One for Nick

[michaelb]

With all the hype about FF that you read on the forums you would think its nothing less than a godsend to photographers - at the very least you would expect FF to be head and shoulders better than 1.6X crop, right?


I like my 5D for 3 reasons, mainly.

1. I like the relative FL of my many of my lenses on FF, like the 70-200 f/4 and the 200 f/2.8 - although I actually like the 24-105 just as much on 1.6X crop.

2. I like the DOF control in certain situations. I can get f/2.2 DOF out of my f/4 lenses. Really nice for portraits and anytime you want subject isolation.

3. I've grown to like the bigger VF.

The noise and sharpness difference, though, while there, is less than many state, IMO. And many times I like (and need) the greater the DOF of a 1.6X crop sensor.



Here's a comparison that I did tonight....(NR in LR2)...

40D, 50 1.4, f/2.2, ISO 1600...
http://brownphotography.smugmug.com/photos/470087969_Ask5z-M.jpg

5D, 100 f/2, f/2.2, ISO 1600...
http://brownphotography.smugmug.com/photos/470087990_Qu4Ng-M.jpg



100% crops...
40D...
http://brownphotography.smugmug.com/photos/470087944_yHxUR-S.jpg

5D...
http://brownphotography.smugmug.com/photos/470087970_Xnaez-S.jpg

Shadow area noise...
40D...
http://brownphotography.smugmug.com/photos/470087942_F9mnu-S.jpg

5D...
http://brownphotography.smugmug.com/photos/470087982_HNxGq-S.jpg


Other than the DOF, would you even notice the difference between these two, even in a decent sized print?

The 40D is one of the best values in digital photography nowadays, IMO. You can pick up a used one for about $650; its a steal at that price. The 5D does some things better, but by a smaller measure than many think.

So whaddya think Nick, should I post this over on POTN? :D

[D Thompson]

I'm picking up a very low mileage gripped 5D this Saturday from my brother. He's upping to the MkII and made me an offer that I couldn't refuse! I can't wait to slap the 24-70 and the 85 on there. I'll keep the 10-22 on the 20D most of the time now. Sometimes big brothers are pretty cool!:cool:

[te1221]

I like the FL of the 50 1.4 on my 5d much more now. It seems to be the perfect range for all around use.

[Nickcanada]

Pfff You're just not a good enough photographer to appreciate the differences... ;)

I think I've noticed way more of a difference with my images playing around with different PP programs then I noticed when messing around with different bodies.

[Nickcanada]

I like the FL of the 50 1.4 on my 5d much more now. It seems to be the perfect range for all around use.

You could go round in circles like that though.

I like the 35mm on a crop but sometimes wish it were wider like it is on a FF. Same goes for all my primes actually. The best would be to have both sensor formats.

Off topic but I wonder what medium and large format photographers would think of all this talk!? I could just imagine the shallow DOF possible on a large format camera! or the differences in FL and FOV stuff. 35mm is for chumps! :p

[adam75south]

The best would be to have both sensor formats.

:) i don't like to brag, so i'm just gonna say nothing.

michael, i think you're dead on with what you said about the 40d. i loooove mine. the AF is ridiculous fast and i think 10MP is pretty much perfect. 6.5fps when you need it. you can't beat the 17-55 2.8 IS with anything a FF has to offer.

that said, looking through the 5d II with my 30mm mounted(i know i'm not supposed to, but i just can't help it), it's soooo wide and to have a 1.4, it's just insane. that goes for any prime, the extra width really comes in handy. i'm pretty sure my next lens, besides MAYBE trading the 30 for the 50 1.4 will be the 35L. after shooting the wedding yesterday and using the 30 on the 5d, i think it's almost the perfect focal length for wedding reception photography.

p.s. nick, if you ever decide to trade down for the 30mm sigma, you let me know first.

[Nickcanada]

:) i don't like to brag, so i'm just gonna say nothing.

michael, i think you're dead on with what you said about the 40d. i loooove mine. the AF is ridiculous fast and i think 10MP is pretty much perfect. 6.5fps when you need it. you can't beat the 17-55 2.8 IS with anything a FF has to offer.

that said, looking through the 5d II with my 30mm mounted(i know i'm not supposed to, but i just can't help it), it's soooo wide and to have a 1.4, it's just insane. that goes for any prime, the extra width really comes in handy. i'm pretty sure my next lens, besides MAYBE trading the 30 for the 50 1.4 will be the 35L. after shooting the wedding yesterday and using the 30 on the 5d, i think it's almost the perfect focal length for wedding reception photography.

p.s. nick, if you ever decide to trade down for the 30mm sigma, you let me know first.

not going to brag eh?!? lol

I don't think I could part with my 35mm. I would probably end up regretting it. But you know what might be a better lens for you? The 24mm 1.4. You could use it on the 40D for a 35mm look and then use it on the 5D for an ultra wide. Keep the 50mm 1.4 and use it on the 5D. Then you would have effectively, 24mm1.4, 38mm1.4, 50mm1.4, 85m1.8, 135mm1.8. Just a thought.

P.S. how did the weddings go?

[te1221]

. i'm pretty sure my next lens, besides MAYBE trading the 30 for the 50 1.4 will be the 35L. .

My 50 1.4, while a great focal lenght for FF, is slow to catch focus compared to the 85 1.8 or the 24-70 in my collection. I'd love it so much more if it were fast.

Does this mean i need a 50 1.2L? :eek:

[Nickcanada]

My 50 1.4, while a great focal lenght for FF, is slow to catch focus compared to the 85 1.8 or the 24-70 in my collection. I'd love it so much more if it were fast.

Does this mean i need a 50 1.2L? :eek:

I don't really know but I heard the 1.2 is slow to focus due to the huge heavy elements.

[michaelb]

I think I'm one of those weird people that just doesn't really like wide angle primes. I like the 50 1.4 on the 40D and the 100 f/2 on the 5D. I think the issue is that I'm not much of an "indoor" photographer, which is the one place where I find wide angle primes useful. The only time I really use the 50 on the 5D is when I'm shooting indoors.

I'll be intersted to see what your thoughts on FF are Adam - you need to update your sig by the way. ;)

Dennis - Congrats on the 5D - I'll be curious to see what your impressions are.

[michaelb]

I don't really know but I heard the 1.2 is slow to focus due to the huge heavy elements.

Slow to focus and seems to have a focus shift issue. It seems that all 50 1.2's have this focus shift issue, although some copies may suffer to a greater degree than others.

[adam75south]

I'll be intersted to see what your thoughts on FF are Adam - you need to update your sig by the way. ;)

isn't that the best part? updating the sig? haha

well, i'll be posting some pictures hopefully at some point today and i'll definitely give my thoughts on the 5d II. i'm not sure i see much of a difference besides just the extra width at the same focal lengths i'm used to. i mainly bought this for the ISO 6400...everything else is just bonus.

and nick, i'm ahead of you on your thinking, but i was thinking the 35L would be my 50 and the 85 1.8 would be my 135. i'm not sure if i'll get the 50mm f/1.4 again or not. the 30 was usable on the 5d, once you crop for 8x10 it's only a small vignette...that's why i want the 35L...don't have to crop at all if i don't want. plus, the 5d II will be the main body from now on. i have to think 5dII first. i just don't see myself using 24mm on the 5d as much as 35mm. other than that, i'm lost. i really would like the 16-35L and i could easily get it by getting rid of the 17-55, or i could get the 24-70L again.

[adam75south]

not quite ready to post my own thread on this yet, but here's a sample from saturday. i'd have been effed if i didn't have ISO 6400 or the 70-200mm IS on this shot. they were so far away from the crowd and i didn't wanna get up there and block people's view.

200mm @ ISO 6400 f/2.8 1/30s

just imagine the blurry mess i'd have had if i was shooting at 3200. btw, it was really windy too and this is handheld, no monopod either.

[D Thompson]

Dennis - Congrats on the 5D - I'll be curious to see what your impressions are.
Thanks Michael. I'm excited, I've thought about the 5D for quite a while and then was gonna see what the MkII came out with. I've seen what it will do for my brother, but still.......... At the moment I'm thinking a little better at higher ISO and slightly better IQ than my 20D. I don't expect it to blow my 20D out of the water. I know I like the lcd better, but it's still not great. I'll have to get use to FF again. Hopefully, I'll be able to pick it up, get back home, and find some time and something to shoot this weekend. If not, my brother & I are going on our photo trip first part of March.

[michaelb]

200mm @ ISO 6400 f/2.8 1/30s

I've gotta admit that's extremely impressive for ISO 6400; great shot Adam.


...Hopefully, I'll be able to pick it up, get back home, and find some time and something to shoot this weekend. If not, my brother & I are going on our photo trip first part of March.
Looking forward to seeing what you think Dennis.