After years in the making and listening to the feedback of hundreds of photographers from around the world, Canon has now released the EOS 5D MarkIII.

The new Canon Mark II offers a range of rich features and enhancements that include:

• 22.3 megapixel full-frame sensor
• 61-point Autofocus
• 6 fps continuous shooting
• ISO 100–25,600 sensitivity, expandable to ISO 102,400
• Full-HD video with manual control
• 14-bit DIGIC 5+ processor
• Weather sealing
• 8.11cm (3.2-inch) 1,040,000-dot screen
• HDR mode

Canon Processing Power

The Canon 5D Mark II boasted 21.1 effective pixels whereas the Mark III adds an en extra couple of pixels only. However what stands it apart is the image processor.  The Mark II 5D offers a 14-bit DIGIC 5+ versus its predecessors DIGIC 4. This means more processing power and a burst rate of up to six frames-per-second. (6 FPS).

Upgraded Autofocus System

Canon have redeveloped their autofocussing system for the Mark II, it now boasts a 61 point autofocus system that focuses quickly and accurately – and as Canon states ‘even on off-centre subjects’  which is the same as the 1DX.

That’s just a few of the highlights of the new Canon5D Mark III. As a user of the Mark II and admittedly my favourite camera I will soon be looking to move the Mark III. I have not yet seen a spec comparison between the Canon Mark III and the Canon  EOS-1D X except to know that the 1D-X comes in at £2K more than the £3K for the 5D MKIII while both utilizing the DIGIC 5+, 61 AF. I imagine there are a lot of differences though to justify the pricing.

View from the ruins of Wardour Castle – 24th September 2011, Salisbury, Wiltshire

Adam Palfreman at the Thundersport Bike Championships – 17th September 2011, Brands Hatch

Species of Echinacea Purpurea (White Echinacea) on a beautiful day in Cirencester – 13th August 2011

Scenes from London at night – 22nd August 2011 by Ian Coles

The Steam Train, Watchett, Somerset Developed in HDR – 06th August 2011

Fill the Frame

The next challenge in photographing racing events is to ensure the frame is filled by the entire car rather than simply the nose cone or tail ! This is easily achieved through a little test and learn. Panning the camera and following the cars as they approached allowed me to figure at approximately what point they nicely filled the frame, with focal length typically set at 400mm. Its then ‘simply’ a case of pressing the shutter release at that right moment. I’d also recommend moving around the track to find a variety of vantage points else you’ll end up with essentially the same image repeated many times. Finding a corner or ‘S’ such as the ‘Brooklands’ at Silverstone also provides more variety and the possibility of ‘stacking’ cars in pursuit. The shots here were taken at the 2011 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, using a Canon 5D Mark II with a Canon 100-400mm L IS lens.

British Grand Prix 2011 at Silverstone Park – 10th July 2011

Red Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) – 25th June 2011

Antarctica by Ian Coles