Ladies and Gentlemen, the 5D Mark III

HDSLR Shooter on PVC by Clint Milby

So the day we’ve all been waiting for has come. For over two years, we’ve been scouring the net in search of fuzzy, shadowy images that might lend some proof that Canon actually had the Mark III in the works. Like Bigfoot, Elvis and UFOs, sightings were everywhere, but alas many were hoaxes—cruel tricks that played with the emotions of would be Mark III buyers.

At NAB 2011, Canon spoke briefly and ambiguously about the horizon, but refused to speculate on a date, see more here: Chuck Westfall and The Future of Canon EOS

Then the big news from Canon, when they teased us with “An Historic Global Announcement” that seemed to indicate a possible new addition to the EOS line. Read more here: Canon’s Big News However, this was not the Mark III, it was the C300 that although had many of the characteristics of a HDSLR, it is truly a digital film camera for cinema. DP Alex Buono talks about shooting with the C300 here: DP Alex Buono Talks C300 At SF SuperMeet

After seeing the price tag of Canon’s new Cinema EOS line, I, like so many others felt excluded from the party so to speak. Yes the C300 looks amazing, and yes the 1D X looks amazing too, but I simply can’t justify the expense. My personal feeling is if I want access to a system of that caliber and cost, I’ll rent. So with that in mind, what’s an HDSLR shooter to do? On the heals of Nikon’s D800 release comes our salvation, the 5D Mark III. Finally, with a confirmed set of specs, it’s time to judge if it was worth the wait. read more...