Ok, Canon proved they can make incredibly beautiful videos with their 5D Mark 2. All they need to do now is repackage the camera in a tiny shoulder mount configuration using the same 24x36mm sensor, same lens mount, professional audio inputs, and with long shooting and storage capabilities. You'd probably have the best video camera on the planet.

Good point, I hope Canon read this!

The hard work is done! Stick it in a form factor like the JVC ProHD range and they would fly out the door. Maybe rehouse some L series lenses to suite video needs as well, leave the IS in.

CF could remain, but add variable frame rates, especially 25p (24p).

Hi, Charles! Nice to see you chip in here.

I've been thinking about this, too; I'm not Canon-dSLR conversant and wonder exactly what range of lenses will fit the 5D2 and have manual focusing, to allow me to use a follow-focus.

(I'm not looking for automatic anything—focus or aperture—from an SLR lens; I want manual everything.)

Limiting my thinking, for simplicity's sake, to Canon and Nikon glass … web searches suggest that old-style Canon FD lenses are out.

There are apparently all manner of mount-adapters out there, which divide between simple metal rings and adapters with special optics. Looks like there can be difficulty with flange distances in this scheme.

Am I correct that EOS bodies will mount only EF lenses (from Canon) without adapters? Are there any Canon dSLR geniuses reading here who can lay out the lens-designations (e.g., EF or whatever) which will likely mount to the 5D2 correctly without adapters, and allow fully manual use?

Hi John, all EF lenses are indeed autofocus but they all offer manual focus rings, and all will mount to the 5D Mk. II.

EF lenses are made specifically for the Canon EOS system. There are dozens and dozens of EF lens models going back about twenty years. The EF lens mount replaced the earlier FD lens mount. You won't need an adapter to put an EF lens on an EOS camera... they're already made for each other (oops, I think I misunderstood your question).

Thank you—that's just what I didn't know. I'll dig up a chart of EOS-body-&-lens compatibility from the Wide Wonderful Web …

Now, same question about Nikon & other glass: who can enlighten me on their compatibility with EOS bodies—say, the 5D (to get as close to the 5D2 as possible)?

What's your experience with Nikon lenses, adapters, etc? Any cautions or preferences about mounting?

Download this PDF: www.dvinfo.net/media/canon/CanonEFLensChart.pdf

There is no easy way to mount Nikkor lenses to a Canon camera.

Likewise, Nikon cameras are incompatible with Canon EF lenses.

Canon EF glass is the easiest, best and most direct way to go for any Canon EOS camera.

Just like Nikkor lenses are the easiest, best and most direct way to go for any Nikon camera.

I can think of no advantage whatsoever in trying to mix products from these two manufacturers.

Thanks for the link. I'm willing to mix-&-match brands, if it's not too difficult to ruin any advantages. But you largely confirm my suspicions: I'm small-fry yet, & Canon glass will surely suffice me.

EDIT: Well, it might advantage someone to mount non-Canon lenses they already own to an EOS body. But I'm starting from scratch with this whole dSLR form.

OK, I went away to learn more on the web. Now I have a question I can't find an answer to, & that may be unanswerable, about the 5D2 …

Monitoring the LiveView HD movie stream (i.e., separately from the camera body, for tripod, stabilizer, jib) may happen via the HDMI port, but may not be full-screen. I wonder if the overlay can be turned off.

Anybody know if this is possible on the 5D?

Is it possible to share the HDMI-out signal with other monitors simultaneously?

In response to an earlier post about converting HD to 24P in post: Vegas 8 converts other formats to 24P. Not sure why it wouldn't handle HD as well, though I don't have any HD footage to confirm.

30p? Because there is only 1/2 the temporal resolution to convert to 24p with.

Chris,

There is absolutely and easy way to mount Nikon lenses on EOS cameras , many stills photographers have been doing this for ages to get better glass on their cameras. Have a look at 16-9.net for examples of what is possible.

The advantage in video is that you get proper manual aperture control in the 5DmkII's video mode and a much better manual focus ring. Also you can use Zeiss, Leica or old Nikon manual focus glass which is often much sharper than the canon equivalent's and sometime very cheap too.

Dan

....and also for us cheapskates , there's tamron , tokina, and sigma which all offer cheaper and sometimes better alternatives in both mounts . I know many people using nikon and canon aps cameras choose the tokina 12-24mm over the nikon equivalent for it's quality and price , and that's just one example among dozens of alternatives./k

Dan, thank you. I'll have a look.

1. "proper manual control," meaning what, exactly? Just that the non-Canon lens doesn't talk to the Eos body & renders everything manual?

2. "better manual focus ring"—what kinds of problems have you had with Canon focus rings? Were they on Eos lenses? Can you recommend any non-Canon lenses to avoid this?

Thanks, Kurth. Can you recommend any non-Canon lenses for use on the 5D2?

You are exactly right about the manual aperture, because the camera can't control the aperture at all then it can't automatically alter it. The big plus of this is that when you lock ISO and shutter on the EOS5DmkII you will still be able to alter the aperture, and hence the exposure, to your liking.

There is nothing 'wrong' with canon manual focus rings, its just that some don't even have hard end stops (ie they keep spinning past infinity) and most prefer smoother damped focus actions from a proper manual design.

All this said if you are going to shoot stills Canon lenses are the better option. We are talking movies here.

Dan

For which lenses are best have a look at 16-9.net Their classifieds give an idea of how cheap this stuff can be Lenses for sale: Canon, Zeiss, Tamron, Rodenstock

You can always try ebay too.

Personally i think zeiss, nikon or leica is the way to go, especially the cheap 50mm and 28mm lenses. You can of course look at Tokina, Tamron, Vivitar, old russian lenses etc etc