Re: What is your Canon Family Tree / Genealogy? Here is mine:
Mid/late 1980s: Canon AE-1 Programm
Started with photography as a teenager in the mid/late 1980s using my dads AE-1 Program and a 50mm.
At my school a teacher was running an extracurricular photography group for interested students. He setup a small b/w lab,
we rolled our own film capsules and did b/w prints.
When I left school my photography came to a halt as I couldn't setup a lab at home. After moving across the country I didn't even have a camera anymore.
10-12 years later I was visiting a friend on another continent. His wife had an old Canon AE-1. So I bought 2 rolls of film and added that as an enjoyment to my vacation.
Around 2001/2002 I got the itch again. Setting up a lab still wasn't possible, but digital happened.
Around 2001/2002: Canon Powershot G2
From there it escalated
July 2003: EOS 10D, bought
July 2005: EOS 1D Mark II, rented for a weekend
November 2005: EOS 5D
Finally full frame, somewhat affordable, unlike the 1Ds
December 2012: EOS 5D Mark III
May 2016: EOS 5Ds
The 5Ds was (still is) great for my landscape, architecture photography, but for objects with significant movements it's AF was a pain. Continued using my older 5D3 for that for a while until:
Januar 2018: EOS 5D Mark IV
Used it primarily for more "active" subjects, which often is ~50 of my photographic subjects. Also loving the build in GPS.
Been using the combo of the 5D Mark IV and 5Ds depending on what I was shooting.
August 2024: EOS R5 Mark II
(Almost) the best of both worlds for me and improved usability a lot where I didn't expect it to.
I still occassionally use my 5DS and 5D Mark IV. The latter accompanies me when do more "reporting style" photography at events (for fun) and I want a second camera in order to avoid changing lenses too often.
Not sure what would drive me to upgrade.
More pixels? Yes, but I dread s/n ratio and/or in in-camera noise reduction being even overly agressive. Or speed (AF, fps) being significantly lower than that of the R5 Mark II.
Built-in GPS? Yes, likely
Improved ergonomics w/ a body with a "build in" grip: Yes.
Renting the 1D II in 2005 was revelation in terms of ergonomics. My hands are relatively large and I've been using all my EOS bodies with a grip for improved usability. Could use them without, but it's better with a grip for me. That's different with the R5 Mark II, which is so small that it's not really useable without a grip for me. However, that grip is still an add-on, with all the inherent compromises of that approach.
Sep 25, 2026 at 01:51 AM
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