From 400D to 5D

I posted this in the 5D forum but no replies... Could be cause it wasn't helpful or maybe they already all had a 5D mk I, II, III. Perhaps it would be of more use here...

Though I realize these remarks may be of limited use I feel there may be others in a similar situation so I decided to post them.

I couldn't afford a 5D when it came out. I couldn't afford a 5D mkII when it came out and I can't afford a 5D mk III now.

However, I have chosen this point 7 years after release to finally get a 5D. This may well be a local price minimum for 5Ds as it is not near major holidays and there are more people dumping backup bodies on the market these days. I got a (in theory though I don't know any way to check) sub 5000 shot 5D mk I very clean for 800. It has 1 dead pixel, no other noticeable maladies.

I have owned the following SLRs: Canon 300D, 400D, AE-1P, A-1, Panasonic GF1, G2, Pentax K10D, MX. (Current cameras in bold).

My initial ergonomic and use points may be obvious to some or not:

• The on/off switch can't really be flipped by the right hand which I find terrible. It is in a very awkward spot on the whole. I see that it was moved for the mk III but I didn't realize until I got it how much I would dislike the placement. Relative to every other SLR I have used it is worse.

• As expected the pentaprism is nice to have back. I am still living in the past and wish camera makers still put at least some focusing aid on the screen for MF. AF is better a lot of time, but MF can be more fun when the lens has a nice brass thread tactically that is still something I enjoy. I can MF in good light without the aid but really a G2 like EVF is better for if less fun than a split prism on a focus screen.

• I am pleased with the noise performance, and I am not worried about resolution. Given that diffraction limits green to about 16 MP at f11, I have a good range of f stops that will be useable (f4-f11 generally for best resolution). With the mk II I would have to take one stop off the range (which is fine but less DOF of course in some cases). Essentially what I am saying is I don't feel I have to worry about the sensor out resolving my lenses with this sensor, so I don't feel cheated emoticon - smile though I obviously wouldn't say no to a mk II.

• I hope I won't mind lack of dust control. Honestly I never had issue with my 300D with that, but I will feel anxious if and when I have to clean the CMOS sensor.

• I am glad to have ISO 50. Filters are a pain, if I could have ISO 12.5 I'd like that also as it would save me having to carry an ND filter.

• It is very heavy. For me there is a critical mass value for what feels like too much, this may well cross it. I don't have a 17-40 L yet which is likely to be my main lens. The combo is a full lb (454 g) heavier than the crop pairing. (Mostly in the body). Given the feather light qualities of the G2 + 9-18 mm it may be difficult to justify lugging.

• The joy factor. The camera that gave me the biggest thrill recently honestly was the G2 when used of MF lenses the feeling of turning a brass thread and seeing my image come into focus was nice to have again. From technical IQ points such a solution is clearly worse than FF 5D. Disregarding price the f 0.95 lenses for m4/3 do largely make up for the DOF issue that system has at the price of always having to do the joyous if somewhat tedious at other times MF. The finder of the 5D does make me feel better but EOS lenses on the whole do not feel lovely (though I have not owned any L lenses I doubt they feel like MF lenses as they still are USM like the 50 f1.4 and 100 mm macro I own).

In summary, it is an open question if I should retain this camera. There are very clear advantages to this over crop, particularly in the Canon range where there still is no emphasis on reasonable crop primes. From a technical point of view, building a FF system probably is best in the long run. However the counter point to that is that photography is not likely to be my job ever and so there can be a metric where it is good enough. m4/3 comes very close for an primarily street and outdoor shooter, and at a much smaller size (though not at a lower cost for the best optics).

I am done with P+S cameras though, it may be I build two systems m4/3 and FF and simply see if my use justifies owning both. I have sworn off buying new bodies at this point so the losses are pretty minimal trading equipment around.
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