I just want to post that the disadvantages listed on this post are the opposite from my experience and these are actually the advantages of the 5d3 with ml
Also another huge advantage is that you have a world class still camera
But the choice is up to the individual and their needs
While I fully agree on the stills camera bit, I do want to challenge you on the disadvantages you think are advantages, let's go over them:
- 5D3 is raw video: Okay, this is clearly also an advantage, but the p4k also has raw if you want to use it. The disadvantage is that the 5D3 only has raw video and quite compressed h264(only at 1080p if I'm not mistaken). The p4k has a range of options in between, depending on your needs for that shoot, and they're all just as reliable.
- While I cannot comment on the 5D3 ML reliability, it is my experience with my 50D with ML that you sometimes run into issues. Nothing that a battery pull or reboot won't fix, but it is there nonetheless. This is not the case with the p4k.
- Workflow: Sometimes, when you need quick turn-around time, having a light prores file(with optional baked in LUT) is nicer than having raw files.
- Codec capabilities: Again, p4k can do many flavors of prores, as well as avid, as well as raw compressed and uncompressed, and BM Raw in the future. 5D3 only has h264 and RAW.
- Resolutions: If I'm not mistaken, the 5D3 cannot go full cinema 4k at 24fps (with liveview), and the 4k resolutions are only in crop_rec mode, not full sensor. The p4k can do 4k60 and with a speedbooster will have a larger 'effective' sensor.
- Framerates: The p4k can do 60p and 120p. The 5D3 will, unfortunately, probably never be able to go over 60p.
- Connectivity: The p4k has xlr, external power and USB-C for charging and data storage, things the 5D3 will never have.
- Onboard audio: I would argue the onboard stereo mics of the p4k are better, but that's maybe subjective.
- The (touch) user interface is exceptionally nice to use and fast, and has all sorts of nice features.
Another thing I'd like to mention is this: Thanks to ML the 5d3 has a lot of really cool features, but you cannot use all of them at the same time: You cannot get the highest 4k resolutions with audio and nice liveview and nice on-screen tools like zebra's etc.
I love what ML has done to boost these cameras in features, and I don't want to start a fight, but we should not be blind to the fact that they are not as complete or as stable as a product that was designed for (raw) video from the start, nor should we hide the facts from new users who might be deciding a purchase over this. But I'd love to know what you think.