5d Mark III noise issues (cont.)

You are absolutely right Alexandros - when it comes to shadow noise - the $3500 5D3 from 2012 and the $500 (probably less than $100 used) 350d from 2005(!) are about the same at the pixel level - it is all in the numbers from DxO (choose, measurements - FULL SNR)

http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Cameras/Camera-Sensor-Database/Canon/EOS-5D-Mark-III

The 0 dB level for ISO 100 is reached at 0,05% grey scale - darker than 0,05% is overwhelmed by noise

For the 350d that level is reached at about the same level at 0,059% grey scale

http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Cameras/Camera-Sensor-Database/Canon/EOS-350D

Compare that with the $500 Nikon D5100 at 0,012% grey scale (that is A LOT better!)

http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Cameras/Camera-Sensor-Database/Nikon/D5100

Or the D800 at 0,01% (the best)

http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Cameras/Camera-Sensor-Database/Nikon/D800

The VERY best Canon has ever made, when it comes to clean shadows, is the $7000 1Ds3 with a SNR of 0 dB at 0,042% grey scale

http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Cameras/Camera-Sensor-Database/Canon/EOS-1Ds-Mark-III

If you are looking for clean shadows, you should NOT buy a Canon - sorry