The long-awaited successor to Canon's extremely popular EOS 5D Mark II camera is finally here. As its name implies, the company's 22-megapixel EOS 5D Mark III ($3,499 list, body only) is an evolutionary upgrade rather than a revolutionary one.

Compact for a full-frame SLR; 22-megapixel resolution; Large optical viewfinder; Bright, high-res rear LCD; Fast autofocus; 6fps continuous shooting; Excellent high ISO performance; 1080p video recording

Expensive; Slow focus in Live View and Video modes; No built-in flash; Not compatible with EF-S lenses

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III is the successor to the enormously popular EOS 5D Mark II, and builds on the success of this full-frame DSLR. When the original EOS 5D was launched in October 2005, it represented the first 'affordable' full-frame DSLR.

Great photo and video quality with low noise at high sensitivities; Powerful 61-point AF system with easy presets; Large viewfinder with 100% coverage and detailed 3:2 screen; 6fps continuous shooting; Good ergonomics; build quality and twin card slots

No built-in flash or wireless controller, No built-in Wifi or GPS; Both are expensive accessories, No articulated screen, no interval timer, No movie crop mode, no clean HDMI, no continuous movie AF, 36 Megapixel Nikon D800 available for less

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III is the continuation of the 5D line which introduced the first full-frame DSLR without an integrated grip, bringing quality images to a smaller form-factor than previously possible.

Very low image noise; Excellent image sharpness; Very accurate colors; Good automatic white-balance; Spectacular subject tracking autofocus; Lightning fast autofocus; Full choice of exposure modes for movies; Class-leading continuous buffer; Large viewfinder with 100% coverage; Highly customizable...

Underexposes often; Expanded ISO of limited use; Low rear control dial; Rear dial prone to accidental changes; Complex interaction between AF and lenses; Slow instant review; Slow to power-off due to sensor cleaning

It may not look like it from the base specifications alone, but the EOS 5D Mark III is a great improvement over its predecessor in every way that counts - autofocus, exposure and ISO have all had the benefit of the technological improvements Canon has gained since the 5D Mark II was released.

Greatly improved autofocus; excellent high ISO performance

Redesigned controls may take some getting used to

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

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III is not only a very capable photographic tool in almost all areas, it's also fun and exciting to shoot with. Slight JPEG softness is disappointing in a camera at this level but it's only visible at pixel-level and we would expect most of the camera's target group to shoot...

Good resolution and detail in raw files; Good color and tonality across the ISO range; Reliable metering even in difficult contrast situations; Very responsive and snappy operation; thanks to new Digic 5+ processor; 6 frames per second continuous shooting with good buffering; Excellent build-quality...

Destructive noise reduction results in mushy JPEGs; even at base ISO; Visible sharpening artifacts at default settings; Heavy-handed noise reduction leads to lack of low-contrast detail at higher ISOs; Distortion correction not available 'on the fly; Built-in microphone only monaural; Soft video...

Plus, it saves all of the single shots used as well as the final HDR image. All in all, Canon's version of HDR "is much more useful for serious photographers." Unlike the Nikon D800, the Canon Mark III lacks a pop-up flash.

Strong 22.3-megapixel resolution; Extraordinary low-light capability; Healthy 6 fps burst rate; Outstanding autofocus; Very intuitive to use; Dual CF/SD card slots

Less sharpness and detail than Nikon D800; Autofocus must be triggered manually in movie mode

? 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...

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

Canon's EOS 5D Mark III has a lot to live up to. For a start, the original Canon EOS 5D was the first DSLR to really bring full-frame digital photography within the reach of enthusiast photographers.