70d user with 5d mkii opportunity...

Hi guys, I've recently been tasked with selling my deceased Uncle's camera equipment and amongst the junk and old Nikon bodies found a boxed 5d mkii with 24-105mm kit lens (reasonable shutter count). For sentimental reasons I'm tempted to buy the 5d mkii myself and use it as an opportunity to move to full frame.

I bought the 70d a while ago and have enjoyed it. The main reason for purchase was video (chasing my children around) but it has largely been used for pictures (planes, cars and cityscapes). I realise the focus points on the mkii aren't as strong but would like to hear what you would do in my position?

Lenses I own:

EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS (the first one)
EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 USM Lens
EF 50mm f1.4 USM Lens - possibly my favourite alongside the 70-200
EF-S 28mm f2.8 pancake
EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS
EF 100-400mm (the first one)

As a 7D/5DII owner I strongly recommend picking up the 5DII. The two cameras shine in different areas and complement one another perfectly. If you can get a decent price, go for it.

If you can pick it up for less than a 6D with 24-105 I'd say go for it.

All around just do it, I'd say.

Thanks guys, if I were to keep just one camera would your view change?

sa_20v wrote in post #18026249
Thanks guys, if I were to keep just one camera would your view change?

Depends on what you want to shoot. The standard answer crop=anything that moves and FF=landscapes, portraits, things stationary applies.

If I had to keep only one of my cameras, I would keep the 5DII as my favorite subjects tend to be still or move slowly. I rarely do action stuff.

gjl711 wrote in post #18026262
Depends on what you want to shoot. The standard answer crop=anything that moves and FF=landscapes, portraits, things stationary applies.

If I had to keep only one of my cameras, I would keep the 5DII as my favorite subjects tend to be still or move slowly. I rarely do action stuff.

Agreed, I think the only thing I'm worried about is the lack of focus points but perhaps I've watched too many mkiii vs mkii videos!

If I sell the 70d and EF-S lenses I should be able to cover the cost. I'll miss the 10-22mm but suspect there's a nice EF wide-angle I can buy instead (17-40?).

Heya,

Well, I for one, and this is just my experience, don't really care about having tons of focus points. I've done birding with the same old AF system on my 5D (note the 5Dc & 5D2 have the same AF system), and my 7D and 1D series, totally different beasts. But, I don't use anything other than the center point for virtually anything, I'm just used to it. Having a bunch of different AF points hasn't really made a difference for what I do, so using an old antequated 5D AF system or an advanced 1D system doesn't change things for me. So I still enjoy using my 5D. I like the sensor size relationship with focal lengths more than on APS-C for almost everything. And I just like the files more.

If you're hardcore into video, then keep the 70D.

But if you're not, then the 5D2 is what you want to keep. And then just slowly swap glass out.

Very best,

Ok, only one camera between the two? then I'd keep the 70D - but I do more than center point focus. If you live off of center point, then go for the 5D2.

No, you haven't watched to many videos. the 5D2 will lock and beep on an outer point, but there is a percentage of those that are NOT in focus when you get back to the computer. Bright sunlight - ok, anything else, and it is a crap shoot.

Thanks for all the advice. I've spent the last few days running them back to back and cannot decide between them...yet. I'll post back here when I've made a decision with my reasons for it (it could be a coin toss though as both have their merits!).

Or should I just get a 5d mkiii (and be berated by the girlfriend)!

5Dii > 70D. It's really nice to shoot 50mm and having it behave like 50mm.

I'm surprised your uncle's family would be selling it? I'm giving my stuff away to family should I ever pass..... what type of price are you looking at?

I guess I don't know what that means to say "a lens acts like it supposed to". I don't really have a mental view of what XXmm should look like, I just make sure I have all focal lengths available and shoot at whatever framing I need with whatever format I shoot with. Having somebody tell me that "the 135mm shoots like a 135mm on a FF" isn't very helpful as I consider formats.

If the option exists to get the 5D3, I would definitely take the 5D3 over the 5D2 or 70D.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #18034147
I guess I don't know what that means to say "a lens acts like it supposed to". I don't really have a mental view of what XXmm should look like, I just make sure I have all focal lengths available and shoot at whatever framing I need with whatever format I shoot with. Having somebody tell me that "the 135mm shoots like a 135mm on a FF" isn't very helpful as I consider formats.

If the option exists to get the 5D3, I would definitely take the 5D3 over the 5D2 or 70D.

The marketing for the EF 50mm F1.4 is a "Standard" lens. It's certainly NOT a "standard" lens when mated with the 70D.

What does "standard" mean exactly? I deal with 4-5 Canon shooters right now, I can tell you that if I said either "the 50mm is a standard lens", or I said "if you use the 50mm on a FF, you are going to get a true 50mm view", they wouldn't understand either comment.

It only makes sense to those that have experience shooting both formats, and even then, that is questionable in many cases.

Finally there is no real focal length for a "standard" (ie. you get roughly what you see with just your eyes), because there is no set focal length that people "see" with. You could probably label "40mm to 60mm" as standard, depending on who you use as a test case.

In this case of the OP, the person will only be able to use 3 of the lenses they own with the 5D2 (or 5D3), along with the newly acquired 25-105. Yes, shooting the 50mm on the FF will now yield a frame that is wider than what was experienced with the 70D.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #18034147
I guess I don't know what that means to say "a lens acts like it supposed to". I don't really have a mental view of what XXmm should look like, I just make sure I have all focal lengths available and shoot at whatever framing I need with whatever format I shoot with. Having somebody tell me that "the 135mm shoots like a 135mm on a FF" isn't very helpful as I consider formats.

If the option exists to get the 5D3, I would definitely take the 5D3 over the 5D2 or 70D.

Spoken as someone who has used many different formats. I too think the whole mm thing is a non-issue but that's because I have shot very small and very large formats and have always used the VF as my guide.