Anyone still use a Canon 5D?

[Syringer]

Am looking to pick up a 5D which can be had for < $600 used paired with a 1.8 50mm and/or 1.8 85mm which should put the system right around ~$1k.

If we're just focusing on image quality (mainly indoor shots and maybe landscapes), is there anything else that can be had in that price range?

Currently I have a G3 which will be used for travelling/portability, but I'd love to get the full frame experience which seems to be relatively affordable.

 

[corkyg]

I used a 5D for nearly 3 years. Traded it in on a MK II. Fulkl frame makes for great low light hots. With no crop factor, lenses perform as marked. You win on the wide side and lose a bit on the telephoto side. I used the 1.8 50mm for a while, but used my 1.4 50mm more - mainly because of the lower light capability.

I don't know about other fulkl frame digicams in that price range.

 

[Anteaus]

I wouldn't put that much money into old tech but that's me. For about $1200 you can have a D600 with a 50mm 1.8G lens which has much better IQ. There are good reasons to get a 5D, but for what you're doing I'd focus a image quality and less about the bells and whistles. My .02.

Edit: Just ignore this I don't know what I was thinking at the time.

 

[AkumaX]

I wouldn't put that much money into old tech but that's me. For about $1200 you can have a D600 with a 50mm 1.8G lens which has much better IQ. There are good reasons to get a 5D, but for what you're doing I'd focus a image quality and less about the bells and whistles. My .02.

D600 for $1200?

 

[Anteaus]

D600 for $1200?

Your right I misread. Please disregard my earlier suggestion.

 

[JohnnyRebel]

Am looking to pick up a 5D which can be had for < $600 used paired with a 1.8 50mm and/or 1.8 85mm which should put the system right around ~$1k.

If we're just focusing on image quality (mainly indoor shots and maybe landscapes), is there anything else that can be had in that price range?

Currently I have a G3 which will be used for travelling/portability, but I'd love to get the full frame experience which seems to be relatively affordable.

That's the right price for the camera (same as Adorama). I would hesitate to pay $1000 for a 5D and a f/1.8 lens, but that's me. If you want a cheap way to try out full-frame this is the cheapest way to go and you can resell it all for about what you are paying.

 

[finbarqs]

also remember, getting something at such a high MP will mean that you will need top glass to resolve the sensor. Otherwise, images for an ancient 12MP will look sharper than images from a 22MP camera.

Key here is low light. D600, 6D, 5D2, will blow away the original 5D in terms of low light.

I feel that almost all cameras will perform up to par with the right photog as long as it's a DSLR. Image Quality is pretty subjective, but if you're talking about overall detail, corner to corner sharpness, then pair with good glass. If you're talking about "color rendition" then take a post class, or learn how to get the absolute perfect white balance.

 

[randomrogue]

That's a lot of money to spend on a very old camera. Technology changes and cameras today are computers with optics.

I can't imagine that being a good buy unless you only shoot at lower iso.

 

[finbarqs]

I've been looking for a kodak DCS-14c (full frame, canon EF mount) for a while, and they're asking for like $1k for it also on ebay.. .and it's being sold!

 

[CptObvious]

I still have my 5D and 85 1.8. For anything other than portraits, there are a lot of other cameras that are better for cheaper. I have a Sony NEX-5N that I bought new for $430 that kills the 5D in low light and dynamic range.

However, there's nothing else in the <$1000 price range that can take better portraits than the 5D IMO. 35mm just has a different, more '3D' look than APS-C or Micro 4/3rds.

 

[cbunn]

If your budget is firm, I can't really think of a better alternative. I'm a Nikon fanboy myself, so I don't know the ins and outs of that body, but I remember Canon had an edge in image quality in that market at the time. You need to be sure that you're satisfied with the image quality at higher ISOs you might need depending on what sort of indoor light you'll encounter. f/1.8 lenses will definitely help, but as I know all too well with my aging D2H, the sensor can break the shot as well in low light.

What kind of landscapes? Neither of those lenses is a typical landscape lens, but it all depends on what you're shooting and the look you hope to achieve.

 

[elitejp]

600 dollars for a 5d is probably a little steep. A used 5d2 should still put you under 1000 dollars with the ability to do video along with just other basic improvements that will give you a better overall experience. I would think at that price the 5d2 would be well worth it compared to a 600 dollar 5d. If your budget is tight then just pick up a used 50mm 1.8 to pair with it. People seem to buy and sell those like crazy so i wouldn't be worried about any quality issues. Another option is picking up a tamron 28-75 which is a very good lens that is basically on par with canons 24-70L, of course the L is better but for many people not enough to justify the price. Just something to consider

 

[finbarqs]

in actual practice, you wont notice dynamic range off the bat. Every camera is so similar, it's almost negligible. The only one that you'll be able to see incredible dynamic range are the RED cameras.

To put DR to test, shoot in the harshest lighting conditions, and let's see where you have detail NOT @ 100%. Then we'll really see some major sensor improvements!

 

[RagingBITCH]

600 dollars for a 5d is probably a little steep. A used 5d2 should still put you under 1000 dollars with the ability to do video along with just other basic improvements that will give you a better overall experience. I would think at that price the 5d2 would be well worth it compared to a 600 dollar 5d. If your budget is tight then just pick up a used 50mm 1.8 to pair with it. People seem to buy and sell those like crazy so i wouldn't be worried about any quality issues. Another option is picking up a tamron 28-75 which is a very good lens that is basically on par with canons 24-70L, of course the L is better but for many people not enough to justify the price. Just something to consider

Where in the hell are you finding a 5D Mark II at under 1000? If you can find one that's not beat to hell, please send me a link. Even used, body alone I'm still seeing run in the ~$1400 range, and that's not even with glass.

 

[CptObvious]

in actual practice, you wont notice dynamic range off the bat. Every camera is so similar, it's almost negligible. The only one that you'll be able to see incredible dynamic range are the RED cameras.

To put DR to test, shoot in the harshest lighting conditions, and let's see where you have detail NOT @ 100%. Then we'll really see some major sensor improvements!

I would disagree - I think there is a very noticeable difference in DR in consumer cameras between a few generations. With the 5D I have to be careful to get exposure right, even at ISO 100. If I push exposure or shadows more than about a 1/3 a stop then all sorts of color noise and banding start to appear. Whereas on my NEX-5N at ISO 100 I can push the Shadows slider all the way to 100 in LR4 and it will still be pretty clean.

 

[Syringer]

Where in the hell are you finding a 5D Mark II at under 1000? If you can find one that's not beat to hell, please send me a link. Even used, body alone I'm still seeing run in the ~$1400 range, and that's not even with glass.

Yup lowest I've ever seen it from a reputable seller on Amazon/ebay was around $1300.

 

[slashbinslashbash]

I've still got mine (4 years now?) and still love it. With a 50/1.4 there's not too many real-life situations where you can't get a good shot. The 85/1.8 has given me a lot of great photos too.

 

[randomrogue]

in actual practice, you wont notice dynamic range off the bat. Every camera is so similar, it's almost negligible. The only one that you'll be able to see incredible dynamic range are the RED cameras.

To put DR to test, shoot in the harshest lighting conditions, and let's see where you have detail NOT @ 100%. Then we'll really see some major sensor improvements!

You should check out the newest generation of cameras. Obviously capturing the inside and outside of a building on a sunny day would require some post processing but I'm telling you that these new cameras can do things that I wouldn't have thought possible 2 years ago.

 

[SecurityTheatre]

I've been looking for a kodak DCS-14c (full frame, canon EF mount) for a while, and they're asking for like $1k for it also on ebay.. .and it's being sold!

What?

I sold my DCS-14n for barely $600 like 4+ years ago.

That's absurd.... It wasn't a very good camera, to be honest. It tolerated the studio OK, but the speed, and the batteries, and the ergonomics itself... I couldn't even mount my 80-200mm lens without performing surgery on it to remove the collar because of the damn big fat lump on the bottom of it... Same for several other bigger lenses I had... just didn't fit.

The flash metering was bad (only useful in manual), the auto white balance was atrocious (only useful when pre-set), but the white balance preset was pretty terrible, so it really needed to be done in post processing. And the raw files were crap to deal with at the time (better now, I think). Plus, the moire in some shots was noticeable, though that was admittedly, rare. Plus, it behaved poorly in any sort of scene requiring high dynamic range (such as trying to control specular reflections, etc).

Just don't expect to use it outdoors. Or in low light. Or with TTL strobes, or using AWB, or fast, or with any sort of expectations of modern autofocus, or when you need dynamic range...

hah. :-D

 

[randomrogue]

Sounds legit. Sign me up. I can't wait to use that gem.

 

[SecurityTheatre]

Sounds legit. Sign me up. I can't wait to use that gem.

If you're talking about the Kodak, to be fair, it was 14MP in an era when the top-end Nikon was 4.3MP or 6.1MP.

But other than that, yeah, a gem.

 

[elitejp]

Where in the hell are you finding a 5D Mark II at under 1000? If you can find one that's not beat to hell, please send me a link. Even used, body alone I'm still seeing run in the ~$1400 range, and that's not even with glass.

Sorry my mistake.....ive seen them being sold for 1200. Non the less i still dont recommend a 5d original for 600 dollars. With the high iso abilities of newer cameras a would argue that a recent model crop camera would be both cheaper and give better performance.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Sorry my mistake.....ive seen them being sold for 1200. Non the less i still dont recommend a 5d original for 600 dollars. With the high iso abilities of newer cameras a would argue that a recent model crop camera would be both cheaper and give better performance.

That's a bit more reasonable. I've seen a few on CL for that price but they have some significant wear...just makes me feel like it's been dropped/scooted around on the ground like a soccer ball. I agree with you to an extent on the crop stuff, but that definitely depends on one's experience level. At least with the Canon crops, they only go up to around 12.8 vs the 25.6 (I think) of the M2.

I'm actually in the same boat as Syringer though - waiting for my yearly bonus to hit before pulling the trigger. Think the MD2 will be fine, but I also briefly considered the original 5D. I've looked at the T3/T4i, but just can't bring myself to using another crop sensor.