This happens every time a new electronic comes out: it’s hyped, fanboys/girls take their sides, pre-orders fill up, and then the complaints.
There is a risk of buying the latest and greatest of anything the moment it hits the shelves, including DSLRs. This strange “need” by so many photographers to simply have the newest gear the moment its available has always been foreign to me. But I can understand the appeal. However, the risks of having the latest DSLR can be huge problems for the working professional.
I got to preview the Canon 5D Mark III and saw the super clean hi-ISO files it was making as well as testing out the new 61-point AF system. It was an enjoyable experience, but I knew from experience that the camera would have some bugs that Canon would need to fix.
I was going to write a review of the 5D3, but by now (and then) there have been plenty of unboxings and reviews for you to draw your own conclusions, and I ran into a small problem: none of my RAW editors could open the file.
I could preview it using Photo Mechanic, but actually working with the file would have to wait until the RAW editors caught up. Each new camera release could spell disaster for a photographer with the latest camera because his software can’t make heads or tails of it.
Canon DPP is a nice included software, but it’s never been part of my workflow and I can’t remember the last time I actually installed it. Being required to revert to it until Adobe catches up with an update, or even new release, is a “no go” for me. I’m too busy to have something cause a hang-up in my work like that. I’d rather have a camera break because that’s more understandable to me.
This is why I usually wait 6 months to a year before I purchase an upgraded camera. By that time, major bugs have been fixed, plenty of good evaluations have been done, and all the major image processors have caught up. So, I get a proven camera with fewer to no bugs and it doesn’t interrupt my workflow.
Both the Canon 5D3 and Nikon D800 have bugs and both companies have yet to issue fixes for them. The 5D3’s LCD actually affects the exposure metering system, tricking it into thinking the scene is brighter than it actually is. The D800 has had problems locking up (not shutting off) with some users.
While these bugs may not be catastrophic, there have been cases where they have been. For example, the Canon 1D Mark III’s unreliable AF system. So, many users complained about it that I’m sure it contributed to the Nikon D3s’ dominance as quite a few Canon people switched. The Nikon D3 had a ghosting problem and even corrupted files.
Problems with new releases are commonplace with all products. It is one of the reasons why software companies, electronics manufacturers, and video game developers have periodic firmware updates. There is such a thing as “too new” and for working professional photographers, “too new” could be too bad.
So, give yourself some time to prepare for the changes a new camera may force upon you. Wait for the first few firmwares to be released and then go from there. I learned my lesson back in 2007 when the Canon EOS 40D was released. Photoshop CS2 couldn’t read the newer 14-bit files and I was suddenly forced to spend more money for CS3 Extended in order to continue working.
“All good things to those who wait.”