Tag Archives: canon

Commentary, Equipment, Reader Questions

A Few Thoughts On EVF Versus OVF Cameras

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This is one of my occasional posts adapted from something I wrote elsewhere but felt might we worth sharing here on the blog.

A person had asked about “switching” from a Canon DSLR to a Fujifilm mirrorless camera, and some others had replied with points about the ergonomics of the smaller cameras along with some comments about using electronic viewfinders (EVF) in place of optical viewfinders (OVF). Since I use both (OVF and EFV, Canon and Fujifilm) I thought my thoughts might be relevant. 

Note: A few details of the article were updated on March 8, 2018 to reflect more recent developments – for example, referring to contemporary products from companies mentioned here.

EDITING CURRENTLY UNDERWAY

If the goal is a smaller camera and you already are invested in a Canon DSLR system, one option is to consider one of the much smaller Canon bodies. I know a couple of serious photographers who use the little SL1 for travel and certain other kinds of photography, often with smaller and lighter lenses. This gives you a traditional SLR OVF if you are concerned about using an EVF.

Here are some thoughts about perceived/real potential “downsides” (from some perspectives”) of the Fujifilm x-trans cameras specifically and regarding mirrorless cameras in general:

The EVF — The EVF versus OVF issue is complicated and, in a number of ways, subjective. Early on there was a lot of resistance to the EVF products — I think it was a combination of resistance to something new along with the relatively poorer performance of the initial versions. (They were slow, had lower resolution, and generally did not provide as positive of an experience.) I had such cameras a long time ago. (Does anyone else recall the Canon Pro1 of a dozen years ago?) More recent EVFs are far better in every measurable way — though they still won’t be for ideal everyone.

EVFs have pluses and minuses. In the minus category…

  • they show you a video image of the world, rather than an optical view of the “actual” subject
  • as video devices they are never be truly realtime displays — there is always at least some display latency
  • it takes more battery power to drive a video display.

In the plus category…

  • they are usable in extremely low light due to exposure simulation
  • additional useful data can be overlaid on the scene image
  • useful focusing aids can be incorporated into the display, etc.
  • they can reduce the size/weight of the camera and permit use of smaller lenses

In the end, you simply have to try an EVF camera for a while. Lots of people are fine with them, and even some of us who prefer the quality of an OVF are happy to use EVF if it is part of a package that has other advantages for the kinds of photography we are doing. Continue reading A Few Thoughts On EVF Versus OVF Cameras →

Deals and Sales, Equipment, Reader Questions, Reviews

Canon EOS 5DsR/5Ds: My Experience

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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 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.)

Canon EOS 5Ds DSLR
Canon EOS 5Ds DSLR

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. Continue reading Canon EOS 5DsR/5Ds: My Experience →

Equipment, Reader Questions

Reader Question: 5Ds/5DsR Print Quality

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Reader “Tom” writes to ask:

I’ve read your reports on the 5Dsr.  I assume by now you have one?  Maybe you have different thoughts now, but you seem to point to the new body being good for large print/detail, but maybe not so great for fine art print. 

If that’s still the case, what would you opt for if leaning towards fine art prints, large, maybe a heavily cropped slice measuring say 16″ x 72″ or so? Minus a mf body. 

I’m looking to switch bodies and thinking the 5dsr or possibly the Nikon d810.  Just curious what your thoughts might be if you ever had time. Thanks.

Canon EOS 5Ds DSLR
Canon EOS 5Ds DSLR

It has been a while since I’ve written about the Canon 5DS and the 5DsR cameras here, but since you asked I’ll share more based on my extensive use of the 5DsR over the past months. I have used it to photography everything from landscapes to people to wildlife. I think I see several sub-questions here, so let me respond to each of them.

Are the 5DsR and  5DS good for large prints? Continue reading Reader Question: 5Ds/5DsR Print Quality →

Equipment, Ideas, Morning Musings, Thinking Aloud

Morning Musings: Canon and Mirrorless Cameras

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(It has been a while since I’ve written a “morning musings” post, but since I’ve been “musing” about Canon and mirrorless cameras over the past few days and learning a few things about the subject, it seems like time for another such post.)

Unless you’ve been under a rock for the past few years you are aware of the introduction of so-called mirrorless cameras by several manufacturers and of the increasing sophistication of these cameras. Their features typically include:

  • smaller and lighter bodies that may be reminiscent of older rangefinder film cameras.
  • the ability to allow use of smaller lens designs, due to the shorter distance between the lens mount and the sensor.
  • electronic viewfinders (EVFs) that can incorporate additional useful tools and information into the viewfinder display and which have advantages in low light.
  • designs and features that increasingly appeal to serious photographers.

There are still issues with these cameras, and while much progress has been made and will continue, they still lag behind DSLRs is some areas:

  • battery consumption rates tend to be quite high by comparison to DSLRs.
  • AF performance is uneven and in some cases quite slow.
  • EVFs have latency issues.
  • Not everyone is fond of looking at an EVF monitor instead of the “real” image on focusing screen.
  • With some systems (notably Sony) using a wide range of lenses will likely require the use of third-party adapters.

I’ve been using a Fujifilm X-trans mirrorless system for my travel and street photography for nearly three years. (Mine is a discontinued model, but if I were buying today I would get the Fujifilm XT1 or perhaps the Fujifilm XT10.) Virtually all of my street/travel photographs of the past two years were made with my Fujifilm camera and lenses.  For this photography, the small size and excellent quality of the system compensates for the slower AF speeds and the battery consumption issues.

More recently the Sony A7r and A7rII cameras have gotten a lot of attention. When first introduced, the A7r came with the highest MP full frame sensor then available. The cameras can use (with varying degrees of compatibility and functionality) a wide range of non-Sony lenses, and they have a number of the other pluses associated with mirrorless designs. Several landscape photographer friends use the A7r and A7rII bodies for their tripod-based, manual focus photography, and I know several street/travel photographers who like the system a lot.

Sony and Fujifilm are not the only companies moving in this direction. For example, Olympus and others produce some very fine small mirrorless cameras.

All of which leads to the question: “Where is Canon’s mirrorless offering?” (Or, “Is the EOS-M the best Canon can do?”) Continue reading Morning Musings: Canon and Mirrorless Cameras →