5d mark II or wait for 6d?

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payal_choksi

Well-known member
hi all,

i was planning to get an hdslr for me but due to some financial constraints, i couldn't. now i am planning once again to get an hdslr and hence the question.

would it be wise to get 5d mark II or should i wait for the release of 6d? (i don't mind waiting, since time is not of essence) i would be needing the hdslr mainly for video purpose.

i read the reviews about 6d, which is also a full frame camera, and it uses digic V+ sensor which i think is same as 5d mark III.

many guys out there are not impressed with 6d but mostly they are the ones who already owns a full frame camera. for someone like me who's jumping into the full frame format, the specs of 6d are fine.

i would give more weight to the picture quality of the camera while selecting one. i also just found out that the expected sensor on 6d is slightly smaller than 5dmark II. does that make a big difference?

and lastly, 6d is able to shoot video in All-i frames and also IPB compression. i want to know what compression 5d mark II uses, All-i or IPB?

thanks in advance for your replies.

regards,

:happy:
 
i think the sensor will be better on the 6D, regarding moire ant aliasing... there will be almost no difference size wise, the big difference i see is the compression: ALL-i will blast away the h.264 codec of the 5D mark II... higher bitrates :) 5DmII: ~44 Mbit/s, 6D/All-i: ~ 90 Mbit/s
I think the only bad thing about the 6D is the housing if it is really made of plastics instead of magnesium(5D), the multi spinwheel joystick instead of a spinwheel seperated to the joystick could also be unhandy if you do much run and gun stuff - therefore i love the 7D's handling...
 
Nobody outside of Canon has actually shot or reviewed the 6D so far. I suspect that they had to bring forward the announcement because Nikon released the D600 which is also a smaller cheaper full frame camera. It's going to be a few months before the 6D is available.
 
If time is not of the essence then just wait; we should know all the details at year end to make an informed decision. I'm also looking at the 6D - the aliasing and moire is the main question (but knowing Canon and their history of 'staggering' their product line, they will probably not improve the aliasing and moire in order to keep a separation between the 6D and 5DMk3). But who knows? Maybe that particular video feature is not too important to the sales of the 5DMk3. Wait and see.
 
I read some where that Canon said that the 6D is to have the most sensitive chip for low light they ever made. Wow! That would be awesome! I would love to see more hands-on reviews. It looks like a great camera to me! I plan to sell my 2 60Ds and pick up two 6Ds. I have been waiting to go to full frame and this camera looks great!
 
I actually just found a review & it looks pretty good. http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canon-eos-6d Assuming that the video is comparable to the 5D3 then it's going to be a great camera to use for video. It's dumbed down a bit from the 5D3 but mostly in terms of stills so the AF isn't as sophisticated The built-in WiFi enables you to control the camera at a distance from a browser in your smartphone or iPad which will be great if it's locked off on a tripod across the room or up on a crane. You can do this at present with the 5D3 but only if you also buy the mega-expensive Canon WFT-E7B Wireless unit.
 
payal_choksi said:
would it be wise to get 5d mark II or should i wait for the release of 6d? (i don't mind waiting, since time is not of essence) i would be needing the hdslr mainly for video purpose.


:happy:
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If you are looking for a video camera maybe neither is the way to go. I've been shooting 5D, 7D, 60D for 3 years and they have all been amazing, but there are new cameras out and to be announced that will blow the doors off all of them in terms of dynamic range and resolution. The BMC may be out of your price range, but I'm sure before too long that will change as well.
Just go over to BMCuser and look at what's on the forefront right now. After what I've seen in the last week on early tests, it's going to mow down the DSLR DR/IQ when put head to head. Also check out the DaVinci Resolve software and tell me you wouldn't want that kind of power in your post post production workflow.

http://www.bmcuser.com/forumdisplay.php?13-DaVinci-Resolve

http://www.bmcuser.com/showthread.php?1318-Philip-Bloom-Resolve-and-the-BMCC

For now your best bet is a 5Dmk2 because they are built like a tank and fantastic place to start, but don't be surprised if you decide to sell it in the next year.
Many Canon users have jumped ship to hacked Panasonic GH-2 or waiting for the GH3. If your not interested in still photography as a money maker, Canon may no longer be your first choice.

Canon was clearly in the HD-video lead from day 1, but the game has changed and instead of positioning themselves as the leaders answering the needs and requests of their customers, they look more like what they really are, a giant corporation just trying to move as many cameras as they can.
 
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GH3 with canon adaptor is all sorts of win.

but if you do want to keep it in the canon fam, then 6d upgrade from APSC is what it is marketed for.
Est RRP is $2K. the extra $300 you save over 5d2 , will be much worth it if the digic 5 holds up to what it does in the 5dMKIII.

yes 6d uses same all i and ipb, but you are stuck to using only SDHC. in all i you may come accross buffer issues with some pooer class 10 SDHC. Ipb has no problems with SDHC as it variable bitrate.
 
creole said:
GH3 with canon adaptor is all sorts of win.

but if you do want to keep it in the canon fam, then 6d upgrade from APSC is what it is marketed for.
Est RRP is $2K. the extra $300 you save over 5d2 , will be much worth it if the digic 5 holds up to what it does in the 5dMKIII.

yes 6d uses same all i and ipb, but you are stuck to using only SDHC. in all i you may come accross buffer issues with some pooer class 10 SDHC. Ipb has no problems with SDHC as it variable bitrate.
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I've been a Canon fan since the beginning, but unless you already have Canon lenses and you want to shoot primarily HD video, you will probably get better results with the GH-3 for less money. I'm not a Panasonic promoter, but what I've seen lately really is giving the GH-3 the edge.
Now in a titanium weather proof case, shoots H-264 mov. Full 1080 60fps, and wi-fi. Also has a body design to help with overheating.
Unless the OP has had experience shooting video with a camera that has a fixed view screen on the back, he doesn't realize how limiting that is. I spent a lot of time on my stomach getting low angle shots with an 5Dmk2 successfully, but try getting an overhead jib shot without a ladder to see the screen. The fixed screen is also a major contributing factor in overheating. I've had a 60D for 2 years since it came out and it's the way to work since few of my shots are at eye level.
I was also excited when I heard about the 6D FF, but why they didn't add a variable view screen I can't understand. This is not a weather sealed camera, nor is it a professional camera. What ever the reason, it was a deal breaker for me.
 
The 6D has built in WiFi which means that for an overhead jib shot you just need a smartphone or tablet to operate it. The equivalent functionality for the 5D3 requires you to add the mega-expensive WFT-E7A ($849). This will be great for shooting events & operating locked off cameras stoping/starting video recording.
 
nigelbb said:
The 6D has built in WiFi which means that for an overhead jib shot you just need a smartphone or tablet to operate it. The equivalent functionality for the 5D3 requires you to add the mega-expensive WFT-E7A ($849). This will be great for shooting events & operating locked off cameras stoping/starting video recording.
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I agree you work the viewing out with these cameras in many ways. I even used a very cheap hand held monitor once with the 5Dmk2 a few years ago. My reason is this. I'm not a photojournalist but, use these DSLRs where ever I go. I always have one with me 24/7 photography is not only about planned shoots or events, but also about sudden unexpected life events. If the Camera's features are not all in the camera I probably won't have them with me. One small camera bag is more than enough to lug everywhere.

Of course I don't carry a jib around, but I do ofter hold the camera at arms length over my head to get over a crowd, etc. I'm also surprised that Photojournalists the market this camera was designed for hasn't been passed over for a variable view screen. Imaging the usefulness on an Mk3 having a titanium weather sealed viewer. Some said it's because it may get broken, but lenses are made of glass and can be broken when abused as well. The viewer can be positioned attached to the back of the camera if it's at risk or even can be closed to protect the screen when not in use or shooting stills. I think it's a feature they didn't bother with or want to add to the cost.
 
i am now confused. should i get myself a video camera that shoots hd video or hdslr? i saw sony fs100 but its expensive and what i know, video cameras are not full frame like hdslr, am i right?
 
Strictly speaking 5dII vs 6d, the 6d will crush the 5dII. Some of you forget how awesome the digic 5+ is ;)
 
FWIW, the ONLY brand that producers ask me for is Canon when it comes to DSLR's. I use them for Discover I.D., Travel Channel, Aol, Sci-Fi Network, G4, PBS... No one wants to hear about a hacked whatever or anything else. Also the addition of 30 minute record times is a blessing.

I sold my 5D last year to help fund my F3 (which I love) but I still need a DSLR and will be considering the 6D when it comes out.

I love the look, lenses, and specs of the Nikons but if I want rentals I have to go Canon.
 
payal_choksi said:
i am now confused. should i get myself a video camera that shoots hd video or hdslr? i saw sony fs100 but its expensive and what i know, video cameras are not full frame like hdslr, am i right?
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If you have the cash, get the FS100 (slightly used and you can get a great deal). It's the best fully-functional (i.e. built-in audio, meters, etc) cinematic-quality video camera on the market below about $8k. If you need to shoot photos or if you are on a tighter budget, then go with DSLR (either the upcoming GH3 or the 6D/Mk III).
 
Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the FS 100 look - weird skintones and highlights. I have an FS 700 and the new Cinegammas is a huge improvement over the FS 100. It's a much improved look IMO. I would probably take the 5D3 over the FS100, but not the FS700. As for the BMC, it's a camera very specific to studio type situations where you have more control and the image is nice. But horrible 2.3x crop, the lame form factor, the 1600 ISO limit and no slow motion make the 5D, GH and FS camera a much more versatile option. I mean... lets face reality here. How many of us really only shoot in studio situations only? If so, you probably would not be on DVXuser. Most of us need a versatile camera that will cover a range of jobs.
 
MKII is still the winner in terms of requests because there's more of them out there.
But because of record times people are starting to request MKIII's.
 
I still find myself struggling with the issues on the 5dmk2, you just never get used to it. The biggest thing with 5dmk3/6D is the different codec that doesn't break up in deep, high-detail shots. Moire isn't that big of a deal if you know what you're doing, I'm much more concerned about rolling shutter.

With that said, you can find 5dmk2's very very affordable at the moment, at least in Sweden. Everyone seems to be upgrading.
 
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