Tecknova: Canon EOS 5D Mark III - the new kid on the full-frame HD DSLR block

Friday, 2 March 2012

Canon EOS 5D Mark III - the new kid on the full-frame HD DSLR block

Canon has finally announced the EOS 5D Mark III, its highly awaited upgrade to the popular 5D Mark II. Sporting a new 22.3MP full frame CMOS sensor and a DIGIC 5+ imaging processor, the 5D Mark III borrows some features from the 7D and the newer 1DX.

In terms of ergonomics it resembles the EOS 7D, with much better weather sealing according to Canon. The features borrowed from the big brother - EOS 1 DX - include the DIGIC 5+ image processor, 61-point AF and ability to customise the goupings of the AF points, similar menu system among others. It uses gapless micro lens design to improve the amount of light that can be captured by the photodiodes. Dual four-channel readouts will ensure faster data readout allowing you to shoot upto 6 frames per second in burst mode with the DSLR, which is 2fps over the 5D Mark II.

One of the most impressive features of the 5D MarkII was its HD video capabilities. The 5D Mark III builds up on that giving you many video resolutions to choose from - 1080p at 24, 25 and 30 fps and 720p at 24,25,30 and 60 fps. This is way better for HD video enthusiasts, than just the 1080p at 30 fps that was offered by 5D Mark II. Another annoying aspect of the 5D Mark II was the lack of a dedicated headphone jack, to monitor what was being recorded. The 5D Mark III fixes that with a dedicated stereo headphone jack.

It builds up on the Intelligent Viewfinder, seen in the 7D, offering 100 percent field of view and on-demand grid display. The 5D Mark III supports a CF and SD card slot allowing you to record images based on the quality (RAW/JPEG) on either card. A three-shot in-camera HDR feature is also present, giving you the option to also store individual images and adding effects.

It is expected to go on sale at the end of March in the US at a price of $3,499 body-only.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III – Key features: