5D - 5D3 combo: which lens on which?

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rabbitmountain
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p.1 #1 · 5D - 5D3 combo: which lens on which?

Gear question.

I've been using my 5D+35L very successfully in wedding environments. I'm looking at getting a 85L. Maybe even a 50L after that.

Suppose you would have two FF bodies, a 5Dclassic and a 5D3. And you would use the 35L 80% of the time and a 85L/50L 15% of the time, which lens do you fix on which body?

I ask because normally you'd want the newer body for the majority of the shots, so that would call for:
- 5D3+35L (80%)
- 5Dc+85L (15%)

But as the 35L is very easy to focus on my 5Dc, and the 85L (and more so the 50L) appears to be so much better with a 5D3, the better choice could be
- 5D3+85L (15%)
- 5Dc+35L (80%)

Curious to your thoughts.

Ralph

Jun 27, 2012 at 03:19 AM

dhp_sf
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p.1 #2 · 5D - 5D3 combo: which lens on which?

do you tend towards outer focus points on either lens? I think i'd use outter focus points much more on the 35 than the 85 so that might sway me to go that way... not sure though.

Jun 27, 2012 at 03:34 AM

jasonhupe
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p.1 #3 · 5D - 5D3 combo: which lens on which?

good light, 5Dc w/ 35, 5D3 W/85.
bad light, switch.

Jun 27, 2012 at 10:37 AM

Robr
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p.1 #4 · 5D - 5D3 combo: which lens on which?

why a slow 85l? A good Sigma works well for me on a 5D2.
I would go for the resolution on the 5D3 with a 35mm as you can crop better.
also the backup card is nice for 85% of your shots.

and the good old 5D is a great portrait camera wilt a 85mm.

Jun 27, 2012 at 11:00 AM

whtrbt7
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p.1 #5 · 5D - 5D3 combo: which lens on which?

Just seems like too much of a compromise with 2 FF bodies. I prefer one 1.6x crop and an FF. Both the 35L and 85L are excellent lenses but the 5D3 is excellent in low light so you might as well take most of your photos with the 5D3. It also depends on your style. If you're taking PJ shots most of the time, and you like being farther out, the 85 is going to be great. If you like being up in the action, the 35 is the choice.

Jun 27, 2012 at 01:59 PM

deepbluejh
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p.1 #6 · 5D - 5D3 combo: which lens on which?

My opinion, it doesn't matter the way you think it does. I personally would use the more difficult to focus lens on the 5DIII and the easier to focus lens on the 5Dc. The 85L and 35L can be finicky, but for very different reasons. Use your experience and judgement as to which lens behaves best on which camera.

Jun 27, 2012 at 02:17 PM

deepbluejh
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p.1 #7 · 5D - 5D3 combo: which lens on which?

whtrbt7 wrote:
Just seems like too much of a compromise with 2 FF bodies. I prefer one 1.6x crop and an FF. Both the 35L and 85L are excellent lenses but the 5D3 is excellent in low light so you might as well take most of your photos with the 5D3. It also depends on your style. If you're taking PJ shots most of the time, and you like being farther out, the 85 is going to be great. If you like being up in the action, the 35 is the choice.

To each their own I guess. It drives me crazy trying to shoot with both a crop and FF camera side by side. Shooting in a uniform format makes things so much less complicated.

Jun 27, 2012 at 02:17 PM

deepbluejh
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p.1 #8 · 5D - 5D3 combo: which lens on which?

Robr wrote:
why a slow 85l? A good Sigma works well for me on a 5D2.
I would go for the resolution on the 5D3 with a 35mm as you can crop better.
also the backup card is nice for 85% of your shots.

and the good old 5D is a great portrait camera wilt a 85mm.

Because that "slow" 85L actually focuses reliably whereas the Sigma does not.

PS: I own the Sigma, but regret buying it.

Jun 27, 2012 at 02:18 PM

rabbitmountain
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p.1 #9 · 5D - 5D3 combo: which lens on which?

Wow, different opinions. I suppose I will try to improve technique first with 5Dc+85L, because I really like the SD card backup for most of the shots. If that works out to a reliable keeper rate where I know I have the shot, that's the way I will go.

So:
Ceremony: 5D3+35L + 5Dc+85L / 5Dc+70-200
Rest: Same or switch lenses

If I can't manage the 5Dc+85L combo:
Ceremony: 5Dclassic+35L / 5D3+50L/85L / 70-200/2.8mkII on whichever body I don't use at the time
Prep, portraits and dinner/party: 5D3+35L / 85L / 50L (if I buy that lens) / 5Dclassic+70-200/2.8mkII

Maybe if I get the 50L it might become my most used lens, who knows. Then the situation will be entirely different. For the rest, I'll just play it by ear.

Thank you all for your thoughts.

Edited on Jun 28, 2012 at 02:45 AM · View previous versions

Jun 27, 2012 at 07:57 PM

rabbitmountain
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p.1 #10 · 5D - 5D3 combo: which lens on which?

Just some quick replies to your input:

@dhp_sf: I don't use outer focus points on my 5D at all at weddings. I don't get good light as a rule, so I use focus/recompose with my 5D-35L combo.

@jason:switching at the start of a session had not crossed my mind. Thanks for that! Still I'm a simplicity kind of guy so I'd prefer to shoot with regular combo's. I will surely try it though.

@Rob:Yes backup is a relevant consideration.

@whtrbt7: I do like 2 ff bodies for simplicity.

@Jamie: valid points, thanks. But why would you say the 35L can be finicky?

Thanks.

Edited on Jun 28, 2012 at 02:56 AM · View previous versions

Jun 28, 2012 at 02:35 AM

rabbitmountain
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p.1 #11 · 5D - 5D3 combo: which lens on which?

I just had an afterthought to my opening post:

What do you use the 85L for during ceremonies? Not for tight head shots I suppose, because you'd be too close for comfort. I would say use it to frame the entire couple from waist up, or the reverend. Like I've been using my 70-200 for so far. The photographer typically stands further away, so DoF won't be as thin and critical.

The first 85L series that I mentioned in my opening post was only tight head shots (about 5 ft subject distance) and surely must be the most challenging for thin DoF.

So my point is that wedding ceremony shooting situations should be easier for the 85L to master than tight head shots.

Does this make sense?

Jun 28, 2012 at 02:52 AM

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