New to Me 1Ds MK III
If you are an avid reader of the pixelatedimage.com you know that David sold off most of his Canon gear when he switched to Nikon. I bought his Canon 1Ds Mark III and it just arrived in my mailbox a few days back. This is an amazing camera and one that I have dreamed of owning. So when David offered it to me along with some other gear at a “friends rate” I couldn’t resist. The 1Ds Mark III differs itself from my Canon 5D Mark II in several ways. Even though the cameras are shaped very similar, the 1Ds seems to have a better fit in my hand. Frankly, I was surprised that there would be any difference in the way it felt. The 1Ds Mark III also sports several other differences that are much more significant than just the touchy-feely. The camera is completely environmentally sealed, giving me a bit more peace of mind in nasty weather. When I say completely, I mean that there are rubber O-rings around the controls and compartment doors. In total the camera has no less than 90 environmental seal points! Honestly, I haven’t given weather a lot of thought in the past. The 1Ds Mark III has enhanced auto focus capability with 45-Point TTL focusing points. It also sports 63-zone exposure metering, 19 cross-type auto focus system. But my favorite feature is the multi-spot metering (up to 8 readings). I haven’t used a camera with built-in multi-spot metering since my old OM-4Ti in 1986, that was 25 years ago.
The day after I got the Mark III I had a photo shoot scheduled with a client. It was a simple shoot, just a few shots for their website. We went to the historic Eastern & Orient Hotel (aka E&O. Eastern & Orient sounds so much more romantic than the initials E&O.) here in Georgetown. The light was soft and beautiful and the camera did it’s magic. Could the 5D have handled it? Of course, without a doubt. But I had just removed the bubble wrap from this thing and I had to use it. After the way it felt in my hand, the first thing I noticed was that he Mark III has a distinct shutter sound, unlike the 5D. The 5D’s shutter sounds clunky, almost tinny. The Mark III is loud and solid. I literally felt giddy every time I took a shot.
This is not a camera review, this camera is far to old for that and I risk embarrassing myself by talking about shutter sounds and feeling giddy. (Geez what a geek!) If you want to read a comprehensive review of the 1Ds Mark III you can go HERE. People are already asking me would I buy another or would I sell either or both of my 5D Mark IIs? My answer is… maybe and I doubt it, and in that order. I might buy another Mark III if it was priced like this one and I had the money and I doubt I would sell my Mark IIs, they have too much going for them as well. There are rumors bouncing around that a new 5D Mark III and a 1Ds Mark IV both are in the works. So there is no way I would buy a brand new camera at this point. But the value this camera adds for the price I paid was well worth it.
Thanks for answering my FB question Matt, have fun with the new toy.
Wayne, the reality is the 5D Mk 2 killed the 1Ds Mk 3 sales. The 5D is an amazing camera and the new Mark 3 promises to be just as cool (though not the ground breaker that the Mark 2 was). But just the few little things (actually there are several more things, but as I said this was not meant to be a review) listed above and the killer deal I got made the purchase of the used 1Ds Mk 3 a no-brainier for me. I have no regrets!
The reason I asked is that I will be purchasing another body this year and the new 5D mk3 is currently at the top of the list. I’ve never used battery grips as the weight is a key factor for me so this kind of ruled out the 1Ds (plus the cost factor as well), but I was interested to hear your reasons for the acquisition, your post explains that, so thanks. The rumour mills are churning about new Canon bodies, they really do need to release a new FF soon though.
Totally get what you mean about the shutter noise. When I first got my 5Dmk2 I had the same feeling about the sound compared to my old 40D. I loved hearing the clunk. I showed my non photographer friends and they thought i was crazy!
Congrats on the new toy Matt. Now you will know the joy of a noisy shutter in a quiet Mosque.
Yves
I really like these portraits Matt, it’s probably because the camera is so good, right? 😉
Our cameras are just tools to be certain, but, that being said, after using my 1DmkIII I could hardly use my 40D anymore for the same reason. The feel of the camera and the feel of the shutter are so much better.
Congratulations! I use the 1Ds and know exactly how you feel about it. I’ve never used a 5D though – is there a big weight difference? Sometimes when I’m carrying the iDs around it’s like a brick around my neck…
I’m a Nikon guy, but I love those B&W photographs.
It’s good to know that even a seasoned pro like yourself thinks twice before buying NEW stuff. Nice shots and beautiful B&W conversions!