CF or FF for Macro

[vincent_su]

Hi
I'm new here as well as digital photography, please go easy on my dum questions.
I'm currently looking for an upgrade of my camera and I do some macro shots and am wondering if either CF or FF body will fare out.
Also, I'm thinking of either the 50D or 5D II as I like the live view magnification for aiding focus. Does 40D's live view as good as 50D?
Thanks in advance.

[Ook]

When the pictures from a CF and an FF (same lens, minimum focus) are viewed at the same size as each other, the CF's image will appear to be a higher magnification, or "closer in". To get the FF to capture an image that seems as close-in as the CF, you'll get less DOF by having to have been closer.

Not sure on the live-view comparison between 40D and 50D. The 50D has a LCD that is far more high-resolution than the 40D's, so for narrow-DOF work I'd give the 50D the edge. The issue as I see it is that anything you'd want to use live-view for would involve fine-focus adjustment on a tripod, which sort of negates the advantages of the 50D's better LCD. I certainly wouldn't consider it a selling point for the 50D. You'll probably be wanting to use the viewfinder anyways.

[vincent_su]

Thanks John.
I do have a macro rail and am planning on combining the manual focus and the rail then using live view for determe the best focus point(s).
Sounds like 50D would be a better choice given IQ about the same as 40D, right?

[Ook]

Hi vincent,

If you mean the 50D being a better choice than the 5D2, then I agree. I'm sure that the 5D2 would do very well just about anywhere you put it, but for primarily macro usage I don't think it's worth the extra money. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if, having both, you used the 50D for all of your macro work.

If you're torn between the 50D and 40D, I can't really provide any input; I'm sure either would be great. At this stage, lighting and technique are quite a bit more important, as I'm sure you already know.

[vincent_su]

John,
That's correct. For macro, I'm sure that 5D II is capable but 40D and 50D will do just fine at much lower cost.
Although I do have plan to move to FF eventually, my current investment will be on good glasses.
Happy shooting.

[dpastern]

Won't make a difference. I shoot mostly macro on a Mark IIn (1.3x crop), many of the really good photographers in the macro section shoot with Canon's 1.6x crop cameras (40D/30D/20D etc).

I personally wouldn't touch a 5D Mark II for a variety of reasons.

Dave

[Lester Wareham]

Obviously you need more magnification to fill the frame with a full frame (or 1.3X crop) than with a 1.6X crop.

On the other-hand, if you are working with ambient light at higher ISOs the larger formats should give better noise performance.

Cancelling that out slightly is; because the larger format needs more magnification this causes more light loss.

So seat of the pants analysis:

The light moss due to magnification is approximately, (M+1)^2, so taking the case of FF (crop factor 1) and a crop factor 1.6 camera like the 50D, then we get the below plot showing the additional light loss in stops for full frame over 1.6X crop.

For the same technology a FF camera will have almost a 0.7 stop advantage in noise performance [log(1.6)/log(2)], so all being equal FF might be worth it for subjects that need less than 0.8X magnification on a crop camera.

Hopefully this is helpful and not bewildering! :)

[r.morales]

With the 5d II you are looking at being able to blow-up , crop , magnify more .
Depends on what you are shooting , where , and if you are going to upgrade to FF sometime . A 60 macro is efs where a 100 macro is EF .
A 5D II will hold more value the the 50D .
Always go for this best you can afford .

[Dan-]

With the 5d II you are looking at being able to blow-up , crop , magnify more .
Depends on what you are shooting , where , and if you are going to upgrade to FF sometime . A 60 macro is efs where a 100 macro is EF .
A 5D II will hold more value the the 50D .
Always go for this best you can afford .
By this logic he's best off buying a 1D3 or a used 1Ds2.