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Verdict - 5DII ?

jonboring

New member
I've been making do with my 5D, waiting for the dust to settle on the 5DII. What is the consensus? Is the 5DII worth upgrading to from the 5D? I am anxious to get more pixels for my canvas work and the better LCD and live view since I mostly manual focus with CZ lenses. However, I also want a significant jump in image quality when I upgrade.

Why are all the retailers back ordered on it? Is it selling so fast they can't keep it or is holding back units pending upgrades or an announcement?

I've seen many posts here and elsewhere about focusing issues but I mainly manual focus with CZ lenses. I also have seen many comments on how the 5DII image is a little plastic when compared to the D3x but the D3x is out of my price range so I'll give up a little image quality for the $5K savings. Any thing else I should be aware of?
 

tom in mpls

Active member
I also have seen many comments on how the 5DII image is a little plastic when compared to the D3x but the D3x is out of my price range so I'll give up a little image quality for the $5K savings. Any thing else I should be aware of?
Have you considered the Sony A900? I understand it has the same sensor as the DX3 but is priced the same as the 5D2. Also, there is soon to be released an A850 that is expected to have the same sensor but rumored to be under $2k. I mention this as you compare to Nikon, which suggests you would consider switching systems. Look at Sony forum here or at dpreview.com; you will find many posts from former Canon people (like me, although I still have my 5D2...at least for a while). The only significant drawback to the A900 to me is that it does not have the superhigh ISO performance of the others.
 

tashley

Subscriber Member
The 5DII is like a German car: perfectly well designed for its task, delivers as expected with one or two minor niggles and a little bit boring. I sold my 1DSIII last year and got a 5DII a few months ago and it is just as good in most ways and better in the higher ISO and not weighing much departments.

IQ is absolutely fine - per pixel sharpness slightly behind 5D but there are a lot more pixels and you can make larger prints to high quality. RAW files need sharpening but they take it well.

It has slowly dawned on me that in a slightly dull way, this is really a very good camera indeed. And it's small and light enough to be discreet and portable in a way that a D3X or 1DSIII cannot be.

If I had to have only one camera from my current batch (Pen, M8.2, Phase P45+ system and 5dII) then I'd have to choose the 5DII because it covers the most bases and does them all pretty well. I don't love it, but I do rate it.

Tim
 

BradleyGibson

New member
Tim's description is spot on.

Minor niggles--I'd like it it focused in video mode better, had a flip/twist screen, 1-series quality AF, better laid-out menus for configuration and control, etc. etc. etc, but in the end what it does it does well enough to be worth it.

The video quality and the high ISO performance are welcome fresh air. It's hard to see how you'll be disappointed with this camera if you're coming from the 5D mark I. I think you'll feel quite at home.

And to answer your other question, by all reports, it's a very hot seller.

Hope that helps,
 

drazin

Member
i upgraded from the 5d to the 5dmkii.

i think i made a great decision and i really enjoy the 1080p video (fooling with manual controls is fun too) and the camera takes great pictures.

here is a picture i just took today with 0 edits. it was shot raw imported to lightroom then exported to flickr. no adjustments or sharpening.

 

DonWeston

Subscriber Member
Guess I am a 5D2 newbie here, have had my 5D2 for about 2-3 weeks and trying to get the hang of it. So far I have to say it is performing great overall. Images from most of my lenses are sharp, or at least I can achieve some sharp images with all my lenses. That does not mean that all are sharp as I would like. But since some are, I feel it is up to me to figure out why the rest weren't. I have noted some differences between lenses but nothing like the issues I had with the original 5D. Had 3 of those over 18 mos before I got a sample that could focus were a fennig.
With the 5.2, things are smoother, lot of tonality, low noise and lots of pixels for large prints I like. What I would like is 2 card slots, a silly pop up flash, and about 5-6 fps. But overall I can deal..

Now I need a bigger printer then my 3800....
 

s.agar

Member
Replacing 5D with 5DII? A very good idea. I did that months ago.
Extremely good resolution, dependable and predictable photos.
Very quick adjustments from the LCD.

Summary: You will be very glad that you have made the upgrade.

Seyhun
 

DonWeston

Subscriber Member
John - maybe I missed something in the video you linked to, and I only listened to the first segment that was listed on youtube, but the narrator clearly states in it, that " he wrecked his camera". He did not blame the camera or lens for the problem. He was filming his buddies fishing in waiters. Was there more to the story then what I heard in this video?? Certainly this activity is risky with any non sealed housing gear. Did he claim the bayonet on the lens or camera failed? Just trying to understand how this substantiates that some 5D2's are faulty. Luckily mine has been trouble free so far...

Hoping I don't get struck by lightning...
 

johnastovall

Deceased, but remembered fondly here...
The lens issues were not related to the video. What I was going by was the relative small amounts of moisture seen just before the failure. Most likely he wrecked by using near water.
 

DonWeston

Subscriber Member
John - I think it is too hard to tell just how much water was involved here from the video. Did the narrator say how the camera got wet? May have missed it..

I may be lucky with my non pro Canon bodies, and water, shooting in surf, rain etc., using moderate care, just don't think they are that easily subject to water damage, unless one has an accident or is sloppy, careless..It sounded to me that this guy suffered a bit of both, jmho from the video, ymmv.
 
S

sara_criss

Guest
I made the upgrade in March. The main advantage for me is the extra resolution and Live View. LV is a blessing for critical work. I love it.
 

johnastovall

Deceased, but remembered fondly here...
I'm almost to the point of upgrading to the 5DMkII rather than a used 1DsMkIII.

How is it at ISO 25,000? I like to give my Canon 50/1.0 a work out in extreme low light.
 

tashley

Subscriber Member
I'm almost to the point of upgrading to the 5DMkII rather than a used 1DsMkIII.

How is it at ISO 25,000? I like to give my Canon 50/1.0 a work out in extreme low light.
Don't expect miracles.... but like Dr Johnson, I'd observe that it's the fact that it does it at all that's remarkable, not how well it does it...

to be more specific, if the scene is contrasty, well-lit and correctly exposed it gives useable results in B&W.
 
R

rayman68

Guest
YES, UPGRADE! I have both and love the the Mark II. I would not go above ASA 400 with the I and now I can go to 1000. I'm happy with everything else as well (except focus). Can't wait for the Mark III in a 7D body.
 

nostatic

New member
I just picked up my 5Dmk2 w/24-105/f4 kit. Coming from Pentax I feel compelled to get IS when I can, and despite some apparent warts so far it seems like a decent piece of glass. I shoot bad light most of the time, so most of my shots so far are all wide open at 3200. I"m looking forward to getting out in some daylight tomorrow, and also am going right to my dealer and get a 50/1.4.

I was shooting back to back with the Canon and Pentax K20d w/43/1.9ltd lens. I love Pentax colors, and the Canon was a little different but still nice. The AF was night and day different. I set the 5D to center/single AF and it never missed. And pixel peeping the images yeilded similar results (other than the AF misses with Pentax). And to me that is a win because zoom vs. an FA ltd prime really isn't a fair fight. Or shouldn't be.

I can't wait to get the 70-200/4 and 50/1.4. I'm also pondering the 85/1.8 and really wondering about the f1.2 primes. I like a light kit and those seem a bit heavy. At any rate, the 50/1.4 is fairly cheap so worth doing the exerpiment.

So far the Canon interface gets in my way a fair amount but I expect that as it is different to what I'm used to. One thing that bugs the snot out of me is that I can't preset the mag button to something other than the default steps. With the Pentax you can make the first click of the mag wheel be 1x or 2x or 4x or 8x. Makes it very quick to chimp focus and back again. Plus the manual isn't the most helpful - points to Pentax for writing a little more involved and detailed document.

But so far I'm impressed with the files, and look forward to figuring out how it shoots and reacts. And I'm especially looking forward to putting a fast 50 on it and shooting at 1.4 (even if it is soft).

Overall a fun camera with some learning/teething pains. The ergos are good (better than D700 - main reason I went with the Canon along with the brilliant f4 IS zooms. The K20d feels tiny compared to the 5D. Now I'm trying to figure out my "street cam" setup. Before yesterday it was going to be the GF1 w/20/1.7 and the Leica 45macro for good measure. But now the X1 is singing a siren song. My plan is small sensor (DLux4) middle ground (either u4/3 or APS-C), and FF.

Maybe I should just kill the rainy day fund and go stright Leica. then of course I'd have to actually learn how to shoot instead of just pushing the button...
 

johnastovall

Deceased, but remembered fondly here...
I did it ordered 5DMkII from B&H just now with Grip, extra batteries, charger and Domke strap. Now for RRS to wake up and take my order for the L-Plate for it.

Oh, I plan to see how it shoots with a really fast 50 the f1.0 Light Sucker at ISO 25K.
 

robertwright

New member
I can't wait to get the 70-200/4 and 50/1.4. I'm also pondering the 85/1.8 and really wondering about the f1.2 primes. I like a light kit and those seem a bit heavy. At any rate, the 50/1.4 is fairly cheap so worth doing the exerpiment.

But so far I'm impressed with the files, and look forward to figuring out how it shoots and reacts. And I'm especially looking forward to putting a fast 50 on it and shooting at 1.4 (even if it is soft).
you might not like how soft the 50 is...wide open it is pretty bad, at least all the copies I have handled. Not any better than the lowly 1.8 which is all of 90 dollars. I'd save your money and get the 50 1.2L, which is very very good.

The 85 1.8 is pretty good at f2, certainly considering how inexpensive it is compared to the 85 1.2L, it is a good trade off for cost, size, weight and focusing speed, and still is plenty fast. the L is very good however, but the difference is small.
 

nostatic

New member
I'm not crazy about the 50/1.4. It is ok for the price, but I might switch to the 1.2. I did pick up the 16-35/2.8II and am thrilled with that lens. I've never been a big wide angle guy I tried that lens. I had a shoot last week where I was inside an 8'x40' space and needed to shoot the walls. The 5D2 @ 16mm was perfect, both for stills and video.

The 70-200/4IS is worth the price of admission as well. I'm thinking of 16-35, 50/1.2 and 70-200/4 as a good "do everything" setup. I like the 135/2 as well, but frankly the 70-200/4IS is really *really* good.
 
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