Looking to get a 5D for time lapse shooting. used MKII or MKIII?

Erik Naso

Veteran
I’m using a GH2 now and get good results but maybe I would get better results with a 5D body. What do you think? Saving a few bucks would be nice but if the new 5D MKIII ISO is that much better maybe its a better choice.

Bang for buck is what I’m looking for.
 
Timelapses in photo mode? 5D Mark II. I don't know if the upgrades on that side would be worth it in a Mark III.

Best bet is to find a 5D someone is dumping to upgrade to a Mark III. Probably get a great deal in that situation.
 
Timelapses in photo mode? 5D Mark II. I don't know if the upgrades on that side would be worth it in a Mark III.

Best bet is to find a 5D someone is dumping to upgrade to a Mark III. Probably get a great deal in that situation.
Thats what I’m thinking. Don’t need video. Have that covered.
 
Considering that for timelapse you use longer exposures, you don't need to use high ISO.
Most of my night timelapses are performed in 100 ISO with the 550d. Haven't used the Mark II or Mark III in timelapse mode yet, I prefer to use the small one.
Unless you need to photograph stars and the milky way in the desert, I doubt that you will need to get high in ISO....
 
i agree, unless you really need the full frame... a cheaper camera will do.
I used an old Nikon D40 (8mp 14bit RAW). I feel better about leaving it somewhere, where it could get stolen, damaged... and/or spent shutter actuations.
Most time-lapses I do are either in broad daylight (clouds and shadows) or nighttime shots...and with ABSOLUTELY no need for high ISO.

At the end of the day, you'll most likely crop and reduce the photos into 2k for use in a 1080p timeline. Really anything over 8MP is overkill for the most part.
I now use my Gopro Hero2 camera for loads of my daytime time-lapse - $250, weatherproof, mount it anywhere, .5-60 sec intervals, works with any cheap Class10 SD card, selectable P.O.V. angles, and no worries about shutter actuations.
I still use my Nikon D40 for sunset and nighttime stuff (RAW).
 
I agree - any $500 DSLR will be overkill on a 1080 timeline

One thing - I sometimes shoot on my 14mm way too wide which enables me to pan in post - not as good as a fancy slide but still wows a client - at that point a full frame helps me get the width and ​in theory you might need a few more MP, but really you dont

If I were getting a specific TL camera it would probably be a pro nikon with the onboard TL software (D2x - bargain D3 etc)

Good for a laugh is the Kodak SLRn/c - onboard 6_ISO

S
 
as others have said, 5D2: IQ is basically the same (just slightly better low light), and for timelapse you won't use the biggest 5D3 improvements, such as AF and clean video
 
Good stuff thanks.

I get good results with the GH2 but was thinking since I have a few Canon lenses a 5D MKII or MKIII would make sense. I have the first 5D still and really never use it anymore since I picked up the GH2. Don't have the intervalometer for it anyway.

My work is primarily for broadcast so image quality is important. I've put at least a half a dozen time-lapse's in the promos I shot. I also would like to shoot the cool mountain stars stuff.
 
Erik,

I have been using a 3Ti, which has teh same sensor as the 7D, and am quite happy with it. Used price on those is going to be around $500.

I also have the 4Ti on order. It will start to ship at the end of June. Upgraded focusing to teh 60D system, plus some potentially nice features for video. New hybrid full time auto focus for video, a combinatuion of contrast detection and phase detection ("regular" non-Live View focusing) in video & Live View.

It will have a couple of near-silent lenses released with it. The 18-135 zoom has an IS more that is tuned to hand held video. That combined with Warp Stabilizer might be killer for hand held with a regular rig.

At 18 MP, that might give you all of the image quality you need for time lapse, plus a few extra video features that no other Canon camera has had to date. $850 body, $1,200 with 18-135 IS kit lens, $200 40mm pancake lens.

DP Review announcement, with samples. ISO 3200 looks pretty decent:

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canon-eos-650d-rebel-t4i/


Video - in use:

http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/samples/eos650d/player_I_can_fly_maiking/movie.html?high


http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/samples/eos650d/

I am really looking forward to getting hands on to play with it!

Michael
 
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