Gear Talk > EOS Bodies - For Stills
Development of 5Dmk2
Kernuak:
--- Quote from: nicko on February 11, 2012, 11:49:37 AM ---Would anyone here be able to explain what it really is that the 7D does differently from the 5D that makes it so much better? Like many people here (probably), I learned to take pictures with a manual camera, and I am still surprised that the camera will do all that work for me. I don't understand why more "focus points" is any better.
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More focus points isn't necessarily better, but if all of those points work well, then it gives you more options compositionally. If only the centre point is reliable, then you have to focus and recompose. This can cause problems in two main ways. The first is the more obvious, in that you can miss the moment while recomposing, but the second is potentially a greater problem. Many lenses (but by no means all) suffer from a change in the focal plane if you recompose. This is ok at narrower apertures, as the depth of field will mask the focus inaccuracies, but with the wide aperture lenses, the depth of field can be extremely narrow, resulting in out of focus images. The only option then is to manually focus or put up with a low hit rate and of course, in low light, manual focus is awkward. Essentially, you could say then that more usable focus points are better.
BlueMixWhite:
--- Quote from: Mt Spokane Photography on February 11, 2012, 04:36:58 PM ---The 5D MK II was aimed at wedding photography, not action or sports. Those who wanted it to be something else, were disappointed. The camera has so many other good attributes, that if Canon were to put in a more sophisticated autofocus system, it would have undermined 1D/1DS MK III sales, so Canon did not.
Its no different than holding back high end features in a automobile that is targeted to the low or middle price range, manufacturers want you to buy the higher profit model with the nicer features.
However, Canon did listen, and came out with the 7D a year later, and it had greatly improved autofocus. Its very likely that any new 5D ?? model will also have greatly improved autofocus. If it sells more cameras, they will do it. We likely would have had new bodies last year, except the earthquake and other disasters spoiled the plans.
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Given the situation now, i think canon is having a hard time to release the mk3, too good of spec it will undermined the 1Dx. Too weak of spec it will face tough competition from Nikon D800. Unlike the mk2, the 1080HD video was an added selling point. If I'm canon, I would definitely put the mk3 above D800, as the sales stay within canon. Then either weaker AF or fps on the mk3 so it wouldnt undermind the 1dx.
DBCdp:
Until very recently I had the 5D, the 5D2 and the 7D. I stepped up to the 5D from the 20D and was amazed! Loved it to death and still kind of wish I hadn't sold it...just last week. I had originally gotten the 7D for sports but started carrying it as a second camera with the 5D2 at weddings while my wife used the 5D. When sitting down to process 2500 pictures...a mix of all 3...it was obvious the 7D was not performing like the two fives. So I got to the point that while I had it with me, I did not use it at weddings anymore. And now that the original 5 is no longer in my stable, I'm very keen to get the new 5D3. At that point, my 7 will go to my daughter and we'll sell her 40D.
I pulled out my old AE-1 today and snapped a few pictures of my 4 year old. WOW! Can you say Antique? lol If you want to complain about the focus of the fives, grab an old film camera for a day. I'm sure what's being said about the AF of the fives is probably true, but having never used anything faster I have to say I'm very happy with the 5D2! And looking forward to a new learning curve....
briansquibb:
In portrait I put the top AF point on the face. The feet nearly at the bottom of the viewfinder.
This will crop nicely to 7x5 or A4/3/2
The 3:2 does not print well, so cropping is inevitable - I find the AF point to be in the right place. Perhaps that is why they are so good for weddings and studio
ejenner:
--- Quote from: nicko on February 11, 2012, 11:49:37 AM ---Would anyone here be able to explain what it really is that the 7D does differently from the 5D that makes it so much better? Like many people here (probably), I learned to take pictures with a manual camera, and I am still surprised that the camera will do all that work for me. I don't understand why more "focus points" is any better.
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Also, beyond just not having to recompose, tracking moving subjects is much better with the 7D. And you can track with one of the non-center points, so you can AF on a moving subject but have the focus point not in the center of the frame. This is something that the 5DII does not do well. Even the center point does not track very well (still I agree that compared to MF it is amazing).
Still, there is a definite skill involved in using AF and just as with the 5DII or any camera understanding the limitations and working with the peculiarities of the camera is important. Someone very good at using the 5DII AF will likely do better than someone with a 7D who doesn't know how to get the bets out of it.
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