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Canon EOS 5DsR/5Ds: My Experience

March 5, 2016 G Dan Mitchell 8 Comments

These days I use the Canon EOS 5DsR for much of my photography — particularly my landscape, nature, wildlife, and long-exposure night photography. Since people often ask me about the camera, I have decided to offer this write-up. I’ll try to cover some things about the camera that work well for me, acknowledge one or two very small issues, and consider the kinds of photographers for whom it (or its near-twin, the Canon EOS 5Ds) might be a great choice. (This isn’t the first time I’ve written about aspects of this camera’s performance, and I have included a list of some of my other posts near the end of this article.)

The 5Ds and 5DsR are both 51 megapixel (MP) full frame DSLR bodies from Canon. They currently provide the highest sensor resolution available from a full frame digital camera and, as such, are targeted to photographers who need particularly high image resolution and who will photograph and post-process in ways that provide this. The 5DsR cancels the effect of the anti-aliasing filter found in the 5Ds — more on that subject below.

It is probably fair to say that the main attraction of these cameras is that high-resolution sensor, a fact that might lead some photographers to ask whether or not they will be able to take advantage of the high-resolution. Compared to earlier 5D-series cameras, the 5Ds/5DsR provide some other improvements, too. The autofocus (AF) system has been updated, noise handling is very good, and the camera produces high dynamic range files that can be pushed and pulled quite a bit in post. Some updates have been made to the hardware and software interface of the camera, too.

Two Sandhill Cranes in Flight — A pair of lesser sandhill cranes in flight above California’s San Joaquin Valley

Sensor Resolution

There is no question that these cameras can produce very high-resolution images. Photographers who work carefully and who make very large prints will be pleased. I have made test prints equivalent to 30″ x 45″ prints that look very good and it is possible to go even larger. However, before you jump at the highest resolution full frame camera purely on the basis of higher resolution, you should ask yourself a few serious questions.

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Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Joining the Flock

March 5, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Ross’s geese descend through tule fog to join the flock

The drive to this location in mid-February was, in many ways, very typical. We were up before 4:00 am and quickly on the road in the darkness. An hour and a half later we turned on to the rural roads, and the first predawn color was coming to the sky — and, yes, it was still fairly clear. Soon, however, we began to drive through fog banks so thick that we had to slow, with visibility measured in feet. What had been a highway-speed drive quickly changed to a 15mph crawl as we watched intently for obstacles or other vehicles.

We arrived at our destination, still in very thick tule fog, and got out to get organized for photography. As we drove a gravel road around the area we occasionally caught glimpses of small birds near the route, but the only evidence of larger birds was their distant cries. Eventually we arrived at a spot where we could hear more birds, and occasionally a few would fly close enough that we could see them momentarily. But they remained out of sight as we waited. Eventually a slight breeze began to shift the fog a bit and the flock became barely visible, though light from the rising sun produced a luminous glow. These five Ross’ geese dropped through the fog toward the flock below, with shapes that might make one think of angel wings.

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Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California

Sunrise, Marshland, Birds

March 4, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Thousands of migratory geese fly above foggy San Joaquin Valley marshland at dawn

On this late-February day we arrived at the wetlands well before dawn, slowed by heavy tule fog along the final miles of our route. The fog was thick but not deep, and while our horizontal view was obscured we could see that objects as short as utility poles extended above the fog layer. At our destination we finally stopped, and got out of the vehicle to set up camera equipment and to get the lay of the land.

Almost immediately flocks of geese began erupting from ponds and taking to the sky, thousands at a time. First a group nearby, then one far off to one side, then another at the distant edge of the refuge, and so on until the sky was filled with them. We thought that it was perhaps the greatest bird tumult that we had seen, and we had arrived just in time to see it. (Of course, only a few days later we experienced an even more monumental evening, with tens of thousands of geese and cranes.) At first we simply photographed the birds in the low light, but eventually I turned my attention to the landscape and made a few photographs across the tule ponds toward the first light developing above the Sierra crest far to our east.

Photographs: Flight, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Two Sandhill Cranes in Flight

March 3, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Two Sandhill Cranes in Flight A pair of lesser sandhill cranes in flight above California’s San Joaquin Valley

A pair of lesser sandhill cranes in flight above California’s San Joaquin Valley

Near the end of the winter migratory bird season in the San Joaquin Valley, where we photograph these birds all winter, the birds seem to collect in ever larger number and become more and more active, especially by this late-February period. On this morning visit to a favorite bird photography destination we found tens of thousands of Ross’ geese, along with many white-fronted geese and others, plus huge groups of lesser sandhill cranes. They became active shortly before dawn and didn’t stop until we departed hours later.

I have photographed the sandhill cranes here on many previous occasions, but this turned out to be one of my best opportunities yet to photograph them in the air. Large flocks were on the ground on both sides of the gravel road on which we were driving, and if we stopped in the right spots they would fly almost directly overhead and they moved from spot to spot. These are beautiful birds, graceful in their gliding flight with striking red patches on their heads, and an instantly recognizable cry.

G Dan Mitchell Photography

Canon EOS 5DsR/5Ds: My Experience

Joining the Flock

Sunrise, Marshland, Birds

Two Sandhill Cranes in Flight

Photographer and visual opportunist. Daily photos since 2005, plus articles, reviews, news, and ideas.