. Good autofocus in low light with dual card slots (for rundundancy) in a small form factor.

The entry level full frame from Canon will continue to be the 5D mark II since it is not being discontinued. In fact you could almost buy two of those for one of the new mark IIIs. You would have to desperately need the extras to pass over the mark II.

Since all the features except sensor and autofocus that are new seem to be firmware then we surely can expect them in the 7D mark II.

Alex

[inkista]

It's expensive. RRP in the UK is £2999.

OTOH, when the 5D mark I first arrived on the scene, it was £2539. Everyone forgets the 5Dii was cheaper than its predecessor. And you are talking about additional hardware features.

The UK press release mentions the new wireless radio 600ex speedlite. I would like to know more about this. Will they have a receiver that can attach to existing flashes to use their new radio wireless system?

My guess would be no. Canon tends not have a backwards-compatible design philosophy. They like to sell you a ton of new gear. But I am really eager to see what the aftermarket does now that they have a radio protocol to reverse engineer...

The new speedlite zooms from 20-200mm and has a gel holder with gels. However this is 629 dollars and the radio wireless transmitter is 430 dollars. That seems to be about the same as a 580ex flash plus pocket wizards or radio poppers. However you can control all flash settings remotely, e.g. Zoom the head, manual flash power.

... AND you have five group control (with a 1DX or 5Diii), the slaves talk back to the master to say when they've recycled, a new button UI with soft menus (this is the REAL upgrade on the puppy, no more PITA switching to master/slave mode, no more dual-function buttons), and zoom capability to 200mm, now (hence the GN jump: it's actually the same power as the 580s). And it's using 2.4GHz. So none of the PW interference issues, and should be available worldwide. The 600EX-TR, btw, does both the optical slave and radio slave thing, so it can be used in an existing eTTL-II setup. But the ST-E3-RT is radio only, and they removed the AF-assist of the ST-E2. I'd bet that a 430EX RT update arrives on the scene pretty soon, too.

Best blog for reviewing the 600EX-RT and ST-E3-RT is probably this one: http://pixsylated.com/blog/

[Colin Southern]

Hmmm - if I sell my 580EX II + PW Flex (x4) - I should be able to upgrade for next to nothing

Interesting to see what the 5D3 will do to 1Dx sales too.

[Donald]

Hmmm - if I sell my 680EX + ...

Good grief. No sooner have the announced a 600 than there's a 680 that's out-of-date. Or is this just a result of over-fantastisation?

[Donald]

As Kathy noted above, Syl Arena is already in there with views and comments on the lighting units (as you would expect). It's all here, as Kathy has said.

He writes in the e-mail he has sent out, "It took me about 30-seconds with this new gear to realize that Canon has re-defined the future of Speedliting. After watching this video, I think you’ll understand why! ...........

Canon has done a good job of maintaining backwards compatibility with the existing line of Speedlites. The new 600EX-RT system works in radio mode or optical mode — but not both at the same time. This means that you can use the 600EX-RT with earlier generations of EX Speedlites by using optical transmission for wireless mode. Yes, it’s fair to say that, in optical mode, the 600EX-RT (is) a better looking 580EX II."

[herbert]

Thanks for the link Kathy.

The new radio speedlite looks brilliant (if you use that sort of thing). I wonder if it will be affordable in 5 years. At the moment Canon can rightly charge a premium. However if third party manufacturers reverse engineer the system for triggers this will surely bring down costs. I also wonder if all speedlites going forward will be radio systems or if they will continue with optical ones too. If they switch to radio for all future flashes then gradually the costs will come down.

Alex

[Eric M]

Well it's good news for those who wanted to buy a 5D MkII and could not afford one, there price I would guess will drop quite a bit.
Russ

Hey Russ,

With such a major price boost for the MkIII, it wouldn't surprise me if the MkII held its own nicely on the used market. A $700 price increase for an update is a bit hard to stomach. Canon is getting good at that lately.

[inkista]

Thanks for the link Kathy.

You're welcome! But you'd have found it if you read the Strobist.

The new radio speedlite looks brilliant (if you use that sort of thing). I wonder if it will be affordable in 5 years.

Yup. Unlike Colin, I'm not so much interested in these units per se, being costier than I can justify as a hobbyist shooter, but what it presages for the future of off-camera flash. Will Yongnuo start building RF-603s into their YN-560s? Will Nikon move CLS to RF as well? What will PocketWizard/RadioPopper/Nissin/Yongnuo/Phottix/Cactus do now? Will we get radio transceivers built into our cameras? And if so, will they also do bluetooth, wi-fi, and GPS?

In the meantime, though, while we wait, it'll be fun to see someone like Vincent LaForet (assuming the guy still shoots stills) celebrating that he'll no longer need custom PocketWizard channels at the Olympics. Syl Arena is saying that there are 10,000 possible IDs (i.e., digital channels from 5 RF channels) that can be used. I love that the engineers actually acknowledge that 2.4GHz is getting crowded. And how giggle-inducing is it that your speedlight is now your shutter remote?

From Rob Galbraith:

Additionally, the new Speedlite can act as a remote camera trigger. With a 600EX-RT (or ST-E3-RT) in the shoe of a 5D Mark III or EOS-1D X, or connected to other EOS cameras that have an N3-type remote socket (with the aid of a special release cable accessory), pressing a button on the back of the triggering 600EX-RT or ST-E3-RT will fire the remote camera, once, with minimal delay says Canon USA Technical Information Advisor Chuck Westfall.

[herbert]

You're welcome! But you'd have found it if you read the Strobist.

I do read the strobist. However it seems members of CiC are ahead of the game since I read your link before the strobist one.

David Hobby makes a quip on his link to Syl Arena's flash demo when he states that

"Looks like Canon has uncorked a very sophisticated and robust flash system for discerning photographers who like their photos well-lit, if not quite in focus."

I can only think that it is because the new ST-E3 does not have a focus assist lamp. Canon obviously want you to spend more to get an on-camera 600EX just to help with focusing.

It's not for him anyway. He has recently moved to an old medium format camera giving him 1/800 sync speed. He loves manual flash settings anyway.

In the real world eTTL is much better since normal people do not have time to set up their staged flash arrangement just to snap the kids running around the house. But you don't need wireless radio signals for that either.

No mistake, Canon's latest stuff is designed for the professional market with specific needs. Let's wait until Photokina in September to see if they have new a Rebel for the masses and perhaps a 7D mark II.

Alex

[PBelarge]

The 5DIII has a load of upgrades/additions to the 5DII. So many people fantasized for so long about what they were dreaming of for a camera, that I think some lost sight of reality.
The beauty is no one is forcing anyone to buy anything they do not want.
Me, I like the technical changes they made to the camera, and I am waiting to see what the images actually look like. That will probably take a couple of months to appear online. There were certain items I was hoping for - 1. better AF- Check. 2. extended Bracketing - Check. 3. Improved Sensor - Check. 4. Increased Computing power - Check. 5. Improved Shutter - Check. 6. a bunch more smaller items - Check I was hoping for a possible Timelapse inclusion, but that can be worked out by actual work on my part .
In the mean time, I am not going to sit home and complain, I am going to go out and shoot. I found a pretty interesting location to shoot at, about 1 1/2 hours from my house so I am planning a trip early next week - weather permitting.

[Colin Southern]

Good grief. No sooner have the announced a 600 than there's a 680 that's out-of-date. Or is this just a result of over-fantastisation?

Oops. Fixed. Thanks Donald!

[PBelarge]

"Looks like Canon has uncorked a very sophisticated and robust flash system for discerning photographers who like their photos well-lit, if not quite in focus."


It's not for him anyway. He has recently moved to an old medium format camera giving him 1/800 sync speed. He loves manual flash settings anyway.

In the real world eTTL is much better since normal people do not have time to set up their staged flash arrangement just to snap the kids running around the house. But you don't need wireless radio signals for that either.

No mistake, Canon's latest stuff is designed for the professional market with specific needs. Let's wait until Photokina in September to see if they have new a Rebel for the masses and perhaps a 7D mark II.

Alex

I agree Alex, for us 'regular citizens', we can do without that equipment. What is a flash anyway? LOL!

[Colin Southern]

I can only think that it is because the new ST-E3 does not have a focus assist lamp. Canon obviously want you to spend more to get an on-camera 600EX just to help with focusing.

I'm just wondering if the modelling light function (a) works, and (b) could be used for focus assist?