I’ve been using a Canon XSi / 450D and have just upgraded to the 5D mark II. It’s the first time I’ve had a full frame camera since changing to digital.
![450d5dii.jpg]()
It all started when I decided to upgrade my lens! (No wonder they say lenses can be expensive
) I was impressed with the IQ of photos taken with the 17-55 f2.8 IS USM but I looked at the price and noticed it was a good chunk of the price of the 24-105 L. The 17-55 didn’t have a lens hood either and when you added that, the price wasn’t that different. (At the moment the prices are about the same without the hood.) Then I wondered about getting the 24-105 instead and just using that on my 450D for a while. However, I’m going on a special visit to Israel in about a year, and felt that that lens wouldn’t be wide enough on my existing camera, so after several weeks of deliberations, and having had in mind that I would eventually go FF when I could, I decided to change now.
VirtualRain did a thread comparing his T1i / 500D with the 7D he’d just bought and as I found that very interesting and useful I thought I’d do a (very subjective) follow up with this pair of cameras. I tried to keep it to a similar theme as VR’s.
Random thoughts:
• I love the IQ of the photos from this camera. Really looking forward to getting out and about with it.
• The 5D mark II is almost exactly the same weight as the 7D, and about twice as heavy as the 450D. It’s interesting, I always thought I wanted a small camera as I’m a petite person with small hands but I have to admit, the 5DII feels very snug and the grip is very comfortable. In fact, I also handled the 7D in the shop but much preferred the feel of the 5DII. The grip is a bit different and there’s a slight groove in it where your middle finger naturally settles and gives it that made-to-measure feel! It’s a camera I can really grow into.
• The viewfinder is much brighter than the 450D. It covers 98% as opposed to 95% on the 450D (and 100% on the 7D).
• I don’t like the strap. I put up with using the one with Canon printed down the length of it for the 450D but it seems a bit pretentious to brandish a strap saying Canon 5D Mark II so it’s still in the box.
• I really like the quick control dial and the multi controller at the back. They make changing the settings very intuitive. The LCD panel at the top’s pretty nifty too.
The following photos were all taken at f5.6 for 10 seconds on manual. Tungsten White Balance. The ones taken with the 5DII were resized using Preview on my MBP before uploading. The illumination is one tea light which I put in a bowl on the table and positioned the camera so that the flame could not be seen. There was a small amount of reflected light in the clouds outside from the nearby town which is behind you as you look at the scene in the photograph. Not as much as these photos would have you believe though. Default noise reduction was used. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions!
XSi/450D at 1600 ISO (max)
![450d160010secs56.jpg]()
5DII at 1600 ISO
![5dii160010secs56.jpg]()
5DII at 3200 ISO
![5dii320010secs56.jpg]()
5DII at 6400 ISO
![5dii640010secs56.jpg]()
I took the 5DII with me when I went to London recently. Granted it was in a bag that was slung over one shoulder but I was surprised how light it felt in the bag when I set out. I was also surprised at how heavy it felt by the time I got home! A friend has got me a Domke F-5XB bag which I’ll pick up when I go to the States next month which I can wear cross-body. Need to get out and get fitter!
I was going to keep the 450D. The above photograph may be a little unfair as it was pushing it to its limits and I’ve been happy with it, but I think I’ll have to sell it for a new tripod. The current one (which ‘arrived’ when we got married!) isn’t up to supporting the 5DII. It was okay for the purpose of this shot, but as soon as I point the camera downwards the head won’t hold it.
Hope this is useful to someone. Any questions, please ask, or comparison shots while I've still got them both. I've only just got the 5DII so I'm deep into learning at the moment.
It all started when I decided to upgrade my lens! (No wonder they say lenses can be expensive
) I was impressed with the IQ of photos taken with the 17-55 f2.8 IS USM but I looked at the price and noticed it was a good chunk of the price of the 24-105 L. The 17-55 didn’t have a lens hood either and when you added that, the price wasn’t that different. (At the moment the prices are about the same without the hood.) Then I wondered about getting the 24-105 instead and just using that on my 450D for a while. However, I’m going on a special visit to Israel in about a year, and felt that that lens wouldn’t be wide enough on my existing camera, so after several weeks of deliberations, and having had in mind that I would eventually go FF when I could, I decided to change now. VirtualRain did a thread comparing his T1i / 500D with the 7D he’d just bought and as I found that very interesting and useful I thought I’d do a (very subjective) follow up with this pair of cameras. I tried to keep it to a similar theme as VR’s.
Random thoughts:
• I love the IQ of the photos from this camera. Really looking forward to getting out and about with it.
• The 5D mark II is almost exactly the same weight as the 7D, and about twice as heavy as the 450D. It’s interesting, I always thought I wanted a small camera as I’m a petite person with small hands but I have to admit, the 5DII feels very snug and the grip is very comfortable. In fact, I also handled the 7D in the shop but much preferred the feel of the 5DII. The grip is a bit different and there’s a slight groove in it where your middle finger naturally settles and gives it that made-to-measure feel! It’s a camera I can really grow into.
• The viewfinder is much brighter than the 450D. It covers 98% as opposed to 95% on the 450D (and 100% on the 7D).
• I don’t like the strap. I put up with using the one with Canon printed down the length of it for the 450D but it seems a bit pretentious to brandish a strap saying Canon 5D Mark II so it’s still in the box.
• I really like the quick control dial and the multi controller at the back. They make changing the settings very intuitive. The LCD panel at the top’s pretty nifty too.
The following photos were all taken at f5.6 for 10 seconds on manual. Tungsten White Balance. The ones taken with the 5DII were resized using Preview on my MBP before uploading. The illumination is one tea light which I put in a bowl on the table and positioned the camera so that the flame could not be seen. There was a small amount of reflected light in the clouds outside from the nearby town which is behind you as you look at the scene in the photograph. Not as much as these photos would have you believe though. Default noise reduction was used. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions!
XSi/450D at 1600 ISO (max)
5DII at 1600 ISO
5DII at 3200 ISO
5DII at 6400 ISO
I took the 5DII with me when I went to London recently. Granted it was in a bag that was slung over one shoulder but I was surprised how light it felt in the bag when I set out. I was also surprised at how heavy it felt by the time I got home! A friend has got me a Domke F-5XB bag which I’ll pick up when I go to the States next month which I can wear cross-body. Need to get out and get fitter!
I was going to keep the 450D. The above photograph may be a little unfair as it was pushing it to its limits and I’ve been happy with it, but I think I’ll have to sell it for a new tripod. The current one (which ‘arrived’ when we got married!) isn’t up to supporting the 5DII. It was okay for the purpose of this shot, but as soon as I point the camera downwards the head won’t hold it.
Hope this is useful to someone. Any questions, please ask, or comparison shots while I've still got them both. I've only just got the 5DII so I'm deep into learning at the moment.
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