And I wonder, do you also happily give them your Canon R5mkii? Whilst my 5Dmkii cameras were cheap buys, they’re great and my young kids would quickly wreck them. There’s plenty of point and shoot options for them to learn on and probably destroy ☢️😂 But Nicholas makes an interesting point, I don’t need my thousands of pounds worth of Canon mirrorless gear when the 5Ds do so much, so well.
I have a 5D MKII and no way in hell would I let some young rug rats play with it. That's plain ridiculous. Obviously, you're someone who never shot hundreds of weddings, events, portraits, etc., with a 5D MKII. If you did, you wouldn't give it to kids to wreck.
This is relaxing. It's got the right amount of photographer's philosophy, and tech talk. Also you are a good photographer and your videos are fun. Lovely lovely, love it.
I’m just gonna leave this here… I’ve started enjoying my old DSLR’s (Canon 1D MKii & 1D X) again. Also, your two portrait shoots have inspired my creativity. 🙏🏻
So as someone whom has lived on youtube for basically my whole life I can tell which channel will blow up and be popular and which will fail. This channel will become big one day, perhaps sooner than we expect.
I had my canon t3i for nearly 13 or 14 years because it was just great. My friends and I made a movie with our t3i’s and kit lenses. I’m now older and teach and my students always make excuses about not having money for fancy gear being the reason they won’t do photography and then I show them how accessible good cameras and lenses really are that can do so much
I still use mine for two simple reasons: 1) I'm use to it and changing from the canon 5d line to anything else is like changing from a ps4 to an xbox controller. 2) It's cold and batteries on dslr's just do better.
From a purely photographic standpoint the 5d mk2 is all the camera that 97% of people will ever need. It just does what it’s supposed to do. Even the 1080 video still holds up for UA-cam stuff. The 5dmk2 still, well as of 2024 holds the record for most print published images in the world. Only beaten online by the iPhone purely down to the number of them. Thats incredible.
Pretty good evaluation of the Canon 5D MKII. I bought one not long after they came out. Spent a lot of money for it, but I shot a ton of weddings with it and two Canon 7Ds, one of which was used by an assistant and one in the case as a backup. I wish now I had bought two MK IIs, but they cost a lot. I still have all of them and use them on occasion. I teach workshops and not long ago during a field day during a workshop I took the 5D MKII and a 7D with me. Students had mirrorless cameras. If you put their images alongside the ones from the 5D MKII and the 7D, which I shot, you could not tell the difference. Those cameras are every bit as good as the new mirrorless. I do studio headshots with a Canon EOS R, a 30-megapixel camera and the other day I was looking at a headshot I did and your statement of "good enough" came to mind. I shot with a Canon RF 85mm f/2 lens at f/8, and it was too sharp (in my judgement) for a portrait or headshot. Enough is enough. I can't imagine going beyond 30 mp. Enough is enough. Let's instead concentrate on becoming good photographers with whatever gear we have, regardless of whether it's a DSLR or Mirrorless and not get into the "I have to buy it because it's new and has more megapixels." mode. I like your video; you make a lot of sense. However, unlike you I do have a nostalgic attitude toward my 5DMK II and the 7Ds and will never sell them. When I retire, I'll put them on a shelf to remind me of when I was a photographer.
My 5DM3s are still great and I love going through the RAW files, 10 years later, and pulling out some great images. I am thought, really enjoying the following with my R6m2, 1000 plus focus points, eye tracking and the ability to adapt my vintage lenses.
I couldn't agree more highly with everything you said about DSLR vs Mirrorless; what's 'good enough', and the joy of old DSLRs. I commented a while back on your lens video about what is good enough. I'm loving my old DSLR's (5D; 5D2; 7D, and a bunch of rebel cameras). They are so much fun to use and a challenge as well. The lenses make sense (even the zooms) where as now everything is basically f5.6-f8 or worse but 'Technology will fix that'. Meanwhile the manufacturer is charging the same amount for less glass than they did back in the EF era...Anyway the joy of using old DSLR's is addicting, I'm lusting after a 1D of some vintage to round out my collection. I guess I'm stuck in a trap of worrying about all the "good ones" getting bought up in the next several years making finding good old DSLRS for sale harder to come by...Similar to how finding GOOD old film cameras that are fully functional are today for a reasonable price, even more so the lenses for them. Great video, it really captures and sums my emotions about the topic up nicely!
Thanks a lot for the comments, @Chris-eh3du. It’s cool to hear how much you’re enjoying your old gear. I SO agree about the fix it in software style lens design, with optical greatness no longer being the goal. It's just absolutely gutting to know that this is where we are now. Seems like a huge turning point. That is so completely not okay. Well that early 1D series, I can't imagine you won't love any of those models, the 1D, 1Ds, 1Dm2, and 1DSm2! The models after that don't interest me as much. But that's just me. Such great cameras!
Spot-on, I think your interpretation of this beauty resonates with my own sentiment. I've been looking out for more of the same recently but picked up the 5d3 purely to facilitate sports autofocus.
Nice @GerhardBouwer. Hope it's working well for you. I've actually never tried a 5D3. Maybe I need to. I am familiar with the quality of images coming out of it. I used to shoot weddings with someone who shot a 5D3. Their raw images were definitely very good-lookin'.
Mic Drop! I am on your frequency. I took my 5D2 adapting Nikkor lenses and a 50/1.8 STM to our recent trip to Far East Asia specifically to capture images with this sensor. We also burned 32 rolls of film. I am confident the results of the images taken on the 5D2 will be on par if not more satisfying.
Sounds like an amazing trip, @aristoioannidis7490. I must admit, I didn’t realize it was possible to adapt Nikkor lenses to a Canon EF body. That’s super interesting! Hmmm [thoughtful chin scratch] that opens up some new possibilities. Thanks!
I bought a 5DmkII in collage, was amazing, shot a whole bunch of weddings as a 2nd shooter, used it at some parties, then it sat gathering dust as its lenses got sold one by one to pay the rent and bills. I still have it even though i went and got a R6. I take my EOS 3 and 33 along with Olympus XA and Nikon 35s - so it doesnt get out much any more, but maybe i'll bring it out to festivals this summer if film prices keep going up
Yes there’s this going back to basics vibe that’s been going on. But when it comes to me, I don’t feel I could be satisfied without a fully articulating screen. Or at least a tilting one. This feature alone expands one’s shooting creativity quite a bit.
I ran a 5D2 upt to, wait for it, a shutter count of 1.2 million cycles. And not so much as a hiccup. I have the camera away to a friend who is running up the shutter count even more. They're nearly indestructible. The 5D2 still has enough mehapixels to do the job, even for professionals today. Remember, doubling the number of pixels only increases the resolution by 12.5%. I shoot on mostly the 5D4 these days (I have four 5D4 bodies) and a couple of Hasselblad HC series. I csn say, without reservation, that the 5D2 is still a great camera and gets the job done with excellent results.
Mine finally went out but I still have it and want to fix it! The difference in image quality between it and my r5 is minimal… the biggest difference is a more efficient workflow.
I own a 5d mkII, and experience the same results. I picked up a Hugyfot underwater housing for it, and get great results when diving or snorkeling. I just got back from Baja Sur, and took the 5d, housing, and a Canon 100-400 L mkI with. The results I got were just as good as with my R5. And when people look at your images, they can’t tell what you shot with.
The 6d mk1 did this for me. It brought me back to everything I loved about photography. It's so similar to the 5d mk2 in so many ways. So I totally get this whole video. Speaking of video, if you want to get good at video, get manual lenses. Don't worry about the autofocus. There is a reason Hollywood and NFL Films stick with manual focus. You want to make beautiful videos? Put cinema lenses or vintage photography lenses on a 5d mk2. Put an external monitor on it. You don't have to watch a video on UA-cam to see how good the 5d mk2 is at video. Just Google how many Hollywood movies were filmed on the 5d mk2. That says it all.
The 6D is arguably a better SLR IMO. It performs and handles every bit as good as the 5DMkII; but, has 1 major advantage which is its wifi connection to the Canon photos app. I use this feature daily, along with my L series lens' that I've been picking up on the cheap thanks to all of the flippers needing to get into mirrorless glass. 6D's low light is also better than most.
I love your treatises, Nicholas. I sold my Sony and all the lenses in a fit of pique and started again - not with a 5dii (which i used to have) but a 6D, and the 50mm 1.8 - I've since added a 100-400mm for more wildlife and landscape possibilities. Is it better than my Sony? Not for resolution or autofocus, but I love the old Canon colours, and it's making me work and think harder which is good for me right now. I will be getting a mirrorless of some kind for more video options and video autofocus, but won't be trading the 6D in anyday.
Still owning my 5D MkII. Rarely use it these days but the colors from it are still superb. Limited DR and shadow banding when pushed much, limited but decent working AF. Only deserted this camera to move to smaller MLC and fully manual focus with small rangefinder M-lenses. Funny - still using Adobe PS CS6 for post processing which I also used at the time with the 5D MkII about 15 years ago.
I bought 5D makr ii for $180 with 17k shutter count, for me its first full frame sensor camera and it is doing amazing photos i like to shoot with Live View where i can see real ajustments on the screen, colors excellent, it feels great in hand, weather sealed and many other great things about 5DMII , thanks for sharring your thoughts and beautiful pictures that camera can produce. Absolutly agree it is excellent, excellent tool all depends on who is using it.
I still have several old film Eos bodies, as well as my very first Zenit camera with Helios 44 lens. I still have my now inoperative 5D mk.1 which I shot until the mirror fell of, a trade mark of the mk.1. Replaced it with a mk.2 as the mk.1 are more expensive than the mk.2 but I never really loved it like the mk.1 so I guess in the future........ Started using mirrorless cameras long time ago especially Fuji gives the old time experience with the dials and everything,. Love it because I mainly use vintage optics of which I've a large collection and the 5D mk.2 doesn't have the tools to properly use vintage glass. My take would be, use old, new or whatever you want whenever you want because as soon as "it must be this" gets root in your head you have limited yourself.
Proud Canon 5D classic here. I was weeks ago from getting the mark II, but someone beat me to it and I ended up getting a similarly cheaply priced mark I, very happy with the results. About megapixels, if 12 is more than enough (it's definitely way more than enough), then 20+ is obscene like enough.
I believe they actually have the same actual resolution. You can resize the 5dc just as much according to an old review researching it many years ago. The only advantage to the 5d mark II is really the micro focus adjust. I think the ISO performance was basically the same as well within the 5dc's capabilities. Personally I can't get away from using the back wheel in order to change my iso. Changing it on the top wheel always felt awkward to the degree that I avoided the 5d mark II. Went for the 6d instead (it is a much better camera), except for ruggedness. And live view ofc...
Excellent movie with great narrative and awesome photos. I really like your approach towards photography and gear. It's so damn close to mine. Good old cameras just get the 90% work done beautifully. For that 10%, or even less that you often don't need, unless you're a specialized professional photographer (e.g. fast action plus very high megapixel count while remaining in 35mm format) you need to reach for something better and newer (it still doesn't have to be the newest mirrorless stuff though 🙂) to get the work done. Honestly if people need eye af to get good portraits done than it means they don't know their gear. I have a Nikon 780 for example which has eye af (DSLR but with mirrorless liveview mode, basically hybrid) but I get the same eye focus level of accuracy with my older d7100 🤷♂️ and it takes only slightly more time through viewfinder. I feel like more and more drawn to try 5d mark ii, especially after your and Martin Castein movies 👍🏻 I think I can call you two my favourite photo vloggers - voices of reason in a world that's trying to convince you that you can't take great pictures unless you have the newest and greatest (and most expensive 😂) from Canon, Nikon, Sony etc.
I love your video I've just started photography as a hobby a few month ago and I got a 5d mk2 with a 75-300mm kit lens for wildlife photography but have since up graded to a Canon 100-400mm l mk2 lens and I'm thinking about updating my camrea body to the 5d mk4 for the higher resolution and better auto focus. But the 5d mk2 will always be my first professional camera and I've loved it so far.
"If it was good enough to the job before, it's good enough now. And if it's not good enough now, it couldn't have possibly been good enough then" ...Perfect. Just perfect. The perfect response to the -Is Camera X Any Good In 2025?- videos. And like you said the answer is yes. Always yes.
Thanks @GS-vb3zn! Appreciate you taking the time to comment. Yep, for sure. No criticism meant for those types of videos, but yeah, the answer is pretty straightforward.
Used mine on day 2 of a session. I looked closely at one shot. Initially confused why I didn't notice the green grey mould. Then scooted around the rest of the image. Crazy noise. That night I cleaned the sensor of my Sony. Day 3 relied on that. Did the same look at the shadows. Almost zero noise in the shadows. Unfortunately Day 2 was THE day to be shooting.
Loved your thoughts about lazy. Be lazy about taking out the trash and the juicer. I love that. Felt really real. Do you watch Van Neistat? I feel a little camaraderie there between what I feel when I watch your videos. :)
I don't, @ChrisBrogan. I'm afraid to look it up. If he/it/they/she are/is too similar, it's likely to cause me to stop doing videos, for fear of ripping someone off. And I'm having such fun with this. Better I just remain ignorant.
Oops, sorry about that @mmdesignn! Just sell something else to cover the cost, and you'll be fine. At least, that's what I tell myself. Enjoy the 5D Mark II!
My friend I am guilty of it too. I thought i needed the best gear and I sucked. Now I am a little less sucky and know its me who makes the art, not the gear.
My list of the most important cameras in the history of motion pictures. 1.The BELL & HOWELL 2709 (1912) 2. The MITCHELL BNC (1932) 3.The ECLAIR NPR (1963) 4. The 35mm PANAFLEX (1972) 5. The CANON 5D Mk2 ( 2008) 6. The ARRFLEX ALEXA (2010)
Sadly it usually requires gobs of experience and education to reach the point where you know most kit is "good enough." I own the 5D mk4 but last year I bought a used 7D mk2 for its crop factor with my Sigma 150 - 600 lens. In my initial digital journey, full frame is where it was at for me in my head. Now I know I can use my Fuji 1.5 crop factor old X T1and get a wonderful image of quality. I know the 7D mk2 has a long history as an excellent action camera, nothing has changed just perception with canon mirrorless cameras, but quality is quality, good enough for me.
There is a term "Good enough" And sometimes that is the answer you need. "GOOD ENOUGH" There is this store selling actual refurbished/second hand MEDIUM FRAME cameras. Oooh. Even then it is really expensive and just WHEN do you drag that stuff with you?
It's like listening to my consciousness.. I do agree 100% Bought 1 in 2024... I see what the fuzz was about..when it came out I decided to "sit this 1 out" It worked
I'm still debating which to get between the mk2 and mk3 and 1d mk3. It's also hard to find one in good shape, those go out the door on mpb fast. But at least I'm settled on a specific lens for my first one, the 70-200 f4 L is. Down the line I'd also want to get a 24-105 f4 L is or 24-70 f2.8. that should cover all my needs unless I somehow start shooting wildlife in which case I'd get the sigma 150-600 contemporary. These 3 would end up being over 1.5k euros but the fact they're lenses and those don't get outdated and can probably last more than the camera bodies themselves eases the financial burden.
Nice @vali69. You couldn't go wrong with any of those camera bodies, I'm sure. Yep, very nice lens selection too. I sold my EF 70-200 f2.8, and my 24-70 f2.8, and I regret that deeply! I wish I could have them back. Especially the 24-70. Once you get them, definitely hang on to them forever!
I don't own any current cameras. I own 2 film EOS bodies. The 3 which is 27 years old and the 300V which is 23 years old. Then for digital I own a 5D4 which this year will be 9 years old (wow), and an 850D which is a youngster at I think 5 years. Those ages aren't how long I've had them, they're the ages from when those bodies were first manufactured 😊😊
Those two cameras are in reality studio cameras, at the very least, on a tripod camera. So not really walkabout, handheld shots cameras. All that resolution loves to show your mistakes.
@@DessieTots 5D2 was just that back in the days. Only 1DsIII had 21mpix sensor, rest had something around 12. Agree on handhold-ability, it's easier to take sharp shot with GFX100. You had to use 1/2xFL to take sharp pictures. Still, overall it was one of the best Canon DSLRs and still is one of the best bang for buck if you care about IQ.
Thanks for the suggestion, @matuszewskistudio. I'm extremely interested in either a 5DS or 5DSR. The problem there is that they've really held their value well. Although they've come down, they're still a bit too pricey for me to buy, and surprisingly expensive to rent. Eventually I'll get one, or find a way to try one. When they drop to around the $300 mark, that's when I'll probably pounce.
@ the model without R is relatively cheap, you can find one for $500 if you try. They are expensive to rent because when shooting in studio with manual lens it’s nearly identical to R5
You must use a correct color profile in the lightroom to match the colors of the camera. If you just use Adobe colors then it would be obviously different...
I have become more and more militant (not really) in my anti-obsolescence regarding camera gear. I interacted with an online group of beginner photographers who were obsessed with new stuff, looking for the gear that'd cost $3k+ (and I totally get it, it's understandable - I think we all go through that stage) and they had no idea what the exposure triangle was. Less than 1% of my direct contact with individuals seemed to grasp the concept of buying used - I recommend the Canon 40D and a nifty 50 - learn the fundamentals. Why spend several thousand dollars to be disappointed by awful photos. Spend a couple of hundred bucks, train your eyes, look at other photos, develop your own vision and learn photography. Then you'll find that that
It's so strange to me, admittedly old guy, but whining about battery life, when we got 36 frames on a 35 mm roll, and a spare battery is equal to about 2 rolls of film, and even costs the same as 72 frames of developed 35 mm transparencies. And, dynamic range, when we shot terrific images on Velvia 50, that would normally only capture 18 steps on Kodak grey card... Grad filters, extra batteries, what's so hard? Oh 5D mk III, after 2 ( or 3)F1s and an EOS 1V.
DPP is very underrated; but like you, I use another program and then compare and swap over to DPP if needed in post. As far as mirrorless goes - for the large part I agree - either way, it is very rare that I go anywhere without a dSLR. The very small amount of things I photo where the m/less excels over a dSLR are not what most folk shooting pictures shoot anyway. So in other words, they should get by with a DSLR just fine.
Yeah @DrZeeple, DPP is very good. Pretty slow with large files (R5 raws for example). I wouldn't process a wedding in there. Too bad too, because if it were faster, I'd probably dump Lightroom. But it's fabulous for smaller gigs, and especially anything shot with a classic DSLR. Then it's nice and speedy.
Your appreciation of the art of photography is more inclined to the pleasure of making the best personal images with what you have. The technical knowledge of the tool you use is comparable to the pleasure you get out to make great images. Is it a TESLA better than a muscle car? It is up you to decide but, it is a matter of your finances against your impulse to have the best gear, rather the the best pictures. Sometimes, those two come together but, more often than not, they never do. My opinion.
Yeah, it's true @ccmassis. It's too easy to get caught up in the gear of it all, but then you also can't discount the gear, and the role it plays. It's tough to navigate all that, and end up in just the right spot for your circumstances.
Photos with this camera look vintage now. It is not that weather sealed, mine broke because of that. Nothing wrong with having new shiny gear, nothing at all
Agreed @cristibaluta, nothing wrong with that at all. Sorry for your loss. The weather claims another victim. I've had better luck with mine, regarding harsh weather.
Good advice. Whatever fits your hand like a glove. And that whole focus points thing - single point, half press, focus and exposure locked - that's it; unless you like wildlife/birds, then olympus - small sensor but razor sharp lenses if you can pay for the pro versions. Otherwise, a low-count Nikon D750 or Canon 5D III will see you to your grave.
Wore out my 5Dii..utterly,...objectively wore out.cracked case, a bit rusty from wading into surf..you hit it on the head..old pro cameras are still "pro cameras" just passed in time by new pro's that one day will be affordable and pro and good enough. My work needed more than good enough so switched over to Nikon for a couple of reasons To put in the work learning a new system Newer better technology The old shit out 5 frames a second..ish with a 75% hit rate at the end The new 14 with 95% hit rate.. I miss the color.science..loving the hit rates. Shooting low lite is easier,better and cleaner than the 5Dii. Someday, i can afford a old pro Z9
Thanks for that perspective @orion2250. I get it. Makes complete sense. My situation is different than yours, it seems. Actually, my situation today is way different than my situation 4 or 5 years ago. And that's part of my problem too. I've been making decisions based on my old situation, rather than my current one. Sounds like you're being smart about it. On the classic DSLR side of things, I'm interested in exploring Nikon. Hoping to do that soon, in fact.
1Ds Mark II, @okamikatze863. That’s just personal preference. I’ll do some proper comparisons soon. But I’m just way more enamored with the experience of shooting a 1D series camera. Still though, I’m open to changing my mind.
The 5d2 is the one camera I happily give to my young kids. It’s built like a tank and they come back with great results.
And I wonder, do you also happily give them your Canon R5mkii? Whilst my 5Dmkii cameras were cheap buys, they’re great and my young kids would quickly wreck them. There’s plenty of point and shoot options for them to learn on and probably destroy ☢️😂 But Nicholas makes an interesting point, I don’t need my thousands of pounds worth of Canon mirrorless gear when the 5Ds do so much, so well.
I have a 5D MKII and no way in hell would I let some young rug rats play with it. That's plain ridiculous. Obviously, you're someone who never shot hundreds of weddings, events, portraits, etc., with a 5D MKII. If you did, you wouldn't give it to kids to wreck.
The best 5dmkII review I've ever seen.
Absolutely!
Thank you so much @georgios.marinoudis! Really appreciate that.
I just blow off the dust from my EOS 20d which I acquired brand new in it’s days.
I was blown away of how well this still performs.
This is relaxing. It's got the right amount of photographer's philosophy, and tech talk. Also you are a good photographer and your videos are fun. Lovely lovely, love it.
The most amazing narration I have ever seen for 5dm2. Thanks...
I’m just gonna leave this here… I’ve started enjoying my old DSLR’s (Canon 1D MKii & 1D X) again. Also, your two portrait shoots have inspired my creativity. 🙏🏻
So as someone whom has lived on youtube for basically my whole life I can tell which channel will blow up and be popular and which will fail. This channel will become big one day, perhaps sooner than we expect.
Good enough is good enough.
Also the best shutter sound and feel.
I had my canon t3i for nearly 13 or 14 years because it was just great. My friends and I made a movie with our t3i’s and kit lenses. I’m now older and teach and my students always make excuses about not having money for fancy gear being the reason they won’t do photography and then I show them how accessible good cameras and lenses really are that can do so much
I’ve found myself casually watching your videos on a regular basis for over a month now. I’m really enjoying your videos.
Thanks so much @SkylerKing! Really appreciate you taking the time.
Wanted a dslr for portrait only. Bought a 6D and 50 1.8 for 300usd. Best 300 I've ever used.
Best video I've watched for a long time. And stunning images.
I have this with my EF35f1.4 and 85f1.8. it still make good photos.
Beautiful @thorsrensen3162. I hope to own the EF 35mm 1.4 eventually.
@@NicholasHornbrook I have the mk1 but still I am happy with this lens
I’ve captured many of my most ”magical” shots with the Canon 5D Mark II. There is definitely something special about it. Glad I still have one.
Cool @Uhotube. Agreed, same here!
Amazing video, I am just starting with photography and that was just so inspiring
Video hits hard, right in the feels.
I still use mine for two simple reasons:
1) I'm use to it and changing from the canon 5d line to anything else is like changing from a ps4 to an xbox controller.
2) It's cold and batteries on dslr's just do better.
From a purely photographic standpoint the 5d mk2 is all the camera that 97% of people will ever need. It just does what it’s supposed to do. Even the 1080 video still holds up for UA-cam stuff. The 5dmk2 still, well as of 2024 holds the record for most print published images in the world. Only beaten online by the iPhone purely down to the number of them. Thats incredible.
Pretty good evaluation of the Canon 5D MKII. I bought one not long after they came out. Spent a lot of money for it, but I shot a ton of weddings with it and two Canon 7Ds, one of which was used by an assistant and one in the case as a backup. I wish now I had bought two MK IIs, but they cost a lot. I still have all of them and use them on occasion. I teach workshops and not long ago during a field day during a workshop I took the 5D MKII and a 7D with me. Students had mirrorless cameras. If you put their images alongside the ones from the 5D MKII and the 7D, which I shot, you could not tell the difference. Those cameras are every bit as good as the new mirrorless. I do studio headshots with a Canon EOS R, a 30-megapixel camera and the other day I was looking at a headshot I did and your statement of "good enough" came to mind. I shot with a Canon RF 85mm f/2 lens at f/8, and it was too sharp (in my judgement) for a portrait or headshot. Enough is enough. I can't imagine going beyond 30 mp. Enough is enough. Let's instead concentrate on becoming good photographers with whatever gear we have, regardless of whether it's a DSLR or Mirrorless and not get into the "I have to buy it because it's new and has more megapixels." mode. I like your video; you make a lot of sense. However, unlike you I do have a nostalgic attitude toward my 5DMK II and the 7Ds and will never sell them. When I retire, I'll put them on a shelf to remind me of when I was a photographer.
One of my favorite photography videos 🤙🏻
Boom! Sooo good! I watched it twice. Thanks for sharing.📸
Thanks so much for the kind words, @cx4130, and for watching it twice. Hopefully the algorithm noticed!
Digging the background music too. Reminds me of the group Moonlit Sailor. Another song is Your Hand In Mine by Explosions in the Sky. 👍
Love the MK2 & MK3. The sound of the shutter in this video is magic. Sounds bomb proof 👍🏼
My 5DM3s are still great and I love going through the RAW files, 10 years later, and pulling out some great images. I am thought, really enjoying the following with my R6m2, 1000 plus focus points, eye tracking and the ability to adapt my vintage lenses.
I couldn't agree more highly with everything you said about DSLR vs Mirrorless; what's 'good enough', and the joy of old DSLRs. I commented a while back on your lens video about what is good enough. I'm loving my old DSLR's (5D; 5D2; 7D, and a bunch of rebel cameras). They are so much fun to use and a challenge as well. The lenses make sense (even the zooms) where as now everything is basically f5.6-f8 or worse but 'Technology will fix that'. Meanwhile the manufacturer is charging the same amount for less glass than they did back in the EF era...Anyway the joy of using old DSLR's is addicting, I'm lusting after a 1D of some vintage to round out my collection. I guess I'm stuck in a trap of worrying about all the "good ones" getting bought up in the next several years making finding good old DSLRS for sale harder to come by...Similar to how finding GOOD old film cameras that are fully functional are today for a reasonable price, even more so the lenses for them. Great video, it really captures and sums my emotions about the topic up nicely!
Thanks a lot for the comments, @Chris-eh3du. It’s cool to hear how much you’re enjoying your old gear. I SO agree about the fix it in software style lens design, with optical greatness no longer being the goal. It's just absolutely gutting to know that this is where we are now. Seems like a huge turning point. That is so completely not okay. Well that early 1D series, I can't imagine you won't love any of those models, the 1D, 1Ds, 1Dm2, and 1DSm2! The models after that don't interest me as much. But that's just me. Such great cameras!
DSLR forever!
Love this video. I still shoot with my Canon 1D mk II and love the experience I get from it when compared to my mirrorless bodies.
Spot-on, I think your interpretation of this beauty resonates with my own sentiment. I've been looking out for more of the same recently but picked up the 5d3 purely to facilitate sports autofocus.
Nice @GerhardBouwer. Hope it's working well for you. I've actually never tried a 5D3. Maybe I need to. I am familiar with the quality of images coming out of it. I used to shoot weddings with someone who shot a 5D3. Their raw images were definitely very good-lookin'.
I love my 5D ii. Out of all the cameras I own, it's still my favourite. Paired with some L lenses, it's beautiful.
Just got it!
I agree a 1000% with everything you said, so you've got a subscriber.
I love my 5D Mark II, I shoot a lot of live shows in dimly lit bars on it and it performs beautifully.
Mic Drop! I am on your frequency. I took my 5D2 adapting Nikkor lenses and a 50/1.8 STM to our recent trip to Far East Asia specifically to capture images with this sensor. We also burned 32 rolls of film. I am confident the results of the images taken on the 5D2 will be on par if not more satisfying.
Sounds like an amazing trip, @aristoioannidis7490. I must admit, I didn’t realize it was possible to adapt Nikkor lenses to a Canon EF body. That’s super interesting! Hmmm [thoughtful chin scratch] that opens up some new possibilities. Thanks!
@@NicholasHornbrook Thanks my man. Look for Lens Mount Adapter F to EF.
nice video! really a pleasure to watch and listen to
I bought a 5DmkII in collage, was amazing, shot a whole bunch of weddings as a 2nd shooter, used it at some parties, then it sat gathering dust as its lenses got sold one by one to pay the rent and bills. I still have it even though i went and got a R6. I take my EOS 3 and 33 along with Olympus XA and Nikon 35s - so it doesnt get out much any more, but maybe i'll bring it out to festivals this summer if film prices keep going up
Yes there’s this going back to basics vibe that’s been going on. But when it comes to me, I don’t feel I could be satisfied without a fully articulating screen. Or at least a tilting one. This feature alone expands one’s shooting creativity quite a bit.
I ran a 5D2 upt to, wait for it, a shutter count of 1.2 million cycles. And not so much as a hiccup. I have the camera away to a friend who is running up the shutter count even more. They're nearly indestructible.
The 5D2 still has enough mehapixels to do the job, even for professionals today. Remember, doubling the number of pixels only increases the resolution by 12.5%.
I shoot on mostly the 5D4 these days (I have four 5D4 bodies) and a couple of Hasselblad HC series. I csn say, without reservation, that the 5D2 is still a great camera and gets the job done with excellent results.
Great video! Completely agree, had it for years before choosing the 1ds mkii.
I’ve always wanted to try this I had the original 5dc 😮
Voice, aesthetics, photos, useful information - all this is in the videos on this channel
Mine finally went out but I still have it and want to fix it! The difference in image quality between it and my r5 is minimal… the biggest difference is a more efficient workflow.
I own a 5d mkII, and experience the same results. I picked up a Hugyfot underwater housing for it, and get great results when diving or snorkeling. I just got back from Baja Sur, and took the 5d, housing, and a Canon 100-400 L mkI with. The results I got were just as good as with my R5. And when people look at your images, they can’t tell what you shot with.
This is what you expect to see when you look for a camera review. And by the way, that camera is great, I like it a lot.
Well owning a 5D mark i or ii has been a dream for me
unfortunately for now i am shooting with my Canon 20D
I hope to get a 5D in the near future ..
The 6d mk1 did this for me. It brought me back to everything I loved about photography. It's so similar to the 5d mk2 in so many ways. So I totally get this whole video. Speaking of video, if you want to get good at video, get manual lenses. Don't worry about the autofocus. There is a reason Hollywood and NFL Films stick with manual focus. You want to make beautiful videos? Put cinema lenses or vintage photography lenses on a 5d mk2. Put an external monitor on it. You don't have to watch a video on UA-cam to see how good the 5d mk2 is at video. Just Google how many Hollywood movies were filmed on the 5d mk2. That says it all.
The 6D is arguably a better SLR IMO. It performs and handles every bit as good as the 5DMkII; but, has 1 major advantage which is its wifi connection to the Canon photos app. I use this feature daily, along with my L series lens' that I've been picking up on the cheap thanks to all of the flippers needing to get into mirrorless glass.
6D's low light is also better than most.
Great thoughts. Refreshing.
I love your treatises, Nicholas. I sold my Sony and all the lenses in a fit of pique and started again - not with a 5dii (which i used to have) but a 6D, and the 50mm 1.8 - I've since added a 100-400mm for more wildlife and landscape possibilities. Is it better than my Sony? Not for resolution or autofocus, but I love the old Canon colours, and it's making me work and think harder which is good for me right now. I will be getting a mirrorless of some kind for more video options and video autofocus, but won't be trading the 6D in anyday.
Still owning my 5D MkII. Rarely use it these days but the colors from it are still superb. Limited DR and shadow banding when pushed much, limited but decent working AF. Only deserted this camera to move to smaller MLC and fully manual focus with small rangefinder M-lenses. Funny - still using Adobe PS CS6 for post processing which I also used at the time with the 5D MkII about 15 years ago.
just got a 5dmk2 last week, itll go in the bag with my 7d
I bought 5D makr ii for $180 with 17k shutter count, for me its first full frame sensor camera and it is doing amazing photos i like to shoot with Live View where i can see real ajustments on the screen, colors excellent, it feels great in hand, weather sealed and many other great things about 5DMII , thanks for sharring your thoughts and beautiful pictures that camera can produce. Absolutly agree it is excellent, excellent tool all depends on who is using it.
Still have my 5dmk2
I still have several old film Eos bodies, as well as my very first Zenit camera with Helios 44 lens. I still have my now inoperative 5D mk.1 which I shot until the mirror fell of, a trade mark of the mk.1. Replaced it with a mk.2 as the mk.1 are more expensive than the mk.2 but I never really loved it like the mk.1 so I guess in the future........ Started using mirrorless cameras long time ago especially Fuji gives the old time experience with the dials and everything,. Love it because I mainly use vintage optics of which I've a large collection and the 5D mk.2 doesn't have the tools to properly use vintage glass. My take would be, use old, new or whatever you want whenever you want because as soon as "it must be this" gets root in your head you have limited yourself.
Proud Canon 5D classic here. I was weeks ago from getting the mark II, but someone beat me to it and I ended up getting a similarly cheaply priced mark I, very happy with the results.
About megapixels, if 12 is more than enough (it's definitely way more than enough), then 20+ is obscene like enough.
I believe they actually have the same actual resolution. You can resize the 5dc just as much according to an old review researching it many years ago. The only advantage to the 5d mark II is really the micro focus adjust. I think the ISO performance was basically the same as well within the 5dc's capabilities. Personally I can't get away from using the back wheel in order to change my iso. Changing it on the top wheel always felt awkward to the degree that I avoided the 5d mark II. Went for the 6d instead (it is a much better camera), except for ruggedness. And live view ofc...
Excellent movie with great narrative and awesome photos. I really like your approach towards photography and gear. It's so damn close to mine. Good old cameras just get the 90% work done beautifully. For that 10%, or even less that you often don't need, unless you're a specialized professional photographer (e.g. fast action plus very high megapixel count while remaining in 35mm format) you need to reach for something better and newer (it still doesn't have to be the newest mirrorless stuff though 🙂) to get the work done. Honestly if people need eye af to get good portraits done than it means they don't know their gear. I have a Nikon 780 for example which has eye af (DSLR but with mirrorless liveview mode, basically hybrid) but I get the same eye focus level of accuracy with my older d7100 🤷♂️ and it takes only slightly more time through viewfinder. I feel like more and more drawn to try 5d mark ii, especially after your and Martin Castein movies 👍🏻 I think I can call you two my favourite photo vloggers - voices of reason in a world that's trying to convince you that you can't take great pictures unless you have the newest and greatest (and most expensive 😂) from Canon, Nikon, Sony etc.
Great video made!Thank you for sharing!
Wonderfull video that every photographer should watch 👏💯👏💯👏💯👏💯👏💯
I love your video I've just started photography as a hobby a few month ago and I got a 5d mk2 with a 75-300mm kit lens for wildlife photography but have since up graded to a Canon 100-400mm l mk2 lens and I'm thinking about updating my camrea body to the 5d mk4 for the higher resolution and better auto focus. But the 5d mk2 will always be my first professional camera and I've loved it so far.
How are u filming your view finder
Phone camera shoved up against the viewfinder hole @the_great_rose7615, connected via an articulating arm + some tape.
This and the 5D3 have the best colors out of any digital camera to date.
"If it was good enough to the job before, it's good enough now. And if it's not good enough now, it couldn't have possibly been good enough then" ...Perfect. Just perfect. The perfect response to the -Is Camera X Any Good In 2025?- videos. And like you said the answer is yes. Always yes.
Thanks @GS-vb3zn! Appreciate you taking the time to comment. Yep, for sure. No criticism meant for those types of videos, but yeah, the answer is pretty straightforward.
Used mine on day 2 of a session. I looked closely at one shot. Initially confused why I didn't notice the green grey mould. Then scooted around the rest of the image. Crazy noise. That night I cleaned the sensor of my Sony. Day 3 relied on that. Did the same look at the shadows. Almost zero noise in the shadows. Unfortunately Day 2 was THE day to be shooting.
you speak the truth.
The 5D Mark II and the Rebel T3i, two cameras that changed everything regardless of expertise.
Loved your thoughts about lazy. Be lazy about taking out the trash and the juicer. I love that. Felt really real.
Do you watch Van Neistat? I feel a little camaraderie there between what I feel when I watch your videos. :)
I don't, @ChrisBrogan. I'm afraid to look it up. If he/it/they/she are/is too similar, it's likely to cause me to stop doing videos, for fear of ripping someone off. And I'm having such fun with this. Better I just remain ignorant.
@@NicholasHornbrook - oh not at all. Just kind of a kindred spirit type. A very DIY guy, but your cadence and some of your POV thoughts feel similar.
You made me buy mark ii ty dude ❤
Oops, sorry about that @mmdesignn! Just sell something else to cover the cost, and you'll be fine. At least, that's what I tell myself. Enjoy the 5D Mark II!
My friend I am guilty of it too. I thought i needed the best gear and I sucked. Now I am a little less sucky and know its me who makes the art, not the gear.
Hah, thanks @kevin-haggerty. Yes, agreed, same.
My list of the most important cameras in the history of motion pictures. 1.The BELL & HOWELL 2709 (1912) 2. The MITCHELL BNC (1932) 3.The ECLAIR NPR (1963) 4. The 35mm PANAFLEX (1972) 5. The CANON 5D Mk2 ( 2008) 6. The ARRFLEX ALEXA (2010)
Sadly it usually requires gobs of experience and education to reach the point where you know most kit is "good enough." I own the 5D mk4 but last year I bought a used 7D mk2 for its crop factor with my Sigma 150 - 600 lens. In my initial digital journey, full frame is where it was at for me in my head. Now I know I can use my Fuji 1.5 crop factor old X T1and get a wonderful image of quality. I know the 7D mk2 has a long history as an excellent action camera, nothing has changed just perception with canon mirrorless cameras, but quality is quality, good enough for me.
There is a term "Good enough"
And sometimes that is the answer you need. "GOOD ENOUGH"
There is this store selling actual refurbished/second hand MEDIUM FRAME cameras. Oooh. Even then it is really expensive and just WHEN do you drag that stuff with you?
It's like listening to my consciousness.. I do agree 100%
Bought 1 in 2024... I see what the fuzz was about..when it came out I decided to "sit this 1 out"
It worked
Thank you for this review. Will use mine with the helios 44-2 until they both give up :)
My frend,be careful! You can brake your camera if your focus will be more, then 7-10m. Sorry for my bad language, I'm from Russia.
Superb
I'm still debating which to get between the mk2 and mk3 and 1d mk3. It's also hard to find one in good shape, those go out the door on mpb fast. But at least I'm settled on a specific lens for my first one, the 70-200 f4 L is. Down the line I'd also want to get a 24-105 f4 L is or 24-70 f2.8. that should cover all my needs unless I somehow start shooting wildlife in which case I'd get the sigma 150-600 contemporary. These 3 would end up being over 1.5k euros but the fact they're lenses and those don't get outdated and can probably last more than the camera bodies themselves eases the financial burden.
Nice @vali69. You couldn't go wrong with any of those camera bodies, I'm sure. Yep, very nice lens selection too. I sold my EF 70-200 f2.8, and my 24-70 f2.8, and I regret that deeply! I wish I could have them back. Especially the 24-70. Once you get them, definitely hang on to them forever!
Try a Fuji X-T100 with a 50-230 mm
“Beware the man with only one gun because he probably knows how to use it”
I don't own any current cameras. I own 2 film EOS bodies. The 3 which is 27 years old and the 300V which is 23 years old. Then for digital I own a 5D4 which this year will be 9 years old (wow), and an 850D which is a youngster at I think 5 years. Those ages aren't how long I've had them, they're the ages from when those bodies were first manufactured 😊😊
I could not stop laughing. This video made my day.
i have 8 cameras and the 5dmkii and eos 400d are my favorites.
I think you should really try 5Ds or 5DsR, it's a camera that follows philosophy of 5D2, but is much better package overall.
Those two cameras are in reality studio cameras, at the very least, on a tripod camera. So not really walkabout, handheld shots cameras. All that resolution loves to show your mistakes.
@@DessieTots 5D2 was just that back in the days. Only 1DsIII had 21mpix sensor, rest had something around 12.
Agree on handhold-ability, it's easier to take sharp shot with GFX100. You had to use 1/2xFL to take sharp pictures. Still, overall it was one of the best Canon DSLRs and still is one of the best bang for buck if you care about IQ.
Thanks for the suggestion, @matuszewskistudio. I'm extremely interested in either a 5DS or 5DSR. The problem there is that they've really held their value well. Although they've come down, they're still a bit too pricey for me to buy, and surprisingly expensive to rent. Eventually I'll get one, or find a way to try one. When they drop to around the $300 mark, that's when I'll probably pounce.
@ the model without R is relatively cheap, you can find one for $500 if you try. They are expensive to rent because when shooting in studio with manual lens it’s nearly identical to R5
You must use a correct color profile in the lightroom to match the colors of the camera. If you just use Adobe colors then it would be obviously different...
I have become more and more militant (not really) in my anti-obsolescence regarding camera gear. I interacted with an online group of beginner photographers who were obsessed with new stuff, looking for the gear that'd cost $3k+ (and I totally get it, it's understandable - I think we all go through that stage) and they had no idea what the exposure triangle was. Less than 1% of my direct contact with individuals seemed to grasp the concept of buying used - I recommend the Canon 40D and a nifty 50 - learn the fundamentals. Why spend several thousand dollars to be disappointed by awful photos. Spend a couple of hundred bucks, train your eyes, look at other photos, develop your own vision and learn photography. Then you'll find that that
It's so strange to me, admittedly old guy, but whining about battery life, when we got 36 frames on a 35 mm roll, and a spare battery is equal to about 2 rolls of film, and even costs the same as 72 frames of developed 35 mm transparencies.
And, dynamic range, when we shot terrific images on Velvia 50, that would normally only capture 18 steps on Kodak grey card... Grad filters, extra batteries, what's so hard?
Oh 5D mk III, after 2 ( or 3)F1s and an EOS 1V.
DPP is very underrated; but like you, I use another program and then compare and swap over to DPP if needed in post.
As far as mirrorless goes - for the large part I agree - either way, it is very rare that I go anywhere without a dSLR.
The very small amount of things I photo where the m/less excels over a dSLR are not what most folk shooting pictures shoot anyway. So in other words, they should get by with a DSLR just fine.
Yeah @DrZeeple, DPP is very good. Pretty slow with large files (R5 raws for example). I wouldn't process a wedding in there. Too bad too, because if it were faster, I'd probably dump Lightroom. But it's fabulous for smaller gigs, and especially anything shot with a classic DSLR. Then it's nice and speedy.
Your appreciation of the art of photography is more inclined to the pleasure of making the best personal images with what you have. The technical knowledge of the tool you use is comparable to the pleasure you get out to make great images. Is it a TESLA better than a muscle car? It is up you to decide but, it is a matter of your finances against your impulse to have the best gear, rather the the best pictures. Sometimes, those two come together but, more often than not, they never do. My opinion.
Yeah, it's true @ccmassis. It's too easy to get caught up in the gear of it all, but then you also can't discount the gear, and the role it plays. It's tough to navigate all that, and end up in just the right spot for your circumstances.
Photos with this camera look vintage now. It is not that weather sealed, mine broke because of that. Nothing wrong with having new shiny gear, nothing at all
Agreed @cristibaluta, nothing wrong with that at all. Sorry for your loss. The weather claims another victim. I've had better luck with mine, regarding harsh weather.
Good advice. Whatever fits your hand like a glove. And that whole focus points thing - single point, half press, focus and exposure locked - that's it; unless you like wildlife/birds, then olympus - small sensor but razor sharp lenses if you can pay for the pro versions. Otherwise, a low-count Nikon D750 or Canon 5D III will see you to your grave.
"John would approve."
@ChrisBrogan: 😁
Bought my 5d mk2 today😂
Wore out my 5Dii..utterly,...objectively wore out.cracked case, a bit rusty from wading into surf..you hit it on the head..old pro cameras are still "pro cameras" just passed in time by new pro's that one day will be affordable and pro and good enough.
My work needed more than good enough so switched over to Nikon for a couple of reasons
To put in the work learning a new system
Newer better technology
The old shit out 5 frames a second..ish with a 75% hit rate at the end
The new 14 with 95% hit rate..
I miss the color.science..loving the hit rates.
Shooting low lite is easier,better and cleaner than the 5Dii.
Someday, i can afford a old pro Z9
Thanks for that perspective @orion2250. I get it. Makes complete sense. My situation is different than yours, it seems. Actually, my situation today is way different than my situation 4 or 5 years ago. And that's part of my problem too. I've been making decisions based on my old situation, rather than my current one. Sounds like you're being smart about it. On the classic DSLR side of things, I'm interested in exploring Nikon. Hoping to do that soon, in fact.
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Ill stick to my sony a7rv and sony a9iii lol
Load of BS
Between this and the 1ds mk2, which one would you choose??
1Ds Mark II, @okamikatze863. That’s just personal preference. I’ll do some proper comparisons soon. But I’m just way more enamored with the experience of shooting a 1D series camera. Still though, I’m open to changing my mind.