Got to test the 1DMKIII today!

My local camera shop phoned me today to say that the Canon rep had a MKIII in and was allowing testing. So I left work early and went in to have a fondle of the new camera. In fact, I got to use the camera with the all-new 16-35 lens for almost an hour while wandering around the streets. The Canon reps won't let people put their cards in and take pics in case they end up on the web, but the shop owner persuaded the rep to let me pop my card in once I'd promised to keep the images off the web. I mean the whole point of trying the thing out is so we can bring the images home and play with them. So sorry guys I have to keep my word and not share them just yet. I can show people the images on my laptop though, but thaty will be of no use here.
My initial impressions are that this camera is lighter than the D2X, but solidly made. Some of the buttons are smaller than I'm used to, but still useable. The menu system is easier than I expected from a Canon, though I can't yet say if it's easier than Nikon. Probably is just as easy but in a different way, if that makes sense.
The 3" LCD is great and the text is big enough to see easily. The Live View isn't something that gets me excited, but will appeal to some people. It certainly wouldn't be a selling or buying point for me. One useful aspect is that in Live View you can set the shutter to be quieter, and it seems to be about half as quiet in this mode.
There isn't any obvious way to attach a screen protection to the camera, so we will have to wait until daProducts come up with one. Other wise I can see the screen getting marked easily as it's so big.
All the controls and functions that we like to access quickly can be got at without delving through sub-menus. This includes ISO, WB, exposure lock, exposure modes etc.
ISO1600 is really superb and ISO800 will probably be the new standard for people who normally shoot ISO400 most of the time.
I'm not really a sucker for the advertising blurb. But if it can be said that occasionally something special comes along in photography, I think the MKIII could well be it.

Thanks for the report!

Quiet mode can be used regardless of Live View mode. And Canon screens don't require protectors; they don't scratch easily.

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net

Did you see a bigger dynamic range, on the files?

I'm always sceptical of the "non-scratch" LCD's, so I'll take precautions on that. Besides, I have a big nose and will be bumping the LCD with it.
The few outdoor shots I took on an unusually (for Ireland) sunny day didn't seem to hold highlights noticeably different than my D2X, both set at ISO100. If there is a difference then I didn't see it, but then it really was very sunny.
The MKIII at ISO1600 is very much cleaner than the D2X is at even ISO1000. I mean the difference is huge, and this is in what I call real-world conditions. Skin tones on the Nikon files are better, but this might be because the Canon was set to sRGB ( I didn't see this at the time, only looked at the exif when I got home) and possibly also set to a custom tone (I tend to set my Nikons to Adobe RGB and natural tone). Not being familiar with setting up Canon's meant I would really have needed lots more time to set the cameras up similarly. I can't complain as I got to use it for longer than most people and I consider it a privilege that the shop and Canon rep let me wander around the streets of Dublin for about 45 minutes with the new baby.

Steve Saunders said:

I'm always sceptical of the "non-scratch" LCD's, so I'll take precautions on that. Besides, I have a big nose and will be bumping the LCD with it...

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I've owned six Canon DSLR's — a D60, a 20D, a 400D, a 1D and two 1D Mark II's. I take care of them, but I don't baby them, and each of the 1-series has seen action in the 100k range. I've never had even the slightest scratch on any of the LCD's. I think most Canon owners will tell you the same. I understand there's a big market for Nikon LCD protectors though, so I understand where you're coming from. ;-)

As for nose grease — what difference does it make whether it goes on the LCD or an LCD protector? It wipes off either way.

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net

We got to see it in action at the WPPI show with the 16-35. I think it will be the new signature camera for Canon - and thanks for a quickie report - and an unbiased one at that from a Nikon user ;-)

Greeting and welcome Steve,

Steve Saunders said:

The few outdoor shots I took on an unusually (for Ireland) sunny day didn't seem to hold highlights noticeably different than my D2X, both set at ISO100. If there is a difference then I didn't see it, but then it really was very sunny.

Click to expand...

May this have been that you did not have the highlight recovery turned on? The Canon 1DmkIII white paper states that with highlight recovery turned on the lowest ISO is 200.

You could be right Will. The outdoor shots I took were all ISO100 and to be honest I knew nothing about the cameras HL recovery function. It's a pity that I hadn't had some experience of other Canon DSLR's as I would definitely have been able to make more of my time with the MKIII had I been more familiar with changing settings in the menu. Maybe if I'd read RG's review a bot more carefully, though to be honest I was really surprised to get an opportunity to fondle the new camera so soon. But hindsight is useless really and I'm still excited about this machine.
About the LCD Nill, I've seen plenty of Canons and Nikons with scratched screens. Over here we tend to get lots of days where jackets need to be worn (actually most days really), and I think it's the jacket zips, buttons and buckles that are the main assailants. I travel by motorcycle for 95% of my commuting, so the big zips and rough material of bikers jackets do a great job of scuffing LCD's and also camera body paintwork.

Steve Saunders said:

I'm always sceptical of the "non-scratch" LCD's, so I'll take precautions on that. Besides, I have a big nose and will be bumping the LCD with it.
The few outdoor shots I took on an unusually (for Ireland) sunny day didn't seem to hold highlights noticeably different than my D2X, both set at ISO100. If there is a difference then I didn't see it, but then it really was very sunny.
The MKIII at ISO1600 is very much cleaner than the D2X is at even ISO1000. I mean the difference is huge, and this is in what I call real-world conditions. Skin tones on the Nikon files are better, but this might be because the Canon was set to sRGB ( I didn't see this at the time, only looked at the exif when I got home) and possibly also set to a custom tone (I tend to set my Nikons to Adobe RGB and natural tone). Not being familiar with setting up Canon's meant I would really have needed lots more time to set the cameras up similarly. I can't complain as I got to use it for longer than most people and I consider it a privilege that the shop and Canon rep let me wander around the streets of Dublin for about 45 minutes with the new baby.

Click to expand...

But the proof of the pudding will be in the RAW files.

Nill, that's my experience too. . .

Nill Toulme said:

I've never had even the slightest scratch on any of the LCD's. I think most Canon owners will tell you the same.

www.toulme.net

Click to expand...

Two former 1D Mark IIs with 45K and 62K (as I recall), a 5D with 12K and a 1D Mark II N with 77K have all been shoved into bags, wiped off with rough cleaning towels and regularly wiped down with a Windex saturated cleaning towel. Not a scratch on any of the monitor LCD covers. The top info panel on the 5D has some small scratches after I stacked another camera on top of it. Even that barely shows.

Like the rest of the camera Canon's LCD covers are top notch.

Canon LCD protector

The Canon LCDs already have a protector on them. That part can be purchased relatively cheaply (about $20 US) and installed fairly easily by the user - or so I have read several times at the Fred Miranda forum.

Alan T. Price said:

The Canon LCDs already have a protector on them. That part can be purchased relatively cheaply (about $20 US) and installed fairly easily by the user - or so I have read several times at the Fred Miranda forum.

Click to expand...

That's very interesting Alan, never knew that.

Here's a couple of shots of the MkIII that I took with my D2X (so it's okay to post them) in the shop, with the new 16-35 lens and 580EX II flash;

You can be skeptical if you want to but my 1D slid across the asphalt several feet and a little spit cleaned the LCD screen.
The 1D series is tough.

Guys,

I see a * button for portrait position. What about landscape? I see thet have put CF 4 in the on-off switch so is the the * button?

Ashefr

Well I got to play with 2 different 1DM3's today at the Palm Springs Photo Festival. I like it, but of course I am holding out for the 1DsMkIII and it better have 14-bit or better. It does not show up well in jpegs, but in raw the 1DM3 appeared to be better between shadows and highlights.

I also got to play with an H3D-39 yesterday courtesy of Samy's Camera (also at the PSPF). I left all my Canon gear I had brought as collateral (1DsMkII, 16-35, 28-70, 70-200, 85/1.2 and a few other things). Good thing I am honest as my collateral was about a third the cost of the H3D.

Also got to play with the 16-35 MkII yesterday. My poor savings acount will be screaming in pain soon.
As I am sure others have mentioned it looks to be worth the upgrade. All I know is flare was way down.

Lastly, the festival is wonderful, I have learned a lot and there are so many great photographers around I almost feel incompetent to be there.

Asher Kelman said:

Guys,
I see a * button for portrait position. What about landscape? I see thet have put CF 4 in the on-off switch so is the the * button?
Ashefr

Click to expand...

Asher the buttons are the same, landscape and portrait. The rest of your question is unintelligible to me. ;-)

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net

Nill,

On the lower right, the * button is obvious. However, in the place I'd expect the * button to the right of the viewfinder, there is no *.

In what way are the two buttons different?

Intelligible?

Asher

Hi, Asher:

It might not be visible in the photo you're talking about, but the actual product (1D Mark III) has AE lock and focus point selector buttons in the same locations as earlier 1D class models in both portrait and landscape positions. There is also a new AF-On button where the Assist button used to be.

Best Regards,

Chuck Westfall
Director/Media & Customer Relationship
Camera Marketing Group/Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Asher Kelman said:

On the lower right, the * button is obvious. However, in the place I'd expect the * button to the right of the viewfinder, there is no *.

Click to expand...

The buttons are there; you just can't see the * and ? markings. Well, you can just barely make them out peeking over the top of the body.

In what way are the two buttons different?

Click to expand...

They're not. The three are exactly the same: AF on, * and ?.

Intelligible?

Click to expand...

I couldn't make heads or tails of either the first part or the second part of this sentence:

I see they have put CF 4 in the on-off switch so is the the * button?

Click to expand...

What are you saying, and what are you asking?

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net

Chuck, is the "new" silent mode any different from the "old" PF silent mode in any respect other than being easier to turn on and off? Is it really any quieter than the Mark II?

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net

Hi, Nill:

Silent mode on the 1D Mark III is not truly silent, but it is quieter than earlier 1D-class cameras. The basic concept of operation is the same, in that the mirror stays up after the exposure until you let go of the shutter button, but the shutter cocking motor runs quieter than before. It's also easier to set now because it's one of the drive modes.

Best Regards,

Chuck Westfall
Director/Media & Customer Relationship
Camera Marketing Group/Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Thanks Chuck, that's good news.

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net

For those interested, here's a good Canon info site on the new camera.

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net

Chuck Westfall(Canon USA) said:

It might not be visible in the photo you're talking about, but the actual product (1D Mark III) has AE lock and focus point selector buttons in the same locations as earlier 1D class models in both portrait and landscape positions. There is also a new AF-On button where the Assist button used to be.

Click to expand...

This is exactly my problem with the 1D3: When I used it for a day last week, the absence of the X button (assist) was a serious deficit to my shooting, which you described in the "Getting most of your 1D cameras" article as the "Wedding" mode: back wheel goes around the outer AF points, X button goes to center. Now you have to press the joystick to get to the center - try doing that in vertical mode. Also, the joystick actually toggles between the registered (center) AF point and the last one, which may seem like a small issue but it can be really confusing.

Since the AF-ON button can be programmed to many things, the lack of a mode where it works like the X button used to seems like a huge oversight to me.

Eugene C. Finley said:

You can be skeptical if you want to but my 1D slid across the asphalt several feet and a little spit cleaned the LCD screen.
The 1D series is tough.

Click to expand...

The 1D series is tough?

Not.

Because of its extra weight, the 1D series hits the pavement harder than a lighter camera. I'd dropped two 1D-series cameras and both suffered major body damage, to the tune of $500 - $700 in repairs.

In Los Angeles

Samy's Fairfax will have the camera on display tomorrow - Friday and Saturday from 10-4

I believe the MkIII has started to ship. I've just read that Park Cameras in the UK are telling customers to expect some in Wednesday or Thursday, and that shops in Japan have them in stock right now.

Stan Jirman said:

This is exactly my problem with the 1D3: When I used it for a day last week, the absence of the X button (assist) was a serious deficit to my shooting, which you described in the "Getting most of your 1D cameras" article as the "Wedding" mode: back wheel goes around the outer AF points, X button goes to center. Now you have to press the joystick to get to the center - try doing that in vertical mode. Also, the joystick actually toggles between the registered (center) AF point and the last one, which may seem like a small issue but it can be really confusing.

Since the AF-ON button can be programmed to many things, the lack of a mode where it works like the X button used to seems like a huge oversight to me.

Click to expand...

Who has further insight on this? Will it be an issue for your work?

Asher

Asher Kelman said:

Guys,

I see a * button for portrait position. What about landscape? I see thet have put CF 4 in the on-off switch so is the the * button?

Ashefr

Click to expand...

Asher, these buttons are marked on top of the camera. Same as with all 1D-series cameras. The blue magnifying glass symbols were added on the back of Mark II cameras because they have LCD zoom function.