5D2 / 5D3 / 6D Which one do you use for weddings ?

[Krob78]

Wow lots of 7D bashing going on. I disagree, the crop body has a place in my bag for weddings. I pretty much shot an entire wedding with the 7D & 17-55 and 5D2 & 135L. Of course theh 5D combo rocked it but you know what the 7D was no slouch! (And when the bride wants a shot of 11 people jumping in the air - 8fps makes it a cake walk) AF is crucial at a wedding and your subject is rarely in the center. And if it is then your shots will look crappy and average.

Now, my point is not to go out and buy a 7D but that AF is importan

t and if you are choosing a camera for weddings, the the 5D3 is the clear choice. You have the speed, the IQ and the higher res file for cropping. There will be cropping!

Oh and when you go from indoors to outdoors in 1second. Good luck changing your WB on the 6D.

Agreed, the 7d is still a relevant body and it has been the APS-C flagship for Canon since it's inception. It's still relevant and I think will remain so, until the 7D MkII is announced and makes it way into camera bags across the globe...

I think a lot of current 7d owners want the new one, just because the original is such a great camera! They may be thinking that if this one is this good, how much greater is the next one going to be, especially after the number of years it's been holding it's own.

I used my 7D in weddings and it got the job done but I can't honestly say it "rocked". But it got me through... often times with a lot of work in post with regard to the noise in the shadows and darker areas. It's high iso usage is limited at best, especially compared to the 5d MkIII.

 

[privatebydesign]

I'd go 5d3 over 6d if your only snagging 1 FF body. I am currently using both the 5d3 and the 6d for wedding work and the files from both look pretty damn close (its odd, I do find some situations where I like the colors for the 6d better, then vice versa).

For weddings though, reliability is a huge factor to consider. And on that level, the 5d3 wins hands down. I would not buy a 6d as my main body, though I do truly like the camera, there are some shortcomings to it that are hard to move past.

Here are 2 images - both unedited, one from the 6d and one from the 5d3, same setting, can any of tell which one is from which camera?

On what planet are different lenses, focal lengths, iso's, apertures, shutter speeds, white balance and tint values considered "same setting"?

I would suggest getting some camera calibration software, Adobe have a great free one, and a colour card to sort out your WB and tint issues.

 

[Chuck Alaimo]

I'd go 5d3 over 6d if your only snagging 1 FF body. I am currently using both the 5d3 and the 6d for wedding work and the files from both look pretty damn close (its odd, I do find some situations where I like the colors for the 6d better, then vice versa).

For weddings though, reliability is a huge factor to consider. And on that level, the 5d3 wins hands down. I would not buy a 6d as my main body, though I do truly like the camera, there are some shortcomings to it that are hard to move past.

Here are 2 images - both unedited, one from the 6d and one from the 5d3, same setting, can any of tell which one is from which camera?

On what planet are different lenses, focal lengths, iso's, apertures, shutter speeds, white balance and tint values considered "same setting"?

I would suggest getting some camera calibration software, Adobe have a great free one, and a colour card to sort out your WB and tint issues.

note...same setting was meant as ---same location (IE the setting of the image, not the settings of the cameras!)

PS...lens one camera had 70-200, the other had the 85 1.8...And to give more perspoective...it was a path with a bit of a windy curve to it, so i hadthe walk away from me, shooting, at the apex of the curve, stop pose, walk towards me, stop, pose, walk towards me....also I chose these 2 because the framing is similar.

 

[Wildfire]

I use the 6D for weddings and on-location portraits and it's fantastic, especially in low-light where it shines.

It's true, capturing moving subjects is difficult with the AF, but not impossible. I have the Depth of Field Preview button set up to change the AF to AI Servo mode when I hold it down and I use that + continuous burst to get those photos where movement is a problem (bride walking down the aisle, etc). Most of the shots from such a scene are slightly out of focus, but a lot of them are still useable and there are usually 2 or 3 in perfect focus as well.

It's no 1D-series AF but I do believe it's slightly improved over the 5D2 which a lot of wedding shooters (including me) were using before the 5D3 even existed. Now that the 6D is out, and cheap, I would never recommend the 5D2... The 6D is superior in every way (except it's missing a flash PC sync port!) Oh, and don't get me started on the center AF point. I've used it to get accurate focus in situations that were so I dark I could barely see the subject. This is one of the few cameras on the planet that can focus in nothing but moonlight.

I say get the 6D and use the extra money on lenses/flashes.

 

[comsense]

note...same setting was meant as ---same location (IE the setting of the image, not the settings of the cameras!

Have you heard the phrase 'comparing apples with oranges'?
You can actually control those 'settings of the camera' and make photo of either kind from both of them!

And even the scene can change a lot even though you think they are 'same setting'. Cloud, some stray light or reflection entering the scene and changing metering, to name a few.

 

[Mort]

I also have the same question, but the one thing that hasn't really been addressed so far is the price difference. As of a couple of days ago, you can find a 6d body for less than $1600 while the 5dmkiii is still just under $3000. That's almost half the price. Is the autofocus worth that nearly $1500 jump or would that money be better spent in say a 24-70? (I have a 550D that is starting to showing it's age)

 

[Niki]

5d marklll

 

[Wildfire]

I also have the same question, but the one thing that hasn't really been addressed so far is the price difference. As of a couple of days ago, you can find a 6d body for less than $1600 while the 5dmkiii is still just under $3000. That's almost half the price. Is the autofocus worth that nearly $1500 jump or would that money be better spent in say a 24-70? (I have a 550D that is starting to showing it's age)

The autofocus IS worth the extra $1500, but only if you need it. As I said above, I shoot weddings and I get by without the 5D3's AF just fine. I spent the extra money on lenses and flashes.

 

[Lloyd]

The autofocus IS worth the extra $1500, but only if you need it. As I said above, I shoot weddings and I get by without the 5D3's AF just fine. I spent the extra money on lenses and flashes.

In this regard, I noted that two of the three lenses used by the OP were f4 lenses. Would putting money into a 24-70 f2.8 or 70-200 f2.8 be of more value than moving from a 6D to 5D3 in the context of shooting weddings? I have only taken photos at weddings as a backup to a pro and I relied a lot on flash so I don't know if 2.8 would be a significant gain to a wedding photographer other than bokeh.

 

[Wildfire]

Would putting money into a 24-70 f2.8 or 70-200 f2.8 be of more value than moving from a 6D to 5D3 in the context of shooting weddings? I have only taken photos at weddings as a backup to a pro and I relied a lot on flash so I don't know if 2.8 would be a significant gain to a wedding photographer other than bokeh.

In my opinion, yes. You can never have too much light at a wedding reception, plus clients love the look of f/2.8 and larger aperture images.

Of course, it all depends on your shooting style, too. I go for the high-end wedding photography look, but if you just do shoot 'n burns for cheap clients then you can get away with a 24-105.

I use flash almost the entire wedding day but most of the time it is off camera. Having the 6D lets me shoot at higher ISOs to both blend flash with ambient light (and avoid the dark cave look) as well as save flash batteries -- I usually go the entire wedding day without changing a single battery.

 

[gbchriste]

5D3 is the hands down winner. AF is superb. Not only does this make the AF shortcomings of the 5D2 a distant memory in general, but the servo AF tracking quality and plethora of options makes getting all of the those moving moments, even in sub-optimal light, a breeze.

I've been through the 40D, 5D2 and 5D3. I would go up to ISO 1600 on the 5D3 but alway cringed when I neede to. Rarely went to 3200, only when there was absolutely no other way to get the shot. On the 5D3, I routinely go up to ISO 6400 without a second thought. Is there noise? Of course. But it cleans up nicely in LR and can't really be seen at all in images of normal viewing size.

 

[var1abl3]

I also have the same question, but the one thing that hasn't really been addressed so far is the price difference. As of a couple of days ago, you can find a 6d body for less than $1600 while the 5dmkiii is still just under $3000. That's almost half the price. Is the autofocus worth that nearly $1500 jump or would that money be better spent in say a 24-70? (I have a 550D that is starting to showing it's age)

Where is the 5Dmkiii selling for under $3000?

 

[Wildfire]

I also have the same question, but the one thing that hasn't really been addressed so far is the price difference. As of a couple of days ago, you can find a 6d body for less than $1600 while the 5dmkiii is still just under $3000. That's almost half the price. Is the autofocus worth that nearly $1500 jump or would that money be better spent in say a 24-70? (I have a 550D that is starting to showing it's age)

Where is the 5Dmkiii selling for under $3000?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=151070124973&item=151070124973&lgeo=1&vectorid=229466

Canon authorized USA dealer, new with warranty

 

[var1abl3]

Where is the 5Dmkiii selling for under $3000?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=151070124973&item=151070124973&lgeo=1&vectorid=229466

Canon authorized USA dealer, new with warranty

So they are splitting up kits and selling the body and lens separately. That seems a little odd. Has anyone purchased from these guys and had warranty work approved by Canon? I would be hesitant that there would be some type of technicality with the warranty since they are not selling the "kit" as expected by Canon.

 

[dexstrose]

I would just do with what I have until I exhausted the camera's capabilities.

Then I would move on, it will take another month or so to understand the new camera.

 

[bleephotography]

Where is the 5Dmkiii selling for under $3000?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=151070124973&item=151070124973&lgeo=1&vectorid=229466

Canon authorized USA dealer, new with warranty

So they are splitting up kits and selling the body and lens separately. That seems a little odd. Has anyone purchased from these guys and had warranty work approved by Canon? I would be hesitant that there would be some type of technicality with the warranty since they are not selling the "kit" as expected by Canon.

I haven't purchased from them per se, but I have purchased from another seller who also resells partial kits (PMI Digital). Both are listed on Canon's website as authorized dealers and so long as you have the original receipt, there is no detriment to purchasing such items. As far as warranty is concerned, Canon doesn't care if you have the original box or not; for all they know, you could have purchased the whole kit and simply sold off the lens or body, and Canon would have made a profit nonetheless.

Trying to return or exchange equipment without the box/whole kit is a different story, for obvious reasons...

 

[docholliday]

Sounds like me, don't care for video, no plastic bodies and I don't go above ISO400 - so, for everything, including weddings, it's still a 1DsMk3 and 1DMkIV. 24-70 on the Ds and 16-35 on the D. 70-200 II in a pouch carried by my assistant. All external lighting, carried by assistants, fired for PW TT1 and TT5s.

If you want no plastic and reliability, go get a used 1D/Ds camera - the AF is great in low light, even with the 24-70/2.8L on...

 

[Mort]

I also have the same question, but the one thing that hasn't really been addressed so far is the price difference. As of a couple of days ago, you can find a 6d body for less than $1600 while the 5dmkiii is still just under $3000. That's almost half the price. Is the autofocus worth that nearly $1500 jump or would that money be better spent in say a 24-70? (I have a 550D that is starting to showing it's age)

Where is the 5Dmkiii selling for under $3000?

Here is one example http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=221116170557&item=221116170557&lgeo=1&vectorid=229466
I also don't mind refurbs, which are also down to $2800 right now

 

[spinworkxroy]

Firstly, i'm not sure about the 6D at 12800iso vs the 5ds..i've never actually shot that high for a paid gig.
Especially for weddings, i don't think any couple would want photos taken at iso12800 with any camera to be used as an official photo.
To me, the high ISO is just a bonus for times when you need it for general shooting and personal use..i wouldn't use it for an official photo of any sorts. Personally, i try not to go above 1600 if i can help it.

I would go for faster and better glass IMO….there is a difference between a good 2.8 zoom vs an F4 one besides just the aperture…there's alot more to it than that.

My favourite combo for almost anything…the 5D3 with the 24-70mk2