full frame body

[Don Hamilton Jr.]

Hello, i'd like to hear some of the pros and cons, in reference to which canon full frame body you endorse. Purposes: large animals, closer subjects, and poorer light conditions requiring higher iso's... thus hopefully less noise issues. Landscapes are also on the agenda, along with larger animals as mentioned. I currently own a 7d , which i love for birds and flight pics.
Thks for sharing any current equipment suggestions.
Cheers:
Don

[John Chardine]

Hi Don- I assume you want to stay with Canon. You have of course two current choices (1Ds3, 5D2), with a few more if you add the previous FF bodies and the upcoming (when?) 1Ds4.

I own the original 5D and it is nothing short of amazing. FF, 12mp, slow, not weather sealed, and now old (2005) technology. IQ out of the camera is amazing. Dynamic range is amazing. I will always own two bodies and one will always be a FF. The 5D2 is clearly superb. The 1Ds3 is IMO overpriced but again superb. And who knows what the 1Ds4 will bring. Canon Rumors has mooted 30+ mp but I think this is the wrong way to go. Keep a relatively low pixel count and keep the IQ high.

[Julie Brown]

Don, I have the 5D MK II and absolutely love it! The IQ at high ISO is fantastic, IMO. :cool: I also noticed a big difference over my 40D when I looked through the viewfinder. It is so much clearer. Another feature you might like, since you already have the 7D, is how familiar it will feel when you hold it. I handled a 1D body at the camera store, and I did not like the size or the weight of it.

[David Stephens]

I own the 7D and the 5D2 and find them to complement one another wonderfully. I use the 7D with my 500mm f/4L IS for wildlife and birds and the 5D2 for almost everything else. The high ISO performance is easily twice as good and the IQ is unbeatable for scenics, portraits and travel images.

I almost always carry both when I'm shooting wildlife.

[Don Hamilton Jr.]

Wow, really appreaciate everyones input.
David's Quote; is kind of what i was thinking as well,....." I use the 7D with my 500mm f/4L IS for wildlife and birds and the 5D2 for almost everything else. The high ISO performance is easily twice as good and the IQ is unbeatable for scenics, portraits and travel images.
Question: for the money sounds like the 5dII, is awesome, but does the comments, "slower focus, and non weather sealed "an issue, seems like the 1d has all of the features you need, but $4900 vs $2400 is a large jump.. is the price diff really there???
Don

[Julie Brown]

Don, consider this: use your 7D for BIF, and the 5D for birds on a stick, etc. Remember when we were at Eagle Creek? I had my 400 f5.6L on the 40D for good light and used the 5D Mk II for low light. There was no way I was going to pay $5000 for the 1D body. I will be interested to know which way you go with this. :D

[Marina Scarr]

Hi Don:

As a full frame, I currently use the 5D and am very pleased with its performance. I use it quite a bit on birds, and even larger birds in flight. The 5D gives you great colors and good performance at higher ISO's. You can pick one up right now at a great price if you don't wish to spend the extra money for a 5DII. If I spent more time doing landscapes down the road, I may well spring for a new model but, at this time, the 5D really does the trick.

[Roger Clark]

Don,

I have a 5dII, and owned/used most other cameras in the lineup; still have 1DII and 1D4. The smaller pixels of the 7D and 1D4 are great for telephoto reach. There have been threads on the 5DII for bird photography and many use a 5DII for bird photography. I found the 5DII to provide faster more accurate focus than my 1DII, and for the last couple of years the 5DII was my choice over the 1DII, even for birds. But for general photography, the 5DII is my choice, having the full size sensor and large megapixel count. I do not find in most cases the frame rate is an issue. But for fastest action, a 1D series has advantages. Given a choice with a 500 f/4 and bodies, each setup for me would include the 5DII, so 5DII + 7D versus 5DII + 1DIV would be my choice. I have had the 5DII all over the world in all kinds of environments and never had a problem. I just use a rain hood as needed. If you've never had a 1D series body, you might rent one for a week or so and try it out. One big advantage over the 7D is AF at f/8 and even stacked TCs, for even more telephoto reach when you need it. The 45 point AF system is great in my view for composition, moving the active AF point around.

Roger

[David Stephens]

Question: for the money sounds like the 5dII, is awesome, but does the comments, "slower focus, and non weather sealed "an issue, seems like the 1d has all of the features you need, but $4900 vs $2400 is a large jump.. is the price diff really there???
Don

If you didn't have a 7D those might be of concern. When it's snowing and/or 15-below, I take the 7D without added weather protection and the 5D2 probably stays in the case. I only found the 5D2's AF an issue when trying to shoot BIF, which I now do on the 7D. The AF is fine for almost anything else.

On my 5D2 I switch between the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS and the EF 70-200mm f/4L IS depending on whether I think I might shoot an animal or a scenic. 80% of the time the 70-200mm is on the body and it's slung around my neck with the 7D on the tripod with the 500mm.

Below is an elk that I shot in almost dark conditions at ISO 6400 with the 70-200mm on the 5D2:

Very handsome bull elk by dcstep, on Flickr

[John Chardine]

Wow, really appreaciate everyones input.
David's Quote; is kind of what i was thinking as well,....." I use the 7D with my 500mm f/4L IS for wildlife and birds and the 5D2 for almost everything else. The high ISO performance is easily twice as good and the IQ is unbeatable for scenics, portraits and travel images.
Question: for the money sounds like the 5dII, is awesome, but does the comments, "slower focus, and non weather sealed "an issue, seems like the 1d has all of the features you need, but $4900 vs $2400 is a large jump.. is the price diff really there???
Don

Don- Think again on the price of the full frame 1Ds3, which is running over $6k at B&H right now, and the new one will probably come in at $7-8k +, as is usual for the 1Ds series. The 1D4 is not full frame and is running around $5k or less right now.

BTW my understanding was that the 5D2 was pretty well weather sealed- at least much better than the 5D but not as well as the 1D series.

[Van Hilliard]

Don,
I don't hesitate to use the 5DII in any of the environmental conditions in which I use the 1D Mark IV. I've noticed no problems with weather proofing or susceptibility to wind, rain and/or sand. We shoot under similar conditions as I remember. For conditions calling for full-frame, the 5DII is great. I think the last time we shot together I was using the 5DII.

[Don Hamilton Jr.]

Vanessa, thks,i pm'd ya, can you pm me with your number when you get a chance!
Don