Canon 5D

[JDRoest]

How is the old 5d holding up compared to today's cameras? Really would like to go FF this year for at least my personal stuff, but probably don't have the means to go to a 5d2 straight away, especially as I'll have to buy an L to start with (can't decide, 24-70 f2.8 or 24-105).

[DibblyDobbler]

What do you have at the moment? A 5D is getting long in the tooth now so I'd be worried it might feel dated.

24-105 is great btw

[RobDickinson]

5d is old. It will showit in operation and functions.

No live view, no MFA etc.

IQ is still fantastic but the best of the crop bodies have caught it up and passed it in resolution.


24-105 is a workhorse, not a spectacular lens but solid and sharp.

24-70 is bokehtastic and the mkII is stunning but priced like it.

BTW I would take an average lens on a 5d over a good lens on a crop. If it comes to it buy a 5d2 and a cheap prime, get the L lenses later.

[JustinMinns]

As has been said, the 5D won't have a lot of the features of a more modern camera BUT the IQ won't disappoint and 12mp is more than enough for most peoples uses. You don't need to use L lenses, any EF lens will fit

[JDRoest]

Thanks for that guys. Not really after features, I'll put this in Aperture priority, set RAW and that's about it. Might even set the date and time when I first get it. I'm really after a better image and every time I see FF at work, it just looks so much better. (This is for personal stuff, not work. Still beating the living stew out of my 400D in the mountains - poor thing is now over 200k actuations).

Lens - so so torn about this. Love f2.8+ lenses......

[JDRoest]

RobDickinson said:

IQ is still fantastic but the best of the crop bodies have caught it up and passed it in resolution.

sigh.....21M on the 5d2....this might have to come out of my truck fund. drive a clapped out Silverado for 6 more months looking like a homey, or buy something sensible like a f150 in September.

[RobDickinson]

Resolution is nice but you can do a big print from 12mp anyhow.

[JustinMinns]

JDRoest said:

I'm really after a better image and every time I see FF at work, it just looks so much better.

I recently went from a 7D to 5D mk2 and wish I'd done it a lot sooner FF IQ is superb

[theboyfold]

JDRoest said:

sigh.....21M on the 5d2....this might have to come out of my truck fund. drive a clapped out Silverado for 6 more months looking like a homey, or buy something sensible like a f150 in September.

The 5d and 24-70 is about all you need to get away with a lot of situations. Don't be put off by the fact the 5d is seen as 'old', it's still a cracking camera.

When I'm home I'll post some example snaps with the very lens and camera combo you are looking at.

In fact, I might be selling my 5d as I might have just bought an E36 328i...

[markmullen]

You can get a 1Ds Mk1 cheaply too, worth a look.

Yes, they're old, and slow to use, with a crap LCD display (by modern standards) but the IQ is superb, the build quality is second to none and the AF is quick.

[londonagent]

Keep the Siverado for a bit longer, it can't be worse than Dog, and get the mkII. If you have a good season this year it might even pay for itself.

[JDRoest]

londonagent said:

Keep the Siverado for a bit longer, it can't be worse than Dog, and get the mkII. If you have a good season this year it might even pay for itself.

The Silverado is a lot worse than Dog. With Dog I had some semblance of credibility - driving a 33 year old pickup with antique plates gets respect (if merely for making the damn thing start). With the Silverado in it's appallingly matte black paint (on half of it) - I just look like a drug dealer thats fallen on hard times.

The 5d wouldn't be for my work on the mountain though. Far too expensive to keep breaking it. Having said that - 400D clocked another 6.5k today!

[JDRoest]

theboyfold said:

The 5d and 24-70 is about all you need to get away with a lot of situations. Don't be put off by the fact the 5d is seen as 'old', it's still a cracking camera.

When I'm home I'll post some example snaps with the very lens and camera combo you are looking at.

Please do post some! I'm not concerned about age of the camera, just the results. Heck, I've won several local competitions with my 10M 400D!

[JDRoest]

markmullen said:

You can get a 1Ds Mk1 cheaply too, worth a look.

Yes, they're old, and slow to use, with a crap LCD display (by modern standards) but the IQ is superb, the build quality is second to none and the AF is quick.

I shall look it up as well. Thanks!

edit - Blimey, just looked up the 1DS 2, and it fits right in the middle of the 5D and 5D2 on price and resolution (not that I'm Megapixel tart). Really thinking that that might be the choice.

Edited by JDRoest on Saturday 29th June 17:07

[markmullen]

I've got a 1Ds2 as a backup body at the moment, it's a great camera.

[theboyfold]

JDRoest said:

markmullen said:

You can get a 1Ds Mk1 cheaply too, worth a look.

Yes, they're old, and slow to use, with a crap LCD display (by modern standards) but the IQ is superb, the build quality is second to none and the AF is quick.

I shall look it up as well. Thanks!

edit - Blimey, just looked up the 1DS 2, and it fits right in the middle of the 5D and 5D2 on price and resolution (not that I'm Megapixel tart). Really thinking that that might be the choice.

Edited by JDRoest on Saturday 29th June 17:07

Just be aware of the size and weight difference with the 1DS, I looked at the same camera, but went for the 5.

[theboyfold]

Here you go:


My thoughts exactly! by cloud34.com, on Flickr


IMG_9497 by cloud34.com, on Flickr


IMG_9771 by cloud34.com, on Flickr

Most of the snaps in Japan were taken with the combo you are looking at, everything is straight from the camera. The great thing about buying 2nd hand lenses and bodies is that you will lose very little (if any) money at all.

[TimmyWimmyWoo]

I went from a 20D to a 5D earlier this year. Photography is part of my job I suppose; I try to weave it into my work whenever I can (web journalism).

I love the quality of the shots you get from the 5D. Going to 100% view on my 5D shots in Aperture (the Mac programme), you just see so, so much more detail compared to my old 20D shots.

I love trying to get the best out of it. I nearly stumped up for a new 6D but thought I would still be impressed with a 5D and it's still serve me well - and I was right.

I use it with a 50mm 1.8 and 85mm 1.8 and I love it. Simple, old, you have to learn the camera (because the screen on the back doesn't give you a great representation of how your colours will look) and it's quite basic. But I love that.

I'm certainly not a great photographer but I really love the way the 5D shots look. I even like the high-ISO noise, it looks quite 'natural'.


Inside the Noble by tim_rodie, on Flickr


IMG_4295 - Version 2 by tim_rodie, on Flickr


Spring daffodil by tim_rodie, on Flickr


IMG_4948 - Version 2 by tim_rodie, on Flickr

Edited by TimmyWimmyWoo on Saturday 29th June 20:45

[flat-planedCrank]

I use a 5D mk1 too, I'd echo many of the comments above.

It feels a generation older than current, or even previous generation camera bodies. The image quality is great though - AF is ok, quick with fast lenses.

If I was buying now I'd probably go for the 5D2 but if you can find a decent 5D1 for not much money I'd recommend them.


Most of the images on my flickr were taken with a 5d1 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/motion-images/

[JDRoest]

Thanks for posting the shots, it has done nothing to dampen my enthusiasm for FF when I get home. The shots just look so much better for some reason. The narrow depth of field is just stunning and just pulls the subject out.