From film Nikon F100 to digital Canon 5D: one user�s observations

[rhaytana__tim_adams_]

I bought a 5D a month ago, after posing many questions and spending

many hours sniffing around online forums. Google gives postings like

this a long, long lifespan, so I thought others might benefit if I

post thoughts on one user�s film to digital transition � what went as

expected, what surprised me and so forth.

 

This posting probably won�t be of much use to current Canon digital

shooters.

 

Most of what I worried about didn�t happen. Shutter lag isn�t a

problem, isn�t an issue in any way. The 5D viewfinder is more than

big enough, although many have griped about other models.

 

The Nikon to Canon transition was much less effort-full than I�d

expected, particularly as relates to using flash with Canon. I�m

still not happy with my Canon fill flash results outdoors � I get

�bald skies,� as another user noted on another forum � but my indoor

results are excellent, and the outdoor problems aren�t that bad. I

think I�ll get outdoor fill flash once I put in my study and

experimentation time.

 

Canon includes Digital Photo Professional free with the 5D, to convert

raw files. Many have written that they like DPP image quality as

much as anything from CR2 or Bibble, so all the head scratching I did

about what RAW converter to get has been pretty much forgotten. Maybe

that means I�m not that fussy. Maybe it means I�m busy. For now, RAW

conversion has meant: (a) installing DPP, (b) using it.

 

It�s easy to use. Very easy. I had expected white balance to be a

big issue, too � something I didn�t need to think about when shooting

film � but DPP lets users toggle different WB settings easily, so I

just leave the camera set to AWB and worry no more. Michael Reichmann

of Luminous Landscape wrote that most RAW shooters do this, and I now

understand why.

 

DPP sucks up the 12 meg RAW files and shoots out 75 meg TIFF files in

about a minute on my 512, low horsepower box. No need to upgrade the

computer. To emphasize: all the fretting I did about what kind of

raw converter to get, what kind of computer upgrade I�d need, how I�d

figure out white balance was essentially for nothing. Yes, later I

can fine tune with Bibble Phase One CR2, and maybe I�ll prefer the

results from one to the other -� but I don�t need to do that now to

get good results.

 

I shoot RAW + jpeg. I can�t imagine why I�d want to shoot jpeg only.

 

I use bounce flash much, much more now with the Canon, as I can

preview the results in the LCD screen in the back. Big, big advantage

of shooting digital. However, I don�t find the 2.5 inch LCD to be a

precide indicator of how well the shot came out. It gives me a rough

idea of whether or not my exposure was in the right ball park. That�s

all.

 

I think I�ll be able to print as large or larger with the 5D tiffs

than I ever did scanning at 4000 dpi with film. The dpi is going to

be lower � about 240 dpi at 18 x 12, with no cropping � but the files

are so much cleaner than scanned film.

 

I was shocked by the high quality of high ISO. The first time I took

a no flash shot at 1600 iso, and saw it on the monitor � well, I was

downright shocked. Couldn�t believe it was that good. I have no

previous digital experience to compare it with.

 

Before buying the camera, I bought a USB/Firewire card for my

computer, so I could read files straight from the camera or from a

firewire card reader. If I had it to do over again, I might get only

the firewire card reader. I don�t plan to shoot tethered and don�t

see any other advantage (for me) of operating the camera through the

computer. I can change settings with the camera itself just fine.

 

The Canon software and firewire card reader installed easily in Win XP

and worked right away.

 

I�m glad that I bought a 4 gig memory card, rather than a 2 gig card.

 

Disappointments?

 

One significant one, so far: I don�t like the Canon�s system for

focus point selection. I prefer using the Nikon dealie on the back �

setting focus point is something I need to do in seconds, and I change

it frequently � with the Nikon I could set it without lifting the

camera to my eye, but the Canon doesn�t show the focus point in the

plastic LCD screen on the top. So I�ve got to lift the camera to my

eye and pick the focus point � and, after about 1,000 shots, I�ve

found this slower than with the Nikon F100. But, I�m adapating, and

haven�t missed too many shots I might have gotten with the F100.

 

Low light auto focus isn�t as good. Not that far behind, but behind

still.

 

I don�t think that the Canon 16 � 35 2.8 is the equal of the Nikon 28

� 70 2.8. These are both high end lenses. I think the Nikon is sharper.

 

Remaining question, and a very, very important one for me:

durability. How will the Canon hold up? It�s been fine so far, and

hasn�t been treated delicately. But will it hold up to bumps,

jostles, temp changes in the field? The F100 has been very durable.

 

Those are one user�s quickly written observations. I hope this is of

help to someone else trying to decide.

 

Last point: more and more, I realize that the camera is a specific

tool purchased for a specific type of shooting. If I didn�t do so

much at high ISO, I would have stayed with Nikon. I don�t need to

shoot in the rain or blaze away with the shutter at a sports event, so

the 5D was fine. But the application for which the camera will be

used determines what to buy.

[lovcom_photo]

Tim, congratulations on your 5D purchase.

 

I don't have my 5d now with me at work, but I think that after you presse the FP selection button [...] the LCD on top will show which FP is selected...I could be wrong.

 

Also, what flash are you using? Canon fill flash is so easy and it works great for outdoors....in Av mode, just turn the flash on, making sure it's in E-TTL mode and that's it. Even in P mode, the flash will go to fill flash reduction automatically if required....actually true in Av, Tv, and M too.

 

As for durability, the 5D is not commercial grade like the 1D series, but it is built very sturdy....however I would not use it in dusty, even misty situations.

[aaron_lam]

Interesting read...

 

You ask why someone would shoot JPGs... really just for post-production speed. I never shoot just JPGs but I can imagine a lot of PJ's or high-volume shooters do.

 

Also, the 16-35mm can't really be compared to the Nikon 28-70 f2.8. Different ranges. Not that the Nikon equivalent to the 16-35mm wouldn't be better as well... but the Canon 24-70 f2.8 which you should be comparing too is a WONDERFUL lens and I could only imagine it would give the Nikon a run for it's money.

 

Best regards,

 

 

aaron

[dk.]

"but the Canon doesn't show the focus point in the plastic LCD screen on the top"

 

I find this hard to believe as My 20D (Lower model then the 5D) allows you to pick the Focus point from the LCD on top if you so wish. Can someone out there with a 5D tell us if this is true or not.

 

Like it was said already you can't compare the Canon 16-35mm F2.8L to the Nikon 28-70mm F2.8 you should have gotten the Canon 24-70mm F2.8L and compared it instead.

 

You sound like someone that has some money, so I will recommend two lenses for you to get. Canon 135mm F2L and Canon 70-200mm F2.8L IS.

You get those ones and you will be very happy. :o) Take care and have a good one.

 

DK.

[PuppyDigs]

Tim, after a month, any problems with dust on the CMOS sensor or viewfinder? I've

read some complaints and wonder if this is more of a problem than other SLRs or

these guys are just crybabies.

[digitmstr]

>>with the Nikon I could set it without lifting the camera to my eye, but the Canon doesn't show the focus point in the plastic LCD screen on the top<<

 

With the 5D all you have to do is use your thumb to move the joystick on the back. It takes a fraction of a millisecond to set it, without having to move the camera from the eye.

[digitmstr]

Well the question about the AF is confusing: at one point her states that he needs to do it in "seconds" (which is really far too long but, I assume he meant quickly).

 

I think that being able to do it *while shooting* (with the joystick) is much faster than having to move the camera away. I don't understand how he can claim it's faster to pick the AF point from the LCD than doing it on-the-fly with the joystick while seeing it in the viewfinder.

[rhaytana__tim_adams_]

Puppyface, I'll bet the complaints about sensor/viewfinder dust are well-founded. A hair appeared in the viewfinder after my first session with the 5D, but, thankfully, dropped down without intervention.

 

I didn't mention that the battery door popped open a couple of times, costing me a few shots. I now put a piece of gaffer's tape over it. No big deal, but not endearing in a new camera. I presume Canon would fix it, but I'm not eager to FedEx the thing off to the nearest service center just for that.

 

Giampi, the F100 let me pick the focus point while looking through the viewfinder *or* by looking at the rectangular LCD on the top of the camera. Many times I'd see a shot coming, glance down at the top of the camera, manipulate the pad at the back of the camera and have the desired focal point selected before I raised the viewfinder to my eye. I also found it easier to pick the focal point quickly with the Nikon pad/button/whatever it's called than with the Canon 'joystick' -- although it's possible that I'll get speedier with the Canon than I now expect. Time will tell.

 

I posted this message for the benefit of others who have to make a buying decision similar to the one I just made. Others helped me, and I want to return the favor.

 

But now that the message is up, I fear that I might inadvertently provoke a Canon vs. Nikon thread if I write anymore. That wasn't my intention.

[rhaytana__tim_adams_]

... but (!) I should correct one error, which I realized after Dan Lovell and David Koens' posts prompted me to carefully re-read some sections of the manual. (Thanks, by the way, to both of you.)

 

The 'normal' mode of selecting the focus point in the 5D is to (a), press the AF button, and then to (b) select the focus point with either the multi-controller (joystick) or quick control dial.

 

When the 5D is in this normal mode, I just discovered, then yes indeedy, pressing the AF button by itself shows the focus point in the top LCD.

 

That's the good news.

 

The bad news is, I disabled normal AF point selection mode within two hours of opening the box. Much too time consuming to press the AF button and then press joystick or manipulate the dial, at least for this photographer and this photographer's fingers and thumb. Custom function 13 lets me select the AF point with either the joystick, directly, or with the quick control dial, without bothering with the AF button first.

 

And with either of those options selected via custom function 13, the display of focus point in the top LCD is disabled! Which means I have to look through the viewfinder to pick the focus point, as I've written.

 

I may learn more, but for now, that's my understanding of how the 5D operates.

[vesa_perala]

I don't have anything newer than 10D, but doesn't the AF point selection with the joystick in 5D and 20/30D work so that whatever point is selected, if you turn the joystick up, the uppermost AF point is selected? Thus isn't the selector absolute and not relative?

 

If the selector is absolute you really don't need to see the selection in the top LCD to know which one you just selected? It makes me wonder though why it doesn't show on the top also in these non-default modes.

 

Vesa