upgrading from 5d2 to 6d, what can I expect to be different

mrjames

mrjames

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so I used to have a 1d3 and a 5d2, shooting 2 bodies, but recently sold the 1d3 and now have a 5d3, which I love, but finding it difficult to shoot alongside the 5d2

I would buy another 5d3, but cost is an issue as well as size and weight- plus if I'm going to own 2 cameras i'd rather they be different, for different purposes- i.e. 5d3 for pro work, 6d for travel- although i'm not adverse to blowing the budget and getting another 5d3 for work and getting a fuji for my travel camera, as the 6d isn't really that small

silent shutter is amazing for shooting in quiet places, and only having one camera with silent shutter means i'm limited to shooting one body (and one lens), getting the 6d would alleviate this and give me 2 bodies to work with again

programmable auto iso is amazing and not having to worry about noise even up to 12800 and 25600, I just concentrate on getting the shot I need and the camera does the rest of the work, the auto iso on the 5d2 is stupid, again the 6d will fix things in this area

I can't get used to the 'old' system of playback and review, much prefer the new system- the 6d will fix this


what else can I expect to be different on the 6d, coming from the 5d2?

I just don't want to sell my 5d2, get the 6d, find something I really hate about it and then have to switch back to a 5d2 or upgrade to a 5d3

I know there's no WB button, i'm fine with that only ever shoot auto WB anyway

I know there's no FEC button. fine with that, can just adjust in quick menu

anything else? I'm sure i'd see for myself as soon as I play around with one, but need to know from some people who've made the switch



don't really care about IQ and noise, I know it's much better so more interested in the handling and operation- what will I miss going from an older semi-pro body to a newer consumer body
 
The only other thing I can se is the change in focus point selection. The 6D doesn't have a joystick. Not an issue if you always use the centre point and focus/recompose.
 
Exclusively SD card,fewer focus points, plastic top plate and as above inferior control pad
 
ChrisHeathcote said:
The only other thing I can se is the change in focus point selection. The 6D doesn't have a joystick. Not an issue if you always use the centre point and focus/recompose.
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thanks
I want to know what it's like to use that focus point selector though, for example: is the plastic rough on your finger, and after shooting for 8 hours are your fingers sore- these are things that I will find out for myself after shooting it, but since there are none for sale 2nd hand I would have to buy one new, and if I don't like it sell it on as a loss- I shoot most days, often for many hours, I want something that I can rely on, trust, maybe even love- anything that can be detrimental to the shooting experience I want to know about- if the sharp edges of the plastic card flap might cut my finger, if the ISO isn't visible in the screen when I press the ISO button to change ISO, (this is a deal breaker, if I have to adjust ISO on the quick menu that sucks, if I can adjust ISO in the viewfinder that's fine)

I really had to shift my grip style to hold the 5d3 comfortably after moving from the 1d3, I really couldn't get on with it for ages, it was so uncomfortable I nearly sold the camera as I was getting sore hands from rubbing against the raised section on the top right hand side, but now after 10,000 frames it's great and the 1d3 feels slippery by comparison- I was resistant to change but ultimately after getting used to it realized it was a change for the better
I couldn't get used to not pushing the top 2 buttons to zoom in/out, I would do it after every shot, it took weeks to break that habit, now it feels way superior to the 'old method'


what I want to know is what is it like to live with the 6d, after living with the 5d2- i'm not interested in what you can see on the internet- if you've not put 10,000 frames through both cameras I don't think you'll have the answers to my questions, I want to know things like- after 6 months/1 year did the things that felt weird at first, did they become second nature or did they still feel weird

tijuana taxi said:
Exclusively SD card,fewer focus points, plastic top plate and as above inferior control pad
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happy to use SD cards, use SD cards in my 5d2 with an adaptor
use sd cards in my 5d3 and use CF as the backup card
why? because I don't need to take my card reader with me, just goes straight in my laptop

actually has more focus points than the 5d2- and I think those extra 2 points are very usefully placed

plastic top plate not bothered about, remember it's not 'plastic' but polycarbonate- what they use in police riot shields, it can take a beating and it keeps the weight down

inferior control pad- agreed, but what I want to know is does it present itself as a problem, do you regularly thing 'god I hate this camera'
 
In my case the 6D i bought was faulty and returned it for a refund

Glad it was because much prefer the Fuji I have now for wandering about with
 
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I don't have a 5D2 or 3 but I do have a 7D so can probably fill in a bit with regard to the controls. Personally I find either is fine, I don't find I'm limited in what I do with the 6D. My main issue is I keep forgetting when I switch between them which control does what... That might just be age and memory however. The 6D controls are sensible and usable, so as long as you're not expecting a 5D3 you should be fine. Obvious answer is to pop into a shop and play with one. If you have the same ability to hit the wrong buttons as me when switching bodies then this may not be the camera you want. I find the feel of the camera is fine, and there I don't have a problem switching from 7D to 6D and reverse, so I'd be surprised if you have an issue there.

By the way I use my 6D exclusively for travel. I don't find it's too heavy whereas I did find my 7D was. I know the difference is small but it does more or less mark where my threshold is personally.
 
daugirdas said:
I'd wait for 5D4, then I am pretty sure you will know what to do :) (no more than a year left?!)
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I want a camera like next week not next year

it's not really a cost issue
I could afford a second 5d3, or get a 6d and a new lens
or a fuji x camera with a few lenses
it's just I don't want a second 5d3 as it's so heavy and big, bigger and heavier than the 5d2 (noticeably so), don't want another brick hanging from my shoulder- actually thinking about slimming down all my kit- 24-70 replace with 24-105, 70-200 2.8 replace with f4 version
for shooting events i'm usually carrying: 5d2 with 16-35 mounted, 5d3 with 24-70 mounted, 70-200 2.8 in the bag, 2 flashes and triggers, umbrella, 30mm 1.4, and some accessories- that gets heavy really quickly

the 6d is noticeably lighter and smaller, that appeals to me as it means I carry less weight, my gear bag is a bit less tight, and my second body doesn't weigh me down as much
it would become my main travel camera, and I would use the wifi tether to edit photos on my iPad when out and about
but I don't want to buy a 6d and end up hating it for some reason and craving my 5d2 back

the question was really more about if the 6d becomes my main camera for travel etc will I lose anything in the way of features? I know that canon had to strip some things out of the 6d to make the 5d3 more appealing, just really want to know where they cut back, and whether it's an issue
(for studio/events/pro work the 5d3 will always be my main body with the 6d as backup)

e.g. the max shutter is 1/4000, don't think i've ever needed 1/8000 so it's not an issue for me, and I have ND filters
single card slots is an issue but I can just wirelessly tether to my iPad, creating a jpeg backup

and if i'm on a quest for small and light as my second cam, then perhaps ditching the DSLR altogether and going fuji, take the money i'd spend on the 6d- keep the 5d2 as a backup and invest in a fuji system, most likely the x-e1 + 23 1.4 and 10-24 zoom as a replacement for my 30mm 1.4 and 16-35 2.8 lenses- that way i'd be shooting events with the xe1 with 10-24, 5d3 with 24-70, 70-200 in the bag, flashes in the bag, 23 1.4 in the pocket
 
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