EOS 5Dii review

democrates

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canoneos5dmarkII/

Some highlights:

21Mp Full Frame sensor
3" LCD
Live View
ISO 100-6,400 'expands' to 50-26,500
3.9 fps continuous shooting
HD Video clips (1080p 12 mins), built in mic & speaker, mic in, HDMI out
Compact Flash storage

No battery grip or inbuilt flash - that last one is a disappointment, one prime on the 450D and it's convenient and unobtrusive enough for social outings, the external flash on the 5Dii will be a regrettable added intimidation in my experience - and I quote "get that thing away from me"...

City-Exile

What are people's opinions on the video feature?
Not a feature I'd look for, to be honest.

ThOnda

About the flash - 5D is PRO camera for professionals and they have external flash guns that help to produce professional pictures.
And there are already two threads about 5D MkII here ;-)

thewing

Rubbish - 3.9 fps.....boo

AnimalRights

democrates wrote: »

and I quote "get that thing away from me"...

Hah! I get that lots of times from my mates!

RCNPhotos

Once word gets round that these can record full quality HD I can see there perhaps being problems for people doing music work. Hassle from promoters etc who know that they could infact be filming the concert from right up front with full HD quality.

jackdaw

RCNPhotos wrote: »

Once word gets round that these can record full quality HD I can see there perhaps being problems for people doing music work. Hassle from promoters etc who know that they could infact be filming the concert from right up front with full HD quality.

That's a very good point !!!

they're could be now a blanket ban on all SLR's at events once they find out some can take video

Ricky91t

Posts a new thread and doesn't even get the title right

ThOnda

Concerts on 35mm film cameras only? I am ready! :-D

murpho999

democrates wrote: »

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canoneos5dmarkII/

No battery grip or inbuilt flash - that last one is a disappointment, one prime on the 450D and it's convenient and unobtrusive enough for social outings, the external flash on the 5Dii will be a regrettable added intimidation in my experience - and I quote "get that thing away from me"...

According to the review you have posted a BG-E6 Battery Grip is available so you should read the review fully before criticising.

I find your flash comment to be laughable.
5D is pro level and valued over €2000. They are not really marketing this to 450 users.
Not something you would use for "social occasions". I wouldn't take a 5D to the pub with me!

Also, the built in flashes are terrible when compared to a speedlite, especially when it dazzles subjects, rendering them blind for the rest of the day with it's auto focus assist by aid of recreating a lightening storm.

DotOrg

I'm really looking forward to the video feature. It'll be great to shoot certain types of music videos with

Fajitas!

Yep, can't wait to have video on my DSLR. Saves me carrying an XM2 about.

It's funny, I see people on other sites saying "omg, it has video? I'm not buying it then". Heaven forbid you just don't use the feature.

mikeanywhere

I had a video guy around my place last night and he welcomes the addition of vid in a camera. Granted it aint going to do the stuff he does with the camera he has now.

Shiny

Fajitas! wrote: »

It's funny, I see people on other sites saying "omg, it has video? I'm not buying it then". Heaven forbid you just don't use the feature.

Yeah!!! I have seen this in nearly every thread discussing a 5D(II) both here
and a few on DPreview also.

Silly, silly people. I think it is a fantastic feature and cannot for the life
of me see how it is a bad thing that the 5D(II) has it. Its not as if it degrades
image quality or makes it attractive as a "Soccer Mom" camera.

ThOnda

That brings me an idea of making films including soccer moms... Well, GAA moms

democrates

murpho999 wrote: »

According to the review you have posted a BG-E6 Battery Grip is available so you should read the review fully before criticising.

My poor wording, I meant inbuilt like the 1D, I've read it because I'm considering buying one. PS there's also the WFT-E4 grip, doesn't supply power to the camara but has wi-fi remote transfer and control, connection for GPS, and usb for storage on flash drives.

murpho999 wrote: »

I find your flash comment to be laughable.
5D is pro level and valued over €2000. They are not really marketing this to 450 users.
Not something you would use for "social occasions". I wouldn't take a 5D to the pub with me!

Also, the built in flashes are terrible when compared to a speedlite, especially when it dazzles subjects, rendering them blind for the rest of the day with it's auto focus assist by aid of recreating a lightening storm.

Last year I was a 400D user, this year a 450D user, by year end I'll be a full frame user. I doubt I'm the only one ascending the curve, and here's a free tip folks - before that person in your life plays the "college fund" card, get all enthusiastic about leaf and hasselblad, you'll then bank brownie points in 'settling' for a much lower annual photography budget.

I think it's fair enough to point out that they're not marketing it to people intending to stay at the 450D level, or generalising, to anybody not interested in the bracket they've created, but it is being marketed to anyone in or considering moving into that bracket, which includes me.

Canon seem a bit conflicted to me in doing HD video clips but having no inbuilt flash. Already we're seeing pro's scoff at the video capability, they don't consider it a professional photography feature but as a feature aimed at a broader market, but broader in what direction?

They're hardly tempting 1D users down, or cinematographers/broadcasters to switch over to 12 minute clips, rather the broader appeal would seem to be tempting people upwards, and that's exactly what some people don't like, plebian newbies spoil distinction, but I'm not accusing anyone here of snobbery.

While the quality is crap even mobile phones let alone compacts feature "video capture", and now, so does the 5DII. No inbuilt flash fails to seal the claim that it does everything a great compact does, only far better, they've missed that boat, and I'm guessing you'd welcome that.

The argument which you may have made explicit elsewhere and I'm guessing is your prime concern, that even though video may not have taken much effort, the resources deployed in introducing it could instead have gone into making another aspect of the camera better for photography, and the same applies to proposals for inbuilt flash or say GPS for tagging lattitude and longitude. In short, at the 1-9D level Canon should avoid a "me too" feature list race against compacts, and focus purely on professional photography.

As for where people bring their gear, I'd agree the normal pub outing doesn't appeal, but I'll have the 450 with me at a social function tonight, early formal poses, then later when everyone's relaxed the candids and history of dance. If I had the 5D I'd bring that, it's one of those situations where inbuilt flash would be enough, but I take your point you've convinced me, the speedlight will get far better results and will fit in the small bag.

Shiny

Isn't the reason that there is no built in flash due to the fact that
there is a large pentaprism in the viewfinder which is quite large.
This doesn't leave much space for a popup flash.

The popup flash can be handy (30D user here) but I recently purchased
a 580EX for a wedding and the difference is unbelievable!

If I had the new 5D I would most certainly be using the 580ex on it although
I feel the lack of popup flash is offset by the high ISO performance of the
camera.

I doubt a huge amount of people will be tempted upwards due to the large
cost of the camera at the moment. (Especially not the GAA Moms!);)

ttcomet

There are a load of sample shots from it here. Including some really high iso ones near the end.

It was my understanding that the reason there is no pop up flash on the high end models was due to it being extremely hard (read expensive) to weather proof them fully?

ThOnda

As was mentioned above by Shiny, the professional cameras have larger pentaprism and viewfinder to provide as much information about the capture scene as possible and also with the highest quality. Therefore (I love that word) there is not enough space for pop-up flash. And of course professional photographers spend more on their gear than clothes and cars, so if they go for professional camera, they would probably buy a dedicated flash gun as well.
There are two possibilities for camera producers. To create something bigger, larger to fulfill minor demand or to do what they major clients require (professional photographers) - excellent image quality and camera control.

By the way, I am little surprised that the 5DMkII is being shown with 50/1,4 lens, because that lens doesn't provide the distance information for E-TTL II flashes.

democrates

Thanks for the insights, I'm no longer feeling disappointment on the flash issue, more looking forward to the big viewfinder, something I've missed from earlier film days. Almost 100% sure I'll get this now.

Shiny

Yeah! Go for it!

I will even give you a lend of my 580EX for it if you want. *








(I must be allowed play with the new toy of course):)

Fajitas!

In two years now, I haven't thought to myself "damn, I wish I had an on camera flash"

ThOnda

You have just dialed ISO to 1600.
So Fajitas, what's your opinion. Cheaper MkI or morepixel MkII? Is there such difference?

MagicMarker

I'm sure Canon are of the opinion that if you're prepared to spend 2k on a camera, you'll more than likely already have a flash sitting around somewhere.

AnimalRights

http://gizmodo.com/5052767/a-taste-of-the-canon-5d-mark-iis-mindblowing-full-hd-video

challengemaster

Wow.

Fajitas!

Do what your heart and wallet tell you

Both are good cameras, the 5D won't get any worse.

Do you need the 21mp, video, etc? If you'd be just as happy with a 5D, go for it, if you want to go for the MKII go for it.

MagicMarker

AnimalRights wrote: »

http://gizmodo.com/5052767/a-taste-of-the-canon-5d-mark-iis-mindblowing-full-hd-video

Looks awesome, but it does say they use 25k worth of lenses:)

Covey

City-Exile wrote: »

What are people's opinions on the video feature?
Not a feature I'd look for, to be honest.

Interesting article on the video side of the camera HERE

ThOnda

In fairness, I quite know situations when I would like to have video possibility.

AnimalRights

Covey wrote: »

Interesting article on the video side of the camera HERE

I use a Sony HDD Vidcam for filming gigs and use an external mic on it for the great sound that I get, what way is the sound on this 5D II do you know?
Without decent sound it would not be much use for the gigs I film, ie loud Bass/drums/vocals.

Example of a vid shot (There is a watch in high quality option)
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=LeNAISr4--Q
The Bass and drums are clear, without the external mic (€120) they are a mish mash.
So again will the sound be good or can you even buy an external mic for it, that link you have the guy says nothing about this.

Borderfox

Quite pricey at the moment, I could get another Mk3 for the price of the 5d2. I might hold off and let the early adopters try it out first.

AnimalRights

so - there is a headphone in Jack… the sound from the camera is ok - but you’ll have to use an external mic for any good audio or lav… anyone who shoots video will confirm that I’m sure…
Comment by Vincent Laforet 09.20.08 @ 4:20 pm

aaahhh just read this from the same link.

Just would be nice going to a gig with just 1 Cam.

/edit
from same link
Wow!
"Also Max - the quality of this video is so high - that I see you pulling stills from it - and not needing to shoot still unless there are special circumstances ( i.e. you need to run the image vertically on a cover… or you need to stop fast action such as sports) That is unless you can set this camera to faster than 1/125th of a second in terms of video shutter speed… heck you may be able to… I just don’t know… and we shot only at night so I didn’t test it out for that…"

pixbyjohn

I think video will be a super advantage cos it will be possible to make stills from the video just at the correct moment. As in sports etc.:p

AnimalRights

This is true...read it in the link, thing is it kinda is sad in a way that less skill/craftsmanship will be involved.

Borderfox

I had a look at some of the high iso samples and they dont look like any great shakes