With a camera of such pedigree, there are naturally high expectations. Find out how good it is in the What Digital Camera Canon EOS 5D Mark III review

Excellent set of features; build-quality is much better than MkII; AF system and overall performance

Expensive compared to some rivals

When Canon introduced the highly anticipated 5D Mark III to the market, the photography community and many Canon fans felt underwhelmed by its specifications, especially after the big shock wave left by the Nikon D800.

Fast forward to the 2nd March 2012 and Canon announce the 5D Mk III. With 7 years of history behind this single unit the announcement came on the back of a 25th anniversary for Canon's first camera in the EOS series, the film-based EOS 650.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III SLR is finally a complete and very powerful. Difficult to find a weak point. After a short period of adaptation becomes an extension of the arm of the photographer.

Image quality; Completeness and customizability of commands; Silent shutter mode

Lack of a flasher incorporated; Tendency to underexposure

Canon's Mark II users have been waiting three years for the third 5D in the series, and it's been well worth the wait - the camera has been vastly improved in nearly every aspect. Read on to discover how and why it's our Editor's Choice winner.

Excellent image quality; Improved handling; More responsive 61-point AF system; Fast six-frames per second shooting speed

Video not much improved out of camera; No non-compressed video thru HDMI; Video rolling shutter effect still visible

With each passing month, both Nikon and Canon introduce new innovations to their traditional DSLR line. Improved auto focus, better sensors – but sometimes, it's best to keep things simple even if they‘re not quite the most up to date hardware.

? As one of the true superstar digital SLRs retailing for a medium-high starting price, the Canon 5D Mark III deserves close scrutiny, and it's lived up to our expectations. Replete with new features, the Canon 5D Mark III's most important one is its full-frame sensor, whose resolution Canon kept to...

Superb still and video image quality; Powerful, fast, and accurate AF system with loads of cross-type points, loads of configurability and great frame coverage; Rugged, weather-sealed body with great control layout and user-interface configurability, Very high resolution, Great image quality,...

Dynamic range is limited by noise in deep shadows; Somewhat heavy-handed noise suppression and sharpening at default settings. (Shooting RAW avoids both.); No AF illuminator, Dynamic range not as good as competitors (deep shadow noise is rather high in raw files, Auto and Incandescent white balance...

The 5D Mark III is a beautifully crafted piece of camera gear. It is big, not huge, so it is also a commitment you have to make if you plan to carry it around all day. The menu is extensive but easy to handle, especially when you use the two different wheels for navigation.

Upgraded from my 5D Mk II to the Mk III and it was worth the money. I thought of maybe going with the 6D which is about about half of the price, but...

Autofocus system has been much improved

can't think of anything...

There is 5D Mark 4 and 6D Mark 2, but 5D Mark 3 is the best one. 5D Mark 4 is just minor update from 5Dmk3. 6Dmk2 has many features, but it can't bit 5Dmk3's outcome. I love 5Dmk3 :)