Q for 5DMkII owners who upgraded from 5D

[darktiger]

to support the economy :)

But really it was the higher resolution, higher(cleaner) ISO, more custom features (including microadjust) and 1080p video. I love doing video with a nice 1.4 or 1.2 lens on it.....

[toverman]

Of course, you have much of the functionality of a 5D Mark II in your 7D. The resolution isn't as high, and the high-ISO performance not quite as good ... but live view, self-cleaning sensor, better LCD, micro lens adjustments are all there.

The 7D is a solid camera, but the image IQ lacks a little something when I compare similar shots taken with my old 5D and 1D Mark IIn. There is a depth that just isn't there with the 7D. The images are sharp, but there's something intangible about images from the larger sensors, esp. the 5D. So is the 5D II worth the price for that possibly subjective difference? It would be if I had the money!

[Anthony Martinez]

Excluding video? Video is exactly why I bought the 5DMK2. I intended to keep the 5D but I honestly just don't have time to shoot much at ALL anymore (engineering school and all). That said, I did a comparison between my 5D and my 5DMK2 while I had both of them. Same lens, same settings, same lighting. From ISO800 on up the 5DMK2 completely owned the 5D. Completely. Owned.

Some things happened and I needed cash, so the 5D went. I still have the 5DMK2, though I rarely use it.

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by Anthony Martinez

Excluding video? Video is exactly why I bought the 5DMK2. I intended to keep the 5D but I honestly just don't have time to shoot much at ALL anymore (engineering school and all). That said, I did a comparison between my 5D and my 5DMK2 while I had both of them. Same lens, same settings, same lighting. From ISO800 on up the 5DMK2 completely owned the 5D. Completely. Owned.

Some things happened and I needed cash, so the 5D went. I still have the 5DMK2, though I rarely use it.

The reason I said, "Excluding video," is because I'm not interested in video. It's just not my thing; not yet anyway. That's why I asked for input regarding other features. :)

[Anthony Martinez]

Yeah I figured as much. I was just saying video is the only reason I bought the 5Dmk2. The inability to justify owning two full frame DSLRs forced me to offload the 5D. I honestly don't even use the video features as much as I thought I would. High ISO performance is the thing that keeps the camera appealing.

[JohnT]

Several things have been mentioned that would enhance my shooting experience. I'll likely be making the upgrade by year's end.

Thanks for commenting.

[janikphoto]

It's already been said by others, but I will also state:

Higher iso rating, bigger file size and bigger preview screen were big draws. I thought the built-in CCD cleaning system (the ultrasonic vibrating thing that happens at start up and power down) would be useless, but I was never able to keep my mkI this spotless!

[janikphoto]

Originally Posted by toverman

The 7D is a solid camera, but the image IQ lacks a little something when I compare similar shots taken with my old 5D and 1D Mark IIn. There is a depth that just isn't there with the 7D. The images are sharp, but there's something intangible about images from the larger sensors, esp. the 5D. So is the 5D II worth the price for that possibly subjective difference? It would be if I had the money!

I don't think I'd say it is intangible... in fact, it is very tangible and easily explained through physics. The larger film/sensor plane will look different regarding depth of field. A cropped sensor vs FF sensor side by side comparison, with the same subject frame and same camera settings will yield slightly different images. Then, set up a medium format camera, like a hassie, with a similar framed image and aperture... the depth of field is different. Each time you have a larger film plane, you'll have less and less depth of field with the same aperture and subject frame.

Let's also remember that the camera manufacturers have to cram tiny pixels into the cropped sensors, and that affects sharpness, increases random/unwanted artifacts, and reduces overall image quality at higher iso ratings. They have more room on the FF sensors to put better reacting pixels.