22Mar Canon 5D Mark III Video TEST
Canon Video Testing with @OliviaTech @BorrowLenses @MyxTV
(Note: tests run quick so pause video. Longer video samples will be available for downloaded.)
Thanks to BorrowLenses.com (photography and video equipment rentals), we were able to have early access to two Canon 5D Mark III cameras + Zeiss CP.2 Prime lenses. We shot this video a few days ago and first decided to throw it into a real production environment at the Myx Television studios where most of their television shows are shot completely on Canon DSLRs. It was interesting to see the crew trying to learn the new menus and new positions of buttons they were once familiar with. Overall, the 5D Mark III performed without any issues. You could find more of their videos shot mostly on Canon DSLRs at http://Myx.TV.com
Our next tests were the Canon 5D Mark III in studio along side a Canon 5D Mark II. We decided to use the 24-105mm F/4L on both cameras since it would be closer to what most people would have access to. These tests run quickly through the video, so please pause the video to see the examples.
[Update] Longer video clips available for you to download at the BorrowLenses.com blog Canon 5D Mark II vs Canon 5D Mark III Video Clips.
We wished we had more time with the equipment to run more proper tests, but thanks again to BorrowLenses.com for allowing us early access to one of the most talked about cameras. We will have more in depth about the new features of the 5D Mark III in another review.
In the last year BorrowLenses.com has really increased their rental equipment for Videographers including high end cameras like the RED Scarlet and C300 along with Sliders, LED Lighting, Audio, Tripods, Lenses, Cameras, and more. You just place your order online and you’ll have it shipped to your door. They include the return labels and packaging for you to ship the item back. Nothing could be easier. To check out more of their products visit http://BorrowLenses.com.
Like 
Subscribe 
Follow
35 Comments
Leave a Comment
>> Continue Reading More Articles <<
March 22nd, 2012 at 11:36 am
This camera in the right hands will make some shoots drastically easier to produce. And borrowlenses has been top notch in my experience with them.
March 22nd, 2012 at 11:58 am
Is the 5d (Mark II & or III) a lot sharper then the 7d/t2i/t3i/60d? The latter falls apart in all wide shots, especially trees. Just wondering how much better the 5d is and if that price is justified.
March 22nd, 2012 at 12:02 pm
that actually seemed more like an ad for some musician than a critical comparison of two camera models. Is there anything more technical comparisons coming soon? The few A/B shots in the first video didn’t seem to show any sort of difference on my monitor, did anyone else with better eyes see a noticeable difference?
March 22nd, 2012 at 12:08 pm
It looks very nice but I gotta be honest video wise It just looks equal to the gh2 hacked quality with a much bigger price tag. If you are doing photography then this is a great camera and so much better then gh2 picture wise but if you are just shooting video I don’t see how this is worth the money really disappointed its barley even any better then the mark 2 from all the reviews and videos Ive seen. Seems like sony and fuji and panasonic are gonna have much better video at cheaper prices in future cameras this year
March 22nd, 2012 at 12:10 pm
@ Olivia, how is the color saturation difference on mark II vs mark III?
March 22nd, 2012 at 12:17 pm
@allen – as stated in the article, we’ll have Full Res video samples for you to download soon. The video is also being reuploaded to 1080 instead of 720.
March 22nd, 2012 at 12:18 pm
@JC – Video quality is tough for these super large sensor cameras that need to downscale. Overall it is much better than 5D Mark II in many ways. Is it worth the price upgrade? Maybe not for many people, but we’ll be doing a more in depth review soon.
March 22nd, 2012 at 12:19 pm
@Tim – We will be doing more sharpness tests in our second review.
March 22nd, 2012 at 12:20 pm
@Joseph – We set both cameras to it’s default Neutral color profile at 0,0,0,0. We will have more tests soon, as we were limited in time with the equipment.
March 22nd, 2012 at 1:34 pm
@JC
As someone that owns a hacked GH camera and the 5D, I can tell you I’m happy with both. The 5D is superior in a lot of different ways –and will allow me to do things I wouldn’t try on the GH.
March 22nd, 2012 at 1:59 pm
@Tim: According to Philip Bloom’s initial comments on the one he bought, the mkIII isn’t resolving any more resolution than the mkII and WAY less than his C300 and FS100 do.
I haven’t heard anything about how the new file encoding compares to hacked GH2 encoding.
March 22nd, 2012 at 3:52 pm
i don’t know how a GH2 can even compete… I’ve tried a GH2 in low light and it was garbage.. My 7D and 5D did much better in low light. now with the 5d iii being able to go 2 stops lower will offer so much more freedom!!
March 22nd, 2012 at 3:54 pm
Rolling shutter seem much better on mark 3. Gh2 hacked will knock the socks off mark 2 and 3 as far as more detailed resolution in land scapes shots like trees and stuff. Really I dont think it is worth upgrading but if you want a 5 d and have the money why not get the new mark 3. But I think other cameras can look just as good in realy shooting situations. The 5 d is not the best camera on the market.
March 22nd, 2012 at 4:23 pm
I’ve heard one consistent word about the mk3…”disappointing”. everyone i’ve heard from says its dissapointing and with three years plus they have failed to bring anything new to the table.
i’ll get a mk2 for 1700 in the markdown bin
March 22nd, 2012 at 6:03 pm
the mark 3 is a great camera and all but it isn’t even true 1080p . there is already a comparison between the gh2 and mark 3 http://www.eoshd.com/content/7551/canon-5d-mark-iii-review#c2 and hacked gh2 was better big surprise .. It’s sad because gh2 is old and because the gh3 is coming out later this year and will most likely destroy the mark 3 since a hacked gh2 is shooting better quality stuff and 1/6 the price and old technology. Obviously the mark 3 is way better for photography and thats what you should get a mark 3 for . gh2 is not very good at pictures but when it comes to video unless you have alot invested into cannon lens and accessories its sorta silly to pay that difference if your strictly into video . Im sure the mark 3 and gh2 compliment each other and are stronger in different areas but just pure sharpness and quality and noise and gh2 is better. anyone saying otherwise hasn’t seen comparison videos done by people who know what they are talking about.Honestly Mark 3 looks great but looks not much better then sony nex 7 quality which is a digital camera that fits in your pocket
March 22nd, 2012 at 9:17 pm
I think I’m in love! There’s something amazing about the look of a full frame Canon sensor.
March 22nd, 2012 at 9:35 pm
As a documentarian I can testify how important it is to have great low-light performance out of a camera and a fast lens.
The 5D’s are good at this.
The c300 is even better.
The Panasonic GH series? Meh.
For every job there’s a tool. Pick what works best for you.
March 22nd, 2012 at 10:45 pm
The build of the MK3 looks very good. The video is similar to the MK2, but there are some improvements. Is it worth twice the price? Not for most people shopping in this range. Many would prefer to spend that money on better glass. Professionals with funding will of course look to the C300 from Canon.
The rest of us come to sites like this looking for affordability. We want gear similar to that of professionals without the cost. I think those people are looking between the 60D, GH2 and praying the MK2 drops in price a little more.
I went the 60D route and can’t complain. The GH2 is very interesting, but sometimes I wonder if the high resolution gives it a bit of that early DV look where everything is sharp and in focus. I might be off and a GH2 enthusiast will definitely let me know! I just find Canon cameras provide a more natural look to my eyes.
March 22nd, 2012 at 11:50 pm
Is it only me that finds the look of those expensive Zeiss CP.2 Prime lenses isn’t a big difference to Canon 24L, 35L, 85L ?
GH2 is good for docu style … But if you are doing events, weddings, etc. The 5D has so much more to offer. Like the widest 24 @ 1.4 on FF isn’t achievable anywhere in the DSLR world. And then if you need the 70-200/2.8 IS, you will never get that kind of image on lenses that can fit on the GH2.
We are not even going into low light which the Mark iii is at least 4-5 stops better than the GH2. If we are going into hacked mode, which cinematographer would use a 178bit hack GH2 on an important event like church solemnization which you know there is a slight chance of having corrupted data from your hacked GH2.
BUT if i’m a docu videographer and has full control over my settings (like distance of my subject) and no restriction on my time. I would definitely use a GH2.
March 23rd, 2012 at 1:08 am
Arguing about whether the GH2 or 5D is the better camera isn’t the big issue here, and neither is the budget of any one individual. The big problem is Canon’s complete lack of innovation and willingness to push the envelope. It almost makes me feel like Canon just got lucky with the 5D Mark II, saw a market open up, and decided to try and draw people into the high-end with the c300. The whole idea of the DSLR movement was the democratization of film making. Canon appears to be trying to reinstitute a class system based on wealth. We’ll give you a taste of great video, but you really want the c300, or the still to come 4K cinema DSLR>
Whatever their reasons Canon dropped the ball video wise with the new 5D. Stills wise, this camera owns.
March 23rd, 2012 at 2:12 am
For my wedding work I seldom use my hacked GH2. It’s just my 3rd camera. I really don’t like what I see on the flip out lcd, it has a greenish tint to it, eventhough the video will look amazing when viewed on a monitor or pc. Unlike Canon’s, it’s like what you see is what you get. I use the 60D as my primary cam for weddings. If I have the budget I’d definitely get the Mark 3.
I don’t know…I really like the color that the Canon DSLRs produce rather than the GH2. Don’t get me wrong, I love my GH2 but there’s really something that these Canon DSLRs have, like the video aesthetic/color.
March 23rd, 2012 at 6:26 am
Phill hit it on the head. Canon doesn’t want us to have a $3500 camera that has everything the pros want. They want those people to buy an XF100 or XF300 because they’re very serious about keeping those sides of their business segregated. There’s no way Canon would ever compete with itself in that way.
They force people into tough situations because the pros still buy regardless. I do photo and video often at the same event and to get the features I wanted without breaking the bank and without having to compromise my style, I had to buy an XA10 to run along side my 7D.
Now that I have a NEX-7 I’m reconsidering the entire dslr ‘norm’ I’ve believed in for years. Form factor means nothing anymore. Because of that I’m skeptical the 5D is worth the upgrade for me. As has been mentioned above…it’s just a tool so use the right tool for the job.
March 24th, 2012 at 4:44 am
I found a nice little video test on low light performance, Nikon D4 vs 5D mk3. Nikon performs very well. Nice to finally see some footage showing up and to see how this 7k camera stands up against Canon.
http://vimeo.com/39035280
March 25th, 2012 at 8:06 am
Pair the 5d3 with the 70-200 L 2.8 II and you have got an extremely versatile combination that is hard to beat.
March 27th, 2012 at 8:14 am
Never forget the DSLR revolution didn’t come from any of these companies wanting to sell better video cameras for less money. It came from people like you and me doing things with these cameras that the executives at Canon, etc. never even knew were possible. They’re not going to lead the way into the future, it’s up to us and our own ingenuity to do that.
March 27th, 2012 at 7:13 pm
I think I’m in love. The camera is not bad either.
March 29th, 2012 at 2:53 pm
Well the mark II seams to have better colors and darker black….. it does look better overall too…. sadly and no HDMI out either for the new mark III… canon… why?!!
April 2nd, 2012 at 7:05 am
We have used the mark II for wedding work for ages and was hoping for large improvements on the III. Wanted a flip out screen for quick crane and pole shots and was hopeful of 60fps 1080p ! Will probably hire in the c300 when needed, but will buy the mark III, just for its low light and audio capabilities.
August 15th, 2012 at 3:23 am
After reaching the time limit on video recording, how soon can you start recording again? Wedding ceremonies are longer than thirty minutes and I cannot be starting and stopping the video during that time.
August 15th, 2012 at 7:53 am
@Ken Dykes – The 5D Mark III does this automatically and doesn’t miss a frame. In post you just merge all the video files together in the timeline, and it looks seamless.
August 15th, 2012 at 1:48 pm
Thank you, Emm, but what I mean is, when the card fills up, can I just replace it and continue recording, or is there a waiting time to start recording again?
August 15th, 2012 at 1:52 pm
@Ken Dykes – Yes you can remove the card, insert a new one, and continue recording. The Mark III does hold two cards at one time one CF, and one SDHC.
August 16th, 2012 at 10:55 am
Thank you, again, Emm.
October 19th, 2012 at 11:29 pm
I’ve done extensive work on all three cameras. As a hobbyist, weekend auteur, the GH2 may hold a place in my hands. But as a professional tool I’d never use it on a paying job. I dp’d a TV show for the Cartoon Network for six months, three camera show all with GH2’s. We installed l, tested and shot with every hack under the sun. None of the hacks are viable for pro use. All will crash, brick or generally fail you under a variety of conditions.
I believe anyone who sings the praises of the hacks has shot nothing more then charts or static shots under a decent climate. Try the 82 mb hack in cold weather, wide lens against foliage . Panor have your actor do jumping hacks and watch it fail. Then watch the huge gamma shift from preview to record, making precise color and contrast work a raw deal. The camera is best off as a hockey puck.
Yes, the 5d’s 2 and 3 may not resolve as high as the GH2 but they do have something no other video camera has – and that is full frame. To compare the two cameras is as inane as comparing super 16 to 35. That huge chip is a big deal. Numerous TV shows use 5d’s farorw than you’d imagine. Far more than GH2’s.
November 18th, 2012 at 11:15 am
I will agree that many hacks can cause problems, not all ate unstable. The Sedna Q20 hack for instance, shoots a variable bitrate 88-150mbits….never had a problem. I’ve shot two full length features this past year with the GH2/Sedna hack and have had zero problems. Perhaps I’ve lucked out. Canon has lost the DSLR market. The mark iii took years to develope and it doesnt even shoot true 1080, just take a moment and think about it. 1080 had been the broadcast standard for years now. As an owner of a c300, I will say that canon has moved on to greener pastures.
If you want the best possible quality out of a DSLR/SLR camera, spend pennies and buy a GH2, do your homework and find a reliable hack, buy 2 32gb/95 mbit cards, and invest in a few contax/yashica zeiss lenses. After all this you’d be spending half the ammount of a mark iii body.