Can't make up my mind: 5D MkII vs. 6D

Eddzz!!

Eddzz!!

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Eddy
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I'm after a second body to compliment my 7D... I can either go with a used MKII or a new 6D - there's about £300/400 between them. Whichever camera I end up with will be used alongside the 7D for weddings/events.

The way I currently stack up advantages of each respectively:

5D Advantages/Disadvantages
+Better ergonomics
+Better construction
+CF card

-Notoriously bad AF system
-Heavy

6D Advantages/Disadvantages
+Lower light sensitivity (AF)
+Clean ISO up to 12,800
+Smaller lighter

-No cross-type focus point at f/2.8 or below
-SD card
-Plastic construction


So if I'm missing anything here then please feel free to chime in... The high ISO capabilities of the 6D are attractive, but does anyone ever shoot as high as ISO 12,800? Is the 5D's AF point as awful as it sounds? Apparently the 6D can focus in near-darkness...

:help:
 
I have a 7D and a 5D Mk11 - the 5D is my no 1 and I wouldn't swap it for anything lower than a Mk111. However, it does occasionally have issues with focussing - only that one of the focussing points decides not work not that it doesn't focus at all. I shoot weddings and yes very rarely this happens but when you consider how many shots I can take on an average wedding this is just a minor annoyance and I have never missed "the" shot because of this.

What you need to weigh up is what you are after from you camera, are you going to need it to focus in near darkness very often? Do you need a robust, better constructed camera? What are you, predominantly, going to be using it for?
 
Jo Davies said:
I have a 7D and a 5D Mk11 - the 5D is my no 1 and I wouldn't swap it for anything lower than a Mk111. However, it does occasionally have issues with focussing - only that one of the focussing points decides not work not that it doesn't focus at all. I shoot weddings and yes very rarely this happens but when you consider how many shots I can take on an average wedding this is just a minor annoyance and I have never missed "the" shot because of this.

What you need to weigh up is what you are after from you camera, are you going to need it to focus in near darkness very often? Do you need a robust, better constructed camera? What are you, predominantly, going to be using it for?
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Thanks for the response. I tend to shoot a mixed bag of things, but paid work is mostly events and concert photography!
 
Im fairly sure that the Canon 6D has a 4000 shutter speed limit and the Canon 5D2 has 8000 speed limit so if your shooting wide open with a fast lens the faster shutter speed is useful if shooting in well lit place :)
 
I have both and i always use the centre focusing point and recompose on both. The 6D according to the spec does have a cross focusing point - the centre one.

I have never had a problem with focusing on either but the 6D is reputed to be much better in very low light.

I am happy to pick up either but if i choose to use our Canon 24-70 i will always pick up the 5D. Somehow with heavy lenses fitted the 6D feels unbalanced.

Both are fantastic cameras.
 
I have both 5D Mk I and II, also had a 6D briefly too, very happy with the first two, but appears I was unlucky and got a rogue sample of the latter.

Even if it had been able to focus and expose properly don't think I would have kept the 6D. Didn't like the control pad compared to the usual large dial, missed the joystick and top of the casing is all plastic, not even the usual tough feeling stuff either (apparently has to be like that for the wi-fi)

Whole thing felt a bit lightweight and can well imagine how it might feel unbalanced with a larger lens, if I were buying now especially for paid work would do my best to stretch the funds for a 5D MkIII

Wouldn't say the AF on the Mk II was notoriously bad or even the MkI for that matter, suppose it depends what you want from it. How many people either don't use the 7D (had one of those too) AF system to its full effect or just don't understand it properly and then complain.

If you are shooting events in low light with a 7D whatever you get will no doubt be an improvement, nice camera, but high ISO wasn't its thing and probably comparable to the 40D in that respect (yes you guessed it had a couple of those as well *just remembered still got one*)
 
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Don't know where you get the notoriously bad AF system on the 5D Mk2 from ,mine certainly is not bad.
OK its not as fast or as flexible as my 7D but it is my 'goto' camera except for BIF , motorsports or wildlife where I want the benefits of the crop factor on the 7D.
Never used a 6D so I can't comment on that one,just a point as you have a 7D does the 6D take the same battery, the 5d2 does
 
Yes the 6d does take the same battery. Note that you can probably get a brand new 6d for the same price as a 2nd hand 5d mark ii if you get a grey import. Surely a no brainer unless you want the heavier but slightly better build quality of the 5d
 
Basically it seems like this is a toss up between ergonomics and image quality. There's no way I can afford a MK III, so I guess I can't have both!
 
They're both heavy, big bodies- and the 6D is still metal front and back. They're much the same size- which has 'better' ergonomics is probably quite a personal thing. I personally like the size and heft of the ff bodies- and I don't have any real issues with the AF on my 5D i.
Personally I'd I'd also value the 6D's wifi- for tethered shooting from my phone or tablet- and the 6D's slightly quicker shooting rate. I believe it's also better for video if that's an issue.
There's a long video review of the 6D here which includes comparison with the 5d II IIRC:
 
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I'm not a canon shooter but this seems almost like a d700 vs d610 analogy - more "pro" features vs higher tech but less "pro" features. With a body I'd go for the latest technology over slightly more "pro" ergonomics & features any day as body technolgy moves fast!
 
6d has the more flexible technology
 
I'm a happy 5d2 and 7d owner that wouldn't sell my current cameras to buy a 6d. However if I didn't have the 5d2, was buying now and I couldn't stretch to a 5d3 then I'd buy a 6d. Newer tech and better low light performance as well as misc things like built in wifi would seal it for me.
 
Despite the more recommendations for the 5D2, it seems I'm creeping toward the 6D... I hate these decisions!
 
I use a 1Dx as my main and the 6d as secondary camera. I say secondary rather than back up as I will use both when out rather than for it to appear that the 6d is only used if the 1dx is defective (which it isn't).

I'm pleased with my 6d & IMHO it is a good camera and has built in wifi which the 1dx doesn't. It's a lot lighter, although I've put the additional battery grip on mine which makes it a lot easier to hold and use. Build quality is good. Part metal/plastic but the plastic is there because of the wifi. IQ more than satisfactory for my purposes but using two cameras the Dx outguns it in most areas which it should bearing in mind their respective differences.
Most other points like ISO are covered above.
My advice would be go and try one. They're not that cheap and you need to be happy with what you buy
 
I have a 6D and a 7D but have never used a 5D of any variation.

What I do like about the 6D is:

Image quality in low light is fantastic. The 7D really has some issues in low light.
GPS tagging is great.
It is lighter than the 7D. Good for some people.
Focusing is fine if you're not expecting it to be the 7D.

What I am not convinced about is:

I personally prefer the 7D's ergonomics and weight. However, you do learn to use the D-pad pretty quickly.
Focus points not as wonderfully diverse as the 7D. However, I am unsurprised about that as the 7D is wonderful at that.

The 6D is my go-to camera now and the 7D is used for sporting events. I do like the reach of the crop and the ISO really does not matter too much as I shrink the images somewhat when uploading 500-700 images.

If you want big, beautifully detailed images of whatever you shoot, go for the 6D. I got it from Panamoz, with the 24-105L, for the same price as UK body-only.
 
Just to add to the confusion... I have a 6D and 7D and find myself almost never using the latter nowdays. 6D, for its price, is a really good camera, and the high ISO is a godsend for me since the only pro photography I do tends to be in the dark. Don't let the build quality aspects put you off. Took me a while to get use to the lack of the joystick but even that doesn't bother me any more.
 
fred_bt said:
Just to add to the confusion... I have a 6D and 7D and find myself almost never using the latter nowdays. 6D, for its price, is a really good camera, and the high ISO is a godsend for me since the only pro photography I do tends to be in the dark. Don't let the build quality aspects put you off. Took me a while to get use to the lack of the joystick but even that doesn't bother me any more.
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Well I do love my 7D and its AF system, so I can't see myself abandoning that entirely. I think if I know I'm shooting something that is moving i.e. music concerts, then the 7D will stay by my side (probably with the 70-200 attached!)... I think I have settled on the 6D after everything that I've been told!
 
I think the 6D is a generally superior camera but the 5D2 has some distinct advantages, at least for some users. The main ones for me would be CF rather than SD and the joystick control which I just couldn't live without.
 
I'm biased but would say try the 6D. Low light, GPS and WiFi are brilliant when you get used to them. Remember to switch the GPS off when your at home though! I come im from shooting with the camera still ok, open the computer and the EOS utility opens and the photographs are downloaded a short time later. Nowhere as quick as by the lead but it means the camera doesn't need to come out of the bag.

Stevie
 
fred_bt said:
Just to add to the confusion... I have a 6D and 7D and find myself almost never using the latter nowdays.
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I had a 6D and 7D but used the latter 90% of the time. I now have a 7D and a 70D. However I don't shoot weddings or events and if I did I would have a 6D again.
 
The 6D has been ordered! It's currently in the post, so should receive it early next week! Let's hope I love it... :nailbiting: :canon:
 
Received my new 6D on Tuesday.

Been having a play, very pleased with results so far.

Low light focus and high ISO results are promising !!

Paul
 
Have just taken a couple of shots of a statue in shadow and used the HDR function. Never had a body with this function built in, produced a 'different' shot compared to the standard shot !!
 
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