I switched to the Canon 5D MarkII at the end of this past June of 2011. I was shooting with the Canon 20D before that and knew it was finally time to upgrade. I went with the 5dmii because it’s pretty much an industry standard. And I have not even once regretted my purchase. It’s a fabulous camera. I know enough technical stuff to more than work my way around my camera – I shoot all Manual – but not tooo much more than that. What I do know, however, is how my camera works from an artist’s point of view. And as a photographer, of course that’s really what matters to me :)
Here’s what I’ve noticed:
1. Images retain their color on the edges, especially in the sky. In the old days, I’d lose color in the sky when I properly exposed an image. The whole image would be exposed correctly and the sky would be a white blown out mess. It was so frustrating. With the 5DMarkII I find that instead I am able to properly expose an image, AND get blue in the sky (or whatever color in the highlights). This is so fabulous and exciting that I’d buy the camera knowing just this.
See how in this photo below, the sky is blue? That’s what I mean!
Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, California
2. I feel more comfortable presenting my images LARGE. This one is a no brainer, really. Once you realize that the 5DMarkII boasts 21 megapixels (although I usually shoot on the next setting down.. the medium RAW file size) and a full frame sensor, it’s hard to believe I could feel any other way. But really. It’s noticeable. I have no fear uploading larger images to my blog. They look fab.
See? This image of Orlando does itself justice when it’s a bit larger. And I’d be totally happy printing it even bigger. Woo! :)
3. The colors are fabulous. Oh, the colors. This baby packs a punch when it comes to getting those colors right. Sure, I could make it even better if I had even better lenses. Or film. Or … etc. etc. etc. But I am haaappy. Check those babies out:
4. Great night vision. This one’s a no brainer, too. But I can’t help myself continuing to appreciate how well my camera can “see in the dark.” I don’t like using flash or tripods and yet I always want to make sure my images are crisp, clear, and viewable. Nothing too dark or difficult to make out. And crisp. Always crisp. This camera more than fits the bill.
Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, California
5. The battery lasts forever. Which means you can take your camera with you all the way out into the mountains and never worry about not getting that shot. :)
This was taken in Bishop. At sunrise. After camping all day and night. And it might be one of my favorite personal photos of all time… just as the sun was rising over the mountain. :)
I hope my personal insights as a 5DmII shooter were helpful or interesting. If not, I’ll try again next time! :)
In the mean time, let’s stay friends: Facebook, RSS feed, Pinterest, Twitter :)
xo
S
show hide 4 comments