Rather than a new post for every single new video featuring Canon 5D Mark III or Nikon D800 footage, it made a lot of sense to do a weekend roundup of all of the videos we haven't covered here yet. Some of you are tired of hearing about these cameras, so I really feel like this is the best of both worlds. We don't have any major tests yet, as the cameras aren't quite in people's hands, but if you're still holding off on a purchase there will be plenty of solid tests coming up in the next few weeks.
First up are the Canon 5D Mark III videos. SAIKA, who posted the original 5D Mark II vs 5D Mark III video, has posted an updated version with comparisons from more locations. It's really clear to me that in the low light scenarios the 5D Mark III retains a lot more color information compared to the 5D Mark II. The Mark II seems to take on a greenish hue when it's ISOs are really pushed.
Again from SAIKA, this time with a little daytime shooting thrown into the comparison:
You'll have to go to their site or Vimeo to watch it, but this one is from Felix Clay and Sam Morgan Moore at DSLR 4 Real via EOSHD. Footage was recorded using the ALL-I codec. Moire is almost non-existent in the Mark III footage. Here are some still images:
This one is from Gary Huff and it quickly compares the Canon 5D Mark III to the Panasonic GH2. The Mark III seems to have less rolling shutter:
Since the Nikon D800 hasn't gotten much love lately, here are some videos shot with that camera. First, we've got one from John Wright that premiered with the release of the camera in the UK:
I really love the look of that video, so while resolution isn't everything, color plays a huge role. I've always been a little partial to the Nikon color spectrum. Canon's cameras can be a little saturated in the reds if you're not careful.
This is from HDlndies, it's a test that they did with the D800 - also covered by EOSHD:
If you're curious about how each camera operates, the manual for the Nikon D800 can be found here and the manual for the Canon 5D Mark III can be found here. Thanks to planet5D and Nikon Rumors for those.
I really think both Canon and Nikon have created two fantastic cameras that excel in different places. For pure video quality, the Canon might edge the Nikon, but I think with the clean HDMI-out on the D800, the results are going to be less pronounced than they might have been. In low-light we're still not sure how the D800 will perform, but I've seen stills that showed it handily beating its predecessor, the Nikon D700. So the jury is still out on how much cleaner the 5D Mark III will be in low-light situations. One thing is certainly clear, that moire and aliasing seem to be completely gone on the Mark III, and they are either gone or much less pronounced on the D800.
As soon as I can get my hands on both of them, I'm going to do a comparison, so stay tuned.
Links: Canon 5D Mark III Manual & Nikon D800 Manual
[via EOSHD-Mark III & DSLR 4 Real & EOSHD-D800 & planet5D & Nikon Rumors ]
