Move to a 5D ?

<p>I have found a local used 5D mk I for sale at a reasonable price (asking $1k), the original owner and only about 12k shots on it. I have had the idea of going FF in my head for a while now. I have a 20D and really do enjoy the images and quality I am able to get out of it.</p>

<p>As for what I shoot... I shoot mainly landscapes, nature and portraits. I will shoot sports for our school once in a while, but not very often.</p>

<p>My lenses are a 17-40, 50mm 1.8 and 70-200 f4. I do use the 17-40 with film and have loved the effect and quality of the lens on the full frame of the film (where I know it doesn't reach it's full potential with the 20D). Also, I like the perspective of the 70-200 on the film much better as well.</p>

<p>I guess my question is: in your opinion is the jump from a 20D to a 5D mk I worth the $600 difference in price? Or should I stick with the 20D and EOS A2 ?</p>

<p>No question - get the 5D - it is still an awesome camera. Your lenses will shine on it - that WA zoom will put a smile on your face when you shoot landscapes. I LOVE my 5D. You should consider getting one more zoom - the 24-105 is the perfect walk around lens for the 5D.<br>

Enjoy!</p>

<p>I retired my EOS A2 when I got my first digital camera the 20D. I use the 20D with my longer lenses (300/400/500) and use my EOS 5D for every thing except wildlife. For the money, the EOS 5D is a great buy. Get one!</p>

<p>If you like your lenses on the A2E then you will love the 5D. Check to make sure the sensor is clean and free of hot pixels - a low ISO exposure of the lens cap usually shows these issues.</p>

<p>20D prices are very low right now, which is good for most beginners, but bad for you. I definitely think the move to full frame would be great, but I would try to hang on to your 20D so you will have the versatility of 2 bodies with different formats. The 20D will extend your telephoto range and also has a faster frame rate for sports and wildlife. If you can't afford to keep the 20D, then the 5D would be the better camera to have of the two, especially for your purposes and I would definitely get it, but I would try to compliment it with a cropped camera with a faster frame rate down the road.</p>

<p>What Nathan said - keep the 20D for back up and a "tele body".</p>

<p>For 1k you can't pass it up! It's a GREAT camera, no ifs, buts, or nothing. It will always be a great camera even if you 'upgrade' later.</p>

<p>The 20D and EOS A2 are old school. Get the 5D. Ask the owner if the mirror assembly has been fixed by Canon for free.</p>

<p>I'm way in the minority here, but you are planning on spending some serious cash, and although others are cheering you on, I'll suggest that you pass up the opportunity. I bought a 5D when it first arrived on the market, and sold it within several months. To me, it was a one trick pony, and the trick was it's FF sensor. Everything else about it was sub standard at that time, and is WAY sub standard at the present time.</p>

<p>As I see it, the only thing keeping the old 5D at a used value greater than $1000 today are the masses of people with a limited budget who have been brought up to believe that FF offers such an inherent IQ bonus to their shots that it is worth giving up everything but (maybe) AF in order to claim possession of a FF DSLR.</p>

<p>I don't buy the Kool-Aid. The old 5D is a clunker of a camera by modern standards that happens to have a pretty nice FF sensor for it's time. Is that what you really need as your primary camera? Is owning an old FF camera that can take great shots in some situations, while often being less suitable for the task at hand than a Rebel T2i, and almost always less suitable, and often completely out of the league of a 7D camera your greatest priority?</p>

<p>If it is, then go ahead and spend $1000 on a used first generation 5D. When you you need more than it can deliver, you could take comfort in the fact that even though it doesn't do all that much compared to a more modern FF camera, and your best efforts are often smoked by an average shooter with a 7D, you can still say "I have a FF camera".</p>

<p>Think before you jump. People will always be willing to help you spend your money on their dreams, right or wrong. It seems that you have already decided that FF is where you need to go by the way you worded your post, but it might be worth renting a 5D 1 and a 7D for a long weekend of play before you press the buy button.</p>

<p>OK, I angered more than enough people already, but my intent was sincere. I think the old 5D is a poor way to spend $1000 on a primary camera body considering the quality and functionality of new alternative camera choices.... I'll duck and cover now, but you should give it some thought. Buy a 7D now, rock your entire 20D based digital photographic world for a few years, and buy a 5DII as a second body when they dip into the $1000-1500 price point down the road.</p>

<p>Erik<br>

First of I want to thank Mr. Krupnik. His opinions are the yang that every yin needs. I do not agree with him about the 5D, but that may be because I am not as discerning a photographer as he is. I do own and use a 5D regularly, (once or twice a week) as well as a 5D Mark II and a G10. In the past I have owned the 10D and the 20D as well as a number of the film cameras all the way back to the F1. <br>

My disagreement with Mr. Krupnik is in hi statement that you may be "often smoked by an average shooter with a 7D" It has been my experience that good photographers produce good images no mater what equipment they are using. I have friends in the wildlife photography community here in Washington D.C. metro area who use what many would think of as inferior equipment. I enjoy teasing them about it, but the fact is that the quality of the work they do makes me jealous. I have not been able to buy their skill and dedication. I "hang out" with these friends as often as I can hoping to learn from them.<br>

Last week end one of them told me that she was planning to move to Canon and was planning to get a 7D but was not sure which lens to use. She asked to borrow my 100-400 as it was one of the lenses she was considering. I handed her the lens mounted on my 5D and for an hour or so she puttered about with it. Since then she has told me that she was even more eager to make the switch, that the color quality and sharpness of the 5D and 100-400 combo made her anxious to switch to Canon.<br>

I say all of this because I think that much of her final product is the result of her skill in making the initial image, and very much a result of her processing technique. She does not use Photoshop but rather some of its less pricey competitors. I have not seen the images she took with my 5D, I hope to soon. but the body of her previous work is magical to me. http://www.pbase.com/pipkin<br>

If you like a camera it is likely because you work well with it. If you think a different camera will improve your work you might be right. You may love it you may hate it but what ever you do plan on a l-o-n-g learning curve with it.</p>

<p>I must say these are very interesting points for both sides of this situation. The last two posters especially (Mike and Jim). You guys made me "think" about my decision to jump into the FF realm.</p>

<p>Up to this point I have been more than happy with my 20D. If I were to say the drawbacks on it, I would have to only say... I miss being able to use the 17-40 at "true" 17mm. but then again... I do use it as true 17mm when I put it on the old A2 with a Kodak chemical sensor ;)</p>

<p>I think the reason I am happy with the 20D is that I moved to that from the D60 about a year ago. It was an amazing jump, and while I got some really good photos with the D60, the 20D has already payed for the upgrade.</p>

<p>When I started into DSLR photography I did it because I could get some very affordable used bodies ($300 and less). I spent the money on the lenses, and they have been a great investment.</p>

<p>As I am on a limited budget, I think I'm going to pass on the 5D for the time being. If it drops down to the $500 range... I might start thinking about it more closely. I have to say, I love my 20D and I have to remember the satisfaction of producing quality images with a camera I picked up for $300, and to remember that the 20D produces images that are just as good today is it did when it first came out!</p>

<p>As an amateur photographer I think it is difficult for me to remember that I am not in competition with other photographers, to remember that I am producing images that my wife and I can enjoy and remember our vacations by. Will I get a 5D some day? Maybe. I guess only time will tell.</p>

<p>Maybe the wife will decide to buy me a 5D mkII for my birthday... or christmas... for the next 5 years?</p>

<blockquote>

<p><strong>If it drops down to the $500 range...</strong></p>

</blockquote>

<p>It will drop to your range this year. The Mark II is going to be replaced making the 5D a bargain. By the way, in 2006, I went from an XT to a 5D and am satisfied with the upgrade. The 5D is an excellent tool for photography not requiring the shutter speed of the 7D and then some.</p>

<p>Funny thing, I have the 7D and the original 5D along with the 5D Mark II and I find myself reaching for the full frames all the time. I pick the 5D over the 7D for most situations. Regardless of ALL other factors, at the end the image speaks for itself. The smaller sensors have issues with blue skies and I shoot aviation allot. So even with my 100-400 IS attached to my 5D and the rented 500 F4 L attached to my 7D, I get better images from my cheaper full frame setup. Yeah yeah I know my 7D AF is faster and I look cool firing some 20 rounds at the same airplane. Truth is I really want ONE image from that machine gun round. Although BOTH camera setups give me great shots, the crop sensors give me noise in the blue sky where as the full frame doesn't. When I shoot my weddings, the 7D gets a 17-55 2.8 IS and my 5D mark II gets the 70-200 2.8 IS. I'm happy with the 7D but it too has it's weakness. v/r Buffdr </p>

<p>Consider picking up the Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5. That'll give you the equivalent of 16mm at the wide end, since you've decided against the 5D, if you really want the wide angle. Or just save your money for when the 5D drops in price.</p>

<p>I've seen speculation about the release of a 5DMkIII, but no Canon announcement...Peter, do you have info other than the rumor mill to support your 5DMkII replacement claim? Every hit on Google about it specifically says "rumor", and all that says release in 2011.</p>

<p>Jay, rumour or no rumour, the 5D Mk II <strong>will</strong> be replaced like any other camera body. The prices of the 5D have dropped $200 in the last year in my neighbourhood. It will continue to drop and that is the reality. The point is to get the 5D when it drops to the OP's budget this year.</p>

<p>To answer your question: Yes, a thousand times yes.</p>

<p>I simply do not know why this is even a question that is so commonly asked. Full frame is miles ahead of a crop sensor in terms of IQ and ISO performance.<br>

Even the dated 2005 5D is superior to the 50d, and you can find them for reasonably comparable prices. <br>

So you give up some updated menu systems and a smaller LCD. What really matters in the end? The Image.</p>

 

<p>I would have to agree with Jim. I work way too hard to blow a grand on an already out of date camera. I would much rather have a 7D with the 1080P 24fps video thrown in for kickers over an old 5D any day. I know many people don't see why you would ever put HD video on an SLR camera, but as more camera come with it, it will become expected. If your camera cant do something which in the near future will be so basic you will be right back to having an old 20D. Plus if a used 5D breaks which it will do eventually the cost of repairs can be high for an out of warranty camera. Used 5D 1st generation $1000 or 7D new $1275? Just the 1 year warrany is worth the extra $275.</p>

<p>You have the same setup as I do with the lenses except I have the 30D. I got a 5D for portraits and biker photography and kept the 30D for nature.</p>

<p>Best thing I ever did. I love them both.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Thinking differently, why not get a tokina 12-24 /f4 ( $400 ? ) . Instead of changing the body , why not get a new lens to get WA ? I would have considered that option also if I were you .<br>

-Suresh</p>

<p>Go for it, the 5D is a solid tool ... Merc for the price of an Opel ... <a href="http://www.tommykellner.com/2010/07/pic-a%E2%80%99day-2-july-2010/">cameras don't make pictures, photographers do</a> :)</p>

<p>Ha ha , I wouldn't swap my 5D for any crop sensor body. No way. Not a 7D, 50D, or T2i or whatever its called. Fine cameras they may be but they not be FF. I came from FFF (full frame film) and was glad to get back to it with the 5D. <br>

With the lens you have it's a no brainer. My 5D is from 2006 and is fairly low mileage at 3287 frames. I replaced my 10D with it.<br>

I really do not need a better camera than the 5D. I prefer to buy glass at the moment.</p>

<p>Put great glass on a T2i or 7D, and put great glass on a 5D. Now, take a landscape shot of something that just screams detail. Now make a 20x30 print.</p>

<p>Now....look at how much better the crop sensor does with detail than the old 5D. The old sensor can't hold a candle to the newer tech crop. Nothing magical about it. The 5D was great for its time....now it's an old relic best forgotten. I would NEVER in a million years take the 5D over a 7D when it's image quality I'm after!</p>

<p>Don't let the crop factor folk dissuade you! (I have a crop factor, and I love the kool-aid of FF)<br>

The 5D is a great camera, and you can pick one up used cheaper than you can get a 7d new.<br>

The image quality on larger prints is about even on the two, and you'll save about 600 or so. Then again, you could always look for a used 7d. Anyhow, if its a 5di, yes the full frame helps a lot on noise in IQ.<br>

If you think about it, the 7d has about 4 years of technology of crop sensor improvement, and it still only matches the IQ of the 5di. That's really funny to think about when you are reading through the 5dii vs 7d argument.<br>

The 5d is a great camera, and so is the 7d. Why not keep trucking with your 20D until you can buy something brand new in the future like the 5diii (which will have to come out one day)</p>

<p>If I shot birds or sports I'd opt for the 7D. For all other situations the 5D. Dated in function it can still deliver image quality with the best of them.</p>

<p>The 5D is pretty awesome for the most part. I was in the same boat you are, I have a beloved A2 and a 30D as well as an elderly 10D. The 30D just wasn't doing it for the wide angle stuff I like so the 5D was a great choice. I dont personally see that much difference between it and the 30D as far as image quality though, they are almost identical in most situations, I have heard the 20D is about the same.</p>