Questions before I buy the 5DMKII

[Roger Lee]

Hello All,

I made the decision to go with a 5DMKII to use my Canon lenses for video as opposed to a 35mm adaptor and to also have the availability of still photography.

My main focus is wildlife photography/video that, for the most part, does not include sound. When I want to do sound, I will use my XH A1, which I plan to keep. I do use my XH A1 for event video from time to time.

If you would please, here are a few questions that I would like to understand better before I decide to purchase the 5DMKII.

(1) Which CF card do you recommend for video? I'm buying only one at this point....preferably an 8 gig unless you all think something bigger is better. I'm thinking Lexar higher end. Currently I use SanDisk higher end for still photography.

(2) Max recording time HD 1080 is 12 minutes I understand? This means that a 4gig card is max for the 12 minutes of video?

(3) The battery that comes with the camera lasts how long for video? At least 12 minutes I would think? I'm assuming there is no AC adaptor as with my XH A1 for powering the 5DMKII.

(4) Is my 5D(still camera)battery useable in the 5DMKII as a backup?

(5) What is the process for downloading updates? Downloading to computer, then to the 5DMKII? If so, by what method?

(6) Has anybody used the new firmware for recording video? If so, how does it work?

Thanks for all the help.

Rog Lee

[Jon Fairhurst]

(1) Which CF card do you recommend for video?

Some people have reported problems with the SanDisc III. I've been using the IV without problems. Chris Hurd uses Hoodman cards.

Actually, video isn't all that demanding, but I like having a fast card for read times and other applications.

(2) Max recording time HD 1080 is 12 minutes I understand? This means that a 4gig card is max for the 12 minutes of video?

4G is the largest file size, but if you have a larger card, you can store multiple 4G files.

(3) The battery that comes with the camera lasts how long for video?

I have two batteries, but rarely need to swap them. I would guess that I'd get over 2 hours on-mode use. Having two is nice. I can charge one while shooting with the other.

(4) Is my 5D(still camera)battery useable in the 5DMKII as a backup?

I don't believe so.

(5) What is the process for downloading updates?

You can upload firmware by copying the file to a CF card, or by connecting the camera to the PC with USB.

(6) Has anybody used the new firmware for recording video? If so, how does it work?

It's great! You can set everything in "M" mode and just shoot. If you prefer to be lazy, you can set ISO to be Auto, and it will adjust the gain smoothly. I leave the camera in the same shutter speed all the time and adjust the aperture, depending on light and desired DOF. After that, adjust the gain (ISO) for the proper fixed exposure.

[Eric Darling]

I would like to piggy-back on this thread as I'm in the same boat - thinking of jumping into the 5D MK II for similar reasons. I understand the new firmware is much improved on the video side of things.

I have a few further questions...

Is an add-on eyepiece accessory a necessity? I've been thinking about a gunstock kit from Zacuto to add on to the camera, but I'm not sure about spending all that cash up-front. If I can put it off for a month or two, I think I will.

I am using FCP. How do you suggest I think about editing the H.264 footage? Is it more sensible to convert clips to ProRes 422, or should I consider another alternative?

Audio issues concern me. Is anyone using a Zoom H4N recorder with this unit? It looks like an affordable solution with a nice form factor for mounting to the camera's hot shoe, perhaps.

[Jon Fairhurst]

Originally Posted by Eric Darling

Is an add-on eyepiece accessory a necessity?

It's really nice to have - especially if your eyes get old and stiff and don't focus so close anymore. ;) I got really tired to putting on/taking off my reading glasses. For handheld and shoulder rigs, it adds another point for stability. It really does help you get optimum focus.

For other rigs - like jibs, steadycams, dollies - a monitor is the better choice.

I am using FCP. How do you suggest I think about editing the H.264 footage? Is it more sensible to convert clips to ProRes 422, or should I consider another alternative?

ProRes is a fine solution. Cineform NeoScene works well too - especially for other NLEs. One guy here said that he prefers NeoScene because the transcode was faster than ProRes. YMMV.

Audio issues concern me. Is anyone using a Zoom H4N recorder with this unit? It looks like an affordable solution with a nice form factor for mounting to the camera's hot shoe, perhaps.

I've got the MicroTrackII. It has noisy preamps. I'm not sure about the Zoom. For sure, it has more mounting options - the MicroTrack has none, and the belt case that it comes with has no button or cable access!

If Magic Lantern's 5D Mark Free firmware can fix the gain and enable the headphone output, we'll be able to use the camera as a recorder. Currently, there's a Beacktek solution with pilot tone to set the gain, but it doesn't solve the audio monitoring problem, and it's passive, so it is likley noisy (due to the 5D preamps) with low output mics. I have the juicedLink CX231, which has clean active preamps. I'm using it with the MicroTrackII today, and hope to use it directly into the 5D in the future...

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by Jon Fairhurst

ProRes is a fine solution. Cineform NeoScene works well too - especially for other NLEs. One guy here said that he prefers NeoScene because the transcode was faster than ProRes. YMMV.

You can edit the H.264 MOV files straight off the camera in both FCP & iMovie. Most of the time it works well particularly in iMovie. Unfortunately it's not perfect as playback can be a bit glitchy & twitchy. It also means in FCP that you need to render a lot. So the consensus is that to edit trouble-free in FCP you should convert to ProRes before you start.

I was initially impressed with CineForm NeoScene after testing the demo mostly as the conversion to NeoScene is a little simpler & quicker. However when using Compressor you can use Qmaster & set up a QuickCluster & so share out the work between other Macs on the network which you cannot with Cineform. So on one system conversion to NeoScene may be quicker with access to several systems using Compressor & converting to ProRes is faster.

If you use NeoScene you cannot use some applications in the Final Cut Studio suite most especially Color. Instead of Color you can use CineForm's application First Light but that is not available with NeoScene at $139 but only with NeoScene HD at $499.

Finally the whole licensing 'phone home' activation thing is what finally deterred me from purchase. I understand why they do it but as my later father would frequently say "It's just another bloody thing that can go wrong" & from browsing the CineForm forum it is something that goes wrong quite frequently.

So on balance in FCP NeoScene offers no advantage over ProRes which is an equally capable Intermediate CODEC & there are several disadvantages to using it.

[Roger Lee]

Thanks for all the help.

[John Vincent]

Yeah Jon, great answers to questions I've had as well...

john

[Jon Fairhurst]

Of course, Roger didn't ask the most important question before buying the 5DMKII...

* How do I convince my spouse that I should buy the 5D Mark II camera?

And the later, similar questions to be asked later regarding lenses, support, filters, memory, monitor/loupe...

Personally, I'll stick with the technical Q&A. ;)

[Brian Luce]

Originally Posted by Jon Fairhurst

Of course, Roger didn't ask the most important question before buying the 5DMKII...

* How do I convince my spouse that I should buy the 5D Mark II camera?

)

Do you have kids? If so, the importance of family archive, posterity, legacy -- these are special times, a brief moment that you'll want to immortalize.

Try that one on her.

[Roger Lee]

Originally Posted by Jon Fairhurst

Of course, Roger didn't ask the most important question before buying the 5DMKII...

* How do I convince my spouse that I should buy the 5D Mark II camera?

And the later, similar questions to be asked later regarding lenses, support, filters, memory, monitor/loupe...

Personally, I'll stick with the technical Q&A. ;)

Again, thanks all.

I bought the camera. Ordered it from B&H. They told me it would be here tomorrow...next day delivery. That remains to be seen even though I paid an extra $20 to make that happen.

Regarding the kids thing....

I'm a grandpa....60+ years old(the youngest 60 year old you've ever met). My wife doesn't even count cameras or lenses anymore; and I have a ton of Canon L lenses that I can use.

I've got the XH A1 for the grandpa thing...I'm hoping the 5DMKII will be a bit more versatile in some situations...especially in my bird/wildlife video-photography. I'm in the process of filming a bird/wildlife video(I'm a part-time teacher as well)for Jr. High schools. I think this camera may work well for that.

I'd wait around for that all-in-one video/still camera...but I think I'd be way too old by then.

:)