Should i update my 5dmk2 for a 5dmk3 ?

Without going into a long and complicated explanation here I have a Canon 5DMk2 I absolutely love it the pictures are fantastic I don't have a problem with the AF I have some serious glass

We shoot weddings I have looked at a 5DMk3 and for the price I can buy 2 more 5DMk2s can anyone give me a reason to upgrade bearing in mind the setup I have now was used for years by every wedding photographer all over the world

I realise the 2 card slot is a deal breaker but is it worth the extra money ?

This is a Canon forum, you _need_ a 5Dmk4.

you owe it to your clients that you use the best tool available for the job. it's a business expence if you shoot weddings. (I guesh you get paid for it)

(actually you need a 1Dxmk2 as well, but we don't tell that till you got the 5d4)

Keep the 5d2 as backup.

I still use the 5d2, but i'm not a professional. (but will buy the 5d4 as soon as i can afford it.)

There's no requirement for a professional to use the latest cameras, plenty of them don't. I shoot professionally, most of the photographers who I shoot alongside who are using Canon use the 5DMk3 or the Mk2. One bought the 5DMk4 when it came out and said it hasn't made a difference.

 

When I was a professional sports photographer, I had a 1DMk3. One of the best shooters around used a 40D. A newer camera isn't going to change your world all that much.

 

I do think 2 card slots are important for professional shooting when you can't shoot tethered.

When the 5Diii was announced and I saw what it offered, I bought a brand-new 5Dii. I simply didn't and don't need the extra and new features of the newer model.

I confess that I am tempted by the new 50+ MP models, but this is not rational , but rather an emotional, temptation.

Thanks guys you have only reiterated what I already think I watched a few clips on you tube that really amount to the same thing there is just not enough to warrant the update save for the 2 card slot I change my cf card regularly when working and I have never had a card go bad on me yet my partner has a 6d and the resolution is identical I use flash and led lights on jobs so I can keep the ISO down and again I am so happy with the results I am getting I work with 2 5dmk2s at the moment I intend on getting another 3 as we now do video

If you have no problem with AF, then there's no point in moving to the MkIII. The files are essentially the same. OTOH, as mentioned, the MkIV has substantially better files, with better dynamic range at low ISO and low noise at high ISO.

I prefer the Mk 3 but I'm having a problem explaining why - and I think after 2 years with the 3 its coming down to the fact that every copy of a particular model doesn't perform exactly the same, and I think I've got a Mk3 that focusses a bit better than my Mk2. Otherwise put, if you have got a great one, don't expect to get wonderful value for the upgrade. Of course if you're doing weddings you might be getting close to some volume-related reliability issues - though you'll never know till you either get them or don't. The Mk4 seems a lot of money to me, despite that less noise has attractions and it would be nice to make bigger images when I crop to square.

 

The thing that might interest me at some point is the 5Ds. Cheaper and much more resolution than the Mk4 even, but I'm hearing from others having made that jump that it might make some of my L zooms look a little inadequate and I'd be concerned too if it made hand-held shots look worse.

 

Sound like you have a good one, so why move on?

I own the 5DS-R, the 5D MkIV and previously owned the MkIII and MkII. My 5DS-R only has about the same dynamic ranges as the MkIII, where the MkIV is around a full-stop better. Also, the quality of the 5D MkIV noise is very benign and responses very well to noise reduction. When you have good light, nothing in the Canon line beats the 5DS-R resolution. It's stunning; however, the MkIV is a big step forward in resolution from the MkII and MkIII. I'd say that the 5D MkIV is the best compromise of all in the 5D-series.

is a video with good reasons to invest in the 5D MK IV. I have the Mark IV and MK II. Auto focus, exposure metering, resolution, dynamic range, are all improved. I particularly like the ability to crop and still have an extremely sharp photo, If you have good glass you will finally be able to realize its full potential as the MK II runs out of resolution before most lenses do. I have been able to get very usable photos at ISO 12800, with the MK II ISO 3200 has been my absolute limit, Its would be a great camera for shooting wedding candids without flash. The auto focus works really well in low light.

Canon would obviously like you to upgrade to it's latest model but I do all my professional work with a 1DS Mark 3 and a 5D Mark 2, both obsolete cameras in Canon's eyes but both do exactly the same job now as they did when I bought them. I will keep on using them until they break when I will consider the options available to me at the time. If the Mark 2 gives the results that you and your clients like then the only reason I can see to upgrade to the Mark 3 is the extra card slot but I guess as you shoot with 2 bodies you are already backing up a lot of the crucial shots with the second camera.

I am still happy with my 5D II for most situations, but may be swayed by the 6D II when it is finally introduced, supposedly next month according to http://www.canonrumors.com/some-canon-eos-6d-mark-ii-talk-cr2/ .

I've only just spotted this. I used a 5D, then the 5D mkll and then the 5D mklll for weddings. I was very impressed with the mklll when I bought it, it felt like the finished article from Canon for the first time. The mkll never did (for me).

Not sure if the weather sealing was improved, but world class AF and 6 fps I found very useful. The ISO got a 1/2 stop improvement in my view which in the dark and gloomy world of weddings was invaluable, shots I couldn't have got on the mkll I could on the mklll....3200 ISO with no hesitation and 4000 if pressed, this was 2500 on the mkll.

The step up from the mklll to the MklV isn't as big in my view, I can't justify that. If the mklll is still available I personally wouldn't hesitate to buy one, only new though.

If you are happy with the focusing system of the 5D MK II and as you said, images are great, then no need to upgrade unless there are features you want.

The biggest difference for weddings (IMO) is the ability to successfully autofocus in -2EV (vs -0.5EV on the mk2 (used to be 0EV)) - dark receptions, even with fast (f1.2/1.4) glass were forever challenging even one-shot single center point AF on my mk2s - and while manual focus was the standby (and work acceptably) in many circumstances - razor thin DOF (due to using the aforementioned required aperture) made that useless for moving subjects. 6FPS is great for bouquet tosses and the like, but aside from being able to focus on medium-low contrast subjects in an unlit cave (hyperbole ;-) of course), and catch reasonably fast motion sequences... and of course the dual card slots... not much recommends it...

I could imaging going back from my canon 5DIV back to my 5D2. I can get the job done with the 5D2 but I love working when I have the 5DIV in my hands. It is absoultely worth the money hands down. Plus the 4K video future proofs the camera. I shoot 4K even when my end result is going to be HD. Why, for one you get 4:2:2 color space vs 4:2:0 and yes this extra color detail makes a big difference.