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Canon Launches 5D Mark III D-SLR

Lake Success, N.Y. –

Canon
U.S.A.

unveiled Friday the EOS 5D Mark III d-SLR camera, which is seated
between EOS 5D Mark II and Canon’s top-of-the-line professional EOS-1D X model.

Highlights of the new entry are a 22.3-megapixel full-frame CMOS
sensor, a high-performance DIGIC 5+ Imaging processor, a 61-point High Density
Reticular autofocus (AF) system and 6 fps continuous shooting speed.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III d-SLR camera will ship at the end of
March at a $3,499 estimate street retail (body only), or $4,399 as a kit with
the EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM zoom lens.

The 5D Mark III builds upon the popular EOS 5D Mark II by adding
enhanced video features for professionals, including improved noise reduction,
longer recording times and a built-in headphone jack for audio monitoring.

The camera’s launch coincides with Canon’s 25th anniversary
celebration of the EOS camera system, which first debuted in March 1987, with
the EOS 650 SLR camera and three EF lenses.

“The EOS 5D Mark III will carry on that tradition, delivering
better and more advanced features, helping our customers achieve excellent
image quality for stills and video,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, Canon USA imaging
technologies and communications group executive VP.

The new camera also shares a number of common features with the
flagship EOS-1D X, including the DIGIC 5+ imaging processor and the
high-performance 61-point High Density Reticular AF array with up to 41
cross-type points and five dual cross-type points available, depending on the
lens in use.

The system allows continuous shooting speeds of up to 6 fps,
exceeding the speed of the EOS 5D Mark II model by more than 50 percent, and has
improved weather resistance.

Video is captured in 1080p FullHD at 24p, 25p and 30p fps; 720p
HD recording at 60 and 50 fps; and SD recording at 30  and 25 fps. The H.264 video compression
format is included along with intraframe (ALL-I) compression for an
editing-friendly format and interframe (IPB) compression for superior data-storage
efficiency. Like the EOS-1D X, the 5D Mark III also includes two methods of
SMPTE-compliant time code embedding, Rec Run and Free Run, allowing video
footage from multiple cameras and separate audio recordings to be synced
together in post-production. 

Video can be recorded continuously up to 29 minutes and 59
seconds across multiple 4GB files. Manual audio level control with 64 levels is
added for greater creative control. There is also an automatic audio level
setting, or sound recording can be turned off entirely.

A wind filter is also included. Sound can be recorded either
through the internal monaural microphone or via an optional external microphone
through the stereo mic input.

The camera’s dual UDMA-supported CF card slots will accommodate automatic
file splitting.

The ISO settings range from 100 to 25,600 within its standard
range, and 50, 51,200 and 102,400 outside standard settings.

The camera also features a built-in automatic sensor cleaning
system.

Photographers have the option of several RAW format models,
including the reduced-resolution M-RAW (10.5 megapixel) and S-RAW (5.5
megapixel) modes. M-RAW and S-RAW preserve the full field of view rather than
cropping the image or reducing resolution further with JPEG compression.

The EOS 5D Mark III uses the same high-performance AI Servo III
AF tracking algorithm as the flagship EOS-1D X professional DSLR.

The Mark III also offers six AF point selection modes: Spot,
Single Point, Single Point with surrounding four points, Single Point with
surrounding eight points, Zone selection and Automatic AF point selection.

The camera’s iFCL (focus, color, luminance) metering system uses
63 zones and dual layers to measure color and luminance data, while analyzing
the data provided by each point of the AF system.

The high dynamic range (HDR) mode allows in-camera image merging
using exposure levels set to cover a range of up to ±3 stops, in a choice of
five settings: Natural, Art Standard, Art Vivid, Art Bold and Art
Embossed. 

Similarly, a multiple exposure mode offers the ability to combine
up to nine individual images into a single composite image, with no need for
post-processing in a computer. Four different compositing methods are provided
for maximum creative control, including Additive, Average, Bright and Dark.

A new feature seen for the first time in the EOS System on the 5D
Mark III is Comparative Playback allowing photographers to display two images
side by side on the camera’s 3.2-inch LCD screen. The images can be displayed
with a histogram to check exposure levels, or magnified to check for focus or
facial expressions. 

Canon will support the 5D Mark III with an optional Wireless File
Transmitter WFT-E7A, which is scheduled to ship in April at an $850 estimated
street retail, and an optional Canon GPS receiver, model GP-E2 ($390 estimated
street retail), which will provide GPS logging of latitude, longitude,
elevation and the Universal Time Code.

An optional battery grip model BG-E11 (April, $490 estimated
street price) is also available.

Canon also announced a new Speedlite 600EX-RT (March, $630
estimated street retail) offering built-in wireless radio transmitter. Radio-based
Wireless E-TTL can be performed with up to 15 Speedlite 600EX-RT “slave units,”
used off-camera up to 98.4 feet away, and triggered by either a Master 600EX-RT
on-camera, or the optional new Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT.

Used with the EOS 5D Mark III or EOS-1D X, up to five groups of
flashes can be completely controlled, independently, off-camera.

Canon also announced the Speedlite transmitter ST-E3-RT (shipping
in April at an $470 estimated street retail) supporting radio-based wireless
flash technology capable of controlling up to five groups of flashes, up to
98.4 feet (30m) from the camera. The remote shutter release capability enables
photographers to either fire a single camera remotely (by pressing a button on
the ST-E3-RT), or to fire up to 15 EOS cameras with Canon’s Linked Shooting
feature.

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