Potential replacement for canon 5D2

[NigelC]

I wonder, if your 5d2 was accidentally destroyed, you had enough investment in canon/zeiss lenses to stay with canon but didn't want to invest further in canon beyond simply being able to keep using your existing lenses, would you go for a 5d2 or a 6D, assuming web price of 6D comes down to parity?

Seems all you lose with 6D is no 1/8000 and one "C" setting. You gain more latitude in bracketing and the built in wireless. Plus/minus 5 stops bracketing is probably the most useful thing for me. Video (with this camera) is irrelevant.

Equally, the difference between 20.3 and 21.1 MP is insignificant, but could there be an improvement in shadow noise?

 

[Glenn NK]

I wonder, if your 5d2 was accidentally destroyed, you had enough investment in canon/zeiss lenses to stay with canon but didn't want to invest further in canon beyond simply being able to keep using your existing lenses, would you go for a 5d2 or a 6D, assuming web price of 6D comes down to parity?

Seems all you lose with 6D is no 1/8000 and one "C" setting. You gain more latitude in bracketing and the built in wireless. Plus/minus 5 stops bracketing is probably the most useful thing for me. Video (with this camera) is irrelevant.

Equally, the difference between 20.3 and 21.1 MP is insignificant, but could there be an improvement in shadow noise?

 

The ship may have a few holes and is listing a bit, but it hasn't sunk yet - and I suspect that it will not.

As Samuel Clemens wrote, ". . . the report of my death was an exaggeration".

http://www.twainquotes.com/Death.html

I'd get a 5DIII or a good reconditioned 5DII if I could find one.

Glenn

[David Sutton]

I'd consider a 5D2 and load it with Magic Lantern. I find the automatic exposure bracketing and on-screen clipping warnings are worth their weight in gold. It's like having a new camera.

[Glenn NK]

I'd consider a 5D2 and load it with Magic Lantern. I find the automatic exposure bracketing and on-screen clipping warnings are worth their weight in gold. It's like having a new camera.

I'm not very familiar with Magic Lantern - what exactly is it and what does it do with regard to clipping?

Glenn

[David Sutton]

I'm not very familiar with Magic Lantern - what exactly is it and what does it do with regard to clipping?

Glenn

Hi Glenn.
http://magiclantern.wikia.com/wiki/Magic_Lantern_Firmware_Wiki
http://www.magiclantern.fm/

You install the software (it sits on top of the Canon firmware) and also load it on each CF card that you use. Each card has to be activated in the camera (made bootable), otherwise you go back to the Canon firmware.
It was designed for video users, but there are several features that make it useful for stills.
-focus peaking (I don't use this much as if I'm looking at the back screen I may as well use live view)
-on screen clipping warning. You can have an on screen histogram with separate clipping warnings for each channel (little red, green and blue dots), and/or zebra stripes. It seems very accurate if you want to ETTR
-auto hdr. Decide whether to start with the shadows or highlights, press the shutter and the camera keeps shooting until the complete dynamic range is covered (not suitable for action as there is a lag between each shot while the camera decides whether or not to keep going)
-auto focus bracketing
-intervalometer
-focus trap
-blah blah
 
Lots of stuff.
David

[Glenn NK]

Thanks David.

Interesting, I'll think about it.

I use ETTR, but have the camera set up with a minus 3 contrast setting (shooting RAW only), which compensates fairly well for the discrepancy between the JPEG LCD histogram and the LR4 histogram (at the right clipping side).

Glenn

[NigelC]

Hi Glenn.
http://magiclantern.wikia.com/wiki/Magic_Lantern_Firmware_Wiki
http://www.magiclantern.fm/

You install the software (it sits on top of the Canon firmware) and also load it on each CF card that you use. Each card has to be activated in the camera (made bootable), otherwise you go back to the Canon firmware.
It was designed for video users, but there are several features that make it useful for stills.
-focus peaking (I don't use this much as if I'm looking at the back screen I may as well use live view)
-on screen clipping warning. You can have an on screen histogram with separate clipping warnings for each channel (little red, green and blue dots), and/or zebra stripes. It seems very accurate if you want to ETTR
-auto hdr. Decide whether to start with the shadows or highlights, press the shutter and the camera keeps shooting until the complete dynamic range is covered (not suitable for action as there is a lag between each shot while the camera decides whether or not to keep going)
-auto focus bracketing
-intervalometer
-focus trap
-blah blah
 
Lots of stuff.
David

Is the Magic Lantern installation reversible (in case I decide to sell my 5D2)?

[David Sutton]

Yes.
From the install guide:

To uninstall from a card:
Format that card from the camera (select this option: Format card, **remove* Magic Lantern*)
and reboot. Your camera will load the original firmware when you use that card.
(remember ML has to be installed on every CF card you use for it to work)

To uninstall from the camera:
With a Magic Lantern card, launch the Firmware Update process and follow the instructions
on-screen.

Edit: while I shoot mainly landscapes and the 5D2 with ML is great for that, I was reminded last weekend while trying to photograph bees that its autofocus is not wonderful.