One could argue that the Canon 5D Mark III is one of the most highly anticipated cameras of all time. For years, camera rumour sites have bleated on about what they think the camera will have… and now we finally know.

Below, we spoke to four professional Canon photographers about what they like (or dislike) about the Canon 5D Mark III. Adam Duckworth, James Cheadle, Patrick Sowels and Jeff Morgan – Canon pros across a range of genres – all gave us their first impressions.

We also spoke to Pete Travers, editor our sister title, the Canon magazine PhotoPlus, about his own thoughts about the new Canon DSLR.

First up, Adam Duckworth:

“The first thing that caught my attention about the Canon 5D Mark III is that it has an improved AF, a faster frame rate, better weatherproofing and can shoot video at 60fps, as well as two card slots. That’s all I need to know right there, so count me in!

“These additions make the 5D Mark III a far more useful camera for shooting sport and action, and fast video too. That’s before the claimed improvement at low-light performance.

“And the improved ergonomics like the Canon 7D that I often use for action stuff. The EOS 5D Mark III’s quiet shooting mode will be nice, too. As will being able to use the stock of LPE6 batteries I already have.

“While many people are saying the Canon 5D Mark III is evolution, not revolution, I disagree. It’s a whole new, better camera – judging by the spec sheet. If the image quality and dynamic range are improved from the Canon 5D Mark II as promised, it’ll be a real winner.”

Adam Duckworth
Professional motorsports photographer
Canon Cameras: Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Canon 7D

Watch the video below to take a closer look at some of the features, functions and design of one of the most long-awaited Canon DSLRs.

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So you think you know how to use your digital camera? Like many of us, you may have a DSLR or compact system camera but tend to use only a handful of its features.

In our ongoing review of some of the more popular current and ‘out of date’ digital cameras, we want to help you better harness the creative potential of your DSLR or compact system camera.

Call them camera tips, or call it a user’s guide to your favourite digital camera. The advice below comes from experts who have used the Canon 600D and know this DSLR inside and out.

If you have your own Canon 600D tips you’d like to share, post them in the comments below – or send them jeff.meyer@futurenet.com. What we want to build is an ever-growing user’s guide of Canon 600D tips that come not from a press release or a lab test, but from the photographers who shoot with this DSLR.

We want to inspire you to twist the mode dial and move beyond your favourite settings and functions and get more out of your Canon 600D starting today! So without further ado…

Canon 600D: tips for using your Canon DSLR

Tip 1: Vari-angle screen
The fold-out 1040K LCD on the Canon 600D is great for self-portraits, shooting low to the ground or above your head, and for shooting videos – but remember to turn the screen around when folding it away for added protection.

Tip 2: Wireless flash
Open up a whole world of flash photography possibilities by utilising the Canon EOS 600D’s wireless flash functionality. You can easily fire and control flashguns remotely, firing them with or without your 600D’s built-in flash.

Tip 3: Creative Auto
For those who are put off by semi-auto shooting modes such as Av and Tv, but still want to take more control of their photos, the Canon 600D has a Creative Auto mode for easily setting image brightness, background blur, flash and more.

Tip 4: A+ Scene Intelligent Auto
This clever automatic shooting mode analyses the scene you’re shooting in detail and picks the right camera settings – such as AWB, AE, Auto Lighting Optimizer and Auto Picture Styles – for the best result.

Tip 5: Creative Filters
New to Canon 600D and 60D SLRs, Creative Filter effects can be applied in-camera to images post-capture. Effects include Toy Camera, Miniature, Grainy Black & White and Fisheye.

Tip 6: Flickering flash
You may have noticed that the built-in flash on your Canon 600D flickers when you’re getting ready to take a shot. Like many Canon DSLRs, the Canon 600D has no AF illuminator to help it autofocus under very dull lighting. Instead, the pop-up flash emits a brief series of pulses of light to illuminate the target. you can switch this off in the Custom Functions menu, or ensure that only the less annoying infrared AF beam is triggered when using a compatible external flashgun.

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The Canon EOS 5D Mark III has only one megapixel more than its predecessor, the 5D Mark II, which has led some to question whether the new Canon camera is enough of an upgrade.

Speaking to our sister website TechRadar, Canon UK’s David Parry said he believes that 22 megapixels is enough, adding education needs to be done to convince consumers of that.

“I think there’s difficulty with having higher megapixel counts. What we tried to do is create a camera that’s good for all types of photography,” he told TechRadar.

“We feel that this is an ideal number for this type of camera, if you’re a journalist or sports photographer, you need to get the images off the camera quickly, and they need to be as sharp as they can be.

“It’s OK [higher megapixel counts] for studio photographers, but that’s not who we envisage using this camera,” he added.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III is currently the highest resolution DSLR available in the EOS range, which is outgunned by the Nikon D800, which is the world’s highest resolution full-frame DSLR.

To see more of Parry’s comments, read the full interview on TechRadar.

Digital Camera’s head of testing Angela Nicholson is one of the first photographers to get a hands-on trial of the new Canon EOS 5D Mark III.

Handling the new Canon camera at the Focus On Imaging show in Birmingham, Angela says:

“The body of the 5D Mark III is largely unchanged from the Mark II’s, but there are a few key differences. The pentaprism lump on the top for example is a little larger and more rounded to accommodate the AF module which is 2.5x larger than the one in the Canon 5D MK II.

“There’s also the live view/video switch on the back of the camera which is in easy reach of the left thumb. In addition, Canon has added a couple of new buttons. The first of these is to access three creative options: Picture Styles, Multiple Exposure and the HDR modes.

“In multiple exposure mode up to 9 images can be combined into one, but it is still possible to save all of the images separately. There’s also a fair amount of control over the HDR options and the exposure variation can be set to up to 3EV with a collection of blending styles from natural to the more extreme HDR look.

“Like the camera it replaces, the 5D Mark III has a magnesium alloy bodyshell and consequently the new camera feels almost identical to the camera it replaces, however, the waterproofing has been improved and the finish on the body is slightly more deeply textured.

“The 5D Mark II proved a big hit for shooting video and Canon has added an audio out port to allow users to listen to the sound recording as well as the ability to adjust the sound level – just like with the 1DX using the touch sensitive control dial.”

To learn more about this new EOS camera and see more pictures of the Canon 5D Mark III’s menus and buttons, read Angela’s full hands-on Canon 5D Mark III review on our sister website TechRadar.

The new releases follow the Canon announcement of the long-awaited Canon EOS 5D Mark III full frame DSLR.

Sitting at the top of Canon’s range, the Speedlite 600EX-RT is Canon’s first flash unit to feature inbuilt wireless radio connectivity and replaces the advanced Speedlite 580EX II. Partnering with the new Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT, this new model offers enhanced opportunities for photographers wishing to explore creative lighting techniques.

Canon is also launching the BG-E11 battery grip, Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E7 and GPS Receiver GP-E2, which complement the newly-announced Canon EOS 5D Mark III.

The Speedlite 600EX-RT is a high-performance TTL flash unit designed for professionals. Integrated radio frequency triggering, in addition to standard infra-red wireless flash control, allows photographers to use complex on-and-off-camera lighting set-ups.

Using one master 600EX-RT or the new ST-E3-RT radio-frequency wireless Speedlite transmitter, up to 15x 600EX-RT flash units, positioned up to 30m away, can be remotely triggered.

Canon EOS cameras with a connected Speedlite 600EX-RT can also be triggered remotely by either model, allowing photographers to explore more extreme shooting angles to produce surprising and inspiring creative results.

The Speedlite 600EX-RT and Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT also feature a weatherproof design with a clear LCD display making it easy to select settings and switch between normal flash mode and wireless modes.

The WFT-E7 is a new wireless file transmitter for a wide range of EOS models. For those who need to transfer their images quickly, the WFT-E7 provides enhanced versatility through high-speed Wi-Fi and support for wired connectivity over Gigabit Ethernet.

Featuring 802.11a/b/g/n support for file transfer speeds of up to 150mbps, and Bluetooth for linking to external GPS units, the WFT-E7 offers super-fast image transfer direct to an FTP server or even to a DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance ) -enabled HDTV.

Also introduced is the GPS receiver GP-E2 – a new compact, lightweight, high-performance hot shoe GPS unit which makes it easy for photographers to geo-tag their images.

Compatible with the EOS-1D X, EOS 7D (Via firmware update – connection via cable only) and new EOS 5D Mark III, the GP-E2 tags photos with longitude, latitude and altitude data as well as the direction in which the shot was taken, adding information to the EXIF file of the image.

Finally, for photographers who want to shoot for longer with the new Canon EOS 5D Mark III, the new ergonomic battery grip BG-E11, doubles the battery life with two additional LP-E6 batteries, with the added flexibility of using AA batteries as an emergency back-up.

For those who frequently shoot vertically, such as sports or portrait photographers, duplicate AF start, Focus point and AE-lock controls in addition to a second Multi Controller and Control Dial make shooting vertically more comfortable and intuitive.

In keeping with the premium design of the EOS 5D Mark III, the BG-E11 is made of durable magnesium alloy and offers the same weather-proofing.

Speedlite 600EX-RT Key features
Guide number 60 (m, ISO 100, at 200mm)
Radio triggering with 30m range
Use up to 15 units together
Infra-red wireless functionality
Remote camera triggering
Bounce-and-swivel head with zoom control
White-balance correction filters
Fast, quiet recycling

Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT Key features
Radio frequency remote flash trigger.
Fire selected Speedlites from 30m away.
Controls up to 15 flashguns.
Remote camera triggering.
Weather sealed against dust and moisture.

Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E7 Key features
Supports IEEE 802.11n
Built in Bluetooth
Versatile design
Easy Wi-Fi protected Setup
FTP server transfer
Remote control functions
DLNA media server compatible
Linked shooting

GPS Receiver GP-E2 Key features
Hotshoe-mounted GPS unit for compatible EOS cameras.
Embeds location and altitude data into each file’s metadata.
Digital compass records heading information.
Data logging mode.
Portable design, powered by 1xAA battery.
Accurately set camera’s time using UTC time.

Battery Grip BG-E11 Key features
Improved handling for EOS 5D Mark III
Duplicate controls for vertical shooting.
Larger grip for bigger hands.
Use two LP-E6 batteries, or four AA/LR6 cells as an alternative.

Pricing and Availability
The SpeedLite 600EX-RT is available from end of March 2012, priced at £679.99 / €809.99 RRP incl. VAT.
The SpeedLite 600EX is available from the end of March 2012, priced at £639.99/€761.99 RRP incl. VAT.
The SpeedLite Transmitter ST-E3-RT is available from the end of March 2012, priced at £309.99/€369.99 RRP incl. VAT.
The Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E7B is available from the end of April 2012, priced at £789.99/€939.99 RRP incl. VAT.
The Battery Grip BG-E11 is available from the end of April 2012, priced at £329.99/€389.99 RRP incl. VAT.
The GPS Receiver GP-E2 is available from the end of April 2012, priced at £299.99/€356.99 RRP incl. VAT.

The Canon 5D Mark III has been released at last.

The new DSLR follows on from Canon’s popular EOS 5D Mark II, which is now over two years old.

The upgrade features a 22.3 million pixel sensor, 61 point autofocusing and 6fps continuous shooting.

Set to rival the Nikon D800, the 5D Mark III also features Canon’s recently announced Digic 5+ image processor which promises fast shooting speeds and helps to reduce noise.

Sensitivity ranges from ISO 100 – ISO 25600, which is expandable up to 51,200 in H1 mode and up to 102,400 in H2 mode. It is also expandable down to ISO 50.

Video

Naturally, the camera shoots full HD video and a headphone socket allows sound to be monitored accurately.

Autofocus operation has been dramatically improved on the camera, which now features 61 high density reticular AF points with up to 41 crosstype points.

Fast shooting is available at up to 6 frames per second, while an intelligent viewfinder allows for approximately 100% coverage.

According to Canon, the camera has been tested to a shutter durability of 150,000 cycles.

Memory

Dual card slots have been included on the camera, with one for Compact Flash and the other for SD. It seems that Canon has so far rejected the new XQD memory card format that is utilised by the Nikon D4.

The camera is also capable of creating multiple exposures and high dynamic range images (HDR) in camera, while a comparative playback function allows images to be checked against each other.

Improved durability comes in the shape of water and dust resistance which has been upgraded for the new model.

Screen

Like the EOS-1DX, the EOS 5D Mark III has a 3.2in 1,040k-dot Clear View II LCD with a gapless design to reduce reflections.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III UK price is £2999.99, while it is expected to be available from the end of March.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III Key Specifications

22.3 million pixel sensor
ISO 100-25600 (51-102400 expandable)
Digic 5+ processor
6.0fps shooting
Full HD video recording
HDR mode
Dual CF and SD slots
3.2 inch LCD screen

Read first impressions of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III at our sister site TechRadar.

Canon has revealed that its new flagship DSLR, the Canon EOS-1D X will be available for purchase from the end of April 2012.

The Canon announcement ends months of speculation of a Canon EOS-1D X release date following its unveiling late last year. The Canon announcement also comes a week after it posted Canon EOS-1D X sample photos showing off the new camera’s low-light capability.

The EOS-1D X is Canon’s most advanced EOS DSLR ever produced, Canon says, and is the first to use dual DIGIC 5+ processors. These are designed to handle huge levels of image data while at the same time reducing image noise.

The new Canon camera also comes equipped with an 18.1-megapixel CMOS sensor and a staggering ISO range stretching from ISO 100 up to ISO 51,200 (expandable to ISO 204,800).

For more details on this new Canon DSLR, read the hands-on Canon EOS-1D X review at our sister website TechRadar.

1/8000sec at f/4, ISO 800, Auto White Balance

Canon has posted a series of sample EOS-1D X photos in a special gallery on its website, which are available for download.

The six images include four sports photos and two portraits, shot at ISO 800 or higher to show off the EOS-1D X’s low-light capability. We’ve downloaded a selection of the Canon 1D X photos and provided 100% crops below to give you an indication of how the new Canon DSLR performs at higher ISOs.

1/6400sec at f/4, ISO 800, Auto White Balance

The photo above shown at 100%.

1/640sec at f/5.6, ISO 1600, Auto White Balance

The image above at 100%.

1/8000sec at f/4, ISO 800, Auto White Balance

The image above at 100%.

Canon has also provided a sample EOS-1D X movie called ‘Heart Beat’ which shows off the new Canon DSLR’s video recording capability.

To view all the images, visit the Canon EOS-1D X website.

Or you can read the Canon EOS-1D X hands-on review at our sister website, TechRadar.

First up, the new EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM lens is added to Canon’s professional line and is an upgrade to the previous standard zoom lens.

It features a redesigned optical system which includes two Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) and one Super UD aspheric element which is designed to minimise chromatic aberration and colour blurring.

Super Spectra coatings to reduce ghosting and flare have also been included, along with a fluorine coating to minimise the amount of dust, dirt and fingerprints.

A ring-type Ultrasonic Motor (USM) works in combination with a high-performance CPU for quick and accurate, and silent autofocus. The lens has a minimum focusing distance of 0.38m at all focal lengths throughout the zoom range.

The structure of the lens has been improved to offer enhanced zoom durability along with grater shake and shock resistance within the barrel. The size of the lens has also been reduced by 10mm.

A new zoom lock lever means that photographers can lock the zoom position at the extreme wide end of the lens to prevent damage to the lens in transit, while it is also water and dustproof.

Read more about the new Canon EF lenses, on our sister website, TechRadar.