Showing posts with label 5D Mark II. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 5D Mark II. Show all posts

March 3, 2012

Canon 5D Mark III

Canon has a new full frame camera and it seems like a great cross between the 7D, 5D II and 1Dx.




I am excited for this camera and have one, with a grip on order...I can hardly wait for the end of March.

There seems to be a lot of disappointment out there with this camera though. I might be missing something, but what did we all want the 1Ds replacement to be? The 5DII was really just a 1DsIII light and when the 1Dx said it was the "New Flagship" that meant that the 1DsIII needed to be replaced.

My list for the 1DsIII replacement was:
  • Drop the weight...check
  • Get better AF...(assumably) check
  • Get more AF coverage...check
  • Get better/more high ISO shooting...check
  • Get to 6+ fps...check
  • Get to 6,000pix on the long end, but not much more...(close - 5760 x 3840)
  • Shoot 1080P with usable features to replace tradition cameras...check (real audio/exposure control and legitimate timecode/monitoring)
  • Get internal HDR and Timelapse...we got the HDR half of it
  • Get a real GPS option...check (I have experienced the poor reception and battery life of built in versions)
  • Get a better screen...check
  • Dual multi-selectors...check (if you add the grip)
  • Keep dual cards (After the D3x-1Dx I wanted it to stay CF and SD)...check
  • Keep a good/consistent Battery...check (same as my 5DII and 7Ds)
It took almost 5 years, but we went from the 1DsIII TO 5D III:
  • 5616 x 3744 TO 5760 x 3840 (I really did want to match the D3x at 6048 x 4032, but not much more)
  • 100 - 1600 in 1/3 stops, plus 50, 3200 TO Auto, 100 - 25600 in 1/3 stops, plus 50, 51200, 102400
  • Less than perfect 45p AF TO 61p AF (with spot AF :)
  • 230,000 screen dots TO 1,040,000
  • 5 fps TO 6 fps (the 1DsII was only 4fps and the 1Ds was only 3fps)
  • Exposure compensation of ±3 EV TO ±5 EV
I used the 1DsII then the 1DsIII, sold mine and have been waiting for the next sense the 5DII proved to be close for landscapes and the occasional portrait. I did want to hit 6,000 pix, but if 5,760 is going to give me better quality it is close enough. I would have happily taken 7-8fps, but I wanted at least 6fps and I would not give up resolution to have more speed. I did want internal time-lapse shooting, but that is a firmware thing that could be added easily. It looks like I got everything else that I wanted/needed.

I have a 5D III and grip on order, and will use it heavily. It is almost exactly what I have wanted for big mile days when I take only one camera and should be a slight improvement for my landscape photography (over the 1DsIII and 5DII, but they did not need much improvement).

I am sure Canon will eventually deliver a 30-50MP, slow, camera for those of you who want that, but I don't think that I would have bought the camera if it could only shoot 4fps in full quality 14-bit RAW, even at 50MP. When I need insane file size for landscapes I use my T/S lens' like a large format camera. I don't think I have ever had a client as for more resolution, ever. I also don't believe current lenses and diffraction limits of optics will make folks happy when they shoot a 45MP camera much past f/8.

For those that wanted "serious" video features, that is the C300 and whatever else they bring out below it in that line. I don't need to produce music videos, TV shows, feature films or even commercials. I am just looking for a high quality way to record footage while I am in the field to shoot stills.

I am happy with what Canon made for us who choose to purchase one, and I hope that those of you who are not happy will soon get a camera that will do what you need in the field.

Happy analyzing, but really you should get out and do some shooting ;)

January 12, 2010

Canon 5DII and 7D film SNL

NBC'S SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE SHOOTS OPENING TITLE SEQUENCE IN FULL 1080p HD VIDEO WITH CANON'S EOS DIGITAL SLR CAMERAS

The new season of NBC's Saturday Night Live debuted not only with an a new cast, but with a new look for the opening title sequence as the entire opening montage was shot using the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and the new EOS 7D digital SLR cameras. The concept behind the opening sequence was portraiture as the director and crew looked to capture "living" portraits of the city, the cast and the unique characters that make up the New York City nightlife.

The full press release is here.

EOS 5D Mark II's price just dropped $200

The Landscape camera whose price and image quality I have long loved just got an even better price. If you have been dragging your feet on the 5DII you may want to give it another look.

July 9, 2009

Glacier July 2nd - 6th


PHOTOS ONLINE

I finally made a trip up to Glacier National Park. It was well worth the extra 4 hours (each way) of driving compared to Yellowstone.

I have come to the conclusion that Yellowstone is the place for wildlife while Grand Teton and Glacier are the places to go for landscapes. I really enjoyed the 5DII and my 17-40/4.0L @ f/16 for landscapes. That said I was not all that pleased with the light that I was given to work with at sunrise and sunset.

I did have a nice encounter with a Fox den just outside of the park, Mountain Goats on Logan Pass, and with a young cinnamon Black Bear near Many Glacier.

In the 5 days (3 full days / 2 partial days) I put over 70 miles on my boots, which I believe is the best way to see Glacier.

If, like me, you have been putting off Glacier because Yellowstone is so amazing (and near), do not put it off anymore.

I would like to thank everyone who gave me advice on what to do and see in Glacier. I had a big list and got to check off many items on it during this trip. Fortunately while on the trip I added many, many, more points to the list, so YES I will be going back again (soon?).

The trip list includes everything from leaving my door in Billings to returning:
American Avocets
American Kestrel
American Robin
Bighorn Sheep
Brewers Black Bird
California Gull
Chipmunk
Cliff Swallow
Common Merganser
Douglas Squirrel
Dusky Blue Grouse
Elk
Great Blue Heron
Green-winged Teal
Horned Lark
Loon
Magpie
Mallard
Marmot
Mountain Goat
Mule Deer
Northern Harrier
Northern Pintail
Osprey
Pronghorn
Raven
Red tail
Red Winged Black Bird
Sandhill Crane
Snow Shoe Hair
Sort Eared Owl
Steller's Jay
Tree Swallow
Uinta Ground Squirrel
Western Meadow Lark
White Tailed Deer
(as always there are many that did not get on the list due to my poor ID skills and or memory)

I have the photos online and would love for all of you to take a look. There are about 25 HDRM images. There are also a few panoramas (8 images into one on the big ones). As always comments in my gallery are much appreciated as are thumbs up.

Enjoy