Help me choose (5dc or 5d2)

Lol its funny when I read that they like to have a great big screen to check focus. What can appear to be in focus on any screen today can be off when viewed on a actual monitor.

^ Yup. Even with my previous 7D, the LCD screen was for composition and the histogram. That's it. No way will I try and judge sharpness on one of those things.

You like it or not, that 3 inch (or 2.5 inch) little screen is your only feedback after you press the shutter button.
I like it to be the best 3 inch I can get.
Yes, xperience gives you confidence of what you are doing, but still, unless you shoot tethered to a computer, is your only window to judge the image.
On the 5DC you can only see blinkis when in histogram mode, and that thumbnail gets pretty small when in histogram.
On a 2.5 in screen that is pretty criminal IMO

I own the 5Dc and have also shot with the 5D2. If you're shooting in the dark a lot the mark ii is going to be way better. I also feel that the 5D2 makes for cleaner looking photos. I think the 5Dc has a more grain or film like quality to it, which can also be nice. Coming from a crop sensor I quickly learned that you need nice glass even on the 5Dc. You can't just grab the nifty fifty and shoot f/1.8 indoors and expect nice photos. A rebel XTi will do a better job with that lens at f/1.8.

?

There's nothing wrong with the nifty fifty on a 5D

kdavison007 wrote in post #13271382
I own the 5Dc and have also shot with the 5D2. If you're shooting in the dark a lot the mark ii is going to be way better. I also feel that the 5D2 makes for cleaner looking photos. I think the 5Dc has a more grain or film like quality to it, which can also be nice. Coming from a crop sensor I quickly learned that you need nice glass even on the 5Dc. You can't just grab the nifty fifty and shoot f/1.8 indoors and expect nice photos. A rebel XTi will do a better job with that lens at f/1.8.

It's harder for me to nail focus now that I went FF. The AF->Recompose->Shoot just doesn't work for me. I've started going to AF->Recompose->FTM Focus->Shoot.

Still can't do it with great success wide open though...

Also, a Nifty would be great on a 5DII. I'd say better than the XTi just because your FOV is wider than on the APS-C sensor.

kdavison007 wrote in post #13271382
... You can't just grab the nifty fifty and shoot f/1.8 indoors and expect nice photos. A rebel XTi will do a better job with that lens at f/1.8.

I have Rebel and 5Dc. IMO, Nifty-Fifty is total waste on Rebel and very adequate lens on 5Dc.
I get constantly asked by another photographers which lens (50 1.8 II) and body (5Dc) I used for shots people find interesting.

kdavison007 wrote in post #13271382
I own the 5Dc and have also shot with the 5D2. If you're shooting in the dark a lot the mark ii is going to be way better. I also feel that the 5D2 makes for cleaner looking photos. I think the 5Dc has a more grain or film like quality to it, which can also be nice. Coming from a crop sensor I quickly learned that you need nice glass even on the 5Dc. You can't just grab the nifty fifty and shoot f/1.8 indoors and expect nice photos. A rebel XTi will do a better job with that lens at f/1.8.

lol...you should check out the nifty fifty archive and see the photos produced with the 5dc... just saying...

sixrox wrote in post #13268918
These responses are so great that my decision is even HARDER now! :O I've nailed it down to functionality and the fact that the 5d screen can only be used for composition is a real killer. I mean checking focus is really important to me. Are all the 5d screens bad or just really old ones? This 5d classic I might buy is a fairly new one, but I haven't seen it yet.

You can, in fact, use the screen to check focus, just realize it's a review, after you've taken the shot, not a preview, using Live view. Hey, this is the way things were 5 years ago -- if you wanted to check your focus, you took a shot, and then pressed the "Zoom In" button a few times!

You know, you didn't hear many (if any) complaints about the 5D AF until the 5D2 was released along with a bunch of Nikons that had some great AF capabilities. Until then, the 40D "competed" with the 5DC along the lines of AF, because the 40D had all nine "cross-type" AF points, but 40D users reported problems with the AF. The 5DC, though, has a superior Center Point setup, and the outer points really are usable in decent light!

Yeah, it looks like it will combine awesome IQ with awesome performance -- although I don't think it will fully replace either the full frame 1Ds or the crop 1D, but hey, time will tell.

I will give you my opinion.
Like you I had this same decision a little over a year ago.
I borrowed someone's 5D2 and it was great, I really liked it.
But I had a budget, cause I wanted a nice lens to go with it.

In my opinion, they are pretty much the same when taking a picture in broad daylight and than printing the picture on paper. But obviously the 5D2 is a better camera... and yeah I would like a bigger and better screen and better ISO performances. But I am really happy with my decision. I can sell my 5DC right now for exactly what I pay for it... while if I would sell the 5D2 when the 5D3 comes out I would lose some money. Also, buying the 5DC allowed me to buy a 24-105 and speedlite 430EXII. It was a great decision, it is amazing that it is still a great camera... I mean it still takes great pictures quality wise and the ISO performance is still pretty good considering the age.

That being said... I'd rather have a 5D2 and a 50 1.4 and a 85 1.8 asap than a 5DC with 24-70.
(but a 5D2 with those 2 lenses is more expensive than 5DC)
You can't go wrong either way

I made the right decision last year but I wanted a L walkaround lens, and if I sell everything right now, I wouldn't lose more than a few bucks. So you will be fine either way.

Good luck

I shoot with 5DII's. I had the 5D, before.

I needed better high ISO performance which is why I went to the 5DII. After getting one I realized the following, useful, features.

Bigger LCD. I could now easily and more quickly review images for blinkies and histogram. The 5D was terrible due to its size.

Microadjust. Didn't seem necessary with the 5D. The 5DII, all my primes have been MA'd. I seriously believe MA allowed Canon to build cameras with poorer tolerance, which mandated the inclusion of MA. Stil, a good thing to have.

The ISO in the viewfinder. A minor but appreciated addition.

Dust Removal. I used to clean my 5D sensor quite often. Haven't done it, yet with any of my 5DII's.

At least 1 stop better high ISO, which was the reason I bought the 5DII.

Liveview... useful for deliberate shooting from a tripod unless in bright sunlight where it washes out.

Menu system... couldn't care less. I'm never in there.

More pixels....significantl​y more....... great if you need/like to crop and/or print large.

That's all I can think of, at the moment.

bohdank wrote in post #13272593
At least 1 stop better high ISO, which was the reason I bought the 5DII.

Paolo.Leviste wrote in post #13268865
If you need higher iso than 800, get the 5dii. I an shapely comfortable shooting at 1600 or even 3200. If you don't need that higher iso performance, then a classic is a great buy.

borism wrote in post #13269099
Much better High ISO Low light performance (big one here if the rest doesn't move you )

I don't agree with the above, it "seems" better in practice, but I think maybe because we've been tricked by canon marketing and the high tech feel of the newer camera. imo it pushes better at high ISO, yes, but at a baseline ISO comparison level, see for yourself (I have both)

Make sure your eyes are at the same level as the centre of your screen before looking at this. Photos are RAW conversions with all settings at zero/disabled

kdavison007 wrote in post #13271382
A rebel XTi will do a better job with that lens at f/1.8.

Doubtful.

tonylong wrote in post #13271940
You know, you didn't hear many (if any) complaints about the 5D AF until the 5D2 was released along with a bunch of Nikons that had some great AF capabilities. Until then, the 40D "competed" with the 5DC along the lines of AF, because the 40D had all nine "cross-type" AF points, but 40D users reported problems with the AF. The 5DC, though, has a superior Center Point setup, and the outer points really are usable in decent light!
.

I think it's sample dependent. I had a 40D that had about 95% accuracy in AI Servo mode - better than both my 1 series. I say had, because after a trip to Canon for an unrelated issue, the hit rate dropped to about 25%. They ruined the camera

I find the 40D's system is more sensitive than the 5D2's system. The 5D2 centre point seems a bit more consistent. Consistently mediocre, but consistent nonetheless.

Smorter, I wont debate your findings as you have both 5D and 5D2
My humble experience were that at 1250 and above ISO the 5D2 files were smother and less splotchier keeping more detail (whatever that means to you)
I used to own a 5D and have played with a 5D2 a couple of times and always was happier with the 5D2 files, smoother, noise was pleasant and workable (but again not comparing equal shots at the same condition of both cameras, simply working with the camera in general)
At lower ISO both cameras were extremely close in noise, even there, arriving at 620 and 800 I see the 5D2 to have a bit nicer gradient in color plus the files had a bit more detail when cropping.
Again, the 5D delivers great IQ, but IMO the 5D2 when pressed on low light was nicer.