Reviews: Canon 5D Mark II

I found some pretty intense reviews about this camera here: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=getItemDetail&Q=&sku=583953&is=REG&si=rev#anchorToReadReviews - pay particular attention to the review titled: Mixed Emotions about the 5DMk2 - Just an FYI but enough info for me to stay away from this camera until the next generation. Just an FYI

as an owner of the 5dmkII - I was well aware of the issues before purchasing. using a $20 nikon adapter and old ai/ais lenses solves most of the issues about manual apperture control. sure there will be better models in the future but you gotta dive in sometime. i will definitely be submitting a bunch of footage from this camera in future.

for me i got it because it is an amazing photo camera as well as giving me lots of new options for video. there are a lot of things i cant do with my sony ex3 that this camera will allow me to do. i am definitely not disappointed.

its interesting looking at all the other reviews, 18 out of 21 gave it five stars.

I have been looking into the 5D2 plus an EF 28-300 L Lense as the ultimate compact photo video travel solution, but I´ll drop it for now and wait for an update from Canon. I do not want to change lenses outdoors all the time, and I do also not want to argue with the cam before each shot about which F to choose in video as that would most likely drive me nuts.

So HV30 plus 40D for the next trip. (And if they´re together too heavy for my taste and backpack, just the HV30 :).

If you´re shooting day by day and change lenses at home, or don´t mind switching to the Nikon for footage in the field, the 5D2 seems like a very good solution for creative shots without buying a 35mm adapter, plus good low light capabilities. If the technical quality of the footage is good, maybe I´ll get one later, when it has stopped doing its own thing :)...

Stefan

I still want this camera :)
I am aware of the limitations, but the sensor size is really what im paying for.
I can get a remote sound recorder, remember true film cameras dont have sound.

Thats interesting about the nikon adapter. Frame rate can be changed pretty easily so long as its progressive. I was going to get 1 lense anyway, because I was planning on using it as a video camera.

Probably you know that already, but www.cinema5d.com is a forum dedicated to the video function of the 5D2.

One of my problems is that a solution like using a manual Nikon lens with an adapter on a Canon cam is something that I really would want to try out before buying, and that is pretty difficult in South America (at least in Argentina. Basically, you´ll only get the equipment in your hands after putting the cash on the table, and just pointing the cam around for 5 min in the shop is not sufficient :). That´s why I want to wait until it´s been stated officially that manual video settings do also work with normal EF lenses without manipulating them in any way. I would also like to have some more feedback from people doing stock footage with it. But in the US you can give it a try and see how it works.

Stefan

Cinema5d has some amazing footage from this camera,
I am in need of an upgrade from my sony hdr hc3, one day I am ready to press the buy button, next day I am worrying about all the workaround, buying nikon lenses, adapters etc.
My biggest concern is getting dust spots on the sensor every time I change lens.
Pro people are making top class movies from this cam so us stock peeps doing 10sec clips should be ok (I think)
Then there's the "will my pc be able to handle these huge files"
"decisions decisions"
ken

ken,
you can always hold off for a couple of months to see what firmware updates come out. many pro photo guys change their lenses every few minutes to suit the shot (using primes). i'm not sure if the dust thing is a huge worry if you're careful. don would know more about this.

no doubt there will be more and more slrs coming out with this option but you might have to wait a while as new models dont come out that often. for me, i couldnt wait that long. the good things about the nikon lenses is that they are moderately cheap and i'm happy so far. if you're interested, there is more on another stock site forum about the using the 5d for stock.

Any camera with interchangeable lenses will and do have issues with dust on the sensor. Usually it only shows on a sold light color like a soft blue sky and then f/13-f/32 or so. Both with my Canon 20D and 5D I have to clean the sensor on a regular basis. I quickly learned that there is a right and wrong way to clean sensors. I destroyed the 20D sensor cleaning it as a few people recommended; cost over $300 to fix it. Do NOT use scotch tape, yellow stickum papers or cotton swabs and cleaning solution. There are a couple of commercial cleaning kits that only cost about $50 and the do a great and safe job. Since the sensor has a small charge they do seem to attract dust ... yes even Nikons. Just be careful, keep body facing down and out of the wind and breeze when replacing lenses. The built in dust removal system on the newer cameras help but does not eliminate the problem.
So why Nikon lenses on the 5D MKII? The Canon "L" lenses are very very good, absolutely no reason to use anything else unless you are changing from Nikon and have a bunch of extra lenses.

Don

Thanks for that info Don. I'll keep it mind when changing lenses. The reason a lot of people are using the manual nikon lenses is because manual control of the camera is severely crippled in video mode. you can make it work with canon lenses but it involves shining lights into lenses and half-twisting lenses and other such manoevures. at this stage, its much easier just to get a nikon adapter and use the manual aperture ring on the ai/ais lenses. anyone got some old nikon lenses they want to sell me?

Quote Stefgo: "So HV30 plus 40D for the next trip. (And if they´re together too heavy for my taste and backpack, just the HV30 :)."

I recommend the Canon G9 or the replacement G10, especially if you get the Lensmate adapter, which allows putting 58mm filters on the G9. I have used this camera for stock photos, when you do not want to look like a photographer, it's very light for backpacking.

With The HV30 and G9, you have a really portable stock powerhouse

Norman