An unexpected benefit of high ISO performance?

I've been using my 6D for nighttime photography and with use of my Lee big stopper lately. I knew from the first day that the ISO performance compared to my 5d2 would make for cleaner shots.

One thing I was not expecting was how this affects live view performance. It seems as though the 6d is able to apply much more gain to the LV image making it vastly easier to compose and even live view focus in dim situations.

I wish I could test then side by side to see the difference, but in my general observations, it seems like a large difference. Even at dusk using a 10 sto nd filter, my live view is as bright as day. Amazing! I always struggled with focusing and composing on my 5d2 with the big stopper on there even in good light. I usually had to take it off to set it up.

It also seems to help with focusing landscapes at night using my headlamp to light targets.

Anyone else notice this? I have never once heard this benefit mentioned.

AFAIK the 5DII has very poor low light LV performance compared with other cameras. I don't think it is just the sensor, although it can't hurt to have a better sensor, but my t1i is much, much better than the 5DII in this regard. haven't used LV on my 7D in the dark, so don't know how that compares.

I think the 5DII just has very noisy amplifiers for the LV. I did read about this a long while ago where I think that was stated to be the issue. I think because the 5Dc didn't even have LV Canon hadn't really though about the necessity of good amplifiers (or maybe they just skimped out and the 1-series of the time had good LV in the dark).

If Canon have further improved LV in the dark, that is indeed something that I would consider a definite plus and also something that I have not heard discussed. I guess it's a bit 'niche' but for those of use that use it (all landscape photogs should be out there pre-dawn!) it's a significant help. It's one of my major dislikes of the 5DII and I've missed shots because of it - not getting the focus spot-on in twilight when your taking multi-minute exposures and don't get a second chance.

Canon_Lover wrote in post #16128978
Even at dusk using a 10 sto nd filter, my live view is as bright as day. Amazing!

I rarely use live view but yes, that may be an unexpected benefit

I know it sounds crazy, but I find that the LV of my 7D copes better with low light than my 5DII. In daylight I can usually compose and focus via LV on my 7D with a heavy ND filter on the lens; with the 5DII, the filter has to come off. And yet my 5DII generally gives me cleaner files at just about any ISO.

For 5D II users, get Magic Lantern. You can apply LV compensations.and it works great!

After This My LV Can rival 6D Regarding the overall brightness of the Live View, So it makes i quite easy to compose even With a 10 Stop filter attached. It might be a little more noisy on the screen than 6D/7D/5DIII, but it's just a minor inconvenience for me anyway

Well the 5d2 might be bad for this, but the d800 I owned was the worste by a long shot.

With a bare lens in a room with one light on, live view was super struggling to stay alive.

That has to be the most pathetic attempt at live view ever made. Surprising for a "landscape" camera.


Anyway. The 6d at night has been a champ! I can sometimes get the phase detect AF to lock under starlight at higher elevations.

Tmuussoni wrote in post #16131278
For 5D II users, get Magic Lantern. You can apply LV compensations.and it works great!

Thanks for the info - I didn't know ML could do that! I'll definitely give it a go.

Canon_Lover wrote in post #16128978
I always struggled with focusing and composing on my 5d2 with the big stopper on there even in good light. I usually had to take it off to set it up.

I was the same exact way when I owned the 5D2. When I put my B+W 10-stop ND filter on, I would have to remember to focus beforehand since the LV screen would basically be black. But with my 5D3, I'm still able to focus via LV with the ND filter on. I also really appreciate when I'm doing astrophotography at night that I can still focus via LV in pitch dark. Although I do need the aid of a flashlight to help attain focus in some instances.