Hi everybody,
I'm thinking of getting a FF body (always have to have something more...) I'm looking at a 5DI or 1Ds I or II. I think the 5D will be more light and compact than the 1D bodies. I don't really need a body with a good AF system because I also have a 7D.
Is there a significant difference in image quality between these bodies the justify the bulkiness and weight?
What do yo all think?
André
No. The biggest image quality difference is the slightly improved dynamic range and pattern noise in the 1Ds models over the 5D.Originally Posted by Harfang
But autofocus is not the only other factor. There are a host of other features that the 5D lacks, such as weather sealing, response time, no mirror reflection issues, less viewfinder dust, etc. Read the full 1Ds2 review on this site for more information.
The 1Ds I is pretty old technology. I'd be pretty hesitant of that. Slow short buffer, poor ISO performance and so on. I've never shot the 5DI but it was was pretty spectacular IQ for it's time and probably holds up well today except for pixel count. With that said I know a pro who still shoots the 5DI and his images were rejected by a book publisher. i thought that was BS but they did it. The 1DsII I can attest to, I still own one and the IQ is terrific up to ISO 800. It will go higher but... The AF is great, the buffer can be a small issue but I rarely pinned it. The build quality is a dream even though it is pretty heavy but feels really awesome in your hands. It's 16.7 MP meets the industry standard of 16MP that I guess Getty set. Another really cool thing is, if you set the CFn so you are using 11 AF points, you can spot meter at any of those points. This is really awesome. I really like the the 1DsII, I have the 5DII and now a 5DIII and am trying to justify/afford keeping the 1DsII. If you decide you want one I may be swayed to sell mine. It only has 23,000 clicks.
Last edited by Keith B; 05-05-2012 at 04:52 AM.
I usually start with Bryan's reviews and actually go past the one I'm looking at to see what improvements they thought needed to be made in the next body version. Of course all that does is make me want that body instead.
What is the primary purpose for the new body? Is it gonna be getting rained on a lot, or is it just more of an inside gig? The biggest problem you might get in to is the small amount of pixels you have at your disposal. You might see the new shots as being soft or wishing you had more to play with on such a big sensor. Lots of weddings were shot with any of those though. Any chance of you spending a little more and getting a refurbished 5dII for around $1475? Menus and button placement are more compatible with the 7d. Buying something too far down the line (like a 1ds) from somebody means you're gonna need new shutters and prolly a new battery. Just some thoughts.
Words get in the way of what I meant to say.
I contemplated this for ages a few months ago, 5D vs 1Ds2, then the 5D3 was announced, and then I just bought an EOS 3 yesterday instead.
Last time I looked (which was before the 5D3 was announced, so i'm presuming pricing has changed a bit since), the 5D was tracking around $600-900 depending on condition, and the 1Ds2 was going for $1200-1600 (5D2s at the time were going $1500 and up).
Anyway, I personally think the extra cash is worth it for the 1Ds2, if you can live with the gripped body (I'd need a new bag if I got one though).
Batteries and shutter counts, you'll have to be wary of them no matter which body you buy. Sure, there's a higher chance that a 1Ds2 has been used to death by a pro, but there's also some around that are in collector-condition. Same for a 5D, chances are it's got a lower shutter count because it's more likely to have been a consumer's, but it could be just on the blink of crapping out too.
So if the condition of the bodies you get to choose from are about the same, i'd be picking the 1Ds2 for the much better AF, build, sealing, and those extra few MP...
An awful lot of electrons were terribly inconvenienced in the making of this post.
Gear Photos
The 1Ds also utilizes ETTL, NOT ETTL II. If you use a speedlight, this is a big issue IMO. I am a part time pro and still using the 5D. The IQ is still great even if it is considered old technology. Bryan once compared the 5D -vs- the 1Ds II. I can not seem to find the link to his review but the difference in IQ was very small. Several years ago Shootsmarter.com had a DSLR shootout where the cameras were compared for skin tone reproduction only. The 5D came in first and the 1Ds came in last. Not that there was much difference but I downloaded the full files and there is a difference. I also have a 1DmkIIn. This camera is very similar to the 1DsmkII. The only thing that has kept me from getting a 1DsmkII is the screen on the back. So small
Mark
THis is the toughest thing about the 1DsmkII. The screen is small, not color accurate, so low res that even zoomed in you can't tell if you hit focus. It shows the images as having more contrast than they actually do. Once you get to know it though, it is kind of fun not relying on the LCD. Sort of like film days...a little. Usually when I look at the LCD, I'll think it looks pretty good and then when I pull it up on the computer I am blown away with the results.The only thing that has kept me from getting a 1DsmkII is the screen on the back. So small
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