Worth getting a 5D MKII now ?

Jase

Jase

Jase

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I'm thinking of getting a 5D MKII this week but not sure if it's a good time to do so. I was thinking of getting a 5D quite some time ago and never did, which got me thinking, the 5D has been out for quite a while, is there a new model on the way soon or is one of the other models a better option now ?

P.S. It has to be a canon as I already have a small collection of lenses.
 
I bought one recently, and it's still a fantastic camera.

You might be waiting a long time for the mk3 to come out, so you have to weigh up whether if you're willing to wait for an unannounced camera, or get something that's here and now, and still incredible.
 
I'd also look at the 1DsII, better overall than the 5Dii imo if you don't need video.
Or get a used 5D classic as that won't depreciate much, and there isn't really that much difference between that and the 5dii. Then pickup a 5diii later if it's worth it.
 
Thanks for the replies so far, I should have mentioned that I do want the video, I'm not sure how much I'll use it but I want to have a play :) I will have a read up on the 1DsII though to be sure.
 
Johnny|lucidcomposure said:
1DsII better than a 5DII?
You sure about that?
Click to expand...

I stated imo, but yes I'm pretty sure if you consider things that actually matter.
For most the AF positioning let alone the AF performance will make more of a difference than half a stop better ISO and LCD size.

"So this week I got a change to use the 5D2 for a real shoot, using daylight which is my favorite way to shoot. Unfortunately, for full body shots, I got many frames where the model is out of focus. I counted 50% of the shots out-of-focus using the outer AF points and my 85 1.2 on a tripod! A few were due to movement of the model, but mostly just due to misfocus with the outer AF points which were positioned over her face. Fortunately I noticed this fairly early on and switched to the center AF point, which worked fine.

A week prior I found that these outer AF points work like a charm with the 85 1.2 lens in fairly bright light outdoors, but they apparently are not stellar performers when it’s dim. This is very disappointing in a $3000 camera. You will definitely do better with the 1Ds2 or 1Ds3 if you are shooting dim available light as I often do. However if you are in a situation where you can use the center point 100% of the time the 5D2 AF should work fine."

http://blog.kareldonk.com/canon-eos-5d-mark-ii-not-all-it-could-have-been/
 
You didn't get a 5D. Now you're doing the same thing with the 5D Mark II. What next? Wavering over purchasing the 5D Mark III in case something else comes along? :) At this rate you'll just spend time drooling over nice cameras and not taking pictures.

If you've set your heart on the 5D Mark II and can afford it then buy it. Don't wait for something that might come along in the future. It will hold its value even when it is replaced by "the next best thing".
 
An Exception said:
I stated imo, but yes I'm pretty sure if you consider things that actually matter.
For most the AF positioning let alone the AF performance will make more of a difference than half a stop better ISO and LCD size.

"So this week I got a change to use the 5D2 for a real shoot, using daylight which is my favorite way to shoot. Unfortunately, for full body shots, I got many frames where the model is out of focus. I counted 50% of the shots out-of-focus using the outer AF points and my 85 1.2 on a tripod! A few were due to movement of the model, but mostly just due to misfocus with the outer AF points which were positioned over her face. Fortunately I noticed this fairly early on and switched to the center AF point, which worked fine.

A week prior I found that these outer AF points work like a charm with the 85 1.2 lens in fairly bright light outdoors, but they apparently are not stellar performers when it’s dim. This is very disappointing in a $3000 camera. You will definitely do better with the 1Ds2 or 1Ds3 if you are shooting dim available light as I often do. However if you are in a situation where you can use the center point 100% of the time the 5D2 AF should work fine."

http://blog.kareldonk.com/canon-eos-5d-mark-ii-not-all-it-could-have-been/
Click to expand...

That old nugget eh ?
Anyone that has done even just a quick bit of research, would know that the centre Af point is where you leave it on the 5D MkII. But i do have to ask the question, because i can't understand why peeps don't use it, but what's wrong with just using manual ? The entire photographic world managed to get by with it for over 150 years...................................have all the worlds photographers suddenly lost the ability to focus by just using thier eyes ?
 
^^^
Yes and 1 centre focus point is hardly ideal for a number of reasons.
Secondly manual focus isn't exactly easy but I hear it was different in the old days.
I would hate to have to MF when I'v been used to snappy accurate AF even at wafer thin DOF's, it would be like going back to the stone age and just wouldn't be able to get 1/4 of the shot's I currently do.

Edit:
In fact in a dim room I wouldn't be able to focus at all with MF as sometimes I can barely make out what's in the viewfinder, yet my D700 can still focus, even if it takes a bit longer.
 
Last edited:
I didn't answer the OP's question, but yes, it is worth getting a 5D MKII now.

^^^^^^^
I bought my 5D MKII about 3 months ago. Prior to that purchase i had been using a Cannon T90 for the last 25 years. For me, using MF was a no choice situation anyway lol. So using it with the 5D (with a brighter finder) is even easier.
I'm not knocking anyone here...........................but if you can't see that the subject is in focus in the finder...........................then why the hell would you even press the shutter button ? If peeps are relying on Tech to get their pics rather than what the can see with their own eyes................................then the result is down to luck and nothing more.
 
^^^
Are you actually being serious? Why would anyone use manual focus if auto focus is faster and more accurate?

2nd, yes maybe manual focus isn't that hard at small apertures, but it's just not possible with wide apertures and shallow depth of fields, especially if there is a hint of subject movement, and also the view finder just isn't big enough to be able to tell if you have nailed focus.
As an example of this point, I can take a picture that is out of focus, put it on my monitor and resize it down to roughly the size of the viewfinder and now the images looks in perfect focus. You see it's just not possible to tell when you have critical focus or not, which makes it inaccurate.

If your shooting at f5.6 or F8 or with a wide angle, then I'm sure MF is not a problem.
Also I think your . key is getting stuck, probably time for a new keyboard...
 
While the 5D MKII is still a great camera, it's biggest issue is that it's also old hat. We all know that Canon has a far better AF system and a few other improvements. While you can argue it's unnecessary perhaps in terms of maybe shooting sports, where a Crop may serve better, you are never going to stop that nagging in the back of the head that it's out of date.

There will be a MKIII that will be better, it's just a question of when. It's bound to be sometime this year though.
 
I have a 5DII, never had a chance to experienced better AF apart form on an EOS3 film camera. TBH that too just stayed in center position. I rarely move from that focus point. The camera wasnt engineered to be used for fast moving stuff the fps tell you that! Im not saying i nail every shot all the time, but i know the limits of the camera and i knowhat it can or cant do.

Unfortunatly i dotn think it will hold its price when the 5DIII comes out, the only way would be if canon sell the 5DIII at 2.5K+ for the body but realistically i think it will be at 2K for the body depending on how many non essential features it can cram into it!
 
kitfit1 said:
I didn't answer the OP's question, but yes, it is worth getting a 5D MKII now.

^^^^^^^
I bought my 5D MKII about 3 months ago. Prior to that purchase i had been using a Cannon T90 for the last 25 years. For me, using MF was a no choice situation anyway lol. So using it with the 5D (with a brighter finder) is even easier.
I'm not knocking anyone here...........................but if you can't see that the subject is in focus in the finder...........................then why the hell would you even press the shutter button ? If peeps are relying on Tech to get their pics rather than what the can see with their own eyes................................then the result is down to luck and nothing more.
Click to expand...


wow so you spent all that money on AF lenses/camera and then choose to only MF? There are certain times when MF is beneficial (some macro work for example) but seriously modern camera viewfinders/screens aren't designed with MF in mind and why you would choose to restrict yourself is in your own words ..................
 
I use the Eg-S focus glass on my 5DII and use MF 95% fo the time... as long as your lens faster than f3.5 or so, I can focus at night without much problem.

as far as AF goes, I just don't understand the problem, the 5DII is at least as good as /every other Canon cameras/ that came before it, and for years and years and years people use /that same setup/ in a LOT of cameras and nobody ever complained. Yes, it exists system with more gizmos that are probably superior in some cases, but it /works/ and that AF subsystem din't magically stopped working because a new one came out.
 
^^^
Would you choose a horse & carriage to commute in... or a motorcar, as both work and have done for many years.

Anyway, for me the 1dsii is a car where it matters, in areas that aid your actual shooting and enable you to get shot's another body like the 5D can't, that's why it would easily be my choice out of the two bodies in that price-range.
A camera is a tool, why not get a tool that allows for more of your potential as a photographer, and why not use the tool to it's full potential?
Obviously I don't expect the landscape shooters to agree, because what do they need AF for? So the 5Dii may well be the best tool for them...
 
Just to update my position here : I've decided to got for the 5D MKII and will be getting it tomorrow :)

I was hoping to get it with the EF 24-105mm f4 L IS USM bundle but everywhere seems to be sold out of them. I'll probably pick up the lens seperatly and found it for £739.

Has anyone bought from "Kerso" before? The name rings a bell and the price seems good but not sure if it's UK stuff he sells or not.
 
I bought the 5D MKII today, I've only had a quick play with it in the house but really impressed. The image quality is amazing, the 21 megapixel really does make a difference from what I'm used to. Can't wait to have a proper test tomorrow :)
 
Good decision, you will always miss out on the "X+1" off the next version, but then again the next version will be massively more expensive until il comes down in about 2 years... And in the meantime you get 21mp goodness ;-)

I also bought mine in August, when the price went down sharply to around 1600, and I don't regret getting it, nor do I regret waiting for this "bargain" !
 
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