Canon 50d or 5d mk 2

R

Rosebud44

Suspended / Banned
Messages
96
Name
Karen
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi there

I am looking to upgrade my current camera which is a Canon 400D, have been looking at the 50D mainly, but have had somebody come to me regarding the 5d and how much better this camera would be?

I have looked on line and seen a few bad reviews for the 5D so was after a bit of advice really, or to hear from anybody who has either of these camera's?

Thanks
KAREN
 
Karen,

They are totally different cameras which vastly differ in price. What kind of photography to you do? The 50D would be better for wildlfie and sport while the 5DII is probably one of the best portrait and lanscape cameras around. Have you looked at the 7D and what bad reports have u read?

A few differences:
5D is full frame 50D has a smaller crop sensor (much better IQ on the full frame but lenses are limited to EF fit which are exspensive when buying quality lenses)
5D has full HD video
MUCH better noise perfomance on the 5D compared to the 50D
50D can shot more frames per second
 
Last edited:
Hi there, I do mainly portraits and babies, I also do Christening's as well and hope to get into weddings in a year or so.

I have just looked about on google and read a few reviews where people where unhappy with the camera.

No I have not looked at the 7D, will go and have a little look now. Just getting some information together, will hopfully be looking to buy a new camera in the next few months.
 
I don't think there are many bad reviews for the 5D MK2 - you must have chosen the wrong ones.... It's the best camera that canon make, the very top of the line in image quality. retails for about £1500 for just the body. The only thing it doesn't do is sports as it hasn't got the auto-focus or the frames-per-second of the professional 1D series.

As Ian says above it's a full-frame camera which means it's got a larger sensor (hence the better image quality) but this means only full-frame lenses can be used on it. So any EF-S mount lenses you have for your 400d will not work. The 50d is about £1000 cheaper, it has a crop sensor (smaller) but it's better for sports and wildlife - faster AF and frames/second.
 
We have a 50d and a 5d (mk 1) in our house, wife had a 400D until she swiped 'my' 50D, she thought the 10D which we also have very awkward but the 50D very comfortable, the bodies are almost identical, so I'd suggest you try both for fit.
Image wise 5D kills 50D but your ef-s lenses wont fit the 5D.

There are rumours of a mk3 5D in the wings, I'm not sure I'd buy a mk2 just at present, I'd be tempted to wait a few months in case the mk3 causes the mk2 to drop in price. I bought a mk1 (classic) and over the moon with it.

Matt
 
Rosebud44 said:
Hi there, I do mainly portraits and babies, I also do Christening's as well and hope to get into weddings in a year or so.

I have just looked about on google and read a few reviews where people where unhappy with the camera.

No I have not looked at the 7D, will go and have a little look now. Just getting some information together, will hopfully be looking to buy a new camera in the next few months.
Click to expand...

If its for portraits and cash isnt an option I would go for the 5D simply because of the full frame image quality and good ISO perfomance you badly lit churchs. There is also the 1D and 1Ds series of cameras again they would be very exspensie but I have no idea of your budget.

I have a 40D which is pretty similar to a 50D (both very good cameras for their price and will do a jod) and can honestly say the 5DII is a much better camera for what your needs require having had the pleasure of borrowing one for a week. I haven't used a 7D but it would have a better focusing system than the 40/50D of the 5D its high ISO performance is claimed to be good also, I have no experience with it however.

What lenses do you have? Any EF-S lenses u have wont fit the 5D or 1D(s) models, they will however fit the 7D.
 
what lenses do you have, since the 5D is full frame, you will have to budget for any suitable lenses you will.

All EF lenses work on FF and a crop body like the 50D and 400D
All EFs Lenses are for crop only.
 
karen, what lenses have you got? It might be worth looking at the Nikon D700. Also a full-frame like the 5D but better high ISO handling and you can push it to 8 frames/second. But it would mean changing all your lenses to Nikon
 
I think the OP is talking about a 5D not a 5D2.

I would be very interested to know why a 7D is better for wildlife than a 5D2 I do just fine with mine.
 
ChrisH said:
I think the OP is talking about a 5D not a 5D2.

I would be very interested to know why a 7D is better for wildlife than a 5D2 I do just fine with mine.
Click to expand...

Extra reach and due to the crop sensor, double the FPS, and a better AF would be 3 advantages I could think of. I amnot saying the 5D cant do wildlife just the 7D would be better suited.
 
Donki said:
Extra reach and due to the crop sensor, double the FPS, and a better AF would be 3 advantages I could think of. I amnot saying the 5D cant do wildlife just the 7D would be better suited.
Click to expand...

sorry Chris but i have to agree with Donki
 
In terms of image quality the 5D mk 2 is unbeatable. The 50D does not compare... it's a good camera, but the 5D mk 2 is several leagues higher IQ wise.
 
I suppose it depends on the wildlife you want to capture.

The crop factor I agree with but the rest I wouldn't neccesarily.

Faster AF well that I'd debate ( please note thats debate not argue ) with. The type of Wildlife I like to shoot including birds has never given me problems. Then again I always use the centre spot so not sure how having 9 point or more would effect me :D

Double the FPS well again thats okay if you like to machine gun shots and that I wouldn't disagree with, but I'm of the crowd that likes to hit the shutter button when I have the shots I want.

I think it's more down to individual style myself.

As for the type of work the OP wants to use the camera for a 5d2 would blow the 7d away, not sure about a 5d though.

The only problem I've heard of with the 5d is the mirror falling off :D
 
Just wanted to say a big thanks for all the feedback, I don't actually have many lenses for the 400D I use the kit lens sometimes but mainly use my Canon 50mm 1.8 lens.

I have used my 400D and I do like it but I want to take my photography and photos to the next level and I think I am ready for a new camera. Budget wise I would say I was looking to spend maybe £1500?? Though that would mark out the 5D2 as your right, I would need new lenses for that.

I have emailed a few people within my area to see if I could shadow them for weddings photography, had some good feedback so I want to make sure I have a decent camera.

K x
 
for your £1500 i say invest in lenses for the most part.
 
Any suggestions as to what camera would be worth looking at, would prefer to stick to a Canon K X
 
How about a 5D classic and a 85/1.8, this would come in well within budget. A great portrait combo.

I guess you will need to do a little more digging around and decide whether you do need a FF camera. From the pictures you take, it sounds like a FF would be ideal, BUT you may need to make compromises with only £1500 to spend. General school of thought is that it is more beneficial to get glass over bodies, so let me ask whether you feel your 400D can cut it as a body? If so and if you feel that a compromise can be met on the body then you can get some fab glass for £1500.

If you stick with Canon, the alternatives really are

1) Second hand 5D with cash to spend on glass
2) New 7D and no glass
3) New 550D and cash to spend on glass.

I think I would go down the 5D route if I'm honest.
 
You can't compare the 50D and the 5DII really. Better would be the 7D and the 5DII. The 7D is better for fast stuff with it 8FPS which is miles faster than the 5D but the 5D has the magic full frame (FF). As you are doing portrait stuff and weddings I would say the 5DII would be the best for the job but also the most expensive ;)

Another thing I would say is that the 7D has an amazing AF system which blows away the 5DII. I have a friend with the 5DII and own the 7D. I have done a wedding with the 7D and it did great and all the extra AF stuff made things easy.
 
There seems to be a lot of confusing information in this thread.

Regards 5D mk1 or mk2, Karen did put mk2 in the title so I presume that's what she was on about.

Good though the 5Dmk2 is, it's obviously out of Karen's budget as the £1500 would barely cover the body and she'd then need to spend considerably more on a decent lens for it. For that reason I think the only two viable options are to upgrade the body to a better crop camera like the 50D/60D/7D or else invest in lenses, as 33L suggests.

Personally, I'd go the lens route. I agree with others here that the 5Dmk2 is about the best body for your needs, so there seems little sense in upgrading to a better crop sensor camera in the interim. I'd be inclined to get some better EF lenses to use with your 400D, such as the 24-70, 24-105, 70-200, and then aim to upgrade to the 5Dmk2 (or mk3) further down the road when funds permit. That way, when the time comes to move to full frame, you'll have the glass to go with it and more experience to make the most of the camera.
 
When i was only on crop
my lenses were

canon 10-22 for wide stuff (£400 secong hand)
24-70 for normal day to day (£600 guess at second hand)
sigma 70-200 f/2.8 (£400 second hand)

10-20mm within budget and 2 fast lenses and a wide which is know for its optical quality. The 400D will be a different beast.

Or even sell the 400D and put the money plus the £100 left over to another body from the XXD range of cameras.
 
Keep the 400D, you will need a back up and for now it can serve that purpose.

If you had more lenses I would have said concentrate on the body, you don't so you need to compromise.

I would suggest.

New 50D body, your right its a good camera and an upgrade from what you have.

You have a 50mm F1.8 so that leaves the middle range and longer range to cover.

I would either go for a 28-75mm F2.8 (Tamron) or the Canon 85mm F1.8 both are sharp and though not as good as the L glass they will allow you to have what you need and stay within budget.
The zoom is more flexible in that you dont need to move around so much but the 85 is faster for inside shots.

Lastly I would get a canon 70-200 F4 non IS, why? cos its the best you can do within budget unless you go the secondhand route on all lenses, anyways you can push the ISO a fair bit with the 50D.

Later when money is not so tight or you;ve got some income from togging you can upgrade the lenses then finally the body to the 5D2 or whatever is out then, then rotate the 50D to back up and the 400D can go..

With a bit of shopping around the above should come in under budget allowing some cash for maybe a flashgun/memory cards etc
 
Last edited:
Thanks again for feedback, am not thinking about maybe upgrading to the Canon 550 D as I have been told by a guy who works for Jessop that it's a good camera and is like a little brother to the 7D. If I get the 550 that will leave me some money for some new glass.

The mad thing is nobody seems to take me very seriously when I tell them I have a 400D and I am sure I will get the same response from the 550.

K xx
 
ChrisH said:
I suppose it depends on the wildlife you want to capture.

The crop factor I agree with but the rest I wouldn't neccesarily.

Faster AF well that I'd debate

Double the FPS well again thats okay if you like to machine gun shots and that I wouldn't disagree with, but I'm of the crowd that likes to hit the shutter button when I have the shots I want.
Click to expand...

The AF servo is the best I have seen it locks on and stays with it no matter what speed the subject is moving at, it amazing how fast the focus is.
As for FPS well if shooting wild life this can not be bad can it?
 
I've gone from a 500d to a 5d and the images the 5d can produce are far better. They are sharp, smooth, just wonderfully velvety images and are great for portraits. And at used prices it is an utter bargain.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top