A Good Conversation With Canon

Dan Chung · February 6th, 2009, 07:21 PM

I'd also agree with Jim's recommendations although I might be tempted to substitute an 85mm f2 and a cheap 135mm f2.8 for the 105mm f2.5. The 135mm is a much underrated lens and can be found dirt cheap, KEH has some 85's and 135's right now. The 135mm + 85mm pair vs 105mm debate has been going on for as long as there have been SLR cameras but personally I like the f2 advantage of the 85mm.

If you can slightly over budget then consider the much overlooked Nikon 20-35mm f2.8 which is 95% as good as the current 17-35 f2.8 but a fraction the cost, around $600-800 if you can find one.

If you did decide to go for a 105mm then I might consider looking at a Voigtlander NOKTON 58mm f1.4 instead of the Nikon 50mm's, can be got for around $350 brand new and has a lovely look and focus action.

Dan

Greg Joyce · February 6th, 2009, 07:35 PM

I knew if I asked here, I'd get a wealth of great information. Thanks guys! I've got me some lens shopping to do.

--Greg

Mike Williams · February 6th, 2009, 09:39 PM

OK, Just to close my portion and please no need to expound... I should have said something about ...if you are like me.... then ... you will be sorry. Because you will be. Get something else if you are a run and gun, one man band. I wanted the killer bokeh without a ground glass unit.

I would have liked to have read some posts by people like me before I gave into impulse and bought the cam. I couldn't possibly be alone on this. So heres one owner with a no buy vote.....

Hope thats ok. Hope we are still friends :) Big Hug?

Jon Fairhurst · February 6th, 2009, 09:57 PM

Mike,

If you do events where there is only one chance to get the shot, then I agree, it's absolutely the wrong cam. Same thing if it's a situation where you need to keep rolling and rolling just in case the big moment comes. (It's certain to come when you're changing cards.)

Where it works are...
1) When you can do multiple takes,
2) When you can ask the talent to wait a minute...
3) When you have multiple people and multiple cameras (and they can operate it well, including pulling focus.)
4) When you want to capture a general impression of a place or situation, rather than a specific moment.

And in all the situations above, you have to be able to use alternate audio or operate and sync a separate recorder.

Also, you have to be aware that you won't always nail the focus. You've got to be willing to live with the focus problem, or live with the shot as is.

When it fits your needs, it gives great results at a great price. Where it doesn't work, it would be an exercise in frustration, if not futility.

It's anything but a one-size-fits-all camera.

Michael Murie · February 10th, 2009, 09:21 AM

Keith Cooper's 5D MkII page has a tantalizing report that suggests that Canon might be looking at doing a firmware update to support 25fps (though I think it's dangerous to take reports even from local Canon reps at face value)

Canon EOS 5Dmk2 DSLR

Quote:

"Canon is aware of this as suggestions have been made to be able to set this manually and we are working on a functionality upgrade."

Jon Fairhurst · February 10th, 2009, 12:18 PM

If they add a frame rate selection menu, it would be nice to get not just 25 fps, but 29.97, 24.00, and 23.98 as well...

However, from Canon's point of view, 25p is the most important. Having only 30p is a real dis at the European market.

That said, I'd like 23.98p and/or 24p for artistic reasons, and 29.97 to make the camera actually comply with American (the hemisphere, not just the country) standards.

Give me those framerates and manual control, and I'll be smiling from ear to ear. :)

Yang Wen · February 10th, 2009, 12:23 PM

Okay, assume all we have is 25P.. how difficult would it to convert 25P to 23.97?

Jay Bloomfield · February 10th, 2009, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yang Wen

Okay, assume all we have is 25P.. how difficult would it to convert 25P to 23.97?

I can tell you that in general, it works okay with either Adobe After Effects or Cineform HDLink. Here's Andrew Kramer's AE tutorial:

VideoCopilot.net Video Tutorials & Post Production

February 6th, 2009, 09:39 PM	#63
Mike Williams Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: USVI Posts: 232	I should have OK, Just to close my portion and please no need to expound... I should have said something about ...if you are like me.... then ... you will be sorry. Because you will be. Get something else if you are a run and gun, one man band. I wanted the killer bokeh without a ground glass unit. I would have liked to have read some posts by people like me before I gave into impulse and bought the cam. I couldn't possibly be alone on this. So heres one owner with a no buy vote..... Hope thats ok. Hope we are still friends :) Big Hug?

February 6th, 2009, 09:57 PM	#64
Jon Fairhurst Inner Circle Join Date: May 2006 Location: Camas, WA, USA Posts: 5,513	Mike, If you do events where there is only one chance to get the shot, then I agree, it's absolutely the wrong cam. Same thing if it's a situation where you need to keep rolling and rolling just in case the big moment comes. (It's certain to come when you're changing cards.) Where it works are... 1) When you can do multiple takes, 2) When you can ask the talent to wait a minute... 3) When you have multiple people and multiple cameras (and they can operate it well, including pulling focus.) 4) When you want to capture a general impression of a place or situation, rather than a specific moment. And in all the situations above, you have to be able to use alternate audio or operate and sync a separate recorder. Also, you have to be aware that you won't always nail the focus. You've got to be willing to live with the focus problem, or live with the shot as is. When it fits your needs, it gives great results at a great price. Where it doesn't work, it would be an exercise in frustration, if not futility. It's anything but a one-size-fits-all camera. __________________ Jon Fairhurst

February 10th, 2009, 12:18 PM	#66
Jon Fairhurst Inner Circle Join Date: May 2006 Location: Camas, WA, USA Posts: 5,513	If they add a frame rate selection menu, it would be nice to get not just 25 fps, but 29.97, 24.00, and 23.98 as well... However, from Canon's point of view, 25p is the most important. Having only 30p is a real dis at the European market. That said, I'd like 23.98p and/or 24p for artistic reasons, and 29.97 to make the camera actually comply with American (the hemisphere, not just the country) standards. Give me those framerates and manual control, and I'll be smiling from ear to ear. :) __________________ Jon Fairhurst

February 6th, 2009, 07:21 PM	#61
Dan Chung Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Beijing Posts: 665	I'd also agree with Jim's recommendations although I might be tempted to substitute an 85mm f2 and a cheap 135mm f2.8 for the 105mm f2.5. The 135mm is a much underrated lens and can be found dirt cheap, KEH has some 85's and 135's right now. The 135mm + 85mm pair vs 105mm debate has been going on for as long as there have been SLR cameras but personally I like the f2 advantage of the 85mm. If you can slightly over budget then consider the much overlooked Nikon 20-35mm f2.8 which is 95% as good as the current 17-35 f2.8 but a fraction the cost, around $600-800 if you can find one. If you did decide to go for a 105mm then I might consider looking at a Voigtlander NOKTON 58mm f1.4 instead of the Nikon 50mm's, can be got for around $350 brand new and has a lovely look and focus action. Dan

February 6th, 2009, 07:35 PM	#62
Greg Joyce Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 106	I knew if I asked here, I'd get a wealth of great information. Thanks guys! I've got me some lens shopping to do. --Greg

February 10th, 2009, 12:23 PM	#67
Yang Wen Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 991	Okay, assume all we have is 25P.. how difficult would it to convert 25P to 23.97?