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Canon 1D Mark III test report by Arthur Morris, Online!

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Arthur Morris has just completed an extensive real life testing of the 1DIII in taking pictures of birds in flight and stationary too. The issue of being able to track moving objects is so important and as we all know, Rob Galbraith, with 20,000 1DIII shots under his belt found significant tracking issues under certain conditons as well as losing focus.

Arthur is a featured Canon photographer but his report is hard hitting and he appears to give Canon no special leeway. He has the benefit of not only his own experience but also those of colleagues who shot side by side with him using the 1DIII.

His 1DIII review or report to date, is found here and we'll provide updates as they are available.

He has discovered how he can take advantage of the new 1DIII for his own work and this has helped him get a greater percentage of shots he likes but did require a significant change from his one shot method of previous bird in flight work for which he was proud. Not that he was always successful as he admits, but that way of working simply won't cut it for the 1DIII in his hands.

So that confirms that at least in one other pro's hands, the 1DIII is indeed remarkable different than the 1DII or 1DIIN as Rob Galbraith and Mike Sturk found.

Of interest to me is that while some have advised recruioting more focus points to track sports players better, Arthur finds the opposite for his own way of working. He has however solved to some extent the issues that limited his work with the 1DIII so he presents where he is up to right now.

He is also coming out with a "How To" down load for $20, in which the detailed guide to 1DIII use is provided. That seems to be a great idea that might help people.

Asher

Disclosure There's no financial or other business relationship between Arthur Morris, BirdsAs Art.com with OPF, myself or any moderator of OPF to the best of my knowledge.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Yes, Nill,

Ha Ha Ha!! You outed me!

I was just trying to show off our flashing red dot which Nicolas added to show we had a new article!

But you are entirely correct.

Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
So Nill,

Since you have been reading avidly on this topic, it would be great to have your take. Would you agree with me that Art is attempting to be unbiased even though he's a "Canon star" so to speak? The thing that surprises me is that while he does, like Rob Galbraith find issue with the 1DIII his solution is different.

Asher
 

Nill Toulme

New member
Asher, my take is this. First, bear in mind that I'm still in heavy cognitive dissonance mode over this whole flap. I want the camera to be OK — not just OK of course, but great, wonderful, the photographic holy grail — because I've sold both my Mark II's and await the arrival of my own III next week. Will it be broken? Will I? Stay tuned. ;-)

But setting that aside (to the extent that one ever can really set aside one's personal prejudices and mental machinations), it seems to me that if you add up all the user reports and poll numbers, the choices are these:

1. All the cameras are fine, and the people who are experiencing problems don't know what they're talking about.

2. All the cameras are busted, and the people who aren't experiencing problems don't know what they're talking about, or else they just haven't run into the particular circumstances that make the problems show themselves — even though lots of those people say they've shot in exactly those situations, sometimes even side by side with people who thought the camera was busted.

3. Some are busted and some are not. In addition, for a variety of reasons, some people who have busted cameras just haven't noticed it yet, and some people whose cameras are just fine are seeing problems because, like me, they're hypochondriacs and have read on the net that they should be seeing problems.

So far, #3 is the only one that makes sense to me. I simply can't believe that everybody who thinks their camera is fritzed is nuts, or that everybody who thinks their camera works great is nuts either.

But maybe it really will turn out to be #1 or #2, or maybe there's a #4 I haven't thought of.

Actually, there is a #4, although it's really more of a 3(a): It seems pretty clear to me that if nothing else, the Mark III works differently in some significant ways than did previous 1-series bodies, and that people with substantial 1-series experience who come to the camera expecting it to work just like their other cameras are being met with either some retooling of assumptions or some frustration, or both.

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Actually, there is a #4, although it's really more of a 3(a): It seems pretty clear to me that if nothing else, the Mark III works differently in some significant ways than did previous 1-series bodies, and that people with substantial 1-series experience who come to the camera expecting it to work just like their other cameras are being met with either some retooling of assumptions or some frustration, or both.

Nill,

I really value your take on this and hope you will update this as your digest more of the reports coming from all directions.

The idea that this camera is really different from all previous Canon 1D cameras is perhaps part of the problem. Arthur Morris should be able to use his 1DIII. After all he's experienced, dedicated and careful. Moreover, hese one fo the photographers Canon has chosen to represent the best that their cameras can achieve.

So when Art has to change his technique to get pictures, it must mean something.

Likewise, Rob Galbraith and Mike Sturk should know what they are doing. Also, Rob has also attained apotheotic status with Canon as they invited him to a V.I.P. Canon 1DIII love-feste Japan to show off the 1DIII. Further Rob and Mike are among the the few privileged to test several 1DIII bodies way before anyone else.

So to have these Canon stars declare ddifficulty in using the 1DIII compells us to believe, at the very least that the camera is so different that new technic is required.

However, I believe it's more than that. The finding by Rob that the camera loses focus of still objects is perplexing and suggests a reall fault.

But what is agreed about the new camera:

  1. lightening fast to focus
  2. the best camera for low light work
  3. dynamic range approaches or matches the Leica DMR a 1.5 stop approx increase over the 1Ds Mark II

I don't shoot sports and do a lot of available light portraits. This camera would therefore seem an advantage for me. So I'm thinking of getting one. However, for now I am keeping my 1DIII and waiting it out.

Arthur Morris will have his guide out shortly for the 1DIII and once people get to try his methods for working with it, we'll know whether or not someone has found an issue and solved it.

Asher
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
Flash dance

Yes, Nill,

Ha Ha Ha!! You outed me!

I was just trying to show off our flashing red dot which Nicolas added to show we had a new article!

But you are entirely correct.

Asher

The flashing dot is in place; looks like this:
pce_rouge_anim.gif
don't count on me to have a police or firemen flash there…
pce_rouge_anim.gif
why not a horn !-)
 

John_Nevill

New member
Great article from AM, i've since ordered the ABP II, its looks like a good investment.

I've been a follower of his work for a number years and he has raised some valid points.

I've yet to try a MkIII, but a colleague has one and he can't sing its praise high enough. But he's moved up to one so had no preconception or custom of using a 1 series.

However, I did read on UK Canon affiliate forum that it should not be considered an "out of the box" camera. So it will be interesting to see an official statement from Canon.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Some interesting discussion here regarding what Art did or did not mean with his remarks regarding "prefocusing" in the subject article.

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net


Thanks Nill,

From the discussion it appears that prefocus, either manual or by hitting the focus button every so often to be ready, close to the actual focus when you want to acquire the focus of the bird in flight. This is especially true, it seems, with long lenses.

Asher
 
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