I shoot with a Canon 5D. It is a really fine camera for my purposes, and after a couple of years of fairly substantial usage it is still working quite well.
Canon recently introduced the 5D2, which appears to be a very fine upgrade to the 5D line in pretty much every important way that we could expect in a camera sold at this price point: 21 MP sensor, a high quality video mode, dust reduction features, bigger and better monitor, and so on.
I’ll almost certainly get one… in due time. I resolved to not be an early adopter of the new camera, for several reasons. Early adopters typically pay list price of more for their cameras. To the extent that some glitches are not always discovered in pre-release testing, it is not uncommon for the first production run to have a few “issues.” And, most important, my current camera works really, really well. The 5D2 could, indeed, be “better” in some ways, but not so much better that I must rush out and replace it immediately.
But now that the 5D2 seems to be reaching the retailers in larger numbers, I’m starting to see interesting deals. For example I saw a couple for $2700 that included immediate availability and free shipping. I saw another legitimate price that was even lower. There have been a couple of deals on the 5D2 bundled with the EF 24-105mm f/4 L. (Those won’t appeal to me since I already own that lens.)
Note to self: Be strong, Dan. :-)
If you are ready to buy your 5D2, you can purchase this product from B&H Photo via this link and help support this web site – thanks!
To update my 5D II story:
Oddly, after posting this “stay strong” message I ended up getting a 5D II much earlier than I had planned. What happened?
In an unexpected turn of events, while doing night photography in early 2009 the shutter on my original 5D – which was otherwise continuing to perform very well – died, forcing me to send the camera in to the Canon Factory Service Center. Although I had resigned myself to being virtually camera-less for a couple week, this happened at a time where I really wanted to be shooting. Several one-time events would occur during the time the camera was away, and it looked like I’d have to shoot them with inferior equipment.
I considered just getting a 5D II immediately, but had pretty much decided to hold off when I got some encouragement from a slightly unexpected source. My wife is a professional musician. She pointed out that she always has a backup instrument – and wondered why I didn’t have a backup camera. I thought more about the number of times when I go to great trouble and expense to be in a particular place to make photographs, and about how bad it would be if a problem like the one on the 5D occurred in one of those situations.
So, I decided to get a 5D II and keep the repaired 5D as my backup.
I do try to take my digital images carefully, from the composition to proper exposure and all. And in some ways, I think my digital images are superior to my film and yet there is something about film. I don’t know, maybe I am being biased towards film but I have some pictures where even though the composition is not the best, I just like the quality of the image better somehow, in though in most ways it seems like the quality of digital is better. And most of my favorite images are from film. I don’t know, maybe its like vinyl records versus CD’s. It seems like there is a different feel to it. Regardless, I think your comment is right on, that the two media are different and that different does not mean better or worse, just different. And in truth, I like them both and I don’t plan to give up either one in favor of the other. It’s all fun!
Cynthia, it seems to me that if the reason that you like the film images better is that you are more careful when setting up for them that the answer is applying the same working methods to digital! :-)
On the other hand, I’ve been told by one former large format photographer who now uses MF digital that he makes a lot more exposures with digital… and prefers it to film.
I guess I’m in the group who acknowledges that the two media are different but that different doesn’t necessarily mean better or worse – sometimes “different” is just “different.”
Dan
Yes, I am considering buying a used medium format camera at some point. The scanner I bought for scanning the XPan filem, the Epson Perfection V700 Photo scanner handles all these formats and does a decent job, scanning up to 6400 dpi optical. The other thing I have noticed, and I am not sure why, is that of all the pictures I have taken, both film and digital, my favorite pictures are from film. I have digital pictures that I like a lot but and in some ways, it seems like the digital pictures are superior in their crispness and sharpness to my film pictures and yet, there is something about my film pictures that I like more. Is it that since there is cost in the film that I am more careful in composing and taking the shot? Maybe, I don’t know. I don’t know. I’m not sure what it is but I still like film.
Film, eh? Actually, I had considered getting a medium format film camera at one point, thinking that eventually digital MF back will be available at a price that normal mortals can afford.
I want to buy the 5D2 as well but I am holding off for the moment as I don’t have the money for it unless I want to charge it. And i am still enjoying my 40D as well as shooting film. I may sound crazy like an out-to-lunch total loon with bats in the belfry but I bought a used Hasselblad XPan film camera last year and I love that thing. It has become my favorite camera at the moment. It’s a strange camera though. It is not an SLR and you look through a range finder to compose your picture as you have no view through the lens. I can’t tell you how many shots I have lost because I had the lens cap on when I took the shot and didn’t realize it. And I have to deal with getting the film developed as well as scanning it to get it into my computer. It’s all a lot of hassel right? :-) But the thing uses 35 mm film and takes a frame size almost equal to two frames of 35 mm to take a panoramic picture and it takes great pictures. Hasselblad quit making the thing a year or two ago and it’s kind of a shame because I am having a blast with it!
Rob, it sounds like we’re in pretty much the same situation. I also do have the cash for this… and I’m also thinking in the same three-month time frame. Complicating matters for me is the fact that I plan to get a larger and better printer and, depending upon what printer I decide on, its cost could be as much as that of the camera!
Thanks for your other comments that you left last night.
Dan
I should add your earlier posts on these issues are what confirmed my own instincts to hold off. While I wait, I’m shooting and developing more film.
I feel your pain Dan. I have the cash and its soooo tempting right now. I’m thinking 3 more months……..