Are my lenses good enough for the 5Ds?

I'm currently using the 6D and was looking at the B&H website to look at the 6D mark II which cost $1399.00 and discovered I could get the 50mp 5Ds for $1299.00. I realize higher resolution camera bodies require premium lenses and I was wondering if my lenses are good enough or would I require an upgrade to better lenses? My lenses are the 24-105 f/4L (1st version), 28-80 f/2.8-4L, 70-200 f/4L (non IS), 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L (1st version), 35 f/2 IS, 40 f/2.8 STM, 50 f/1.8 STM, 85 f/1.8, 24-105 f/3.5-5.6 STM, Tokina 17-35 f/4 and a Tamron 90 f/2.8 (2nd version).

Dive deep into DxOMark's database? They should have tested most of your lenses.

I'd worry about your non-IS portrait glass (if you aren't already heavily relying on flash & strobes) more resolution will reveal camera shake more boldly.

 

I assume the 5DS to have a pleasant UI. So the big open question is: can you cope with the extra processing time more data junk will require? - Average consumers stack insane resolution crop bodies with fishy kit zooms too.

 

I assume your 40 & 90mm to be OK, especially when you use a tripod. The 35mm should benefit from the 5DS anyhow and a 5D IV would be more expensive, right?

I saw a big improvement upgrading the 28-80 to a 24-70 2.8 L , on the 5D4. It was showing its shortcomings, i think i bought it in 1993 or 94.. so it served it;s time.

j.

Regardless of which lens I have I would pick the 5DS.

Lenses make the photograph, not the camera.

Your L-series lenses will be fully functional with the 5DS and these are the lenses you should stick with.

By and large, the camera in and by itself is irrelevant: it is next to useless with an average lens on the front, which unfortunately happens too often with people getting carried away with the attractions of the camera over the baseline necessity of giving it the best 'eyes' possible.

The old lenses will probably not be any WORSE on a higher resolution sensor -- the cost of discarding a little additional resolution is $0.

 

When you buy new lenses, of course, it makes sense to go for the latest thing that works for you.

They will probably be fine, but you may find that some lenses may seem less good than you remembered from the 6D.

 

I suspect the weaker lenses in your current set may appear a bit weaker still with the 50MP (28-80L, 24-105 STM, Tokina 17-35 f4 (?)). All the lenses may appear a little worse as, the higher resolution, the more demanding it is to get accurate focus and no camera shake. Also the higher the resolution the more one realizes that most things supposedly within a given depth of field are not actually in focus.

If you are skilful enough to take great photographs, they'll still be great photographs with the old lenses.

I have had a 5 DsR since Xmas 2015 (little gift to myself!) and it is an enormously competent camera, but it is still just a tool, just as the lenses are tools. To get the most out of the camera you must pay more attention to your technique than you do with the 6 D. As mentioned above, tripod and Speedlites/strobes will help a lot.

 

With the exceptions of the 28-80 and the 24-105 STM I have all the EF lenses you have, so I will give you my take on them.

 

35/2 IS represents a significant upgrade over its non IS predecessor and it has a good MTF chart. Very good.

 

40/2.8 is a very modest design, a Planar (double Gauss) design with an uninspired max aperture. Its major claim to fame is its physical size which is good on the SL series cameras, but it looks a bit silly on a 5 series camera, especially with a battery grip. It is a decent performer, though.

 

50/1.8. The Nifty Fifty, or as it used to be called before the STM version got a metal mount, the Plastic Fantastic. Design very similar to the 40, but 1 1/3 stop faster. This is probably the most bang for the buck anywhere. At 2.5 (one stop down) and beyond, the lens is vey good.

 

85/1.8. This is probably your best lens. Canon has made excellent 85s since their rangefinder days, and this is their best f/1.8 so far. Sharpness is quite good in center wide open, and the edges/corners follow beyond f/3.5. The lens has been discontinued, so I recommend holding on to it!

 

24-105 f/4 L IS USM. This isn't the best L lens, but it. is still a quite good performer. At f/8 it is quite good.

 

70-200 f/4 L USM. This would be a runner up as your best lens. Shorter, thinner, and lighter than the f/2.8 it is one of my favorite travel lenses. Combined with the 35 and the 85 you have a quite good expedition outfit.

 

100-400 f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM. Shorter than any of the 400s, it does remarkably well at 400mm for a 4x zoom. And you know-how heavy it is.

 

All these lenses are good enough for a 5Ds/R. Your three zooms are all L series glass, albeit first generation. And both the 35 and the 85 are among the best non L lenses. You will be happy!

 

I want to show you what the 5DsR can do. The photo is shot with the EF 100mm f/2, which is very, very similar to the 85 mm f/1.8 USM, and is thus quite like what you might achieve with either of these two 50 mp cameras. My plan had been to do some shooting around The Plaza Hotel in NYC. However, a very pleasant late lunch lasted considerably longer than planned and left me with no daylight when we exited The Plaza. Streetlights were mot really enough, but there were some weak floodlights illuminating the corner where the hansom cab horses were watered, and that would have to do, without a tripod, no less. I sat down on my behind, rested my elbows on my knees and kept as still as I could. ISO 6400 (!), 1/80 second, and wide open at f/2.0. The RAW file is 71.4 MB and in that image you can see individual eyelashes, and there is very little noise. The reason for the low noise levels that the image, shot in P mode, is overexposed by a stop due to subject failure (black outfit, dark grey sidewalk, and very little ambient on the background.). Being clueless about the color temperature of the floodlight I shot in Auto WB. In post I reduced exposure one stop and gave it a healthy shot of blue until I liked it. I have included an SOC JPEG as well.

 

I love this camera, and that 30 year old lens isn't half bad either...

 

 

I have had my 5DSR for almost two years. Rest assured it will provide the best possible imaging from any lens that you put on it. Your lowest resolution lens will still look better on the 5DS than on your previous camera. I find the depth of colour provided by the 5DSR to be outstanding, and the 5DS will share this attribute. Absolutely, over time you can upgrade some of your lenses and reap the full benefits of the 5DS.