5D3 or 1Ds Mk 3 as a back up body

<p>Hello, this topic has been visited a couple of times in the past, but may be worth another airing and I'd be interested to hear people's views.<br>

My 1st series 5D has died and having already been repaired twice before, it's time to turn it into a paperweight. So I'm left looking for a backup full frame body to go with my 5D3. Looking on eBay, I can get a 5D3 for ~15-1600 GBP or perhaps a 1Ds Mk3 for perhaps half that. It's going to be a second body, so I'd hang a 70-200 on it for candids while doing the bulk of my shooting with a 5D3+24-70.<br>

I use the 5D3 for portraits and presentations at the end of sports events and the work goes to national and international glossies, individuals and to event sponsors.<br>

I think the 6D may be a bit on the fragile and porus side for my needs, much or my photography is outside and can be in pretty poor weather.<br>

So, is it worth getting the 1Ds for half the price of a 5D3, what do you think?<br>

Thanks.</p>

<p>My personal solution to this problem of having two bodies was to buy a reasonably recent APS-C body for use with a long telephoto zoom, and to use a "full-frame" for shorter lenses.<br>

I have shot with this combination of formats for a long time (back to a 5D and a 20D) and found it convenient and useful.</p>

<p>If the use of the second camera is truly "backup" alone, then I could see the advantage of having a second body that has exactly the same "control system". Then any switch between bodies will be seamless.</p>

Hello JDMvW,

All of my sports photography is shot on APS-C frames, usually a 7D2+100-400 and a 7D+400/2.8+1.4x was the

weekend's setup.

I've used combinations like that since the 5D and 20D days. I've got four APS-C bodies and have had two full frames,

now I'm down to just the one full frame.

<p>My 'main' Canon camera is now a 5D3 but I also have a 1Ds3 and a 7D (sadly not a 7D2 - yet!). I used to shoot catwalk shows and found the built-in vertical grip of the 1D(s) series very useful when shooting the models in Portrait mode as then came towards me down the catwalk. I went back to shooting catwalk a while ago and was using the 5D3 with 70-200 f2.8 IS Mk2. I pretty rapidly realised I needed a vertical grip so that I could adjust the aperture as the models came from the back of the catwalk to the front where there was a variation of up to three stops in the lighting in some shows. I found the additional depth of the camera set up - due to the combined thickness of the camera base and the top of the grip - made it very uncomfortable as my thumb had to 'stretch' further in order to operate the rear control wheel. So, if you need to rapidly change aperture when shooting in 'Portrait' format then I would recommend a 1Ds3. However, this will mean that you will need to carry a set of different batteries with you (and the charger to go with them). If you were to purchase a second 5D3 you would have battery compatibility between the 5D3 and the 7D2 and as both cameras are very similar in their operation that is the option I would recommend.</p>

<p>I'd go with the 5D3 for its newer vintage sensor and excellent AF system. Also, portraits after the events and in bad weather can mean high-ISO performance, where the 5D3 excels. The 6D is better in this one regard, but not so well weather sealed. The 7D2 and the 5D3 have equivalent weather sealing and construction.</p>

For sports nothing really beats the 1D or the 1Ds series cameras. The 1D3 would surely be a great choice for sports and

weather condition issues, plus enlargements are still excellent with a shutter speed rate of 11 or so frames per second. It

won't need to be repaired for several years, because the 1D series cameras are tanks. Just heavy.

<p>He's already using a 7D MkII as his "sports" body. He's asking about the "backup" for shooting after-match portraits, etc.</p>

<p>It can be argued that the current generation of "pro-sumer" bodies, like the 7D2 and 5D3 are superior to the prior generations of 1D-series, except for weather proofing and shutter life. The 7D2 is working well for him, so I'd say, "Stick with the current generation of sensors and AF system."</p>

<p>I would agree with David. The obvious choice is the 6D, but it is not really weather sealed (but it's not totally unsealed either), so it does depend on whether you really will be shooting in the pouring rain. That leaves the 5D3. If you wait until later in the year the 5D4 will be with us, and the 5D3 will presumably drop in price.</p>

Thus the reason why I suggested the 1D and the 1DS series, the cameras and some of the lenses are extremely weather

resistant. Do you wish to wreck a camera and a job because of weather conditions? He's asking about a backup camera. This seems perfect if the weather sucks. In sub zero degree weather will the shutters fire with the 1D series camera, or in mist or maybe in a light rain, you bet they will. I have the 1Ds Mark111 as one of my nature cameras and it's NEVER failed. the other cameras get fogged up mirrors and fogged eye viewers. Do you want to go through this on a paying job and tell the client opps, sorry, I'm a pro but not a very good pro, because I don't own the pro cameras? It's something to seriously think about. Bad weather will happen sometime.

<p>Bob, it's not in his initial post, but he makes it clear later that he's using a 7D MkII as his primary body. If that weather sealing is good for him, then a 5D MkIII will do for his secondary full-frame and give a superior sensor to the old 1D models.</p>

<p>I use the 7D2 and the 5D-series in some rain and lots of snow and find weather sealing fine for that usage, without a supplemental raincoat. I've got a raincoat in my bag, but haven't stayed in pouring rain long enough to pull it out. I shoot wildlife and tend to come in out of the rain, because the wildlife tends to bed down at those times. At many sports events, humans continue to play through torrential downpours, but he's not indicating a weather problem with his 7D2.</p>

David, I totally agree. You can shoot sports with pretty much any camera that shoots at a shutter speed of 4 frames per

second. Including those crazy air shows, like the Blue Angels. In his first post he asked what should he get. I'd grab the

tank, if the prices were about the same, plus they have dual card slots in case one card gets fried. If it's not a paying job

and the weather is horrible, I'd pack up, pick up a pizza, get a beer, and go home! If it were a paying job I'd hire a kid to help

hold an umbrella to help deflect the rain off of the lens and the camera, even though the 1D series cameras are weather

resistant they are not water proof. So we have a difference in opinions as for camera choices, all of the cameras will work

under normal weather conditions. For me to feel safe I'll always shoot the the 1Ds MK111 when the weather isn't very good.

I do own a few 5D mar3 bodies and I just bought the 5DSR 50 megapixel, but haven't taken a shot with it yet. I surely won't

take any of the 5d's out in nasty weather. Yet I can't wait to shoot with the 50 megapixel camera.

<p>Bob, I too now have the 5DSR, since August of 2015. I love it for landscape, travel, portraits and as a back-up wildlife body. I carry a 7D2, usually with my 500/f4 attached and the 5DSR with the 70-200/f4 attached, with and without the 1.4x TC-III. It's a great setup. </p>

<p>I also own a 5D MkIII, but it hasn't seen any use since the 5DSR arrived. It's got over 100,000-clicks, but it's up for sale.</p>

David, we have the same tastes in cameras! I just got the 5DSR about a month ago. I can't seem to find time to get away

and have some fun! I'm glad to hear you really like it. Maybe after this weekend I'll take a drive up the Pacific coast past

Santa Barbara. There are some elephant seals hanging around about 1 hour north of of Santa Barbara, which are fun to

photograph. They can smell horrible!

Hello all,

I've gone with the 5D3 in the end. This means I can work seamlessly between cameras when I'm in portrait situations and

having both cameras set up identically, there will be no additional steps in workflow.

<p>Peter, thanks for the feedback report.</p>

You made a good choice! Any camera that holds 2 cards is a wise move, plus there isn't a learning curve, all of your

cameras are the same.