Canon EOS 1D Mark III color
I continue to be impressed with the color of the Canon EOS 1D Mark III (see May 25 entry on this fine camera). The images it produces are gorgeous, with a depth and richness I’ve not seen before. Some of this must be due to the 14-bit A/D conversion and some must be due to other sensor and electronic wizardry improvements.
The images below have been minimally processed from the RAW file—Neutral, Sharpening=1, Color Saturation=0 in Digital Photo Professional 3.0.1. They are backyard snapshots taken on a relaxed Sunday evening when the light had mellowed.
Radiance
to rival the sun itself / Mother and Child
Olive I’ll be if I live
Figlet
I like the EOS 1D Mark III a lot—so much so that I find myself being annoyed when I shoot the EOS 5D. For example, the “Live View” feature of the 1D Mark III is particularly helpful with close-ups like these.
A direct comparison to the 5D for closeups/macro is problematic, because perspective cannot be maintained (different focal length required, substantially different camera height). But a quick review of a reasonable attempt suggests a certain dullness to the 5D images when compared to the 1D mark III.
I haven’t nailed it down in a head-to-head comparison where all variables are controlled, but subjectively there’s something extra in the 1D Mark III images—and hopefully I’m avoiding the emotional trap of wanting to like a camera I just paid $4500 for. That’s why my Pro Reviews are unique; research and analysis in a comparative review take considerable effort, but can reveal the truth.
