 |
Canon EOS 5D
|
|
Review Date: Feb 14, 2009
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
|
|
Pros:
|
IQ, IQ, IQ, that files just jump out of the screen and have a really 3d Look. Full frame, Viewfinder, build quality.
|
|
Cons:
|
AF is 3 years old, in fact drop the pretense, the camera is 3 years old and so is it's feature set. has a 1/160 x-Sync limit when using PT-04 triggers, dunno bout pocket wizards.
|
|
|
I'd give the camera a 10 if it had better AF, but what can we expect? it's 3 years old.
Build quality is fine, but the fact that there is some play on the grip-body junction drops it to an 8.
Buy let's forget about the camera and talk about the important aspect: IQ.
Being relatively new to the art of Photography, I cannot quite compare this camera's IQ to previous 1D series cameras or Nikon's equivalents. But from where I stand and that is coming from 400Ds and 350Ds, this camera is the end-all for my IQ needs.
I have to say for a 3 year old camera the ISO 3200 performance astounds me. I mean at these ISO levels, I would expect a 3 year old camera to blow out highlights and have REALLY noisy shadows, but not this little beast. The colors are something that just can't be beat, and for the price I got it it's a steal.
AF leaves me wanting though, and the 1D mk III will be added to my arsenal soon. But that is really the only REAL downside I see to this body, I wouldn't mind the 3 year old feature set if the AF were better, makes me really envious of those nikon fellows and their d700s. But the glass I already have invested in the Canon system is tying me down.
Here's to hoping that Canon will come to their senses and make something similar to the d700: a small form-factor body with some (if not all) the professional features of the 1D-series cams.
A man can hope right?
|
|
|
|
|
Canon EOS 50D
|
|
Review Date: Feb 14, 2009
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
|
|
Pros:
|
Comparatively Amazing AF to my previous cameras (400D/350D), IQ is pretty good, Hi-ISO capabilities make previously impossible conditions shootable now, Live View is pretty useful, Viewfinder is beautiful, and finally the frame rate still amazes me.
|
|
Cons:
|
Eats through CF cards like a hot knife through butter, H1 is pretty unforgiving in the shadows and H2 is basically a snowstorm, Aside from eating through memory fast using live view dramatically decreases the battery life.
|
|
|
I bought this camera as a new high-end body over my other cameras (400D/350D) never again will I invest in a body like that.
The camera is all I dreamed for it to be and a little more.
First off I want to mention that the biggest thing that I noticed when I held it in my hands is the different feel to the camera. It's just totally rugged and dense, to put it simply it feels like a real camera! The viewfinder was something I didn't expect but a totally welcome surprise, then there's the LCD all other LCDs pale in comparison to this one and Live-View becomes more useful and you can really tell if your shot is in-focus.
Other things that really endear this camera to me are the AF speed, the build quality, the expanded ISO options, the high framerate, and also the control lay-out and the top LCD buttons.
IQ wise, the files are stunning; not leaps and bounds stunning compared to my older cameras, but there is a nice feel to the files, something about the colors really jumps at me.
Lots of people complain that the files are "less sharp" logically speaking this just can't be the case. After I Micro-AF adjusted my lenses on this camera, there was just a new level of sharpness that resulted. The PP (or lack thereof) that some people apply on the images might actually be the reason the files seem "less sharp". As I see it, the larger dimensions of the files need a different sharpening scheme.
All-in-all a great camera, not a 1-series body in terms of functional and not in the same vein as the 5D siblings in the IQ department, but it's a good compromise at a good price.
|
|
|
|
|
Sigma 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 DC OS
|
|
Review Date: Jun 17, 2008
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
|
|
Pros:
|
Great range, OS is killer, good contrast, good build quality
|
|
Cons:
|
noisy focusing, a bit soft wide open, slow
|
|
|
Bought this lens as I need an all around lens. Very happy with it so far. IQ is great, contrast is top notch. and for the price with OS is a great value.
Though it is a bit soft wide open, nothing that would entirely detract from the image.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
