Canon EOS 5D Mark III Review: Digital Photography Review

Camera Menus

For this latest generation EOS Canon has slightly updated the presentation and structure of its menu system. Camera settings are still separated across a series of sensibly ordered, color-coded tabs but an increase in menu functions required the introduction of a second level of organization. Below each top level tab there are now 'sub-pages' within each category. In the previous system each tab represented a menu page. Some of the really fine-level camera customization has been moved out of the Custom Functions which, as a consequence, are now less comprehensive. Notably the AF-system got its dedicated AF-tab and some image parameter settings have been moved into the shooting menu.

As before the menus are context sensitive, with different menu options provided depending on which shooting mode you're in. There is a simplified menu structure if you shoot in the more automated modes - in this instance that means the Creative Auto and Auto modes. The fourth and fifth page within the shooting menu also change depending on whether the camera's mode switch is set to movie or live view.

Shooting section (red)


Option	Values / Actions	Notes
Shooting tab 1
Quality	• RAW - RAW MRAW SRAW • JPEG - Large Fine Large Normal Medium Fine Medium Normal Small1 Fine Small1 Normal Small2 Small3	- JPEG Large = 5760 x 3840 - JPEG Medium = 3840 x 2560 - JPEG Small1 = 2880 x 1920 - JPEG Small2 = 1920 x 1280 - JPEG Small3 = 720 x 480 - RAW = 5760 x 3840 - MRAW = 3960 x 2640 - SRAW = 2880 x 1920 Turn front dial to change RAW image, turn rear dial for JPEG.
Image review	• Off • 2 sec • 4 sec • 8 sec • Hold
Beep	• Enable • Disable	Enables auto focus confirmation beep. Also used for self timer.
Release shutter without card	• Enable • Disable	Allow shot to be taken without memory card inserted.
Lens aberration correction	• Peripheral illum. Enable Disable • Chromatic aberration Enable Disable	Corrects vignetting and chromatic aberration depending on the attached lens.
External speedlite control	• Flash firing Enable Disable • E-TTL II meter Evaluative Average • Flash sync speed in Av mode Auto 1/200-1/60 sec auto 1/200 sec (fixed) • Flash function setting Flash mode E-TTL II Manual flash MULTI flash Shutter sync 1st curtain 2nd curtain Hi-speed Flash exposure compensation +/– 3.0 EV Flash exposure bracketing +/– 3.0 EV • Clear flash settings Cancel OK • Flash C.Fn setting Only with compatible flash • Clear external flash C.Fn setting Only with compatible flash
Mirror lockup	• Enable • Disable
Shooting tab 2
Expo. comp./AEB	• +/–3 EV	Rear dial changes exposure compensation, front dial changes AEB settings.
ISO speed settings	• ISO speed Auto L(50) 100 - 25600 H1 (51200) H2 (102400) • ISO speed range Minimum (50-51200) Maximum (100-102400) • Auto ISO range Minimum (100-6400) Maximum (200-25600) • Min. shutter speed Auto 1/250 1/125 1/60 1/30 1/15 1/8 1/4 0"5 1"
Auto Lighting Optimizer	• Off • Low • Standard • High	Press Info button to disable during manual exposure
White balance	• Auto • Daylight (5200K) • Shade (7000K) • Cloudy (6000K) • Tungsten light (3200K) • White fluorescent light (4000K) • Flash • Custom • Color temp. (Kelvin)
Custom WB	• Set custom WB	Select image for custom WB.
WB Shift / BKT	• Shift: B9–A9, M9–G9 • Bracket: BA+/–3, MG+/–3	Configures WB shift and WB bracketing.
Color space	• sRGB • Adobe RGB
Shooting tab 3
Picture Style	• Picture Style Auto Standard Portrait Landscape Neutral Faithful Monochrome User Def. 1 User Def. 2 User Def. 3 • Detail set Sharpness (0-7) Contrast (-4-+4) Saturation (-4-+4) Color tone (-4-+4)	Press Info button to access Detail Set mode
Long exposure noise reduction	• Disable • Auto • Enable
High ISO speed NR	• Standard • Low • High • Disable
Highlight tone priority	• Disable • Enable
Dust Delete Data	• Cancel • OK
Multiple exposure	• Multiple exposure Disable On: Func/Ctrl On: ContShtng • Multi-expos ctrl Additive Average Bright Dark • No. of exposures (2-9) • Save source imgs All images Result only • Continue Multi-exp 1 shot only Continuously
HDR mode	• Adjust dyn range Disable HDR HDR +/- 1 EV +/- 2 EV +/- 3 EV • Effect Natural Art Standard Art Vivid Art Bold Art Embossed • Continuous HDR 1 shot only Every shot • Auto Image Align Enable Disable • Save source imgs All images HDR image only
Live view tab
Live View shoot.	• Enable • Disable
AF mode	• Live mode • Live mode • Quick mode
Grid display	• Off • 3x3 • 6x4 • 3x3+diag
Aspect ratio	• 3:2 • 4:3 • 16:9 • 1:1
Expo. simulation	• Enable • During DoF button • Disable
Silent shooting	• Mode 1 • Mode 2 • Disable
Metering timer	• 4 sec • 16 sec • 30 sec • 1 min • 10 min • 30 min
Movie tab 1
AF mode	• Live mode • Live mode • Quick mode
Grid display	• Off • 3x3 • 6x4 • 3x3+diag
Movie rec. size	• 1920 x 1080 (30/25fps)ALL-I • 1920 x 1080 (30/25fps) IPB • 1920 x 1080 (24fps) ALL-I • 1920 x 1080 (30/25fps) IPB • 1280 x 720 (60/50fps) All-I • 1280 x 720 (60/50fps) IPB • 640 x 480 (30/25fps) IPB	Selects movie recording size and frame rate. Frame rates of 30/60fps are recorded in NTSC mode, 25/50fps in PAL.
Sound recording	• Sound recording Auto Manual Disable • Rec. level (1-5) • Wind filter Disable Enable	Sound recording levels are displayed underneath the settings.
Silent LV shooting	• Mode 1 • Mode 2 • Disable
Metering timer	• 4 sec • 16 sec • 30 sec • 1 min • 10 min • 30 min
Movie tab 2
Time code	• Count up Rec run Free run • Start time setting Manual input setting Reset Set to camera time • Movie rec count Rec time Time code • Movie play count Rec time Time code
Silent control	• Enable • Disable
Movie shoot button	• Start/Stop-button • Start/Stop-button / shutter

Picture Style

The Picture Styles are a range of pre-programmed image parameter sets intended to deliver the best results in different situations. Each Picture Style has its own preset mapping for tone and color response as well as providing the ability to tune sharpness, contrast, saturation and color tone for each. For instance the default sharpening for the Standard Picture Style is level 3, if you prefer less strong you can just adjust it downwards. Sharpness has 8 levels, contrast, saturation and color tone all have have 9 levels.

AF section (purple)


Option	Values / Actions	Notes
AF tab 1
AF 'Cases'	Select from the following AF 'cases': • Case 1 : Versatile multi purpose setting • Case 2: Continue to track subjects, ignoring possible obstacles • Case 3: Instantly focus on subjects suddenly entering AF points • Case 4: For subjects that accelerate or decelerate quickly • Case 5: For erratic subjects moving quickly in any direction • Case 6: For subjects that change speed and move erratically Press the 'Rate' button to change settings for each case: • Tracking sensitivity (-2-+2) • Accel./decel. tracking (0-2) • AF point auto switching (0-2)
AF tab 2
AI Servo 1st image priority	• Release priority • Equal priority • Focus priority	Release timing for the first image when using AI Servo AF
AI Servo 2nd image priority	• Shooting speed priority • Equal priority • Focus priority	Release timing after first image in AI Servo AF continuous shooting
AF tab 3
USM lens electronic MF	• Enable after One-Shot AF • Disable after One-Shot AF • Disable in AF mode
AF-assist beam firing	• Enable • Disable • IR AF assist beam only
One-Shot AF release prior	• Release priority • Focus priority
AF tab 4
Lens drive when AF impossible	• Continue focus search • Stop focus search
Selectable AF point	• 61 points • Only cross-type AF points • 15 points • 9 points
Select AF area selec. mode	• Manual selection: Spot AF • Manual selection: 1 pt AF • Expand AF area • Expand AF area: Surround • Manual selection: Zone AF • Auto selection: 61 pt AF
AF area selection method	• M-Fn button • Main dial
Orientation linked AF point	• Same for both vert/horiz • Select separate AF points
AF tab 5
Manual AF pt. selec. pattern	• Stops at AF area edges • Continuous
AF point display during focus	• Selected (constant) • All (constant) • Selected (pre-AF, focused) • Selected (focused) • Disable display
VF display illumination	• Auto • Enable • Disable
AF Microadjustment	• Disable • All by same amount adjust (-20-+20) • Adjust by lens adjust (-20-+20)

Playback Section (Blue)


Option	Notes
Play tab 1
Protect images	Protect mode, allows you to browse images either in a single image or thumbnail view and mark each image as protected (or un-protect). This simply sets the read-only flag on the CF card file system. • Select images • All images in folder • Unprotect all images in folder • All images on card • Unprotect all images on card
Rotate	Rotate mode, again, this can be performed in either single image or thumbnail index view. This option allows you to rotate an image on-screen by 90 or 270 degrees. Doesn't actually rotate the JPEG file, but marks its orientation.
Erase images	• Select and erase images • All images in folder Select folder • All images on card Ok Cancel
Print order	Allows you to create a DPOF print order file, for use with compatible printers or photo finishers. • Select images • By folder Mark all in folder Clear all in folder • All images • Set up Print type Standard Index Both Date On Off File no. On Off
Image copy	Allows you to copy images between SD and CF memory cards in the camera • Select image • Select folder • All images
RAW image processing	Allows you to process Raw-images in-camera and adjust the following parameters: • Exposure • White Balance • Picture Style • Auto Lighting Optimizer • Noise Reduction • Image quality • Color space • Peripheral illumination correction • Distortion correction • Chromatic aberration correction
Play tab 2
Resize	• Select image M (9.8M) S1 (5.5M) S2 (2.5M) 3 stars S3 (0.3M)
Rating	• Select image Off 1 star 2 stars 3 stars 4 stars 5 stars
Slide show	• Select files All images Folder Date Movies Stills Rating • Set up Play time 1 sec 2 sec 3 sec 5 sec Repeat On Off
Image transfer	• Image sel./transfer Select image Select folder All images • RAW+JPEG transfer JPEG only RAW only RAW+JPEG
Image jump w/ control dial	• Select number of images 1 image 10 images 100 images • Select files Date Folder Movies Stills Image rating
Play tab 3
Highlight alert	• Disable • Enable
AF point disp.	• Disable • Enable
Playback grid	• Off • 3x3 • 6x4 • 3x3+diag
Histogram	• Brightness • RGB
Movie play count	• Rec time • Time code
Magnification (apx)	• 1x (no magnification) • 2x (magnify from center) • 4x (magnify from center) • 8x (magnify from center) • 10x (magnify from center) • Actual size (from selected pt) • Same as last magnification (from center)
Ctrl over HDMI	• Disable • Enable

Setup Section (Yellow)


Option	Values / Actions	Notes
Setup tab 1
Record func+card/folder sel.	• Record func. Standard Auto switch card Rec separately Rec to multiple • Record/play Slot 1 Slot 2 • Folder Select folder Create folder
File numbering	• Continuous • Auto reset • Manual reset	Controls the numbering method used for filenames.
File name	• File name PT3C IMG_ IMG+image size • Change user setting 1 Enter string • Change user setting 2 Enter string
Auto rotate	• On (play mode and EXIF) • On (EXIF) • Off	Chooses whether orientation information is recorded and if the camera should rotate in play mode.
Format	• Select card slot OK Cancel	Format the CF card
Setup tab 2
Auto power off	• 1 min • 2 min • 4 min • 8 min • 15 min • 30 min • Off	Sets camera power off time, this is the amount of "idle time" before the camera powers itself off. In the power off state the camera can be woken by half or fully depressing the shutter release (or turning the power switch to Off and back to On).
LCD Brightness	• Auto Adjust brightness • Manual 1 to 7
Date/Time	• Set Date & Time • Set Date format
Language	• English • German • French • Dutch • Danish • Portuguese • Finnish • Italian • Ukrainian • Norwegian • Swedish • Spanish • Greek • Russian • Polish • Czech • Hungarian • Romanian • Turkish • Arabic • Thai • Simplified Chinese • Traditional Chinese • Korean • Japanese	Select menu language.
Video system	• NTSC • PAL	Select video system for video out connector.
Sensor cleaning	• Auto cleaning Enable Disable • Clean now Cancel OK • Clean manually Cancel OK	Defines the settings for the built-in cleaning system, by default the system is enabled and cleans at startup and shutdown (although can be interrupted). The 'clean manually' option locks the mirror and shutter up.
VF grid display	• Disable • Enable
Setup tab 3
Video system	• NTSC • PAL
Battery info	Displays remaining battery capacity and recharge performance
Sensor cleaning	• Auto cleaning Enable Disable • Clean now • Clean manually
INFO. button display options	• Displays camera setting • Electronic level • Displays shooting functions
Rate button function	• Rating • Protect
Setup tab 4
Custom shooting mode (C1-C3)	• Register settings C1 C2 C3 • Clear settings • Auto update settings Enable Disable
Clear all camera settings	• OK • Cancel
Copyright information	• Display copyright info • Enter author's name • Enter copyright details • Delete copyright information
Firmware	Select to load new firmware from CF card	Also shows current version, on our camera 1.0.7