A little brother for 5D2

aerobandit

aerobandit

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Piotr
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I've started enjoying a wildlife photography recently but my 5D2 sometimes struggles. apart from lack of reach advantage(1.6 crop), i've noticed problems with metering and "hunting AF". At one stage I even wanted to swap my 5D2 for 7D but I love it to much. Now my question: is 40D any good for wildlife? I mean in AF and metering terms. I know it has only 9 AF points but they're all cross type unlike one only in 5D2. I know 7D would be a perfect resolution but it means that I need twice as much time to save up enough money. thanks for advice.
 
The 40D is certainly a competent camera. When my 1D2n was starting to die I bought a 40D as a back up and ended up using the 40D more. I really liked the files it produced.

I was using it for wildlife and found the AF to be as good as could be expected and tracking was OK.

Neil
 
I would say that a 7D would be best, the 40D would be fine, but if you're looking at price Vs budget then a 50D would be the optimum to go for.

I've had all 3, and got on much better with the 50 than I did with the 40, but the 7D is just ace....

Steve
 
40D is fine (no 7D obviously) but 'bang for buck' it's right up with the 50D.

Why not get a big brother instead - Obviously it's 1.3 crop rather than 1.6 crop but a tidy 1D Mark 2 would give you far superior AF for a modest price.
 
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sthwild said:
thanks guys. i never considered 50D due to some people saying that 5D2 is a 50D with full frame sensor.
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The 50D has the same autofocus/metering system as the 40D as far as I know. Maybe some tweaks to the autofocus algorithms but that's all...
 
sthwild said:
thanks guys. i never considered 50D due to some people saying that 5D2 is a 50D with full frame sensor. I was thinking about 1D2 but wasnt sure about picture quality of its 8m pixel sensor.
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The picture quality of its 8mp sensor blows the 15mps of the 50D out of the water. I swapped and never looked back. The AF is to die for (critical for wildlife), but the menu operation is tedious and the high ISO is not as good. Nonetheless a used 1D mk 2 is about the best camera you can buy for 450-500 quid. Get the N version if the price increase is only modest, as the screen is nicer, and possibly the menu system also. Bear in mind that a 1D mk 2 weighs almost twice as much as a 40D, 50D, or 7D.

Rgds
Jonathan
 
sthwild said:
I was thinking about 1D2 but wasnt sure about picture quality of its 8m pixel sensor.
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Unless you're printing huge or doing savage crops then I wouldn't worry about the 8MP.

The AF is night and day better than the 40D or 50D. I find it will lock onto moving targets and the AI Servo will track motion that the other two camera's just loose.

As already said - navigation takes a day or two to become intuitive but it's no problem after that.
 
I have a 5D, 1Dmk2 & 50D (wife's camera, was mine until I got the 1D)
Image quality is reflected in crop size and sequence above regardless of file size. All round best camera for the money - 1D by a mile (but I stll love the 5D)
AF we all know about AF etc.

5D and 1D are to my mind the best of both worlds.

Matt
 
sthwild said:
I will. thank you for all advice.
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What lens are you using with the 5D2? If it's the old Canon 70-210 listed in your profile, that's probably the problem. Lens makes arguably more difference to AF performance than the camera.

Also, AF on the 5D2 is essentially the same as the 40D/50D and, in my experience, pretty good with a decent lens - much better than some folks would have you believe.
 
HoppyUK said:
What lens are you using with the 5D2? If it's the old Canon 70-210 listed in your profile, that's probably the problem. Lens makes arguably more difference to AF performance than the camera.

Also, AF on the 5D2 is essentially the same as the 40D/50D and, in my experience, pretty good with a decent lens - much better than some folks would have you believe.
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im now using 100-400 instead. the most annoying thing is the spot metering area which is too big if bird is hiding amongst the branches for example. most shots will come underexposed.
 
sthwild said:
im now using 100-400 instead. the most annoying thing is the spot metering area which is too big if bird is hiding amongst the branches for example. most shots will come underexposed.
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Okay, just guessing here, but with respect I suspect user error. I'm thinking that maybe your hunting problem is the AF picking up on different areas of the subject as you/it move around. The camera is actually not hunting at all (and certainly shouldn't be with that lens) but just picking up on leaves and branches and locking on to them - as it should do really.

Use centre point AF and switch the AF function to the back button. That should help sort it out. I think you also need to check up on your exposure technique.

BTW, the 'reach' thing is nothing to do with the crop factor - it's the extra pixel density that you get with crop cameras. To put that another way, a 5D2 is like an 8.2mp cropper, basically very similar to a 40D.
 
HoppyUK said:
Okay, just guessing here, but with respect I suspect user error. I'm thinking that maybe your hunting problem is the AF picking up on different areas of the subject as you/it move around. The camera is actually not hunting at all (and certainly shouldn't be with that lens) but just picking up on leaves and branches and locking on to them - as it should do really.

Use centre point AF and switch the AF function to the back button. That should help sort it out. I think you also need to check up on your exposure technique.

BTW, the 'reach' thing is nothing to do with the crop factor - it's the extra pixel density that you get with crop cameras. To put that another way, a 5D2 is like an 8.2mp cropper, basically very similar to a 40D.
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thank you for help mate. you might be right about user error.
i'm always using centre point with assistance in One Shot mode. everything is ok if im able to come around 2-3 meters from the bird so it fills the spot metering area.
can you please explain how switching AF to back button is gonna help? i currently have back AF button set as as AF lock.
cheers.
 
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HoppyUK said:
I'm not sure what you've got set there, and you seem to be mixing up centre point AF with spot metering, but this should help you sort out the buttons http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content....do?WT.co_f=1008408870676&WT.mc_id=1105236945 Check p7, CF IV-1. Make sure AF point expansion is off, too.

Bear in mind that long lenses can be tricky to use, and birding is never easy ;)
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what i meant was that spot metering mode in 5d2 is rubbish if your subject is smaller than spot metering area(circle in viewfinder):)
thanks for the link, I'm reading it now. I always had AF point expansion on, as I've heard its good for moving subjects.
thank you Richard.
 
sthwild said:
what i meant was that spot metering mode in 5d2 is rubbish if your subject is smaller than spot metering area(circle in viewfinder):)
thanks for the link, I'm reading it now. I always had AF point expansion on, as I've heard its good for moving subjects.
thank you Richard.
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Hope it helps.

Spot metering is a tricky business too. A common complaint is that the spot area is too big but you often don't use it to meter the subject directly. Find an area of mid-grey tone, not necessarily the subject itself* that is illuminated by the same light as the subject, and use that as a reference.

You need good knowledge of exposure metering principles to use spot metering, or it will get you into trouble.

* grass, tarmac, brick wall, palm of hand etc, and modifying the reading accordingly if necessary. The point is, it's a readily accessible constant reference. Tricky if your subject is hopping around in the shade of a tree!
 
I have owned the 1d mk2 i had 2 at one point it's a great camera. I bought a 1d mk3 that was useless it went back to canon 3 times i actually got a refund because i proved it did'nt work as stated a friend had a good one and i ran them side by side for a week. I purchased a 7D when they first came out and i was so impressed i bought a second when you have them set up correctly the AF is just better than the 1Dmk2. Well mine are i also have a 1d mk4 and that is the best camera for AF i have ever owned i can post whole sequences pin sharp with both cameras. Remember though the 1D range only has a 1.3 crop sensor the 1d mk2 AF is easier to use but by understanding how the AF works on the 7D and 1Dmk4 and setting it up for a subject you will get more keepers plus you have more pixels to crop with these two bodies another plus is the micro adjust for the lenses i have lots of L Spec glass and you would be surprised on the varation. I hope this helps if you ever want to try any of the cameras mentioned feel free to PM me.
Regards
Richard
 
Is the 1D4 the same AF system as the 7D then? I thought it had more af points on it.
 
lost said:
I have owned the 1d mk2 i had 2 at one point it's a great camera. I bought a 1d mk3 that was useless it went back to canon 3 times i actually got a refund because i proved it did'nt work as stated a friend had a good one and i ran them side by side for a week. I purchased a 7D when they first came out and i was so impressed i bought a second when you have them set up correctly the AF is just better than the 1Dmk2. Well mine are i also have a 1d mk4 and that is the best camera for AF i have ever owned i can post whole sequences pin sharp with both cameras. Remember though the 1D range only has a 1.3 crop sensor the 1d mk2 AF is easier to use but by understanding how the AF works on the 7D and 1Dmk4 and setting it up for a subject you will get more keepers plus you have more pixels to crop with these two bodies another plus is the micro adjust for the lenses i have lots of L Spec glass and you would be surprised on the varation. I hope this helps if you ever want to try any of the cameras mentioned feel free to PM me.
Regards
Richard
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thanks Richard.
having 5d2 and 1d4 that would be a combo! wish i could afford it;) for now i have to be happy with what i've got. i hope 1d2 will bring me lots of joy and happiness:D
 
Jamtea said:
Is the 1D4 the same AF system as the 7D then? I thought it had more af points on it.
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The system is similar the 1d mk4 has more AF points but both systems allow you to alter the speed of refocus if something moves in front of the subject or you lose contact with the subject for a split second it won't refocus straight away on the background or the other subject. the AF displays are also different as the 1D configaration has stayed basically the same as the earlier 1D cameras the 7d has a complete new configuration to any other body. One very good thing about the 7D on the Mode dial you have C1,C2 & C3 you can preset these to certain settings so at the turn of the command dial you can track a flying bird against a blue sky with expanded AF in servo mode plus 1 stop of exposureat iso 400.
The bird drops down against a messy background with another turn of the dial you now have single point AF servo mode but the iso is now iso 800 and the exposure is now minus 2/3 of a stop.
At another turn of the dial the bird has landed the settings are now single point AF stationery one shot mode, 2/3 under exposure iso 200.
This facility is ideal for grab shots when you don't always have time to set the camera up
Hope this helps
Regards
Richard
 
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