Canon 40D / 50D / 60D / 5D ?

Mike.P

Mike.P

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Despite being a die hard Pentax fan (yes there are still some of us out there) and having a pretty decent equipment line up I gave in a couple of weeks ago and bought the one lens I have always wanted .. a Canon MP-E 65mm macro along with a MT-24EX twin flash.

Now the problem ... a Canon body to put it on.

Finances are a bit sparse after buying the lens but I could just about run to any of the models listed in the title .. obviously the 40D and 5D would be second hand, the 50D could be either depending if I could still find a new one and the 60D new. Could maybe run to a 7D if I wait a few more weeks.

Which model would be best for this lens .. and macro in general, or is there another I have missed? Please don't say the 5DMKII as I can't run to that, I would have to leave it for a couple of months at least.

Thanks.
 
You ask a very difficult question there as all of those you mention will provide superb results with the mp-e65 and and the mt24
not a great deal of difference between the 40D and 50D except really pixel count and the 50 a generation newer the 60d has some nice features and is a current camera but in my opinion the 7D is proberbly the best choice, is current and cutting edge and is apparently the best selling camera at the moment so must have something going for it
I'm not biased by the way i have just got a 50D and think it is excellent


R33SY
 
If it's only for macro work don't rule out the xxD range of cameras, you're not going to be looking for high fps or accurate auto focussing with that lens.
 
Id go for the 60d, that flip screen is magic for manual focussing with macro stuff! Comes in so handy at times
 
If it's unlikely there'll be another lens used on the body then I'd go for the 5D . The MP-E's restriction is that you can't focus at less than life size and so a smaller sensor either eliminates some subjects or gives limitations on composition......you can't shoot something the size of a regular postage stamp with an MP-E on a crop body.
If I'm hunting very small bugs then I use my 1D4 setup but it's the 1Ds3 for greater flexibility.

Bob
 
I'm not really a macro kinda guy but wouldn't live view be amazingly useful with the MP-E 65

I'd usually jump straight to the 5D but for this i'm wondering if the more modern 40/50/60D features win out a little?
 
nano said:
I'm not really a macro kinda guy but wouldn't live view be amazingly useful with the MP-E 65

I'd usually jump straight to the 5D but for this i'm wondering if the more modern 40/50/60D features win out a little?
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I agree :) Assuming there's enough light for it to function. That lens is not an easy beast to master.
 
R33SY said:
You ask a very difficult question there as all of those you mention will provide superb results with the mp-e65 and and the mt24
not a great deal of difference between the 40D and 50D except really pixel count and the 50 a generation newer the 60d has some nice features and is a current camera but in my opinion the 7D is proberbly the best choice, is current and cutting edge and is apparently the best selling camera at the moment so must have something going for it
I'm not biased by the way i have just got a 50D and think it is excellent


R33SY
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Theres a lot more of a difference than that between the two, one of the main things being the digic 4 processor in the 50d.
More is here, though even this misses the full skill sheet out;

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos50d/

I know you were talking specifically about Macro, but I'd be tempted with a 5d mk2 if you dont shoot sports (though its still a good sports body). for sports Id use the 50d/60d or 7d.

A bit of everything? I think I'd go 5d as you wont have any EF-S lenses as you are coming from Pentax.
 
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Mike.P said:
Despite being a die hard Pentax fan (yes there are still some of us out there) and having a pretty decent equipment line up I gave in a couple of weeks ago and bought the one lens I have always wanted .. a Canon MP-E 65mm macro along with a MT-24EX twin flash.

Now the problem ... a Canon body to put it on.

Finances are a bit sparse after buying the lens but I could just about run to any of the models listed in the title .. obviously the 40D and 5D would be second hand, the 50D could be either depending if I could still find a new one and the 60D new. Could maybe run to a 7D if I wait a few more weeks.

Which model would be best for this lens .. and macro in general, or is there another I have missed? Please don't say the 5DMKII as I can't run to that, I would have to leave it for a couple of months at least.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

If you can't run to the 5D2, it would be worth waiting the couple of months then... don't buy a camera just for the sake of not being without one... buy the camera that will be best for you and your needs... I have this combo as well, and cannot speak highly enough about them.... two months isn't a long time to wait... :)

but leave the 7D well alone, the IQ from those are very poor...
 
Assassin said:
but leave the 7D well alone, the IQ from those are very poor...
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The IQ from the 7D is very good and definately better than the 40D mentioned in this thread. It is also ideal to use with USM equipped macro lenses as it allows for constant microadjucting focus with them. This is not found in any other canon body and is rather effective.

Please don't spout internet rubbish as truth, it makes you look rather silly.
 
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I looked at buying a 5d2, eventually I got a 50D, then a 1D (in addition). The wife now uses the 50D and its a very fine camera, I tend to use the 5d mk1 I eventaully got for macro work. Bear in mind you will be further away when using the 50D to fill the frame thereby increasing your DOF but as Bob says there are other restriction (i.e. life size onto sensor). I prefer the mk1 (5D) to the mk2 (then again I'm happy with my 1dmk2 :)) and even though I had the funds I still bought a good second hand mk1 and have no regrets at all, personally I dont think the extra features in the Mk2 are worth the money over a good secondhand mk1 (5D). If you are going to use the camera for anything else then I think the 5D is a better camera than the 50D regardless of the 50D being a good more modern camera, at the heart of the 5D is that FF sensor and all the extra features of a 1.6 crop camera dont override the IQ of the FF sensor.

Matt
 
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Assassin said:
but leave the 7D well alone, the IQ from those are very poor...
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Given that all the current Canon APS-C cameras apart from the 1100D use the same sensor, that would mean the IQ of all current Canon APS-C cameras is very poor... I'm sure a lot of people would be complaining very loudly if this were the case....
 
Ok, cheers for the comments so far.

About a year ago I had decided on a 7D and had the chance of some lenses at a reasonable price so bought them and they are still sitting in a cupboard upstairs. Then Pentax bought out the K-5 and it all changed.

These are: Tamron 24-135mm, Sigma 50-150mm f2.8 DC EX, Sigma 100-300mm f4 DG EX and a Sigma 50-500mm DG EX. There was also a Tokina 12-24mm but I recently sold that.

Am presuming the 50-150mm wouldn't be any good on a FF but read the Tamron 24-135mm is pretty reasonable.

Should these lenses effect my choice of body? I have no problem selling them if needbe.

Thanks again.
 
Assassin said:
If you can't run to the 5D2, it would be worth waiting the couple of months then... don't buy a camera just for the sake of not being without one... buy the camera that will be best for you and your needs... I have this combo as well, and cannot speak highly enough about them.... two months isn't a long time to wait... :)

but leave the 7D well alone, the IQ from those are very poor...
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There is nothing wrong with the IQ of the 7d, which IMO is probably the best fully cropped camera on the Market at present.
 
Make sure you spend some time handling the bodies, as I think that's often the biggest practical difference between them (aside from FF vs cropped). I waited for a 60D then didn't like the handling when it came out and I tried it, so I bought a 50D instead. It's a personal thing.

That's assuming there aren't other features on certain bodies that you might need of course. i.e. I didn't need video.

S
 
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