Canon 5D: The future or a 'throwback'?

[StephenEdgar]

Hi Folks,
I'm not really someone who gets tied up in technical issues regarding which is the 'best ' camera. For may years I shot Kodachrome on an Olympus OM2 (yep, I'm that old!) and then switched to a Canon 300D (Rebel) as a 'learning experience' in the world of DSLR's. I would like to purchase a new DSLR,due to the loss of the 300D. One of the most important features for me in a camera is a nice large, clear viewfinder image (some thing that seems to be absent on most DSLR'S). Many comments I've seen concerning the Canon 5D praise this very aspect of the camera. However, this camera is expensive and my question is really this: Does this camera exist to allow Canon users to use their legacy lens at the 'correct' focal length, (with attendant DOF issues) or does this camera represent something more for the likes of myself who like the idea of a bright viewfinder and tighter control of DOF etc.
Hope this all doesn't sound too confusing!
Thanks for any comments of insight
Regards
Stephen Edgar

[Gary Ferguson]

Stephen, the simple answer is both, and a lot more besides. The 5D is an outstanding camera. If you print to A3/11"x14" it's all the camera you'll ever need (and for many photographers the 24-105 4.0L IS is all the lens they'll ever need), and with a 150,000 cycle rated shutter you could be enjoying exactly the same long and happy relationship you had with your OM2.

However, the viewfinder experience is extremely subjective and personal. Do you wear glasses and need a longer eye relief? Do you regularly focus manually, and if so do you focus in the centre or out towards the edges?  Do you prefer a bright image or one that's a bit dimmer but is easier to focus with? Do you shoot in humid conditions and tend to fog up the viewfinder? Do you need a right angle finder for macro work? Does the dioptre correction range work for you?

The only person who can determine the answers to these and other questions is you, so the best advice of all is to spend some time in a good old fashioned camera store and try the 5D on for size.

[StephenEdgar]

Hello Gary,
Thank you for your helpful comments. Since I put this post on the forum, I've been to my local camera store and spent a little time with the 5D. The viewfinder is indeed large and clear, certainly an improvement on the 300D. I ppreciated you questions regarding issues such as eye relief and manual focussing. (I'd never actually thought about whether I focus in the centre or out towards the edges!)
I found the comment regarding the 150,000 cycle rated shutter particularly interesting, and the related issue of owning the camera for a long period of time. It made the 5D seem more of a long term commitment rather than yet another new DSLR body.
I appreciate your insights
Regards
Stephen

[Jack Flesher]

Another consideration would be a used 1Ds original -- you'll give up some benefits, gain others and save a bit of money, especially if you are still "unsure"...

The 5D is an excellent camera, producing great files with a full-frame sensor, has great high ISO performance and a big rear LCD. And all this comes in a relatively compact and lightweight body.  You can hardly go wrong with this choice.  

By contrast, the 1Ds would be significantly larger and heavier, have about the same battery life but with a much larger battery and not nearly as good high ISO performance.  However at lower ISO's (100 and 200) it delivers excellent files -- arguably perhaps even better than the 5D's -- is a 1-series body with the advantages of more focus-screen options and more robust and weather-resistant construction.  It will also be about 2/3rds the cost of a new 5D which is why I mention it...  

Both have excellent view-finders, deliver outstanding files (within the ISO constraints) and allow full manual control if you want it.

All FWIW only,

[benInMA]

Unless you have major coke bottle eyeglasses the eye relief shouldn't be an issue.

I wear eyeglasses & I never take them off to shoot.  The built in diopter correction is not enough for me to shoot without my eyeglasses.  You can order the correct diopter adjustment piece for the viewfinder if you really don't want to shoot with glasses.

I think part of the issue is if you're used to an APS viewfinder you could see the whole viewfinder image at once without moving your eye, with the bigger finder you may find yourself moving your eye to look around the image to check all the details.  Since it's bigger you can actually see all the details, and you are seeing 2x as much of everything with the same lenses so you really need to pay attention.

This camera should be looked at as a long term investment.  There is no real way you can claim a camera like this holds you back in any way.  There's going to be little reason to upgrade for most of us unless you have easy and inexpensive access to very large format printing.  There's next to no noise, the Dynamic range has moved forward quite a bit (especially compared to the 300D), there are no startup issues, and there are really no issues with the buffer, it's incredibly deep.

Don't be thinking of the lenses as "legacy" lenses either.  That's FUD from the Nikon trolls, and they will stop saying that when Nikon 35mm arrives.  You are simply getting a camera that uses the best lenses as they were designed to be used.  Neither company offers a superior lens setup for APS compared to 35mm.  Rent/borrow the camera and this will become instantly clear.

[BernardLanguillier]

Don't be thinking of the lenses as "legacy" lenses either.  That's FUD from the Nikon trolls, and they will stop saying that when Nikon 35mm arrives.
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By the way, are people boasting about Harry Potter in the Tolkien forums also called trolls?

Cheers,
Bernard