Upgrade from 400D to 5D MKII after 5 years, thoughts?

[whatta]

interesting to see people who move still from 400d

enjoy your 5D2!

[tron]

Good move! You can add a Canon EF85mm 1.8 and/or a Canon EF135mm f/2.0 and enjoy taking portraits even more.
(I have 5DII with the above lenses. I admit I use more the 135mmf/2.0 but the 85mm is very value for money)

Enjoy...

[ramon123]

5D Mark II will be a nice upgrade for you, good luck!

Happy shooting.

[bdunbar79]

Good move! You can add a Canon EF85mm 1.8 and/or a Canon EF135mm f/2.0 and enjoy taking portraits even more.
(I have 5DII with the above lenses. I admit I use more the 135mmf/2.0 but the 85mm is very value for money)

Enjoy...

I bought an 85 f/1.8 for action shots.  I tested it out yesterday and stopped down beyond f/5.6, I didn't see much difference from the 1.2L; it is tack sharp.

[elflord]

EDIT: I Bought the camera!

Congrats on getting the 5DII. I didn't comment in this thread, but it really did seem like the best choice given your subject matter.

One thing I'd add to this -- if you're shooting family pictures indoors a lot, a flash is really useful. Use this to add light when you want to stop down (e.g. when you need more depth of field)

[ramon123]

let us know how shooting the brand new 5D2 is going for you!

[johle]

let us know how shooting the brand new 5D2 is going for you!

Since I've only had the camera for a little while, and I'm not a professional shooter; I've only managed to get a few pictures (portraits) that I really like so far.

Therefore, I attached four of them. Some feedback would be nice

They are nothing spectacular, as you see.

My "models" often manage to smile, but apart from that - what do you do to make photos like these more interesting?

Generally, i try to convey some sort of "mood" or "feel" in the images, but that is way easier said than done...

[tron]

4 Would a 16-35 be useful for wedding shots in tight spaces

I have an idea to help you with that since you have already shot weddings:

Did you feel you needed a 10-22? This translates to 16-35 for Ful Frame.

[smithy]

Therefore, I attached four of them. Some feedback would be nice

The photos are varied and interesting.  I think you might need to be careful with composition; IMHO you're leaving a bit too much space at the top of the frame.  Think about the rule of thirds, and aim to have your models' eyes at the 'upper third' line.  This rule isn't for everything, but it's a start.  Just something to think about. 

[tron]

Therefore, I attached four of them. Some feedback would be nice

The photos are varied and interesting.  I think you might need to be careful with composition; IMHO you're leaving a bit too much space at the top of the frame.  Think about the rule of thirds, and aim to have your models' eyes at the 'upper third' line.  This rule isn't for everything, but it's a start.  Just something to think about. 

Well, it's 5DMkII. It is either focusing with the center point and having a less than optimal composition, or focusing and recomposing, or using another focus point and hoping it will be OK.

[Tammy]

Therefore, I attached four of them. Some feedback would be nice

The photos are varied and interesting.  I think you might need to be careful with composition; IMHO you're leaving a bit too much space at the top of the frame.  Think about the rule of thirds, and aim to have your models' eyes at the 'upper third' line.  This rule isn't for everything, but it's a start.  Just something to think about. 

Well, it's 5DMkII. It is either focusing with the center point and having a less than optimal composition, or focusing and recomposing, or using another focus point and hoping it will be OK.

LIKE!! hahaha.. very true.. let's also recognize that joh's compositions may be center weighted BECAUSE all 9 of the Mark II's AF points are all smushed into the center of the frame! there ARE no outer points! they used a ASP-C AF sensor on a full frame to save cost.. that was the thing that struck me the most, coming from a 60D where I could frame any way I wanted and use the outer points to accurately focus, as all 9 were cross type..

that's why I can not explain how lovely it is to have the option and flexibility back with the 5D3 AF system! it's a huge upgrade that so many whiners don't want to acknowledge in their pixel peeping, MP counting madness..

[Tammy]

let us know how shooting the brand new 5D2 is going for you!

Since I've only had the camera for a little while, and I'm not a professional shooter; I've only managed to get a few pictures (portraits) that I really like so far.

Therefore, I attached four of them. Some feedback would be nice

They are nothing spectacular, as you see.

My "models" often manage to smile, but apart from that - what do you do to make photos like these more interesting?

Generally, i try to convey some sort of "mood" or "feel" in the images, but that is way easier said than done...

For indoor incandescent/yellow/orange lighting with no flash try changing your white balance to the KELVIN mode, use 3000-3100 and see how you like it.. post some shots to compare!

[smithy]

Therefore, I attached four of them. Some feedback would be nice

The photos are varied and interesting.  I think you might need to be careful with composition; IMHO you're leaving a bit too much space at the top of the frame.  Think about the rule of thirds, and aim to have your models' eyes at the 'upper third' line.  This rule isn't for everything, but it's a start.  Just something to think about. 

Well, it's 5DMkII. It is either focusing with the center point and having a less than optimal composition, or focusing and recomposing, or using another focus point and hoping it will be OK.

Focussing and recomposing is how many of us 'old school' photographers learned photography, due to the fact that many of Canon's film cameras only had a single centre focus point - maybe I take that for granted.

[tron]

Therefore, I attached four of them. Some feedback would be nice

The photos are varied and interesting.  I think you might need to be careful with composition; IMHO you're leaving a bit too much space at the top of the frame.  Think about the rule of thirds, and aim to have your models' eyes at the 'upper third' line.  This rule isn't for everything, but it's a start.  Just something to think about. 

Well, it's 5DMkII. It is either focusing with the center point and having a less than optimal composition, or focusing and recomposing, or using another focus point and hoping it will be OK.

Focussing and recomposing is how many of us 'old school' photographers learned photography, due to the fact that many of Canon's film cameras only had a single centre focus point - maybe I take that for granted.

Actually this has worked for me on a 135mm f/2.0 fully open. Assuming the subject stays still of course...
Even so it is better to have additional focus points and just concentrate on the subject.

[ScottyP]

Liked the last one a whole lot-it has a very fun "mood," as you put it.

Photo no. 2 is very orange.  If you are making it orange on purpose in post processing, and that is a color cast you want in there, then disregard this.  It's just that "orange" pictures are so commonly produced UNintentionally that I thought I'd ask.  You get orange pictures very easily when shooting indoors due to a white balance issue with incandescent lights, or a color cast problem from colored walls.  Obviously you could fix that in post-processing with just about any software you are using.