Canon 5D mk II official owners/users thread, anything related to the 5D2

Not every L series lens is fully weather sealed Mal.

Re the comment on using it in snow, as long as common sense is applied and you shield it when not shooting and wipe it regularly you'll not have any problems. I've used my 5dII is some heavy down pours and not had issues.

One thing I would like though from Canon is a protective plastic cap for the hot shoe to cover the terminals when there's no flash attached. I believe Nikon already offer such a device.
 
digitalfailure said:
Not every L series lens is fully weather sealed Mal.

Re the comment on using it in snow, as long as common sense is applied and you shield it when not shooting and wipe it regularly you'll not have any problems. I've used my 5dII is some heavy down pours and not had issues.

One thing I would like though from Canon is a protective plastic cap for the hot shoe to cover the terminals when there's no flash attached. I believe Nikon already offer such a device.
Click to expand...


I'm strictly a fair weather tog Brian, might call me a wuss :D
 
digitalfailure said:
Not every L series lens is fully weather sealed Mal.

Re the comment on using it in snow, as long as common sense is applied and you shield it when not shooting and wipe it regularly you'll not have any problems. I've used my 5dII is some heavy down pours and not had issues.

One thing I would like though from Canon is a protective plastic cap for the hot shoe to cover the terminals when there's no flash attached. I believe Nikon already offer such a device.
Click to expand...

Thank you, and excellent point about the hot shoe!
 
The multi controller (joystick) on my 5D2 started playing up when I spent about 20 minutes in light drizzle, meaning I had problems selecting most of the AF points. It was fine after drying off and has been fine ever since. However, it was warning enough to me not to risk the camera in the wet again, without protection.

That said, properly frozen snow in negative temperatures should remain as frozen snow and not melt and penetrate. I would be very wary about "wet" snow or snow as it melted. All in all, better to be safe than sorry. You can buy a pair of Optech branded plastic rain covers from eBay for a few quid or simply use a carrier bag or sandwich bag etc. for a bit of safety. Why take the risk?
 
tdodd said:
The multi controller (joystick) on my 5D2 started playing up when I spent about 20 minutes in light drizzle, meaning I had problems selecting most of the AF points. It was fine after drying off and has been fine ever since. However, it was warning enough to me not to risk the camera in the wet again, without protection.

That said, properly frozen snow in negative temperatures should remain as frozen snow and not melt and penetrate. I would be very wary about "wet" snow or snow as it melted. All in all, better to be safe than sorry. You can buy a pair of Optech branded plastic rain covers from eBay for a few quid or simply use a carrier bag or sandwich bag etc. for a bit of safety. Why take the risk?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've got the plastic covers so may use those. Just thought that putting them on in snowy or cold weather would be bad? Maybe not :)
 
Put them on before the camera gets wet/snowy. You certainly don't want to seal in any moisture and then leave the camera sweating in damp air. You also need to think about condensation. If you move the camera from cold conditions to warm then you will get condensation on the camera. Going outdoors from indoors should be no problem. Going back in there might be - either through condensation forming on the cold surfaces or through the warm atmosphere melting snow and ice already on the camera - so get it protected before it gets wet.
 
Last edited:
Sorry, last question. If I use a Optech rainsleeve which I have, does it have to be air sealed? Obviously use a rubber band on the lens area, but at the other end there is no seal on the bag as far as I am aware is that okay, or should I find a way to seal it and get all the air out? Was thinking to just seal the front bit with a rubber band and then stick hands under the open part of the back at the back to operate the controls.
 
No need to seal it and probably impractical to try. All you really need to do is to stop the wet stuff hitting the camera and lens and then soaking in through the nooks and crannies.

Here's me with my rain sleeves a few years back. The draw cord for the lens is a bit crap and a rubber band would be a distinct improvement - a mod I've never remembered to make but always wish I had - but you should get adequate protection without going crazy. It's only snow/rain. Humans manage with a brolly and/or jacket. We don't need sealing in tight for a bit of rain. You're not going to go SCUBA diving with a rain sleeve.

20071124_144422_1097_LR.jpg
 
A word of warning about water and the 5dII............

7 days ago I was photographing sunrise at Llyn Ogwen; the idea was the sun would rise straight behind Tryfan with the mountain silhouette in the lake.
But the weather didn't play ball; seriously stormy with heavy 'showers', but the light was dramatic and had potential.

Turned my back for a moment, and my tripod blew over.
Luckily it landed on the softest bit of moorland grass imaginable.
Unluckily, it was under two inches of water.

Dried off with a micro-fleece I always carry and inspected every orifice. All of them were dry and there was no sign of damage.
but the 5DII wouldn't turn on.
I returned to the hotel and asked them to place the camera somewhere warm and dry for the rest of the day.
On return, the camera turned on - YAY! But the focus confirmation lights were pulsing in a weird way.
After a few mins I noticed condensation forming inside the screen - uh oh...

So I left the 5DII in front of a dehumidifier for 18 hours with the lens off and all the doors open; dust nightmare, but I figured I had nothing to lose.
The next morning the on/off switch was extremely stiff and when it did move it felt like something mat have broke as it quickly settled into a loose wobble around the middle position and wouldn't move fully off or fully on.

Sent to Canon Elstree who have quoted a repair in excess of the value of the camera. It's effectively written off. :thumbsdown:
 
I now have a difficult decision....
Buy a replacement 5DII now, or wait for the 5DIII.

I've still got a 60D (bought as 2nd body to use on a long lens at concerts and festivals) and the Fuji X10 (which is proving to be a extremely capable camera); so I could manage without a full frame body until the 5DIII starts shipping next year (hopefully).

Thoughts please!!!!!
 
Last edited:
Sorry to hear about your accident and I hope you were insured......

Therer's no sign of an announcement about a 5d3, is there? And once it's announced it could be months before it becomes available.

And then only at a premium, and it may have bugs.....

The 5d2 is at a really good price at the moment.
 
Hi everyone,
First post from me having owned my 5dmk2 for 4 days now (and only just having found this great site)....I read loads of reviews and visited canonrumors.com every day for weeks and decided the 5dmk2 is a great camera so just get it and start shooting. The mk3 seems both a while off (6 months+) and unsettled in terms of what canon will do with it (various rumors on 30mp+ but only small upgrade in AF to video focussed specs).

Sadly with a baby on the way and a nursery to decorate the 5d is still sat on my desk...
 
KeithH said:
This 26 Gig image was taken with a 5DMKII, so I thought you guys ought to see it !! ;)

http://www.dresden-26-gigapixels.com/dresden26GP
Click to expand...

Amazing! Great fun to play with those zoomed details.

The statistics that impressed me most was the processing of 1,665 images, which took a computer with 48Gb of RAM and 16 processors a total of 94 hours :eek:

Thanks for posting :)
 
Hello all, can someone explain how I can do this on my 5D mk2 please?

Imagine the camera is in Av or Tv, I'd like to use the back button to meter my scene, this will then not move when I re-compose my picture.

I then focus and take the picture. I assume it's a custom function but I just can't seem to get it right.
 
nickl360 said:
Hello all, can someone explain how I can do this on my 5D mk2 please?

Imagine the camera is in Av or Tv, I'd like to use the back button to meter my scene, this will then not move when I re-compose my picture.

I then focus and take the picture. I assume it's a custom function but I just can't seem to get it right.
Click to expand...
Push the * button (exposure lock). This fixes exposure untul the 6 second timeout with nothing pressed.
 
Hi all,

Another new 5Dii owner here, recently upgraded my old 350D. Finding it quite a jump and starting over with lenses is proving expensive so I'm stuck with 17-40 f/4 for the foreseeable future :D

My next lens is either the 85 f/1.8, 100f/2 or 100 f2.8 macro (non-L series, I can't find a good reason to spend the extra for IS)

Enough of my rambling intro, I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions after I get the chance to use it a bit more over the holidays!
 
Any 5D2 owners using PW Mini and Flex?

Just wondering if you're using HyperSync and if so what your set up is.

Ta!
 
I'm using the mini and flex but just have HyperSync at it's default settings - works comfortably at 1/250 but haven't pushed it any futher.
 
Here I am, 57 years old and hopping around like a six year old on Christmas eve. Looking out of the window every few minutes, looking at the clock. Why? Because I am awaiting delivery of my shiny new 5D Mark II. Mrs Yellowbelly finally gave the nod for its purchase yesterday. Where is that ruddy courier? :wacky:
 
Yellowbelly said:
Here I am, 57 years old and hopping around like a six year old on Christmas eve. Looking out of the window every few minutes, looking at the clock. Why? Because I am awaiting delivery of my shiny new 5D Mark II. Mrs Yellowbelly finally gave the nod for its purchase yesterday. Where is that ruddy courier? :wacky:
Click to expand...

:D enjoy it when it comes, but you will have another frustrating time waiting for the battery to charge up:D
 
I best sign myself up to this thread, as I too have just picked up a mkii. Absolutely love it already!
 
Hopefully joining the gang soon, I've found I'm hardly using my 7D for what it's designed for. I thought I'd be using the high fps at airshows & the mach loop but I've found myself using it for portraits, landscapes etc.

Just need to get the funds together & sell my 7D to get a 5D!
 
Yellowbelly said:
Here I am, 57 years old and hopping around like a six year old on Christmas eve. Looking out of the window every few minutes, looking at the clock. Why? Because I am awaiting delivery of my shiny new 5D Mark II. Mrs Yellowbelly finally gave the nod for its purchase yesterday. Where is that ruddy courier? :wacky:
Click to expand...

OK it's arrived. Please excuse my absence whilstI play with my new toy. :D
 
Yellowbelly said:
OK it's arrived. Please excuse my absence whilstI play with my new toy. :D
Click to expand...

Very good news!

Did you purchase it new?
 
Yellowbelly said:
Certainly did. By 'eck did it cost me some brownie points! :D
Click to expand...

Big shiny things always do!!

Welcome to the Mkii club!! :D
 
Oh I must signup here, I have officially moved to the dark side being a Nikon user ... got my MKii a few weeks ago (cost me a kidney - am I allowed to say that?), I should give it a name to allow a more intimate relationship to develop :nuts:

Going through the setup at the moment finding it so different to the Nikon but I am sure it will all make sense in a short while. I will prolly have lots of questions ...

Next on the list ... a flashgun and maybe a 50mm 1.4f ... $.$ suggestions welcome btw :)
 
Got my 5D MKII + BG-E6 Battery grip the week before Christmas so I thought it was time I put a post up.

Originally had an EOS 620 back in the late 80s. Had that for a year until it was stolen in Italy but luckily I had it insured so replaced it with an EOS RT (half pellicle fixed mirror, 8ms shutter lag) which was fine as many years ago, I used to run a Kodak Express outfit so didn't pay anything for processing.

Been waiting for a reasonable priced FF body to come along and some 20 years later, I finally took the plunge and am extremely happy with the results.

I am still using my 50mm F/1.8, 24mm F/2.8 and 35-105 F/3.5-4.5 (which are all between 22 - 25 years old) my favourite being the 24mm. Alas the 400mm F/5.6 Sigma lens doesn't seem to work on a digital body but it's isn't a real issue as I was never really pleased with it.

In the last week though I have picked up a used 20-35mm F/3.5-4.5 USM and a 200mm F/2.8 II USM.

Will need to replace my 420EZ Flash at some point but will leave that for another month.
 
I'm desperate for a 5d MKII! Trying to hold out until the MkIII so that I can (hopefully) get a better deal for it, but patience is seriously waning...I want it nooowww :). WEX have a very good price at the moment (or did last time I checked!). Wondering how much more a new 5Dii would go down in price once the 5Diii is announced.

Jo
 
Joanna Nicole said:
I'm desperate for a 5d MKII! Trying to hold out until the MkIII so that I can (hopefully) get a better deal for it, but patience is seriously waning...I want it nooowww :). WEX have a very good price at the moment (or did last time I checked!). Wondering how much more a new 5Dii would go down in price once the 5Diii is announced.
Click to expand...

I gave up after waiting for weeks and I must say I am please with my decision lol
 
Joanna Nicole said:
I'm desperate for a 5d MKII! Trying to hold out until the MkIII so that I can (hopefully) get a better deal for it, but patience is seriously waning...I want it nooowww :). WEX have a very good price at the moment (or did last time I checked!). Wondering how much more a new 5Dii would go down in price once the 5Diii is announced.

Jo
Click to expand...
I did think of waiting for the Mk III, but then I would have been tempted to buy that at its no doubt ridiculously high initial price. But then I reasoned that the Mk II is a camera capable of far greater things than its operator (in my case) so was well worth the currently excellent price.
 
I did think of waiting for the Mk III, but then I would have been tempted to buy that at its no doubt ridiculously high initial price. But then I reasoned that the Mk II is a camera capable of far greater things than its operator (in my case) so was well worth the currently excellent price.
Click to expand...
So true

I too have now giving into the lure of the 5dmk11.
I got mine just before xmas from WEX i just couldnt resist anymore.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top