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...

On paper, the Canon 5D Mark III may not seem like a huge step up from the 5D Mark II especially given all the rumors (and long-time anticipation) surrounding its release. In some ways, the Mark III on the surface doesn't dazzle with additional bells and whistles or even any huge leap forward in...

Excellent photo/video quality; Excellent build quality; Advanced 61 point AF system

Best image quality from Raw (vs; JPEG, Overly aggressive noise reduction, Monaural on-board microphone

On the 25th anniversary of its EOS system, Canon finally announced the long-awaited update to its full-frame 5D Mark II dSLR. The 5D Mark III is packed with capabilities for both still and video shooters, but at a much steeper price. As you'd expect, the 5DM3 consists of a combination of technologies, features, and design updates rolled out in the EOS 7D and the more recent 1D X. The result is a camera that looks similar to its predecessor with a lot more capabilities and better performance, but isn't as different when it comes to the basics -- photo and video quality -- as you'd expect. Of course, the 5D Mark II is pretty great in those respects, so no drastic change isn't necessarily a bad thing.

While it's not a no-brainer upgrade over the Mark II, the Canon EOS 5D Mark III is worth the price premium if better performance and configurability matter to you.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III offers a more streamlined shooting design, significantly updated feature set with more configurability, plus better performance over its predecessor; It maintains its excellent photo and video quality as well.

JPEG photos at low ISO sensitivities don't match the generally excellent level of quality that you can otherwise get out of this camera.

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 II is one of the most highly regarded DSLRs of all time, so the 22.3-million-pixel Mark III upgrade has a great deal to live up…

It's the little additions that make the Mark III a worthy target for photographers to upgrade from the previous camera. Feature tweaks, as well as a significant boost to the low-light capabilities in stills and video recording, will be invaluable for many photographers.

Improved AF performance; Excellent image quality; Headphone monitoring; Improved video quality with low moire and artefacts; Excellent high ISO performance

Repositioned buttons may annoy Mark II upgraders; No clean HDMI output; Video and images straight from camera can benefit from a small amount of sharpening

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.

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.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III is an excellent camera, capable of taking stunning photos in a wide variety of situations and has a wealth of lenses available to go with it. The 5D Mark III may not be as ground-breaking as the 5D Mark II , but this is simply because the Mark II was so good, and where the...

6fps continuous shooting; Full HD video at 25/24 fps; Built in HDR creation; Great 3.2inch screen; Weather sealed magnesium body; Excellent noise performance; Excellent image quality; Full printed manual; Built in help; Built in electronic level; Ability to rate images in playback

RRP compared to Mark II

Canon has a long tradition of producing innovative and groundbreaking DSLRs. In 2003, for example, the 6.3MP Canon 300D became the first consumer-grade DSLR to sell for under ￡1,000.

Vastly improved AF module; Addition of 'headphones in' socket; Enhanced ISO range/performance; Faster DIGIC 5+ processor; Built like a tank; Exceptional image quality; Fantastic video performance