Farewell to the Canon 5D Mark III: A Musical Tribute

The new Canon 5D Mark IV is here! As excited as we are here at Wistia to welcome this new DSLR into our camera toolbox, we had to take a minute to reflect on just how amazing and game-changing its predecessor was.

We make a lot of videos here at Wistia. And since 2012, we’ve shot nearly every Wistia video with the Canon 5D Mark III. The camera was an amazing tool for video producers, filmmakers, and photographers alike. Wedding videos, corporate videos, studio photography, travel… you name it, this camera was the Swiss Army Knife of cameras.

And what a camera it was

Like a proud parent, I reminisce about when the Mark III arrived on the scene. It was hands down the best camera you could buy for the money. It amplified everything that made the 5D Mark II so amazing and helped to revolutionize the world of video.

The 5D Mark III included some key upgrades from the Mark II that quickly won my affection.

• A headphone jack to monitor audio
• 60 frames per second recording with multiple video compression algorithms
• Higher effective ISO, which made shooting in low light conditions way easier
• An SD card for easy footage offloading onto a Macbook with an SD card slot
• Higher continuous photo frame rate in burst mode

The elephant in the room? Some competitors began to outshine the Canon 5D Mark III towards the end of its life. Mirrorless cameras like the Sony a7S and Panasonic LUMIX GH4 started to creep in and coax Canon loyals to join the dark side. Things like 4K recording, higher frame rates, and crazy low light capabilities were features that the Mark III really lagged on.

Introducing the Canon 5D Mark IV

I’m really excited about the Mark IV announcement and can’t wait to get my hands on the new camera. These are the features I’m most excited about:

• 4K resolution
• 120 frames per second shooting mode
• 4:2:2 color for more advanced options with color grading
• Dual Pixel Auto Focus for subject tracking and focus pulling when shooting solo

What’s next for the 5D Mark III?

So what does the Mark IV announcement mean for the Mark III? It means price drops! Now would be a great time to pick one up. The Mark III is still a solid camera choice. It has all of the features that made me fall in love with it back in 2012, but lags on some of the more modern touches like 4K resolution and Dual Pixel Auto Focus.

Maybe the new features of the Mark IV aren’t making you drool. Maybe you’ve been waiting for an excuse to take the plunge and upgrade to a full-frame sensor. I think the Mark III is still a great camera and should be priced to move.

So if you’re okay with sticking to 1080p, and you’re on a budget, pick up a new body on clearance, and put your money into investing in lenses, which hold their value way better than camera bodies.