The Arrival (Mixed Feelings Part 2)

Canon finally unveiled the much awaited upgrade to the popular EOS 5D Mark II. Yes, the EOS 5D Mark III is here and even though there was hardly any revolution resolution-wise, it still seems to be a very attractive, and quite irresistible upgrade.

The resolution has increased ever so slightly to 22.3 megapixels, that is over 14 megapixels lower than the new Nikon D800! But it's not all resolution though. The Nikon wins in this department, but do we really need 36.3 megapixels? I guess professional landscape and studio photographers would consider it, but when the resolution gets this high and you make a living out of taking HUGE photographs with pristine quality, then a medium camera would probably do a better job? Well it remains to be seen. Both of these cameras start shipping by the end of March/beginning of April, so we won't really know how all those 36.3 megapixels are utilized until we get a real world test.

No mixed feelings about the EOS 5D Mark III though. The 5D Mark II was already testing my MacBook Pro to its limits, and a 36.3 megapixel RAW file would probably mean that I will have to get an iMac instead (no money for that yet, I am frugal remember?). Canon was smart to keep the resolution to a discrete level, and put the upgrades on the ISO department instead, where the improvement is massive: the maximum is now 25,600 up from 6,400 on the Mark II. 61 AF points? An overkill for me, as I almost always work with only the central AF point active.

The mixed feelings about which camera to get, is slowly dissipating. Sadly, no longer in favor of the Leica M9-P. I will never say never though! Who knows, I might win the horse races one day and for sure it will be the camera to get. But to get a Leica for the sake of getting a Leica is probably not the best option for me right now. A full-frame DSLR will be though. And the Canon EOS 5D Mark III (or even the Mark II for that matter) will provide me with a handy tool for both work and leisure AS LONG AS I EQUIP IT WITH LIGHTWEIGHT LENSES. And the EF 50mm F1.4 USM and EF 85mm F1.8 USM lenses are really attractive options. I have checked out sample photos taken with these lenses on Flickr and I must say WOW! It provides the look I want for my portraits, at 1/5th the cost of the hugely expensive EF 85mm F1.2L USM lens (though that lens would DEFINITELY impress clients). So now I am veering more towards getting a Mark II or Mark III and those lenses. And since this setup is just 1/4th the cost of a Leica M9-P with lens, I won't have to be so frugal for so long. I can actually enjoy life a little on the side as well!