Any fellow croppers get a cheap 5D (CLASSIC) as a second body?

[Hesbehindyou]

Any fellow croppers get a cheap 5D (CLASSIC) as a second body? Is it worthwhile to just get a taste of full frame goodness?

I got a 5D mark I to blur out the background a bit better for snapshots of my baby (i.e. use longer lenses for the same framing) and take full advantage of a Tamron 28-75 f2.8 that I was finding wasn't wide enough on the crop. IQ is good but a few niggles: rear LCD screen isn't a good guide to exposure so you need to use the histogram; it tends to underexpose so I dial in some compensation most of the time; resolution is limiting if cropping; low resolution of rear LCD screen means you may get home and find you've not quite nailed the focus; high ISO performance isn't great.

I'd say it's worth buying if you're going to be shooting around f2.8 or lower and wish to use the wider end of your zooms/wide angle primes.

 

[robbinzo]

I read an article in The British Journal of Photography a while ago by someone (haven't got the mag with me so can't check) saying that they preferred the 5D because its ISO noise was closer to film grain. Low noise at high ISO doesn't always convey the feel you want.
I've been tempted to buy a 5D myself but as people have stated, the rear screen isn't ideal and it is a dust magnet.
Good idea. I do like the idea of the 5D for portraits instead of my 550D.

 

[paul13walnut5]

I've often toyed with a used 5D for one specific reason.

The Sigma 12-24.

The same reason I occassionally toy with buying a 5d2 used.

I owned this lens and shot on APS_C and 135mm film with it. Loved it despite its idosynchrisities (filtering etc), but love the idea of 12mm video vs my current 11mm x1.6 video.

Maybe the 8-16mm is a better alround for me, but a 135mm/leica/, minature format viewfinder is also a vast improvement for some applications.

Do beware as it seems very cheap. Make sure you don't roll up to a project and get deprived of your $250 and a vital organ. Usual common sense rules apply, caveat emptor and all that.

 

[RustyTheGeek]

Guys, come on!!!
The 5D without mark is an excellent camera. Sure, newer cameras have more megapixels, but the 13MP do deliver excellent image quality. (Don't judge it on the display, though, 'cos this is horrible. Judge it on PC screen.) Dynamic Range is very good as well.
I regularly do prints in 50x70cm and they come out very nicely.

High ISO is still better than on any APS-C, for sure. No banding until ISO 1600, perhaps a bit at ISO H (=3200).

Prepare for a decent amount of sensor cleaning, however.

I'm confident the 5D it will become your first body and the 60D your spare second one. ;-)

I agree with all of this.

I have never owned or even used the 7D - so, maybe that would produce better images - and more often - not sure.

But I have used practically all the other Rebels and xxD Canons (including the 60D) and I very much still prefer the images from my old 5Dc (which I still use as a backup to the 5DIII).

The Sl-1, however, is growing on me as an alternate.

Stop reading and BUY IT BEFORE ITS GONE. Go out and shoot. Enjoy the FF!!

I tell aspiring photographers ALL THE TIME that a used 5D is a GREAT WAY to enjoy learning/enjoying FF photography for a steal. The 5D3 was the best thing to happen to the 5D used market. Now if you are a professional and need better performance, get the 6D for outstanding IQ, battery life and low light performance. But to get into FF cheaply, the 5D simple can't be beat!! And you'll learn to be a better photographer working within its limitations.

I've taken THOUSANDS of beautiful images with my 5Dc. I'll never get rid of it. Even now I would buy another 5D in great condition. Wonderful, beautiful, warm images. Yes, you need to work a bit harder on proper exposure but like above, I have lifted some amazing things out of poorly exposed images with Lightroom, etc. And the 5Dc will blow away every crop sensor out there, at least up to the 60D that I have. Before I got my 5D3, (I skipped the 5D2), I would ALWAYS use the 5D over the 60D unless I needed frame rate/reach for sports.

Think of the 5D as the "AE-1 Program" body of the DSLR world. Like the AE-1 Program of the film days, the 5D has an enormous loyal following of talented photographers that would pick one up anytime and love using it again.

Want more proof? Check this out... http://www.flickr.com/groups/5d/

 

[CarlTN]

I've often toyed with a used 5D for one specific reason.

The Sigma 12-24.

The same reason I occassionally toy with buying a 5d2 used.

I owned this lens and shot on APS_C and 135mm film with it. Loved it despite its idosynchrisities (filtering etc), but love the idea of 12mm video vs my current 11mm x1.6 video.

Maybe the 8-16mm is a better alround for me, but a 135mm/leica/, minature format viewfinder is also a vast improvement for some applications.

Do beware as it seems very cheap. Make sure you don't roll up to a project and get deprived of your $250 and a vital organ. Usual common sense rules apply, caveat emptor and all that.

I would like a Sigma 12-24. What do you use it for?

 

[dfallsfilm]

I owned 7D since March 2010. I bought 5Dc in January 2013 for about $560. I can tell you right now that 5Dc is a great camera!! I used it more than my 7D for portrait, landscape, and anything else. 7D would be my camera to use for event, sport, wildlife, and night photography. Image Quality comparison, I would say 5Dc have better dynamic range while 7D have higher resolution. Dynamic range is more important than higher resolution anyway. Reason why i bought 5Dc, I was able to install Magic Lantern Hack on it.. Beta 4 seem to be stable for mine without any problem: http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=1010.0 and it allows me to control flash compensation like Pocket Wizards, ETTL, etc which you cant not find in original menu but you can in ML hack. They also added unlimited autobracketing, build-in Intervalometer (timelapse), quick option for mirror lockup.... Just Buy it!! There are some new 5D out there but its really very rare to find and cost more but a used 5D will requires a new mirror replacement if it hasnt been done and its free. You might have to check if it need sensor cleaning, have a reliable company do it. My 7D looks nosier after ISO 800... 5Dc at ISO 3200 looks like ISO 800 on 7D.

See my work, most recent ones shot on 5Dc, older work shot on 7D:
http://kendam.com/portfolio?k=79203566
500px.com/donaldmfalls
donaldmfallsphotography.com

 

[CarlTN]

I owned 7D since March 2010. I bought 5Dc in January 2013 for about $560. I can tell you right now that 5Dc is a great camera!! I used it more than my 7D for portrait, landscape, and anything else. 7D would be my camera to use for event, sport, wildlife, and night photography. Image Quality comparison, I would say 5Dc have better dynamic range while 7D have higher resolution. Dynamic range is more important than higher resolution anyway. Reason why i bought 5Dc, I was able to install Magic Lantern Hack on it.. Beta 4 seem to be stable for mine without any problem: http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=1010.0 and it allows me to control flash compensation like Pocket Wizards, ETTL, etc which you cant not find in original menu but you can in ML hack. They also added unlimited autobracketing, build-in Intervalometer (timelapse), quick option for mirror lockup.... Just Buy it!! There are some new 5D out there but its really very rare to find and cost more but a used 5D will requires a new mirror replacement if it hasnt been done and its free. You might have to check if it need sensor cleaning, have a reliable company do it. My 7D looks nosier after ISO 800... 5Dc at ISO 3200 looks like ISO 800 on 7D.

See my work, most recent ones shot on 5Dc, older work shot on 7D:
http://kendam.com/portfolio?k=79203566
500px.com/donaldmfalls
donaldmfallsphotography.com

I like your work and your website very much! That is very top tier-looking portrait or fashion photography...not that I'm an expert. You know your way around flashes and strobes, for sure. This looks like your first post...welcome to canonrumors !!

 

[hanifshootsphotos]

Do beware as it seems very cheap. Make sure you don't roll up to a project and get deprived of your $250 and a vital organ. Usual common sense rules apply, caveat emptor and all that.

$250 for a good reason, it was dropped and the AF points are off center...ugh.

 

[hanifshootsphotos]

Will you Americans please stop pointing out how cheap camera gear is in your country?

American?!? I happen to live in Minnesota...but I'm a Canadian. ;D

 

[hanifshootsphotos]

See my work, most recent ones shot on 5Dc, older work shot on 7D:
http://kendam.com/portfolio?k=79203566
500px.com/donaldmfalls
donaldmfallsphotography.com

Damn, hello:

 

[kennephoto]

Any fellow croppers get a cheap 5D (CLASSIC) as a second body? Is it worthwhile to just get a taste of full frame goodness? In my market (Twin Cities) I've noticed these tools showing up weekly on Craigslist...this one in particular is selling for $250...

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/pho/4095972932.html

Hey have you got ahold of that person selling that 5d? I've been watching that ad and it hasn't had any contact info on it. I've also saw an ad for a 5d mark II for 900$. Oh and hello from another Minnesotan!

 

[hanifshootsphotos]

Hey have you got ahold of that person selling that 5d? I've been watching that ad and it hasn't had any contact info on it. I've also saw an ad for a 5d mark II for 900$. Oh and hello from another Minnesotan!

Where are you in MN? This guys has been trying to sell it for a while, odd the contact information has disappeared - here's the last email from him @ [email protected]:

"it works perfectly. I have compared it to my other 5d and cannot tell a difference in image quality at all, same for either of my 50d's, or my 1ds. I have a bit of gear, as you can see, so I don't really need to sell this. I thought someone who might want full frame quality might be interested."

Yeah I saw the Mark II out in Washington, WI for $900 (includes the box too) - crazy eh?

 

[CarlTN]

Hey have you got ahold of that person selling that 5d? I've been watching that ad and it hasn't had any contact info on it. I've also saw an ad for a 5d mark II for 900$. Oh and hello from another Minnesotan!

Where are you in MN? This guys has been trying to sell it for a while, odd the contact information has disappeared - here's the last email from him @ [email protected]:

"it works perfectly. I have compared it to my other 5d and cannot tell a difference in image quality at all, same for either of my 50d's, or my 1ds. I have a bit of gear, as you can see, so I don't really need to sell this. I thought someone who might want full frame quality might be interested."

Yeah I saw the Mark II out in Washington, WI for $900 (includes the box too) - crazy eh?

Most Mark II's I have seen used on Amazon Marketplace and Ebay are in the $1100 range or above, so not that much different. A month or two ago, someone (I forget who) was talking about buying an original 1D for like $150 or $200. 6MP, but probably has a very decent autofocus...assuming it's still working ok.

 

[kennephoto]

Hey have you got ahold of that person selling that 5d? I've been watching that ad and it hasn't had any contact info on it. I've also saw an ad for a 5d mark II for 900$. Oh and hello from another Minnesotan!

Where are you in MN? This guys has been trying to sell it for a while, odd the contact information has disappeared - here's the last email from him @ [email protected]:

"it works perfectly. I have compared it to my other 5d and cannot tell a difference in image quality at all, same for either of my 50d's, or my 1ds. I have a bit of gear, as you can see, so I don't really need to sell this. I thought someone who might want full frame quality might be interested."

Yeah I saw the Mark II out in Washington, WI for $900 (includes the box too) - crazy eh?

So he said it doesn't autofocus properly because of the drop I believe you said in a post? How did you contact him? And I live over in the maple grove area, crazy to find another Minnesotan on here! I really wanted to buy that 5d2 for 900$. To CarlTN I bought myself a 1d classic 4mp for less than 300$ and the autofocus is better in low light than my 5d2 very good auto focus for a 12 year old camera! Only if it had more mp, but in good lighting produces great photos.

 

[paul13walnut5]

I've often toyed with a used 5D for one specific reason.

The Sigma 12-24.

The same reason I occassionally toy with buying a 5d2 used.

I owned this lens and shot on APS_C and 135mm film with it. Loved it despite its idosynchrisities (filtering etc), but love the idea of 12mm video vs my current 11mm x1.6 video.

Maybe the 8-16mm is a better alround for me, but a 135mm/leica/, minature format viewfinder is also a vast improvement for some applications.

Do beware as it seems very cheap. Make sure you don't roll up to a project and get deprived of your $250 and a vital organ. Usual common sense rules apply, caveat emptor and all that.

I would like a Sigma 12-24. What do you use it for?

I sold it a while back and got the Tokina 11-16 instead (better on my APS-C, and two stops faster) I loved in on my EOS 3, it worked pretty well on my 400D, I was hanging onto it in case I got a 5D2, but I went down the 7D route instead.

FWIW the Tokina and the Sigma 10-20 I had previously were much easier to live with, but on a film eos or 135/leica/minature format digital EOS 12mm is something else.

If I had one today I'd be timelapsing with my telescope head all the time.

 

[CarlTN]

I've often toyed with a used 5D for one specific reason.

The Sigma 12-24.

The same reason I occassionally toy with buying a 5d2 used.

I owned this lens and shot on APS_C and 135mm film with it. Loved it despite its idosynchrisities (filtering etc), but love the idea of 12mm video vs my current 11mm x1.6 video.

Maybe the 8-16mm is a better alround for me, but a 135mm/leica/, minature format viewfinder is also a vast improvement for some applications.

Do beware as it seems very cheap. Make sure you don't roll up to a project and get deprived of your $250 and a vital organ. Usual common sense rules apply, caveat emptor and all that.

I would like a Sigma 12-24. What do you use it for?

I sold it a while back and got the Tokina 11-16 instead (better on my APS-C, and two stops faster) I loved in on my EOS 3, it worked pretty well on my 400D, I was hanging onto it in case I got a 5D2, but I went down the 7D route instead.

FWIW the Tokina and the Sigma 10-20 I had previously were much easier to live with, but on a film eos or 135/leica/minature format digital EOS 12mm is something else.

If I had one today I'd be timelapsing with my telescope head all the time.

Sounds like fun!