Mixed 20D/5D workflow - anything to consider?

I currently shoot weddings using two 20D bodies and I am planning to

replace one of the 20D bodies with a 5D. I am wondering if there are

any workflow issues that I might encounter when using these

dissimilar cameras together. For example, can CF cards formatted in

one camera be safely used in either? Any potential problems when

mixing and processing RAW files together (I use DPP and PS CS2)?

Hopefully, I will not have to change my workflow, but I just want to

check. Thanks, Steve

I didn't have any problems with mixed formatting using a 10D and 20D. I would expect the format to be the same with the 5D.

 

As for comingling images from two cameras, you might look into getting Breeze Systems Downloader Pro (USD $29) to manage the transfer from card to computer. Among the many things you can configure Downloader Pro to do automatically for you, it can recognize which camera took which image and both create (on the fly) and deliver the images into separate folders based on which camera took them.

 

Since getting Downloader Pro, I don't even those silly Canon subfolders anymore or even know what name Canon gave the images. When I start Downloader Pro, it reads the card, asks me for the job name, then creates a new RAW folder based on the job name and other information I've entered into its perferrences, downloads the images into that folder (renaming them according to the job name and more conventions I've put into Preferences, like image date), and even creates sister folders that I'll use during edit like "JPEG" and "PSD."

 

You can even set Downloader Pro to check your CD for a blank disk and simultaneously burn the images to a CD or DVD while downloading to the hard drive.

 

When it's finished, Downloader Pro then automatically opens DPP. Downloader Pro paid for itself the first time I used it.

Software problems aren't generally an issue, although you may need to download the latest Camera Raw. I've swapped cards without any trouble. A much bigger issue in my experience is the different perspective between lenses on the different bodies.

 

Case in point, Generally speaking with a 20D, My 50/1.4 was used for portraits. The 17 - 40 mm for group shots, the 28/1.8 for low light and the 85/1.8 for very close up shots or candids. I often didn't use the 70 - 200 mm apart from in a church.

 

Now with the 5D, the 50 mm is my preferred general lens, the 85 mm next for portraits, and the 70 - 200 mm for candids. I hardly use either the 17 - 40 or the 28 mm now. The wide-angle distortion of the 17-40mm is becoming an issue to me. If I haven't enough room with the 50 mm, I'll use the 28 mm. But I don't find the 17 - 40 mm as useful on an FF body as on the 20D.

 

I should qualify this by saying, I haven't actually used the 5D for a wedding just yet, so we'll see. But it's almost as if you bought a new set of lenses. It's a superb camera though. Quieter (shutter) than a 20D, Spotmeter, Bigger viewfinder, Full Frame and 12.7 MP!

 

-Ian

Kirk has good advice with DL Pro. One more feature you might find useful is embedding IPCT data into the image file. Since you're doing weddings, you can add your copyright info and details about the wedding into the IPCT fields of the image files.

Kirk's suggestion of Breeze's DLPro is one to take note of. If you currently use the

numbers Canon assigns to images in ANY way, and you mix and match cards from

different cameras, the numbering system WILL get screwed up unless you are religious

about erasing the images after downloading them. If there are any files on the card you

put into a camera, the camera will pick up numbering where it sees the card left off..

 

Any downloading system that allows on the fly (or less desirable, post facto) renaming

gets away from this issue. I'm a long time Mac user but I always feel envious when my

buddy uses Breeze to D/L and review after a shoot (and it's not available for a Mac). I use

iViewMediaPro instead ...

They will need different 'base' RAW paramaters, the 5D needs less saturation and contrast (I felt). I also have seperate curves in ACR for each camera I've used/owned. The sharpening will also be different with the 5D needing more sharpening but more subtely done.

Keep in mind that since the 5D is a Full Frame Digital, it will not work with any EF-S lenses you might be using on your 20D. Otherwise you will love the 5D, it's a great camera.