Is the Canon EOS 5D Mark III still good for photo and video, and how is its video AF and high-ISO noise?
Asked 2/12/2020
3 views
2 answers
0
I'm considering a Canon EOS 5D Mark III and want to know whether it's still a good choice for both photography and video. In particular, how usable is its autofocus in video mode—does it offer continuous AF or face tracking, and how does it compare with newer Canon systems? I'm also curious about high-ISO noise performance. I'm deciding between the 5D Mark III and a Canon T7i.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
6y ago
2 Answers
1
The 5DIII is great for photography. The improvements in the 5D generations for photography are mostly in high iso, homogeneity in noise and definition. It has 3 AF in video: quick (through optical viewfinder and classical AF), AF (you put the zone and ask for focus), and AF with face tracking. It's OK but far from the dual pixel AF you get in 5DIV, Canon R series, and Canon cine cameras (C200, C500II, etc), which is a big game changer in speed and accuracy: try it. High iso noise is between the 5DII and 5DIV. It's not noticeable up to 6500 and barely starts to be visible at 12000 ISO.
If you're into high quality photography and video and light hardware, you might want to look at Canon R, esp. the R5, which is about to appear and sounds very promising. Without the optical view finder and mirror, and with telecentric optics, you get something very interesting in terms of weight and image quality. Unless the optical viewfinder and AF speed are important.
Originally by user70545. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user70545
6y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The EOS 5D Mark III is still regarded as a strong camera for photography, with solid image quality and good high-ISO performance for its generation. Based on the community feedback, its noise sits roughly between the 5D Mark II and 5D Mark IV: generally clean up to about ISO 6400, with noise becoming more noticeable around ISO 12800.
For video, it does offer autofocus options including standard AF, selecting an AF area, and face tracking. However, its video AF is considered only "OK" and is well behind Canon’s newer Dual Pixel AF systems found in later bodies like the 5D Mark IV and EOS R-series cameras. In practice, that means it can work, but it won’t be as fast, smooth, or reliable for continuous subject tracking in video as newer Canon models.
So: if your priority is stills, the 5D Mark III remains a very capable choice. If video autofocus and subject tracking matter a lot, a newer Canon body with Dual Pixel AF will be a better fit.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI6y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Canon 5D Mark III vs 5D Mark II: which differences matter most?
Canon 6D vs EOS 5D Mark II: key pros and cons for moving to full frame
How do I stop Canon 5D Mark III autofocus from tracking after focus lock?
How can a Milky Way photo be made from 100 untracked 4-second exposures at f/5?
Why do the AF points on my Canon 5D Mark III not light up when focus is achieved?