squig's MKII epic

squig

squig

Veteran
As most of you know my MKII is supposed to arrive today. It's a bit quiet here in the MKII forum and I tend to go off tangent in other threads so I thought I might try to liven things up a bit and start a thread about my MKII journey. I'll keep updating my "free dvxuser blog" regularly so feel free to drop by for a cuppa.

Act 1 the search for the CF card reader

I downloaded the firmware update http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/firm-e/eos5dmk2/firmware.html (I don't expect it will have already have been installed) and then I thought "where the hell is my CF card reader". I haven't used it for years and I have stuff in about six different locations within a radius of about 800km so it could be anywhere. I rummage through the boxes of "stuff I might need in the event of nuclear war" you know the boxes where you keep your old SCSI cables, walkman, and 2 year out of date condoms because you never know when you'll need them. I find just about every cable known to man but no bloody CF card reader "bugger".

So in sheer desperation I bring myself to actually read YES READ! the firmware update instructions and I see "To install directly from a compatible computer, bypass Step 3-1 and follow the procedures from Step 4-1 onward." ahh saved.

I get back to the search for the elusive CF card reader not because I need it but because I just want to know where it is. I always find these hunts productive because I always find something that I couldn't find in a previous search. "bingo" found it, now we're rockin.

10am no courier, hmm better track my package. No updates since 18:20 "arrived at location" go figure.
 
It's here! I've finally had a chance to take it out of the box and man is this thing ugly, I know I know it's all about the images it makes but it looks and feels like a toy camera which I suppose it is to some. It's big and clunky and plasticy. The D90 looked and felt much more pro. I haven't had a GH1 in my hands but it looks much sexier. You have to hand it to canon they make the ugliest looking best image making cameras around. I mounted my nikon ai 105mm f/2.5 to it with a chinese cheapie adapter (20 bucks on ebay) and it fits nicely without any play. The 105 which looked big on the D90 looks shrunken on this beast.
 
where abouts in Australia did you get it from if you don't mind me asking and how much was it? Let's see some video clips.
 
I bought it online from digital best buys for $3800 inc GST + $14 delivery, canon aus stock with local warranty. I rang first just to confirm they actually had stock and to check that they could deliver in 24 hours. 24 hours later it arrived, all good. I went to the local camera store first but the best price they would do was $4300. The recommended retail went up to $4800 in April apparently.

I'll post some clips next week.
 
squig said:
I bought it online from digital best buys for $3800 inc GST + $14 delivery, canon aus stock with local warranty. I rang first just to confirm they actually had stock and to check that they could deliver in 24 hours. 24 hours later it arrived, all good. I went to the local camera store first but the best price they would do was $4300. The recommended retail went up to $4800 in April apparently.

I'll post some clips next week.
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Congratulations on getting your camera Squig...



.
 
I gotta agree with you on the plasticky feel of canon bodies. Can't tell you why, but the tactile feel of Nikon bodies all the way down to the D60 feels better in my hands. Not that the image is better, but like you said, it just feels more "pro".

Congrats on getting your camera. Hope you didn't go into debt for it. If you did, well, it's a fairly cheap camera and not too hard to pay off.
 
na no more credit for me just months of eating beans not going out and not buying anything but essentials.

this thing is pretty cool 1/50 shutter = no flicker here in PAL land. I can even lock it to the flicker off a TV screen which I couldn't do with the D90, I suspect the D90 had a 1/48 shutter and no 1/50. And this thing is way bright @ 6400 ISO F/2.5 in a dimly lit room and it's not even that noisy. This thing blows the D90 away in low light.
 
Congrats Squig!!!!

I agree with the Nikons "feeling" better than the Canons, been my experience too. But man it's hard to argue with the video coming out of the 5Dmkii...
 
Indeed.

I slapped on some anamorphic adapters and slung it to the miller and it looks at home there. I 'm noticing some play in the cheapie adapter rings now which is really bad if you try to focus with an anamorphic adapter. If anybody has a nikon adapter with no play that doesn't cost hundreds pls let me know.
 
squig said:
Indeed.

I slapped on some anamorphic adapters and slung it to the miller and it looks at home there. I 'm noticing some play in the cheapie adapter rings now which is really bad if you try to focus with an anamorphic adapter. If anybody has a nikon adapter with no play that doesn't cost hundreds pls let me know.
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When you are up to it I'd love to see some anamorphic footage from this puppy even if it is just a short stint.
 
ryansheffer said:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Adapter-For-Nik...66:2|39:1|72:1205|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50

I got one of those, and haven't had issues. Although, the only nikon lens I've used it with is a small kit zoom from my manual 35mm slr.
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yeah that's the one I have, bought 2 from different suppliers. You don't really notice the play with a 35mm lens but when you add a 2 pound anamorphic adapter it's a big problem because the anamorphic adapter twists enough when you pull focus for the twisting to be visible in your shot.
 
Ian-T said:
When you are up to it I'd love to see some anamorphic footage from this puppy even if it is just a short stint.
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np I'll post some stuff next week, raw stuff too. I just scored a panasonic anamorphic adapter too but it's coming from the US so it will be a couple of weeks but in the meantime I'll shoot some stuff with the isco 1.5x and the optex 1.33x. The isco is vignetting like a fisheye with a 35mm lens on full frame and the optex just slight nice retro vignetting. looking at the dimensions of the Panasonic I think it will vignette the least.

fell asleep at my macbook reviewing the first test footage. I can confirm you can shoot stuff that looks just as bad as the D90 if you try hard enough. sleepytime. :zombie_smiley:
 
What do these adapters do to the backfocus of the nikon lenses? Are the markings still accurate and is infinity still infinity?
 
Wow 30p really sux. Here in the PAL world we're used to 25p so even video doesn't look that "video". I'd never even shot anything at 30p before today.

jello is a lot better than the D90

This thing is like a D90 on steroids
 
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squig said:
np I'll post some stuff next week, raw stuff too. I just scored a panasonic anamorphic adapter too but it's coming from the US so it will be a couple of weeks...:zombie_smiley:
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Cool. I'm particularly interested in seeing what this lens can do on this cam myself.
 
this thing is amazing in low light, much less noise at high ISOs than the D90 and no compression artifacts like the D90.

Did my first stills shoot today, awesome! will post some pics once the client approves the shots.

shot some low light footage indoors under CFLs and some outdoor stuff in the sun, cutting and grading this week and will post on vimeo. very happy so far.

I'm finding it easier to focus with the LCD than the D90 too.
 
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If the adapter is up to spec, then the flange distance will be accurate. Not much use if it isn't.
Back-Focus issues are a 3 chip ENG sort of thing. Stills cameras don't have them.
Dave
 
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