Canon Eos 5D MK II

[scottkifnw]

I am thinking about getting another Canon camera body (have the Canon EOS 50D).

The 5D MK II has been around for a while, any idea or rumors of when it might be updated?

Also, anyone having experience with both camera bodies, I would be interested in your thoughts about both (strengths, weaknesses, and your thoughts in general).

Thanks.

sek

 

[luminosity]

This is pretty bizarre, but I'll say what I just did elsewhere about the D700: If you don't already know the answers to questions like that, you shouldn't get one.

The 5D is on a three year cycle and should be updated in the summer or early fall of 2011. The 50D is about to be updated, and should be before Photokina.

The 5D Mark II is a great camera, as you no doubt already know. But, as with all things, whether you should get it depends on your needs as much as anything else.

 

[scottkifnw]

Thanks

I don't understand the "bizarre" comment, but I will wait for the updated body.

This is pretty bizarre, but I'll say what I just did elsewhere about the D700: If you don't already know the answers to questions like that, you shouldn't get one.

The 5D is on a three year cycle and should be updated in the summer or early fall of 2011. The 50D is about to be updated, and should be before Photokina.

The 5D Mark II is a great camera, as you no doubt already know. But, as with all things, whether you should get it depends on your needs as much as anything else.

 

[luminosity]

Nothing you said is "bizarre." I'm sorry if I gave that impression. Over at FM, someone posted something similar about getting a D700 today, so it was odd to be posting about both cameras in the same day like that.

 

[wheezy]

It's a fantastic camera! Aside from burst speed it'll smash the 50D.

The question is do you need it right now? It's a serious camera. What lenses e you have? In most cases, anything less than L glass won't look great with it, 21MP is cruel to bad lenses.

If you NEED the 5DDII right now and have the glass to back it up then get it. If not, then wait. If photography is just a hobby, that's an expensive hobbyist camera.

 

[HBOC]

5D3 won't be updated until at least next year. The 1Ds4 will most likely be released in October, and that may bring the price down on the 5D2, as the 1Ds3 will drop in price (perhaps $500..? )

 

[luminosity]

The 1Ds 3 should plunge in price, given that it is heavily overpriced new right now.

 

[TWLreal]

The 5D MK II has been around for a while, any idea or rumors of when it might be updated?

Whenever the D700 gets replaced, is a fairly safe bet.

Both the D700 and EOS 5D Mark II are selling well enough as they are to not warrant any immediate update. But anecdotal evidence shows that people would like a D700 type body and sensor class with a video recording mode and that there are more EOS 5D Mark IIs being sold than D700s because of said video recording mode.

Chances are, there will be no updated model from Canon until Nikon updates theirs first.

I wouldn't hold my breath for either one.

 

[toxic]

both are good cameras, and both have different uses.

a 5DIII is unlikely to come out until this winter at earliest, since that's when the 5DII turns 2 years old. cameras with a < 2-year cycle tend to be entry level or amateur cameras, which the 5D is not.

5D3 won't be updated until at least next year. The 1Ds4 will most likely be released in October, and that may bring the price down on the 5D2, as the 1Ds3 will drop in price (perhaps $500..? )

the used pricing of the 1Ds line has no bearing on the 5D line. the 5DII price will not drop until 1. 5DII retail drops, or 2. the 5DIII is released.

 

[luminosity]

It's not any bit mystery when the 5D Mark II will be replaced. It will happen in the summer of 2011. Both Canon and Nikon are on somewhat fixed schedules with their products, particularly the more expensive ones. It's the same way with the D4, which is certain to come out in the summer of 2011, four years after the D3, which came out four years after the D2x, four years after the D1.

 

[SnoFlo]

The 5D Mark II gives me medium format film quality in a DSLR. Whether it is upgraded soon or not it has the best overall image quality of any DSLR short of a D3X IMO. Run out and buy one.

 

[scottkifnw]

Thanks All, and then...

I have 4 "L" series lenses (EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM- my favorite, EF
17-40mm f/4L USM,EF 300mm f/4L IS USM, EF 400mmf/5.6L USM).

So I have the right lenses for the upgrade.

I am trying to get a photo safari trip to Africa to witness the wildebeest migration and want a better body/additional body.

Anyway, anybody interested in forming a group to go? Better prices if we can get total of 4 - 6 people?

sek

The 5D Mark II gives me medium format film quality in a DSLR. Whether it is upgraded soon or not it has the best overall image quality of any DSLR short of a D3X IMO. Run out and buy one.

 

[HBOC]

the used pricing of the 1Ds line has no bearing on the 5D line. the 5DII price will not drop until 1. 5DII retail drops, or 2. the 5DIII is released.

I am betting that it does. a 1Ds 3 for $2800ish, or a 5D2 for $2100? Only time will tell, but since they are both FF cameras and both 21 MP, I think it will affect the price. Many people don't care or really use video on the 5D, and buy the 5D because they don't want to spend the extra $$$ on a 1 series.

I have seen several 1Ds3's going for $3400 on the B&S forums.

 

[scottkifnw]

Thank you

I will start saving my money now.

The 5D Mark II gives me medium format film quality in a DSLR. Whether it is upgraded soon or not it has the best overall image quality of any DSLR short of a D3X IMO. Run out and buy one.

 

[dllavaneras]

I have 4 "L" series lenses (EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM- my favorite, EF
17-40mm f/4L USM,EF 300mm f/4L IS USM, EF 400mmf/5.6L USM).

I am trying to get a photo safari trip to Africa to witness the wildebeest migration and want a better body/additional body.

Keep in mind that going from a crop sensor to a FF sensor will reduce the equivalent field of view, so your lenses will appear to be wider. That means you might not get the reach you need (or the reach you're used to) on your safari. Have you considered getting a 7D?

 

[miloblithe]

It's not any bit mystery when the 5D Mark II will be replaced. It will happen in the summer of 2011. Both Canon and Nikon are on somewhat fixed schedules with their products, particularly the more expensive ones. It's the same way with the D4, which is certain to come out in the summer of 2011, four years after the D3, which came out four years after the D2x, four years after the D1.

You're basing the fixed schedule for the 5D on the fact that the 5D came out in mid-2005 and was replaced by the 5D mark 2 in mid-2008? That doesn't seem like a sufficient number of points to determine a trend.

 

[luminosity]

You're basing the fixed schedule for the 5D on the fact that the 5D came out in mid-2005 and was replaced by the 5D mark 2 in mid-2008? That doesn't seem like a sufficient number of points to determine a trend.

I assure you that it will be out in the summer of 2011. That's how these things work. Canon has been on a three year cycle for awhile with both the 5D and 1Ds. Same for Nikon and the D1/2/3.

I'd bet pretty much everything I own on it.

 

[scottkifnw]

7d

I did not consider it (yet), but I will before making final decision. Thanks for the tip.
sek

Keep in mind that going from a crop sensor to a FF sensor will reduce the equivalent field of view, so your lenses will appear to be wider. That means you might not get the reach you need (or the reach you're used to) on your safari. Have you considered getting a 7D?

 

[dllavaneras]

I did not consider it (yet), but I will before making final decision. Thanks for the tip.
sek

No problem. The difference will be very noticeable, particularly with long lenses. Make sure you try before you buy.

 

[compuwar]

I did not consider it (yet), but I will before making final decision. Thanks for the tip.
sek

The 5DII has enough resolution that crops won't make all that much difference to the reach issue IMO unless you plan on printing larger than 13x19.

Paul

 

[Edge100]

Keep in mind that going from a crop sensor to a FF sensor will reduce the equivalent field of view, so your lenses will appear to be wider. That means you might not get the reach you need (or the reach you're used to) on your safari. Have you considered getting a 7D?

Just to add a small detail to the (absolutely correct) point above, the key here is pixel size.

The 5D2 has 6.4 micron pixels, which is the same pixel size as on the 20D, 30D, and Rebel XT. This means that if you were to crop the 5D2's 5616 x 3744 pixel image down to the 3504 x 2336 of the 20D/30D, you'd get identical images, with identical "effective" focal length.

In the end, what gives you "effective" reach is the number of pixels you have covering a specific part of the image. More pixels = more "effective" range (and this means smaller pixels and/or bigger sensors).