Full Frame, would you buy the 5D MKll?

pastyman

pastyman

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Darrin
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OK guys, trying to decide what to to do, I have a 7D that's just a couple of months old, and have some good results from it. But I want a FF too, but don't have a bottomless pit of money.
So I am looking at the 5D's, starting looking at MK1's but am having second thoughts, the MKll can be had new at digitalrev for £1300, and the MKlll is on a wish list for a year or so down the line.

So, would you buy a MKl, or go to the MKll, I would use it for landscape and macro mainly, as the 7D is good with the 150-500 for wildlife..

Look forward to your thoughts...

Darrin
 
If you have the 7D and will be keeping it you would be good with the 5Dmk2, or if you are going down the line of a 5d3 just wait and get it when you can.
 
go for the mk2:-
-same battery as the 7D
-better screen
-live view
 
Thanks , is there a big difference in high iso noise between the ll and lll?
I find the 7D at 800 starting to get noisy, or is it just me?
 
I went from 50d to 5d2
Had 50d for 6months and had the 5d2 for over years now still loving it glad I went for it
 
Really difficult to know what to do really, thought of the MKll on cost, but would need to keep the 7D for the faster autofocus, but with a MKlll, I would not need the 7D as the AF is better than the 7D anyway.
So may be better to go straight to the MKlll, and not lose money on the intermediate upgrade.:bang:
 
If you have the money why buy a older model
Let's hope you ef glass
 
All the lenses I bought are EF, I had it in mind to go FF at some stage, just didn't expect the urge to come so quick!

I will probably go MKlll, sell the 7D (it's only around 9 weeks old), and maybe sell the 150-500 bigmos to ease the pain. I tend to use the 24-105 and 70-200 more than anything else.
 
Sorted then

2,5k odd I can't justify yet the upgrade
Would love to
 
I'd go for the MkII if I was you. I had a 7D and 5D2 combo and ended up using the 5D2 for almost everything. If my 7D had worked as well as I'd hoped I would still have got both of them but I sold both and got a 5D3 instead and got the best of both. I was thrilled with the 5D3, and still am, but I missed having a second body so I got a 60D for backup (as it used the same batteries as the 5D3). The 5D2 will do you very proud as it's a fantastic camera and a great partner to a perfect 7D.
 
modchild said:
I'd go for the MkII if I was you. I had a 7D and 5D2 combo and ended up using the 5D2 for almost everything. If my 7D had worked as well as I'd hoped I would still have got both of them but I sold both and got a 5D3 instead and got the best of both. I was thrilled with the 5D3, and still am, but I missed having a second body so I got a 60D for backup (as it used the same batteries as the 5D3). The 5D2 will do you very proud as it's a fantastic camera and a great partner to a perfect 7D.
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What was the problem with the 7D? I find it ok, but low light seems to be a bit of an issue, and with not having a lot of fast lenses makes it worse.
 
7D and 5D Mk2 work well together-well I think so but perhaps I,m a bit biased as that's what I have.
Get the 17-40 for landscapes, it is also a not bad walkabout on a 7D and consider a 60mm EF-S macro for the 7D.
I know it might sound a bit daft, but the combo is very easy to handhold( I find it easier than a 100mm) and using centre spot focus ( the square with the little dot in the middle) it AF's a lot quicker than normal,its a bit short for bugs though.
 
I sold the ef-s 60 to aid the MPE65, but then came across a 100mm 2.8 at a good price, so snapped it up. The 100mm is much easier then the MPE.
The MPE is a long term lens me thinks to get the best from it. Another reason for FF, it would enable shooting slightly larger objects with the MPE.

I have a Sigma 10-20 that I bought for product pics for my website, and am hoping it will be good enough to do justice to whichever FF body I go for.
 
Canon's 7D is a fantastic camera, brilliant at sports/wildlife, and good at high ISO , not as good as the latest bodies (5DIII & 1DX) but up to ISO1600, it's very good.

If you do give up your 7D I think you will miss the 1.6 reach?

But it is a dilemma, 5DIII is an exceptional camera, but unless you regularly shoot at ridiculously high ISO, then the 5D II is very, very good, and can be had second hand at a reasonable prices.

I did a review of the 7D here, particular noticeable are the comments following the review of togs agreeing at just how good it is.

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=213135
 
ding76uk said:
Two questions.

Why FF?

What does the 7D not do?
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Well the first thing with the 7D I have found, is anything above 800 ISO seems very noisy to me. I am no experts, and have only been snapping away for a short time, but have learnt quite a lot in that time, seen a lot of sample shots, and the 5D body results seem to be consistently better than that of crop sensors. Hard to put it into words, but there just seems to be something about the shots that just look better, cleaner, almost like a 3d depth to them:shrug:

Another reason is for macro, I have an MPE, and it would enable me to shoot slightly larger objects and bugs, at the expense of having to get closer I guess to the smaller ones:suspect:.

But the main overall reason is this, I intend to keep on with the photography for many years to come, so may as well develop my skills on a camera that will last me for years, and not be wanting to upgrade again...... I would probably end up spending more by going the MKl or MKll route now, and still be lusting after a MKlll...
 
One other thing that would be nice is the double MFA, my 70-200 is back focusing, and once adjusted for 200, it is then a tad out at 70.
 
pastyman said:
Well the first thing with the 7D I have found, is anything above 800 ISO seems very noisy to me. I am no experts, and have only been snapping away for a short time, but have learnt quite a lot in that time, seen a lot of sample shots, and the 5D body results seem to be consistently better than that of crop sensors. Hard to put it into words, but there just seems to be something about the shots that just look better, cleaner, almost like a 3d depth to them:shrug:

Another reason is for macro, I have an MPE, and it would enable me to shoot slightly larger objects and bugs, at the expense of having to get closer I guess to the smaller ones:suspect:.

But the main overall reason is this, I intend to keep on with the photography for many years to come, so may as well develop my skills on a camera that will last me for years, and not be wanting to upgrade again...... I would probably end up spending more by going the MKl or MKll route now, and still be lusting after a MKlll...
Click to expand...
This is canons aps-c weak point. They all struggle after iso 800. I've not seen any results from the new 650d though.
 
pastyman said:
the MKll can be had new at digitalrev for £1300,
Darrin
Click to expand...

£1225 at Panamoz PLUS a further 5% off if paid by bank transfer. Almost pulled the trigger on another one myself :naughty:

Still an excellent camera despite the arrival of the III.
 
I have a 5D and it's useable up to and including ISO 3200. I shoot at ISO 3200 without worrying.

The only problem that I can see is that there's no sensor cleaning and although I'm anal about checking and cleaning my sensor to prevent getting dist bunnies I still get them.

I think that big strides have been made with later modls with both sensor coatings and sensor cleaning systems and unfortunately the 5D doesn't have any of these goodies... so cleaning becomes the norm.

Other than that and ISO 3200 being the max I'm quite happy.
 
woof woof said:
I have a 5D and it's useable up to and including ISO 3200. I shoot at ISO 3200 without worrying.

The only problem that I can see is that there's no sensor cleaning and although I'm anal about checking and cleaning my sensor to prevent getting dist bunnies I still get them.

I think that big strides have been made with later modls with both sensor coatings and sensor cleaning systems and unfortunately the 5D doesn't have any of these goodies... so cleaning becomes the norm.

Other than that and ISO 3200 being the max I'm quite happy.
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I'd just add that when I had my 5D2 it attracted dust like a Dyson, like you I was anal about cleaning and as I shot lots of multiple exposures for HDR that really shows up dust bunnies, I was for ever cleaning he damn thing.
 
Hmmm.

There goes the thought of upgrading to a 5DII for this reason... b****r.

Just to show how much things seem to have improved my G1 hasn't needed one wet clean since I got it. It rarely gets dust bunnies and when it does either a rocket or internal shake clean (or whatever it does...) clears the problem.
 
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Ive had a think, and I'm gonna ease my way in to FF. Just snagged a perfect condition 5D classic for £450 boxed like new. I don't know if its had the mirror mod done, but if not, I can get it done.
At least I can see what FF is actually like, and spend a few months getting to grips with it.
A lot cheaper, and I probably won't lose too much when I move it on. So watch out, there will soon be a novice waving a 5D around, frantically trying to find the best sensor cleaning method:lol:
 
pastyman said:
I sold the ef-s 60 to aid the MPE65, but then came across a 100mm 2.8 at a good price, so snapped it up. The 100mm is much easier then the MPE.
The MPE is a long term lens me thinks to get the best from it. Another reason for FF, it would enable shooting slightly larger objects with the MPE.

I have a Sigma 10-20 that I bought for product pics for my website, and am hoping it will be good enough to do justice to whichever FF body I go for.
Click to expand...

That will be of no use on FF. Sell it on.

Personally I'd suggest 5D mk3, or if you fell like saving cash get 1Ds mkII and skip 5DII or I. The previous version has much worse AF than your 7D, and no weather sealing.
 
I use a 50d with a 70-200 f4L and a 5dmi with a 24-105 f4L...love the combo and love the cameras...If I were to change cost would drive me to the 5Dmii...but happy with the output of my 5dmi right now...

STEVIER
 
woof woof said:
Hmmm.

There goes the thought of upgrading to a 5DII for this reason... b****r.

Just to show how much things seem to have improved my G1 hasn't needed one wet clean since I got it. It rarely gets dust bunnies and when it does either a rocket or internal shake clean (or whatever it does...) clears the problem.
Click to expand...

I'll offer another perspective on this.. I've had my 5D mk II for three years now, and I've never needed to clean the sensor :) I've occasionally seen dust bunnies that appear and then disappear between shots, so the self-cleaning sensor is evidently doing its job :thumbs: In comparison, I had to get the sensor on my original 5D cleaned several several times. A major reason for me upgrading to the 5D mk II was the self-cleaning coated sensor.

I am very careful about changing lenses indoors where the air is still, and keeping the camera body tilted downwards, to lessen the chance of dust getting into the mirror chamber.

A.
 
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I was the same, never changed lenses outside either, other folks I know with 5D2s also noticed the same. I don't think it's anything specific to the 5D2 just DSLRs in general. Anyway good to know it was not an issue (or noticed) by everyone :)
 
daugirdas said:
That will be of no use on FF. Sell it on.

Personally I'd suggest 5D mk3, or if you fell like saving cash get 1Ds mkII and skip 5DII or I. The previous version has much worse AF than your 7D, and no weather sealing.
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Well it will still be of use on the 7D, I bought the lens 2 years ago to go on a 450D, never thought about whether it was an efs mount or not. I guess that's why it will be no use on the 5D?
 
pastyman said:
I sold the ef-s 60 to aid the MPE65, but then came across a 100mm 2.8 at a good price, so snapped it up. The 100mm is much easier then the MPE.
The MPE is a long term lens me thinks to get the best from it. Another reason for FF, it would enable shooting slightly larger objects with the MPE.

I have a Sigma 10-20 that I bought for product pics for my website, and am hoping it will be good enough to do justice to whichever FF body I go for.
Click to expand...

I thought the sigma 10-20 was an efs lens?
 
middlearthimages said:
I thought the sigma 10-20 was an efs lens?
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Yeah it is, forgot that, only bought it to shoot machine pics for my website, and it was with the 450D, and used in the "P" professional and green window of opportunity modes at all times:nuts: I now know better......

Anyhow, I kinda pulled away from the MKl idea, the guy selling was a bit evasive on condition and if there were any issues with it....

Back to the drawing board.....

Just wish I could get onto the classified ads here......
 
Anorakus said:
I am very careful about changing lenses indoors where the air is still, and keeping the camera body tilted downwards, to lessen the chance of dust getting into the mirror chamber.

A.
Click to expand...

The thing is though that much of the crap that gets onto the sensor is nothing to do with lens changing technique as it's oil and crud generated by the cameras own internal moving parts. So, even if you never ever change a lens you'll still at some point get contamination on your sensor.

I'd also argue that if you only ever change lenses indoors where the air is still you aren't using your DSLR to it's advantages. The advantage is that it's a camera on which you can mount different lenses, people shouldn't be affraid to change lenses.

What camera makers need to do and some are better than others at it, is to design cameras and use materials so that internal shedding is lessened and even when it happens the crud doesn't stick to the sensor.
 
recent 5D mk2 upgrader here, so glad i went full frame. the amount of extra sharpness you could get out of a lens is great. it's all about pixel size, 21MP on a FF is a lot less dense than a 18MP crop, that means it's slightly more forgiving on the lens, thus L lenses will look very sharp. also gives you more room to play with without being affected by diffraction. (f8 on crop, f11 on FF)

i never understood why people spend the money for an expensive crop. it's all about the sensor, and cameras like 7D and D300s doesn't deliver when you can spend slightly more for a full frame.

so go for mark 2, it's great.


also, as far as i am aware, 5D2 is weather sealed, not as good as 7D, but good enough for the British weather.
 
pastyman said:
Yeah it is, forgot that, only bought it to shoot machine pics for my website, and it was with the 450D, and used in the "P" professional and green window of opportunity modes at all times:nuts: I now know better......

Anyhow, I kinda pulled away from the MKl idea, the guy selling was a bit evasive on condition and if there were any issues with it....

Back to the drawing board.....

Just wish I could get onto the classified ads here......
Click to expand...

Have a look at mpbphotographic mate, you pay a little bit more but you also get 6 months warranty and good service, they usually have lots of 5Dcs in, look for a high serial number, like beginning with a 2 or a 3, the higher the serial the newer, plus they give all their cameras a condition rating I think mine was ex++. Failing that wait till we meet up and have a go with my 5D and see if you like it then make your mind up ;)
 
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