Canon EOS 5D Mark III Incredible ISO 12800 Performance a Smashing Hit

Back in 2009 when I wrote I Jump. Do You? in an effort to demonstrate my newly acquired 5D Mark II’s ISO 6400 performance and AI Servo tracking capability, some readers suggested that the test was flawed. That was then, this is now. III years on (pun intended) and again I find myself holding a 5D Mark III at the same sports hall where I conducted the 2009 test and I’ll let you be the judge of this test: EF 70-200mm f/2.8, @ ISO 12800, 1/500 sec, Auto White Balance.

Of course, I know that 600 pixel wide images do not mean anything until you see one of reasonably large size to pixel peep. For that, I include an unedited RAW converted JPEG image (1.4 MB) that I think is good enough to show you just how clean ISO 12800 is (remember, though the venue is a dedicated badminton court its lights are rows of fluorescent lights not spot lights that you’re probably used to seeing at world class tournaments). Many thanks to Cyril who took charge of the 5D Mark III while I was getting an intense workout!

Click on image to see a larger version (1000px) of an unedited RAW-to-JPEG file (1.4 MB)

 This 620 pixel wide image is post-processed for contrast and colour like I always do.  The EXIF files show ISO 12800, 1/500 sec, Auto White Balance. If you’re a seasoned photographer these numbers tell you a lot.

On another occasion, I took the unusual step of fitting a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 lens to the 5D Mark III to shoot badminton because where I was allowed to sit during the tournament, that focal length made the most sense. Read more in my other post EOS 5D Mark III + EF 50mm f/1.4 at ISO 12800 for Sports Photography?

Chung Hua Middle School KB contestant Edward reaching for the shuttlecock captured using EF 50mm f/1.4 at ISO 12800 f/2.5 1/1250 sec.

Using multiple AF points in the EOS-1D X and 5D Mark III | Even more incredible: Canon EOS-1D X

Related EOS 5D Mark III stories
Canon EOS 5D Mark III: Improvements That Matter. Or Not.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III: File Name Customization and Other Features That Make Sense
Canon EOS 5D Mark III + EF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro Lens an Appetizing Combo (Shooting Food at ISO 6400)

I JUMP. DO YOU ?

Badminton is the only sports I play well and I try to squeeze in at least a 3-4 games per week (usually in one session) which my partners and I normally manage just once a week. It’s hard enough to coordinate several people’s time on a sacred weekend to meet in court, it’s even harder to congregate outside of court for coffee. And this has been a busy week for me having woken up really early (4.30am) for the BEDB 4th Invitational Golf Tournament shoot at the Empire Hotel followed up a whole day of aerial photography from BSB to KB to BSB and to top things off, my amah (“domestic helper”) leaves for her month long vacation this evening. So I try to make the most of my time as humanly and as practically possible.

So, yesterday (technically, last weekend) it was another routine badminton session with the usual fellas with the addition of Alan whom you may remember from an outing with Gavin etc. Instead of another outing elsewhere, I thought it would be really cool to demonstrate the capability of the 5D Mark II’s AI Servo that I’ve recently come to discover—its ability to continuously track high and low contrast moving objects with such amazing accuracy itself became an object of fascination for me so I’m now on the quest to discover how much more (of challenging lighting conditions) I can push the technology. So here are shots of me captured by Alan on his 5DII, 24-105 f/4 IS between 1/125-1/160s at ISO 5000. I could have chosen ISO 6400 to get a slightly quicker shutter speed or had him use my 24-70 f/2.8 but no. One should practice with the equipment (however limited an inventory) one owns.

One of the most exciting and dramatic moments to watch in any badminton game is the jump smash and since none of my partners habitually jump it would be extremely unnatural for them to do so for the camera so once again I volunteered myself and set Alan’s 5DII for the shot. What this means for me is having seen the exposure capabilities of this camera even with an f/4 lens and a low light venue, a future assignment such a national tournament would fare better results providing the venue has better lighting. Speaking of which, I am keen to run a couple of Speedlites and put the Pocket Wizards to good use someday.

Considering the varying low light conditions of the BSRC badminton hall I am extremely pleased with the results and the amount of grain at ISO 5000 (even ISO 6400) is no big deal—easily reduced or even completely removed but at the expense of losing details. I converted these to a toned and tweaked black and white to remove the  unpleasing combination of green walls and brown floors.

So, are you a jumper?