Or are we still left wanting?

Other focusing issues seem to be croppying up. Baffles me because I totally did not see this coming. I use 24-105 4.0 L IS, 24-70 2.8L, 100 2.8 and 70-200 2.8 L IS.

I haven’t tried the manual focus since I can’t trust my eyes. After my recent experiences I’m going to take a shot at manual.

When I searched on this issues I was hoping to find a solution such as a firmware update.

gary

-Yep, that’s what I would think!

It’s true, even with stationary subjects I have to be very careful… and still many are slightly out of focus. (or should I say the focus was where it was, because something happened in my camera movement or subject distance between firing the shutter and focus lock, or it wasn’t locked correctly in the first place!)

In indoor photography, with a maximum aperture, the camera doesn’t tolerate shake or movement well… So last time I used a tripod! (non-center composotion and focusing was really difficult with the tripod) I think this Eos- battery grip could actually balance the camera and make it much more usable (just my guess really) ?

Still I am very pleased with the succesful pictures. Totally. So as long I know what I am doing, and get a little bit lucky, I am absolutely happy with it. Actually I think I am shooting pictures now more than ever.

With the D700, I get 99.999% AF accuracy with MOVING subjects, a hit-rate better than 5D’s on STATIONARY subjects.

Someone in Canon need to be sacked.

It’s my first time ever taking part on any discussion revolving around cameras and technology.
But here we go…

I just bought 5d MKii + 24-105L F4 + 85 f1.8

After using pretty much every Nikon & Canon DSLR camera out there, I finally (after 8 years of waiting) think that I am holding a real camera. A camera that captures the scenes as I want, and produces lovely quality for minimum postprocessing and large magnifications – For me a large print would be around 1 meter for the longer side of the print.

Straight out of the camera, the pictures have a “quality”, which I previously haven’t found in any DSLR (Not really played with the sony a900 or nikon d3x -so no experience over there).
It’s almost like looking at a medium format scan. Not quite, but almost, and that is enough. With careful framing and composition, some brilliant photographs can be produced, something which isn’t possible without 20+ megapixels and L glass.

Ah and the autofocus. Yep, it’s slowish. It’s not quite accurate. Comparing to an old Nikon d2 autofocus system, it’s like driving a bulldozer compared to a slick sportscar. In dark it struggles to find the center spot etc. I am actually thinking of trying manual focus with this camera! Maybe some Zeiss manual focus lenses would do wonders…?

But that’s not the point. With this camera, I think one doesn’t do so much of action photography anyway. How many of you have run around with a medium format camera, trying to focus on moving objects with finger on automatic-fire? – That’s what I thought.

This is a camera, that brings back photography to (digital) photographers after many years of darkness – unless you have afforded a medium format digital back previously!

It’s not perfect. It needs careful planning and careful execution. It’s great – with limitations!

Best wishes to you all,

get the camera you deserve!

i tested 2* 5DmarkII bodies with both a 85 1.2 prime & a 50 1.4 prime lens. i measured from the body with distances over 2m,4m & 6m with a focus point of a piece of cardboard with attached tear sheets with beauty products. i interchanged both cameras & lens at those points.they were also both standardized with aperture & tripod/timer. i was in a studio with two flash heads pointed into the ceiling.

i have to say i wish i could have tested a old 5d model aswell for comparsion sakes, but both cameras calibrated with DPP software looked soft without any sharpening. not blurry just soft. sharpening from 3 onwards(only in RAW) seems to me a typical standard.

i aint too sure what to do next as i cant afford a new nikon & as i’ve just tested 2 bodies(which were purchased at different dates), what advantage would a new exchanged body give me?

if you use DPP how far in sharpening can you go?
i’m disappointed that autofocusing is something i cant fully trust now & im out of ideas.
go to manual focus?(which sucks,my eyes aint so good) maybe try the micro adjustment on the camera?i have to hire lens which means i cant recalibrate the lens.

damm that cost me 3k.

I know this will sound strange but I love this camera but it’s going back to be exchanged tomorrow! I’ve used it for 28 days (50mm 1.4, 24-105L 4.0, 85mm 1.8, vertical grip, 580 EX II) and made the mistake of assuming this product would work as advertised, but in the real world electronics don’t always work. I’ve done several photo shoots and two weddings, at first I thought it was just me being too overzealous trying to be creative and not taking my time focusing – but a steady pattern began to develop.

Close to 50% (30%-50%) of the shots were out of focus. Finally yesterday (5-24-09) and today I did extensive testing on a tripod using the 10 sec timer and ended up with the same 30%-50% shoots out of focus. I am hoping this is an anomaly and my replacement camera will work but unfortunately I found on the net that several people are reporting the same thing, “focus problems.” Others are saying they have no problem at all so it could be just a bad batch or a particular production plant (who knows).

What is for sure is that when it works it’s unbelievable and the video is incredible also (high quality short clips is all I need for advertising and this more than fits the bill). Plus, word is out that a free firmware update allowing you to shoot in full HD using manual exposure controls including ISO, aperture and shutter speed will be out in June.

I say it’s worth the try, be mindful and test it thoroughly (tripod w/timer) before the exchange period ends and make sure it is focusing and giving you the photos you deserve after spending this kind of money. I don’t want to go to the Nikon D700 but if the problem persists – I need a camera that works and produces usable professional results – my customers demand it!

Jury still out
no in body stabilization
Sony’s flash better design for portraits

- you don’t know how to use your equipment.

- error 99′s are a normal feature.

- Nikon have errors as well, so it’s normal for Canon to have them.

- there is nothing wrong with the auto focusing system, it’s your fault.

- quality control costs money (as mentioned previously).

- it’s normal to recalibrate your lenses, even from a “L” range lens.

- lens hood are additional accessory and should be sold separately.

as we can see, circular reasoning and lying is a trait of the Canon fanboys and of Canon executive.

what I find most insulting is that a once great leader in photography will sell faulty DSLR cameras in exchange for your hard earned cash. Canon are seriously taking you for a bunch of fools, wake up people, there are alternatives.

In regards to Sony DSLR’s I’d wait till Sony release more models, its still early days for them and they released only 1 semi-professional (a700), 4 entry level models and 1 full frame professional camera (a900). If their new models aren’t any good then get a Nikon d700.

someguy6481

I’m going back to my 5d for now and will send it back to canon

Maeda!!!! get the message already!! i dont think luck is enough for you to survive in coming 2009.

The 5D2 now has an even bigger problem. Image quality issues. Just read the following link:

http://fakechuckwestfall.wordpress.com/2008/12/05/black-dots-from-hell-is-the-5d-mark-ii-fucked

The 5d2 IQ is amazing, but the AF system really failed.

Just ranting..

To me, the big headache is the shutter lag. I was very much willing to buy the 5D Mark II, but 73 ms makes the camera useless to me. I might consider Nikon, but the color is simply not good enough.

I don´t care much about AF: manual focus is usually faster with me – though nowadays indeed far more difficult than it used to be with the analogue Canons. In fact, color is the only good thing about all this digital crap: I get as good a result as I used to do with professional emulsion. And that is something that still amazes me each time I see the result on my screen.

Canon still makes great DSLRs! (and yes, with you I could WISH they made them faster, leave out the video joke and concentrate on the professional side, speed, AF; all true. But still: great camera´s!)

The 9-point AF in Canon is more accurate that Nikon’s 51 AF. Result can be seen on AI Servo mode.

In anyway, Canon’s image quality is WAY TO FAR BETTER than Nikon’s.

Try long exposure, bulb mode, at least 80 seconds: Nikon D700 @ f/4 and Canon 5D @ f/4

Just my two cents.

Having owned a Canon 5D, and having used a Nikon D300 quite often, I would never say the D300 has a higher amount of in focus shots. Also, when enabling only 11 points on the Nikon system, they are all clustered in the center circle, which is completely useless.

The fact is, the 5D produces MUCH better files, with a simple, yet reliable AF system. 51 inaccurate points is far more a curse than a blessing.

Give me a 5D or 5DII over a D300 or D700 any day. Simple to use, reliable, and beautiful RAW files, vs an overcomplicated, packed with features camera system without the IQ to back it up.