5DII Review.....comments please

http://www.amazon.com …OS3DRM/ref=cm_c​r_rdp_perm

The above is a review I just read at Amazon.
As a new 5DII owner I am curious to hear what the other photographers here think.

Thanks

Karl

Hmm - had my 5dii for almost a year and I'm very happy with it. The focus system is, IMHO, just fine. I realise it's not the best for sports etc, but I've done quite a bit of aviation with it (e.g. https://picasaweb.goog​le.com …klater/DuxfordS​ept4th2010) and it worked fine. Also, as far as I know, it's pretty much the same system as the 5dc. There are numerous threads on AF issues with nearly ever camera that you can buy - the 5dii included. I guess there is just copy variation and some people get unlucky

Dark rooms and fast lenses equals need for AF assist. My ST-E2 works like a charm for this. I love my 5DII, with that said, I wish it had AF on the perimeter points as good as the 40D, but it doesn't and I wasn't going to wait for the 5DIII at god knows how much more $

The focus system is pretty bad, but my experience with other Canon cameras it that other cameras ain't that much better. The 1 series for example, are much faster and customizable, but can be just as much of a crapshoot sometimes

The biggest issues people have with the 5D2 are that it's outer points are next to useless

This makes it very difficult to use when you need to compose off centre with fast primes (instead you have to rely on the undesirable "Focus recompose" method, or compose really loose and crop in Photoshop)

It also means for moving subjects, you have to centre them in the frame, meaning that you have to shoot them really wide to enable you to crop for your desired composition. Often this is of course not possible.

The 5D2's AF is sufficient for some photographers, but not all.

What is a real slap in the face though is that Nikon is able to equip its 1/3 the price obsolete D300 with its top of the line AF system (not to mention the D700,D3,D3S and D3X) but Canon puts this obsolete monstrosity on the 5D2.

smorter wrote in post #12369544
The focus system is pretty bad, but my experience with other Canon cameras it that other cameras ain't that much better.

Interesting thread here about 7d issues: https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1035777

It's not just Canon either - here is some whinging about the D7000: http://nikonrumors.com​/forum/topic.php?id=28​34

I will be selling mine to downgrade from Full frame to 1.6 crop. That's how much I hate AF system.

Buff_GUY wrote in post #12369578
I will be selling mine to downgrade from Full frame to 1.6 crop. That's how much I hate AF system.

You're mad!! Which crop camera has a guaranteed better AF system?

7D .

trickydan wrote in post #12369596
7D .

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1035777

Actually it might be the 60D! LOL

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1038158

Buff_GUY wrote in post #12369614
Actually it might be the 60D! LOL

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1038158

You could be right. 60d's system is basically the same as the 50d and 40d, and whilst these cameras don't have the most exciting AF system feature-wise, they do have a reputation for being reliable. However, I think apart from some slighter better outer focus points, the basic design is similar to that on the 5d/5dii.

I was also just thinking maybe I should get the 60D as a second body and sell the 5D when it's successor comes out!

Yes because if you downgrade to the 60D You will miss the better IQ of the 5 series

smorter wrote in post #12369675
Yes because if you downgrade to the 60D You will miss the better IQ of the 5 series

You are right, image quality is perfect when the AF works or whenever my eyes are working properly during Manual Focusing!

I graduated to 5DII from 5Dc about 2 weeks ago. Several noticeable differences:

Mark II has a much better LCD screen but I like the Classic's menu setting better.

I'm not seeing a whole lot of difference in the picture quality yet...this remains to be seen but I do think Mark II will allow for a larger print.

Shutter sounds are night and day different. Classic's deep tone mechanical sound to Mark II's lighter electronic pitch sound. I prefer the Classic.

Then again, my main purpose of the upgrade was for video. I do like the functionality of T2i's video mode with Magic Lantern firmware. But I will just have to get used to Mark II.