5DM2 Backup? T2i, 50D or (60D) ??

[Rodger Smith]

Originally Posted by Peer Landa

I'll second that -- for my last shoot I did recently, out in the scolding sun, I used two 4x4 ND filters (one 1.2 and one grad 0.9) just to get that shallow DOF for my 70-200 at f/2.8, 1/50, and 100 ISO. -- peer

wow, guess i better pick up a couple more filters over the 3 i picked up. i never needed it on the d300. ouch.

Originally Posted by Daniel Browning

I would like to point out that the 5D2 and 7D have the exact same capabilities when it comes to deep DOF, so the 7D does not have an advantage in that area. . . .

wow, excellent illustration and great to know. lots of data to remember when doing the two cams i can see. 1.6x on focal length and 1.3x on the bokeia and image lighting. on the nikon system i had all crop so all my factors were 1.5 for lens which i have to admit is easier to deal with than the 1.6'er. however, seldom did i really need to calculate anything.

well, im off to do my first commercial shoot with the 5dm2 today. nervous but im hoping all goes well. ive practiced and practiced with both the 580 ex2 and the camera and two lenses (24-105 and 16-35) to see if i can at least act 80% as professional as i did with my zillions of shots on the d300. i get flustered easily soooooo ive tried to prepare myself for the worse case scenario (something is off or out of spec and i have to fix it in a rush) and of course my first job with the new camera would be a senator :-(

[Daniel Browning]

Originally Posted by Rodger Smith

lots of data to remember when doing the two cams i can see. 1.6x on focal length and 1.3x on the bokeia and image lighting.

It may help (or not!) to know that multiplying the f-number by 1.6X gives the same result as adding 1.3 stops. For example, f/3.5 times 1.6X is f/5.6, and f/5.6 is 1.3 stops from f/3.5.

If that wasn't bad enough, there is yet another number to remember: 2.56X. That is the square of the crop factor (1.6^2), and it's used to calculate the full-frame-equivalent ISO. So ISO 640 times 2.56X is ISO 1600, and ISO 1600 is 1.3 stops from ISO 640.

Originally Posted by Rodger Smith

well, im off to do my first commercial shoot with the 5dm2 today.

I'm sure it will go great!

[Rodger Smith]

Originally Posted by Daniel Browning

It may help (or not!) to know that multiplying the f-number by 1.6X gives the same result as adding 1.3 stops. For example, f/3.5 times 1.6X is f/5.6, and f/5.6 is 1.3 stops from f/3.5.

If that wasn't bad enough, there is yet another number to remember: 2.56X. That is the square of the crop factor (1.6^2), and it's used to calculate the full-frame-equivalent ISO. So ISO 640 times 2.56X is ISO 1600, and ISO 1600 is 1.3 stops from ISO 640.

I'm sure it will go great!

all i can say is "wow" on all these numbers. but it is nice to know when setting up a two camera gig for video like i will be doing :-)

the shoot did go alright although i have to learn how to set the flash metering that's for sure. had a bright car body on the right, the subjects on the left and the flash metered to the car and thus the people are hardly seen :-( this was easy on my nikon's just gotta find where that is in the canon 5dm2 (then later on the 7d when i get it in a week or two)

so, lost a few good shots of the senator but otherwise ok for the most part.

[Manus Sweeney]

personally i would have waited on the rumored 60d, but in any case if you get your 7d in a couple of weeks and in the meantime Canon have introduced another 'gamechanger' (that word is starting to sound quite familiar!) you can always return it for a refund

[Rodger Smith]

Originally Posted by Manus Sweeney

personally i would have waited on the rumored 60d, but in any case if you get your 7d in a couple of weeks and in the meantime Canon have introduced another 'gamechanger' (that word is starting to sound quite familiar!) you can always return it for a refund

do you think the 60D will be that much of a gamechanger? i mean, i don't have to buy the 7d yet. i don't need it till september and i could punt with the D90 as a second since while selling off all my nikon gear i happened to forget to put it online :-( thus, i could keep it for a few months if the 60D had "that much" to offer over the 7D ??

[Olof Ekbergh]

The really big thing I am waiting for from Canon is full 1080 HDMI output so you can record to a NanoFlash or similar device to a better codec. This would be very exciting.

A new version of the 7D was announced today. But it does not affect video as far as I know.

See below.

Canon EOS 7DSV (Studio Version) DSLR Camera Press Release

[Rodger Smith]

Originally Posted by Olof Ekbergh

. . . A new version of the 7D was announced today. But it does not affect video as far as I know....

after reading the article the SV version i would have no use for that version since most of my work is mobile and i only ever have one other shooter. plus, i just hold up a small slate with any info i want preceding a run of a specific genre of photos for labeling and/or inventory control . . let alone . . i have no interest in paying a premium for such a feature. i want to stay at 1200 or below if possible for a 2nd camera but will go a couple hundred more for a much better and more professional looking camera . . like moving from the T2i to the 7D.

however, i'd be very interested in the 60D . . IF . . it has movie and/or full frame and/or both :-)

[Bill Pryor]

The 60D is probably just going to be an upgrade to the 50D.

[Rodger Smith]

Originally Posted by Bill Pryor

The 60D is probably just going to be an upgrade to the 50D.

so, just prob a movie feature and nothing else? if it did have HD movie features, the 7D would still be better ? or ??

[Liam Hall]

I generally shoot with a 5D and a 7D - it's a good combination for sure. I'll be adding a new camera soon - hopefully a 1Ds MkIV, so I guess that would make the 5D the back-up camera:)

[Rodger Smith]

Originally Posted by Liam Hall

..... I'll be adding a new camera soon - hopefully a 1Ds MkIV, so I guess that would make the 5D the back-up camera:)

when i researched the 1ds m4 vs the 5d m2 i couldn't find anything in the 1d that stood out value wise over the 5d m2. the only thing was ruggedness but for the price difference, one can go with the 5d m2 then when it gives out dump it and get another one and ur still money ahead in newer technology . . after all by then it might be a mk3 or ??

[Liam Hall]

Rodger, the 1Ds MkIV hasn't been released yet - it's just a rumor. The rumor is it will be announced in September and will shoot RAW on a full frame sensor. That would be cool:)

I think you are getting confused with the 1D MkIV, no?

[Rodger Smith]

Originally Posted by Liam Hall

Rodger, the 1Ds MkIV hasn't been released yet - it's just a rumor. The rumor is it will be announced in September and will shoot RAW on a full frame sensor. That would be cool:)

I think you are getting confused with the 1D MkIV, no?

well for me its the whole 1d series series versus the 5d series, as far as i can see thus far the 1d technology is behind the 5d relative to image rez (size) and imaging quality, although maybe the "s" version will catch the 1 series up, but short of being a more heavy duty robust camera, the 5d looks to me like the caddy of the line??

[Rodger Smith]

ok with the 60D actually out now, might it be a better option at 500 less?

EDIT: never mind. i read the specs and checked it out on couple really nice articles an I DON'T LIKE THE 60D. for one in particular the controls. has that consumer look while the 7D has almost identical controls to the 5d2 . . and besides . . i HATE SD CARDS !!!

[Rodger Smith]

so in the summary of it all for those who check in on this thread some days forward . . i went with the Canon 7D. love it. the buttons are almost the same as the 5DM2 unlike the T series cams AND for video although i do use the two cams for all cinema work (the 35mbps is awesome for edits) for most straight video projects i use the Canon HF G20's (multiple)