Gloat

Although it was deafeningly silent after my last post, which leads me to conclude that no one reads this thing (not even me), I decided to post and gloat a little about my new tool/toy.  I had to put tool in there so I didn't feel too much like a kid in the candy store and I really do use this to do a job, but it is still a really cool new "toy."

What am I talking about you might ask?  Drum roll please........

The all powerful, no human necessary (just kidding), Canon EOS-1D Mark III.

I got this little gem on Saturday.  After fighting with several preorder list providers, where I ordered back at the first of March, I cancelled them all and called up B&H where I got one of the last few they got in the 145 count shipment.  I beat people out by no more than 2 minutes... nice!  Those people that know me have seen how I take care of my 20D and can rest assure than I'm still keeping my faithful friend.  Big Brother Mark III is just taking over to give it a nice little break/vacation but it will keep waiting in the wings with lense poised and ready until needed.

Stepping up from a 20D to a 1 series camera takes some getting used to.  I've borrowed/rented 1Ds and 1D Mark II's in the past for specific needs but never fully loved the button layout (or price in the 1Ds case) but I did love their output.  The Mark III has a new button layout that 1D Mark II owners won't like at first but after getting used to I think will grow to love.  As an owner that shot mainly with the 20D the button layout of the Mark III is great.  It still takes some getting used to but that is mainly because of all the extra options.  You're main shooting buttons are pretty much in the same place with the addition of the AF-On button.  I always split the AF from the Shutter but I hated losing AE lock (other than half pressing the shutter) so the Mark III is nice because I still have the * button.  I debated on reprogramming the * and AF-On button to be reversed because I'm so used to hitting the * on the 20D but in vertical mode it is much easier to just hit the AF-On button.  After about 20 minutes of shooting I found no problem accidentally hitting the * button in horizontal mode, even after going back and using the 20D for a bit.  The huge LCD is nice although I try not to use it much for evaluating which photos are keepers, etc.  I use it more to check the information I set in the shot and the split RGB histograms to help determine if I need to adjust anything for the next series of shots.  One other feature I love compared with the 20D is that you can save your CF (custom function, not card) settings into 3 different sets and choose that set semi-quickly.  This means that if you have specific settings for sports you can save that to Set 1 but you have a different set of CF settings for outdoor flash portraits then you can set it to Set 2.  Now you just have to go in and choose to apply Set 1 and your ready for sports.  You can turn around a minute later and apply Set 2 to take that flash portrait.  No hunting and remembering all your CF settings.  You can also export these settings to your media card (you can save 10 different profiles) and transfer them to another 1D Mark III or just use it to expand your stored options... kind of like adding more CF Sets.  If you're like me then you also don't like always hunting through a menu or CF settings to get to a needed function.  Well that's relieved with the My Menu option that allows you to set up to 6 quick access functions on your own menu.  So you can quickly access format, mirror lockup, flash sync options, whatever you need quick access which digging through all the menus.

There are a lot more features to this camera but I'm sure those interested have already read the reviews, white papers and maybe even the manual online.  I just wanted to give you a couple quick points coming from a 20D user.  Also when you have a new toy you just need to show off a bit.  If anyone is reading this and has a question whether Mark III or camera/lighting related please feel free to post or message me and I'll do what I can to answer the question.  I'm hoping to post up a few sample shots later tonight/tomorrow and I'll be using the camera exclusively on a baby shoot this coming weekend so I'm sure I'll have even more insight soon.