Photo by William Bayreuther on Unsplash
Canon 5D Mark III
The Canon 5D Mark III is going on 8 years old, which if you read this site regularly, you’ll know is a sweet spot for getting a camera that has all the features beginner photographers need while saving a ton of money.
Just like its follow-up, the Canon 5D Mark IV, features incredibly detailed images in both RAW and JPG and offers full HD video.
The one complaint I had when it came out was that it was a bit pricey, but nearly a decade later and this may be the perfect full-frame DSLR for you.
Let’s dive into our Canon 5D Mark III review 2021.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III Specs
The Canon 5D Mark III features impressive specs for a camera of this age, including a 3” LCD with over 1M-dots, full HD video, and a 22.3MP sensor.
The camera also functions as a good wedding or travel camera because it offers great low-light shooting.
Jon Rettinger covers all there is to love, and a few things to not, in his overview above.
Other Specs:
- 22.3MP sensor
- Full 1080p HD video capabilities
- ISO range of 100-25,600
- 61-point AF system
- 6fps burst mode
- 3.2” LCD with 1.04M-dots
- 1.9 lbs
- Weather-sealed body
Recommended 5D Mark III Books
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III Original Instruction Manual
- David Busch's Canon EOS 5D Mark III Guide to Digital SLR Photography
- Canon 5D Mark III Experience - The Still Photography Guide to Operation and Image Creation with the Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon Mark III Body & Design
The Canon 5D Mark III features a slightly smaller screen, 3.2”, than other Canon DSLRs, but this doesn’t mean Canon left out the customizable controls.
All of your shooting settings can be set with only your right hand, which is grand for me, but wouldn’t be for anyone who is left-handed and generally left out of camera designs.
It also features dual card slots, a live view/video switch you can easily get to with your thumb, and some buttons that were new on this camera, like Picture Styles, Multiple Exposure, and HDR.
Canon 5D Mark III Build & Handling
The Canon 5D Mark III is built with magnesium alloy and polycarbonate, making it light but sturdy.
The body is dust and weather-sealed, fairly efficiently, and there is a rubber-textured grip for your fingers to ensure you can keep a tight hold on it.
It is a little bigger than similar cameras that have come out in the past few years, which is to be expected, but it still weighs under 2 lbs so it should be comfortable for just about everyone.
Canon 5D Mark III Video Performance
Chad Soriano walks you through a variety of shots with his video test above.
While it doesn’t feature 4K video, and so probably isn’t the camera for videographers, it does feature Full HD video and can shoot for up to 30 minutes at a time.
As Joshua Zucker showcases, this camera’s low-light capabilities are best exemplified when shooting video. It can shoot at 30, 25, or 24fps.
Canon 5D Mark III Price
Since the Canon 5D Mark III is so old it is no longer available new, but Gear Focus features multiple Canon 5D Mark IIIs starting at $800.
And, since Gear Focus is a marketplace made by photographers, for photographers, if you don’t see the exact version of this DSLR you want today, it may be on the site tomorrow.
I use Gear Focus when I’m looking for a good deal, but don’t want to get ripped off by sellers. That’s because unlike Craigslist, Gear Focus has built-in fraud protections so you can buy with confidence.
In fact, all orders and transactions on Gear Focus are monitored by seasoned photographers and videographers who keep an eye out for fraud. What’s more, sellers on the site are securely verified via email and phone before they’re allowed to list a single item. If that doesn’t give you confidence to buy on Gear Focus, I don’t know what will.