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Canon 5d (not mark 2) questions

Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2011 8:11 am
by Beomagi
Considering complementing my m43 camera with a standard 5d. ISO 1600/3200 from the 5d appears fine enough - mostly considering this for manual glass (OM/nikon/m42), landscapes, "studio" work.

I'm considering fitting one with a focusing screen - how does the 5d handle metering in aperture mode with manual lenses? A friend of mine has a nikon D90 and it won't meter at all - a dramatic departure from my epl1/ep3 which meters fine regardless of lens. Would the 5d meter?

Assuming I can get a 5d for ~$900 with less than average shutter activations it seems like a decent deal. What do you think?

Re: Canon 5d (not mark 2) questions

Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2011 9:56 am
by JustAnEngineer
If you want auto-exposure for aperture-priority shooting with early 1980s Nikkor AI-S manual focus lenses, you need a Nikon D300 or better. The D90 lacks the linkage for the aperture on those old lenses.

Re: Canon 5d (not mark 2) questions

Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2011 12:08 pm
by Beomagi
I know that.

I intend to use nikon MF lenses I already have on a 5d.

Do you know if the 5d handles auto exposure when using manual lenses?

Re: Canon 5d (not mark 2) questions

Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2011 1:05 pm
by FireGryphon
What are you using to convert a Nikon lens mount to a Canon lens mount?

Re: Canon 5d (not mark 2) questions

Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2011 3:52 pm
by Aphasia
There are passive converters for almost any other lens system onto the Canon EF systems thanks to the fact that EF has a more shallow mount than most other systems. Hence there is a possibility for doing pure mechanic non-optical mounts for other systems. So if you have Nikon F-mount, or Leica M42, you can buy an adapter ring and use them on an EF-mount.

As for the OP, I dont remember if the 5D can do aperture priority when using a manual lense since all EF lenses has an electrically controlled aperture and light is measured wide open and stepped down and aperture is reported from the lense to the camera also electronically. But I remember the question being asked every now and then in photography forums so I googled abit for it. Here is a few resources that might come in handy.

Using manual lenses and telescopes with EOS cameras.
http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-manual-lenses/

Accourding to the above document it should work just fine if you use the stop-down metering. And of course Tv doesnt work since it cant control the aperture. Also, when it comes to manual focusing, changing screen in the camera can help alot since most modern digital cameras have screen optimized for different purposes than manual focusing.

Re: Canon 5d (not mark 2) questions

Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2011 8:15 pm
by Voldenuit
What are you hoping to gain from moving to a 5D? Remember that the 5D is 6 years old now, and its ISO performance has been matched by modern APS-C cameras. $900 or thereabouts will get you a great m43 or APS-C camera today.

There are some advantages with going the 5D route:
* Yes, you can shoot in Aperture priority with adapted lenses
* Good flash system in the Speedlite range (and wireless flash control, something Panasonic is severely lacking)

There are some caveats though:
* The fullframe EF mount is incompatible with some lens formats. E.g. Pentax K mount lenses can interfere with the mirror, so read up on prospective lenses before mounting, or you could end up shattering your mirror (ouch!) - going APS-C instead of FF gives you a lot more options.
* As mentioned above, the high ISO capability of the 5D's sensor has been caught up with by several APS-C cameras

For around the $1,000 mark, there are some options worth considering before going with a second hand 5D:
* Panasonic GH2 - more compatibility, unmatched video (if that's what you want), but poor flash options
* Ricoh GXR - similar compatibility with the GH2, also not great on flashes
* Nikon D7000 - class leading APS-C ISO performance, but Nikon bodies have the worst compatibility with other lenses due to their long FBD
* Sony A77 - dark horse entrant, wait a month or two for reviews to filter in.

Re: Canon 5d (not mark 2) questions

Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2011 10:34 pm
by Beomagi
Actually high iso isn't really big on the list, though it looks like there is a bit of a gain there over my ep3. This isn't a move. More of an addition.

Looking more at utilizing the manual glass I have already (like you I'm a m43 user), getting shallower dof, more dr. My flashes are lumo pro 160 + vivitar 285hv - so system really wont matter.

I plan to change the focusing screen to let me use the manual focus lenses better. Changing the focusing screen shouldn't affect AF does it?

Re: Canon 5d (not mark 2) questions

Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2011 10:56 pm
by Voldenuit
Beomagi wrote:
I plan to change the focusing screen to let me use the manual focus lenses better. Changing the focusing screen shouldn't affect AF does it?


You will still be able to use AF, although some screens will mess with metering.

There are several options:

1. Do as you plan (I think?), and get a split screen focusing screen. I love using these on film SLRs, but they are not great for edge focus, and focus-recompose can lead to focus shifts, especially on FF (bear in mind, if you're using fast glass, stopping down can also lead to focus shifts anyway).

2. Use manual focus with PDAF focus assist - this will definitely work with Canon glass, I think (though I'm not 100% sure) that you can use this with legacy lenses as well.

3. Use live view mode for focusing (much like you do with m43). If you're shooting studio, this is a very viable option.

If you really want focus aids, the Sony NEX and Ricoh GXR (with A12 module) both have edge enhancement modes in live view to highlight high contrast areas, which can come in really handy with manual focusing. They will also allow you to use lenses you won't be able to use on the Canon, namely, M mount glass.

Re: Canon 5d (not mark 2) questions

Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2011 3:43 am
by SPOOFE
What are you hoping to gain from moving to a 5D? Remember that the 5D is 6 years old now, and its ISO performance has been matched by modern APS-C cameras.

It's still significantly sharper than any of the Nikon 12mp cameras, and will give one access to incredibly shallow depth of field for significantly less money than other full-frame solutions. If those two traits are a priority then it makes sense.

Re: Canon 5d (not mark 2) questions

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 12:37 pm
by Beomagi
So I went for it. i.e. 5d classic, vs getting the mft 25mm f1.4 and 45mm f1.8 (though they would have been the "sharper" options).

I just have to adapt my 85mm f1.4 samyang, and i'll have 35mm f2, 50mm f1.4 and 85mm f1.4. Also have an 8mm fisheye that gives me a wider image now (albeit with need to crop a little). Snagged a $50 kenko 19-35mm lens off keh - so that might be fun ;)

Comparing micro fourthirds to apsc leaves a lot to be desired in arguments on depth of field. Frankly I have a hard time seeing the difference. Canon apsc and m43 are closer in size than most probably realize. The relatively cheap 5d though with my leftover yesteryear (or yesterdecade) lenses is producing some astonishing results by comparison.

I've a 55mm f1.2 FD which I'm planning to perform surgery on - removing the breech lock, using an m42-ef adapter, drilling some holes and bolting it on. I've already shaved the mirror prepping for some other lenses.

Main thing I noticed is just how large that viewfinder is on full frame. The camera is rather simple - menu options aren't nearly as complex as my ep3 or even my old compacts. It feels quite "to the point".

Though it's not looked at as a great camera for low light today, it seems to do well, even at max ISO in a dark room. Definitely cleaner than my ep3.

Anyone interested in the research can look here at some threads I dug up
IQ:
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/820707/0
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readf ... +6400&qf=m

Brighter ISO for ISO vs newer cams (ISO SPEED instead of ISO REI):
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readf ... angemode=1

MF lens compatibility:
http://forum.mflenses.com/5d-mark-ii-le ... ility.html
http://www.panoramaplanet.de/comp/

Lens conversions - FAST and CHEAP - f1.2: note - FD mount register distance is shorter than EF mount.
http://www.ganymeta.org/~darren/photo_f ... ersion.php
http://www.ebay.com/itm/EdMika-Canon-FL ... 2a12f1bfbb

Mirror Shaving :
http://www.16-9.net/5d_mirrorshave/


EDIT: where were my manners ;)
Thanks Vold, Spoofe, Aphasia.