Duh!, here's my sign!

I should have known you meant grain and not actual audible noise.

That's another pro of this unit, the grain noise at higher ISO values remains very low. One quote from a review stated that this unit's ISO 3200 is more like other unit's at ISO 800.

I'll post some shots from this evening at 800 ISO.

Update: After several days of use I'm getting much more comfortable with the Mark III D.

Pros: remain the same so far.

Cons: one I need to add. The lack of a built in flash. I realize that when using a camera this high end a shoe or handle or studio flash is used if any at all but I find myself rarely wanting a little built in when shooting in daylight with a subject shaded / background bright. There is a way around this problem using multi point spot metering but I haven't figured out how to properly use this feature yet.

Today we go to Napa Valley, CA for a wine tour. I plan to shoot tons of shots there and may get some worth sharing here.

Recent shots with the Mark III D are posted in my online gallery for anyone who would like to see them

http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/gallery.asp?memberID=253298

i am partial to using my sb800 strobe when at all feasible.
but,, there are some times, not many, that the little pop-up adds just the touch of fill that i needed,, very conveniently.
mostly tho,, i use the pop-up only to trigger other strobes that are set as optical slaves. it works great for that!

and i would question the comment of spot metering as a 'way around it'.
two different animals if you ask me.

With two, or more, different ev levels in the same scene, sometimes a very wide range of ev levels, the sensors in the cameras are not able to record it all accurately. You just can’t have everything.
If you spot meter on a lighter background for instance, it will be correctly exposed, but the darker foreground will be under exposed. And vice versa.
A better ‘way around’ this would be to go ahead and meter for the background, then add whatever amount of fill flash is needed to lite the foreground properly. IMHO.
Sorry if I am overstepping here but I am a huge fan of using strobes.
Photography is all about light. I want as much control as I can get!

I agree completely but a shoe flash just adds a lot more bulk when walking around town.

What you are saying about spot metering I have found to be true. I just assumed I hadn't figured it out yet. Basically if the subject is shaded and the background is bright then a flash must be used. I guess there is no "way around that" after all.

I also just purchased a Metz 76 MZ-5 Digital Handlemount TTL Flash. I don't have my shoe connector for it yet so I haven't been able to play with it. I also have my Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash from my Rebel that will be compatible with my new Mark III D.

I guess I'll just have to start packing my flashes even for daytime shooting.

this canon actually has some features i could use!
but why 3 white balance buttons?

One of those bottom row buttons is way too small. It needs to be more easily accessed for more frequent use!

I'll let you decide which one I'm referencing

you probably already know this, and/or not interested, but canon does make this small unit that would substitute for a pop-op nicely.
small, inexpensive, will 'bounce', has 2 focal lengths, compatible with e-ttl.
would work in a pinch and much less obtrusive to lug around town.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/616667-USA/Canon_3806B002_Speedlite_270EX_Flash.html

"I guess I'll just have to start packing my flashes even for daytime shooting."

you'll learn to love it!