Canon 5DMkii autofocus, real opinions?

I think the canon 5DII with Canon white/Grey L lens with red ring attracts people. Nikon most likely live in the dark where people think you only use kit lens when you got a £1000 gold ring lens attached lol.

Seen this happen all the time when people don't know camera and approach my friend to help them shoot stuff. Guess what he use a canon with the 70-200 IS L lens ......
 
badboy1984 said:
I think the canon 5DII with Canon white/Grey L lens with red ring attracts people. Nikon most likely live in the dark where people think you only use kit lens when you got a £1000 gold ring lens attached lol.

Seen this happen all the time when people don't know camera and approach my friend to help them shoot stuff. Guess what he use a canon with the 70-200 IS L lens ......
Click to expand...

http://www.memestache.com/images/content/105440.jpg

:D
 
daveb99 said:
So what is it about the 5DII ? Having had both, I would go for the D700 every time unless you really need the extra 9MP or plan to do professional video work. The AF just smokes the 5DII. From my experience the high ISO on the D700 is about 2/3 of a stop better than the 5DII as well.
Click to expand...

I think it's because it was always the camera I lusted after the most when I used to shoot Canon, plus the images I've seen out of it are undeniably lovely!

To be fair 12mp is probably enough for all I'll need, but I can't help thinking that the extra MP would be useful to have.
 
I used a 5dII and recently wanted to do some BIF shots. Reading around I thought the autofocus was going to be a pain in my ass, it wasn't. In fact it was fine. It tracked extremely well with the center AF being used for immediate lock on and then the others following from that. Perfect.

Funnily enough I bumped into a french guy with a 600mm lens + tc, and a proper long lens tripod setup. He was using one too and looking at his portfolio, the AF wasn't holding him back! (our discussions in poor french and english was mostly gear chat).
 
I still think this is a worthless thread when the OP has already posted that he/she has done lots of research on the subject and all I see in this thread is the same old same old that the OP and countless others have seen on other threads/forums/magazines/newspapers/twitter/facebook/cavedrawings/telex/Braille/toiletwalllgraffiti

And, may I add, I also said much the same in my early post. Jeeesh!!!
 
Bennp2000 said:
I used a 5dII and recently wanted to do some BIF shots. Reading around I thought the autofocus was going to be a pain in my ass, it wasn't. In fact it was fine. It tracked extremely well with the center AF being used for immediate lock on and then the others following from that. Perfect.
Click to expand...

As a 5D2 owner, every time I see a thread like this (and there have been a few), I have to dig out my 5D2 and try the AF in low light conditions. As ever, using the centre point works fine. I've shot in candle-light with a 50mm f/1.4 before now and it focuses no problem:

50portrait2.jpg


I don't know whether the people who say the 5D2 won't focus in low light have faulty cameras or whether it's their technique that's at fault, but I wasn't aware there were any issues with the AF until I started reading about them! :)

A.
 
What many people forget when the low light focus capability of the 5DII is discussed is that at the end of the day it is contrast that is more important than the overall light level. The earlier poster saying he couldn't focus on kids dancing in dark surroundings is typical of a low contrast stuation which would be very difficult for any camera. The candle lit scene above has lots of contrast around the candle and is easy peasy for any camera to focus on (assuming a modicum of technique).

Having said all of this, my advice to the OP is to stop obsessing about kit and go out and start earning some money with his current kit/taking some serious photos now, if that is what he seriously intends on doing. If it isn't then his current camera is fine anyhow. Then he can pay for an upgrade IF he needs it based on his EXPERIENCE of what features he has discovered he is missing.

I love kit as much as everyone else and have spent days looking at top end cameras trying to convince myself I NEEDED one, but in the end I started off with what I had, a 40D, and used this successfully for some months to start a photography business earning good money. I then used some of my earnings to buy a 2nd (2nd hand) 40D as backup as I realised that this camera did everything I needed and I could have both bodies configured identically. About a year later I had some situations where the 40D could no longer cope (fast moving subjects in very poor light) and used my earnings to buy the best option at the time which was a 1DmkIV. I love all three bodies, I still use the 40D for 70% of my work (and for personal photography), but for the other 30% I get results with the 1DmkIV that you simply couldn't come close to with a lesser camera.

Once you have the experience of what, if anything, is holding you back - and you are CERTAIN it is not poor technique - then the choice of what to buy becomes a lot easier.

But then if everyone took this route the equipment manufacturers would go out of business....

Oh, and forget the DSLR for every day video, a £150 camcorder will do a better job and be much more fun to use.
 
Last edited:
jezza8 said:
What many people forget when the low light focus capability of the 5DII is discussed is that at the end of the day it is contrast that is more important than the overall light level. The earlier poster saying he couldn't focus on kids dancing in dark surroundings is typical of a low contrast stuation which would be very difficult for any camera. The candle lit scene above has lots of contrast around the candle and is easy peasy for any camera to focus on (assuming a modicum of technique).
Click to expand...

I was me who posted about kids dancing in the dark, and just to clarify, my point was in part that I have not struggled except in this instance, which as you say it would be very hard for any camera to focus in.
I also have to admit that my first post wasn't too clear on what I was hinting at - having had the camera for a couple of years I have only just now found a problem with focusing.
 
Last edited:
Flossyrockstar said:
daveb99 said:
Agree with this, it is manual focus only
QUOTE]

No you can autofocus using live mode.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/IoZCpYG2KcM
Click to expand...

That is true, but the feature is only really useful to pre-focus before you start shooting. It won't follow a subject or a moving focal distance as you pan around, you have to manually push the AF on button, at which point the focus hunts around for 3-4 seconds while locking on focus and the exposure is likely to change and then change back if you are not using auto exposure.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
I really appreciate all the input that everyone has put into this thread.

Just to let you all know ( or at least those who are interested! ) that after much thought I am going to plump for a 5Dmkii. I know its really what I want, and being aware of its limitations means no nasty surprises.

The only problem is that the other photographer in work has threatened to not speak to me again if i move bank to Canon.....!
 
At least you've made a decision and hopefully we've helped you along the way. Personally I still think the D700 is the camera that best meets your needs - but you can't go far wrong with a 5D2.
 
daveb99 said:
At least you've made a decision and hopefully we've helped you along the way. Personally I still think the D700 is the camera that best meets your needs - but you can't go far wrong with a 5D2.
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave. Ironically the decision to go the the 5D2 was a fair bit to do with the video aspect after all! There's a couple of guys in work who shoot video professionally with DSLR's and the stuff they've shown me is simply stunning. Obviously I know now that it's nothing like a normal camcorder, but even with the limitations and difficulties, I know it's something that I will relish learning, and I've got a few guys who can help me along the way.

Also work is probably going to start doing video stuff as well, and there's a fair chance it may be on a DSLR as well (I've been hinting for a D800 but I'm not holding my breath!).

The video isn't the only reason though, like I said in earlier posts the IQ is divine, and I think I've always secretly lusted after one......!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top