Of course, every Easter before this one has technically also been sans 5DMkIII, but this year I have one on order—and tonight I felt the limitations of my original 5D’s max ISO of 3200 with a pain I didn’t know in years when I wasn’t waiting for a real camera that could do better, and when I thought 3200 was through-the-roof awesome. Which it was, when I first got the 5D and was comparing it to the ISO 1000 Kodak film that I used to think was amazingly fast, in the decade before I got the 5D.

Holy Thursday ends with Eucharistic adoration, by candlelight. There was a large crowd behind me; the kneeler had just been put out, and only one person so far had come forward.

ISO 3200, f/2.8, 1/13th sec. Shadowy areas brought up in Lightroom 4, with a graduated filter (Exposure +.35) and a Shadows setting of +65. A little Contrast, Highlights, Vibrance, and -15 Saturation. Looks okay to me.

Here’s a side-by-side of the pic as shot, and as processed. (Minus the 1.88º rotation . . . I can’t keep things straight, handheld.)

It’s my theory that nothing in nature or man-made environments is properly exposed at ISO 3200, f/2.8, 1/100th sec., which is the longest shutter time and aperture I dare to use at indoor events with moving people (without a flash; with flash in very dark places, like clubs, it’s okay to go much longer on the shutter). So when the Mark III comes in, the cobwebs will start collecting on the 3200 setting right away. As is only natural.