Whortwhile to go for 5D Mark II?

[Jedifarce]

I just ordered mine at 2K USD, and it should be here tomorrow. It came bundled with memory, additional software (?if I will use it),

Yah, don't just toss the EOS utility disk to the side and make sure you download it to your computer right away otherwise you'll be screwed if ever want to get the Cinestyle picture style developed by Technicolor for Canon. You have to have the EOS utiility program on your computer to download the Cinestyle picture style to your camera. The Cinestyle picture style is a 'Flat' style that retains detail in your footage but it has to be color graded in post.

 

[skitron]

Just understand that the while the price of the 5D appears appealing, the accessories necessary to make it "movie platform" is not...

...That should tell you something about the limitations of owning a 5D Mark II.

In my case 5D2 limitations are well known. I need the video for business purposes and that footage will be interviews in controlled conditions so 5D2 is a good choice for it (given I also want what it does for stills). I use a CX550 for chasing the kids and such, the Sony hybrid IS is impossible to beat, hopefully 5D3 implements something like it...

That said, it appears I'll need to test 5D2 autofocus carefully in low light. If it's worse than the 50D center point, it goes back where it came from...

 

[Maui5150]

Not sure I can agree with the 7D being more expensive to make than the 5DMK II.

Yeah, a larger FF sensor with better ISO has to be cheaper?

How does that 7D do shooting above 6400 vs the 5D MK II? Care to step above 12800?

Hmmmm... Are the EF-S lenses weather-sealed? So if you want to shoot wide-angle on a 7D and be weather sealed, how do you plan to do that? The 10-22 is a great lens. I have enjoyed it on my 550D, sealed lens like the 17-40 or 16-35 aren't exactly wide on the 7D.

Depth of Field?

Will the 5D MK III be a better camera. Yup. Will it be more expensive. You bet. It is funny. I can go back and sell discussion of the 5D MK III pretty much 6 months ago plus... and yet... still no announcement. I do expect one on 2012, but thinking more later than earlier.

 

[skitron]

Not sure I can agree with the 7D being more expensive to make than the 5DMK II.

Oh I don't disagree that the IQ and ISO performance are better in 5D2. I did buy one for a reason. But I seriously doubt it costs more to manufacture a 5D2 than it does to manufacture a 7D. The point of my comments were not directed to the relative merits in the field of 5D2 vs 7D but rather to the economics of cranking them out.

 

[crjiro]

I have waited for too long time to finally be able to buy my first digital SLR-camera, which has to be a Canon due to all the lenses I have since before. I was quite interested in 5DMII when i tcame but when it was revealed that the video functions were not the best I put everything on hold hoping that a new camera would come later on.

As I'm still heading for a full framer I wonder if the newer DMII's have been uppgrade with better firmware/functions making it worth while buying? My goal is to get rid of my old heavy video camera and have a modern SLR instead. Would appreciate if some one with experience could tell me what the difference with old and new 5DMII is today? The price is definetly very appealing.

Marco

Based on what you said about getting rid of your video cam..(since your focus is Video), i would say wait for MkIII. If it were stills, then i think there is some justification to buying MkII now based on and depending on the type of stills-work you do and output you use. The bang4buck factor is really good now. That is another consideration if budget is an issue. MkIII will be around 3.2-3.5K my guess...initially.

 

[K-amps]

I got the 5d2 because I was sick and tired of waiting for the 5d3... going from a 7d to the 5d2 has been very humbling with the autofocus... Quality of file, when in focus, is great, but my lord, the AF in the 5d2 is like putting an Hyundai engine inside a Ferrari... It's truely a shame and I will be liquidating mine once the 5d3 comes out assuming it has better AF...

I am relatively new to the game and photography is a hobby for me... so new that I usually center spot AF my shots (unless I macro, then I MF) . When I hear many people not liking the AF of the 5D2, I cannot understand why (not because I offer a competing perspective, but simply because I do not know better): I am learning yes... but ; can anyone dumb this down for me... how exactly is the AF on the 5D2 not up to what you guys want? Is it just plain accuracy, or slow AF, or the processor's inability to set a multi point focus by increasing DoF or what?

The answer to this might help me make a decision on the 5d2 or 5d3 or even 7d just like the OP.

 

[briansquibb]

If you centre spot the AF on the 5DII then you will get accurate AF. It is the focus points outside the center which are not good in low light and also the area the the A points cover is less than the 7D

In hindsight buying the 7D was a mistake as the IQ of the image is nowhere as good as the 7D, plus the bokeh is very poor. The 7D will get more in forcus pictures but none of them will be as good as the in focus 5DII picture

 

[K-amps]

If you centre spot the AF on the 5DII then you will get accurate AF. It is the focus points outside the center which are not good in low light and also the area the the A points cover is less than the 7D

In hindsight buying the 7D was a mistake as the IQ of the image is nowhere as good as the 7D, plus the bokeh is very poor. The 7D will get more in forcus pictures but none of them will be as good as the in focus 5DII picture

Thanks... and the fact that I almost always use Center point AF is why I never found the AF to be bad... by the way; is the 5d2 Af better than the 5Dc or are they the same (especially for Center).

 

[briansquibb]

If you centre spot the AF on the 5DII then you will get accurate AF. It is the focus points outside the center which are not good in low light and also the area the the A points cover is less than the 7D

In hindsight buying the 7D was a mistake as the IQ of the image is nowhere as good as the 7D, plus the bokeh is very poor. The 7D will get more in forcus pictures but none of them will be as good as the in focus 5DII picture

Thanks... and the fact that I almost always use Center point AF is why I never found the AF to be bad... by the way; is the 5d2 Af better than the 5Dc or are they the same (especially for Center).

I think it is faster, but that is just my impression, not measured. The AF on the 5DII is about the same as the 50D for speed.

 

[awinphoto]

I got the 5d2 because I was sick and tired of waiting for the 5d3... going from a 7d to the 5d2 has been very humbling with the autofocus... Quality of file, when in focus, is great, but my lord, the AF in the 5d2 is like putting an Hyundai engine inside a Ferrari... It's truely a shame and I will be liquidating mine once the 5d3 comes out assuming it has better AF...

I am relatively new to the game and photography is a hobby for me... so new that I usually center spot AF my shots (unless I macro, then I MF) . When I hear many people not liking the AF of the 5D2, I cannot understand why (not because I offer a competing perspective, but simply because I do not know better): I am learning yes... but ; can anyone dumb this down for me... how exactly is the AF on the 5D2 not up to what you guys want? Is it just plain accuracy, or slow AF, or the processor's inability to set a multi point focus by increasing DoF or what?

The answer to this might help me make a decision on the 5d2 or 5d3 or even 7d just like the OP.

As brian mentioned, the outside points are few and not that accurate... The 7d for instance has 19 (18 outside points) to the 5d2's 9 (8 outside points) and all the 7d's points are more spread out and cross type points where the 5d's are single line points so the 7d's outter points are a lot more accurate... Plus the focus tracking where the AF can follow a subject is more advanced on the 7d vs the 5d2... For those jumping from the XXD or even the rebels may find the 5d2 AF very nice and good, but for those going from the 7d, the AF isn't anything to write home about, unless you're writing home to gripe about missed shots that were focused on the subjects nose and not their eyes. Short answer the 7d allows you to compose more before you shoot rather than shoot and crop in post...

 

[neuroanatomist]

Thanks... and the fact that I almost always use Center point AF is why I never found the AF to be bad... by the way; is the 5d2 Af better than the 5Dc or are they the same (especially for Center).

The AF sensor is identical - Canon reused the same sensor from the 5D in the 5DII. But the 5DII uses Digic 4, whereas the 5D used Digic 2 - the newer and faster processor in the 5DII means the AF is slightly faster.

 

[awinphoto]

If you centre spot the AF on the 5DII then you will get accurate AF. It is the focus points outside the center which are not good in low light and also the area the the A points cover is less than the 7D

In hindsight buying the 7D was a mistake as the IQ of the image is nowhere as good as the 7D, plus the bokeh is very poor. The 7D will get more in forcus pictures but none of them will be as good as the in focus 5DII picture

Thanks... and the fact that I almost always use Center point AF is why I never found the AF to be bad... by the way; is the 5d2 Af better than the 5Dc or are they the same (especially for Center).

I think it is faster, but that is just my impression, not measured. The AF on the 5DII is about the same as the 50D for speed.

From my experience with the 50d, the 5d is as FAST as the 50D, but not nearly as accurate... at least the 50D has all cross sensors... i never really had a problem with the 50D's focus... i just hated it's noise compared to the 7D, IMO

 

[RonQ]

Thanks... and the fact that I almost always use Center point AF is why I never found the AF to be bad... by the way; is the 5d2 Af better than the 5Dc or are they the same (especially for Center).

The AF sensor is identical - Canon reused the same sensor from the 5D in the 5DII. But the 5DII uses Digic 4, whereas the 5D used Digic 2 - the newer and faster processor in the 5DII means the AF is slightly faster.

So then with that said, how can you take a group portrait using the center point only for focusing on the 5D11? If that's the case, then everone off center will be out of focus...

 

[awinphoto]

Thanks... and the fact that I almost always use Center point AF is why I never found the AF to be bad... by the way; is the 5d2 Af better than the 5Dc or are they the same (especially for Center).

The AF sensor is identical - Canon reused the same sensor from the 5D in the 5DII. But the 5DII uses Digic 4, whereas the 5D used Digic 2 - the newer and faster processor in the 5DII means the AF is slightly faster.

So then with that said, how can you take a group portrait using the center point only for focusing on the 5D11? If that's the case, then everone off center will be out of focus...

Well everything not on the same focal plane as what was focused upon from the center point... But then again that's where you use a smaller f-stop and try to get everyone in focus assuming that's what you want...

 

[K-amps]

Thanks... and the fact that I almost always use Center point AF is why I never found the AF to be bad... by the way; is the 5d2 Af better than the 5Dc or are they the same (especially for Center).

The AF sensor is identical - Canon reused the same sensor from the 5D in the 5DII. But the 5DII uses Digic 4, whereas the 5D used Digic 2 - the newer and faster processor in the 5DII means the AF is slightly faster.

So then with that said, how can you take a group portrait using the center point only for focusing on the 5D11? If that's the case, then everone off center will be out of focus...

Well everything not on the same focal plane as what was focused upon from the center point... But then again that's where you use a smaller f-stop and try to get everyone in focus assuming that's what you want...

Thanks for your responses: Awin/John & Brian

Interesting.. never ran into this issue ;D... now I will look out for it... but in this scenario, by focal plane, do you mean a straight line horizonal (along which the group is standing; gets all in focus, or is the plane sort of semi-circular so that all points are equi-distant to the lens?

 

[awinphoto]

Thanks... and the fact that I almost always use Center point AF is why I never found the AF to be bad... by the way; is the 5d2 Af better than the 5Dc or are they the same (especially for Center).

The AF sensor is identical - Canon reused the same sensor from the 5D in the 5DII. But the 5DII uses Digic 4, whereas the 5D used Digic 2 - the newer and faster processor in the 5DII means the AF is slightly faster.

So then with that said, how can you take a group portrait using the center point only for focusing on the 5D11? If that's the case, then everone off center will be out of focus...

Well everything not on the same focal plane as what was focused upon from the center point... But then again that's where you use a smaller f-stop and try to get everyone in focus assuming that's what you want...

Interesting.. never ran into this issue ;D... now I will look out for it... but in this scenario, by focal plane, do you mean a straight line horzonal (along which the group is standing gets all in focus, or is the plane sort of semi-circular so that all points are equi-distant to the lens?

Focal plane is usually the horizontal distance from the lens/sensor... So in a group, everyone side by side by side should all be in focus... but for instance if you have them kind of cascading away from the camera, whatever you focus on will have the focal plane and as they leave the focal plane they will gradually fall out of focus... In some lenses/cameras such as tilt shifts and large formats you can manipulate the focal plane to go vertically rather than horizontal or every which way, but that's another topic for another day.

 

[briansquibb]

So then with that said, how can you take a group portrait using the center point only for focusing on the 5D11? If that's the case, then everone off center will be out of focus...

Try focusing at f/8 or more which is what I do for weddings ....

You will need good DOF for groups as they never stand in a single plane for you

 

[K-amps]

..... manipulate the focal plane to go vertically rather than horizontal or every which way, but that's another topic for another day.

Haha Rhyming man.

I guess I never took group shots with people in multiple rows, mine are usually in 1 line with my 24-105F4 and with that I never have such problems at the distance I shoot them from.

 

[awinphoto]

..... manipulate the focal plane to go vertically rather than horizontal or every which way, but that's another topic for another day.

Haha Rhyming man.

I guess I never took group shots with people in multiple rows, mine are usually in 1 line with my 24-105F4 and with that I never have such problems at the distance I shoot them from.

Your depth of field of your focal plane depends on a lot of factors including aperture, distance of your subjects to your camera, angle of view, sensor size, etc... typically in groups you should be fine unless for instance bigger groups or if you have people in front or below other people or such... but typically you're back far enough not to be a problem for the most part unless your inside, crappy light, and using a fast lens in which the DOF is very tiny... For the heck of it, if you crimp your shots (view them after you just taken them) and notice someone out of focus that you want in focus... drop your aperture down a stop or two, compensate for the shutter (if shooting in M) and you should be good. =)

 

[Arkarch]

Here are my thoughts on getting a 5DMarkII now....

I am using a 7D primarily for Adventure/Sport/Event photography. The lightning fast AF is just demanded in this work - plus crop gets me that longer effective lens length. I cant see slow AF working. Yet in the past year I have gotten much more interested in landscapes - and my work there is almost always in Manual Focus. A full-frame body is next on my shopping list for this work and a 5DMII would definitely complement the 7D. Really, I dont think I even care about AF for landscape work.

So for those reasons, I really should just go for 5DMarkII now. But I can probably wait a bit - at least to the summer - to get a 5DMIII with likely better IQ and maybe higher MP for landscape. The working plan is to acquire FF-type lenses (get a 17-40 or 16-35 to replace the EF-S 10-22 for example) and then see where we are in March after the release of the "London" 1DX.

Without the 7D, I dunno, $1999 for a 5DMII + goodies (at least the CF Card) would be mighty tempting to jump on now.