Pages: 1 [2]   Go Down

Author Topic: fast D3x/5DII comparison  (Read 18934 times)

eronald

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6642
    • My gallery on Instagram
fast D3x/5DII comparison
« Reply #20 on: August 05, 2009, 11:17:36 pm »

I use the 17 as a general-purpose handheld wide, often somewhat shifted. I point it at street scenes, buildings and people. It's basically welded to the 5DII body.

My Nikon 17-35 has a dying AF, but is also quite nice; for some reason the Nikon 24 doesn't make me happy - no bite, some distorsion ? while my old manual Nikon 20mm lens is excellent. As a result I have stopped using the 24, and think I'll sell it.

Edmund

Quote from: BernardLanguillier
What is it you didn't like about the 24 PC-E? I find mine to be pretty amazing but for a slight amount of distorsion easily corrected in PS.

Very sharp accross the field even when shifted.

This beind saig, a 17mm PC-E would be nice but I find that to be in fact probably too wide considering the very un-natural look of straight lines in the corners of such a frame when shifter. Do you use it as a regular 17 mm or with the shift functions?

Cheers,
Bernard
Logged
If you appreciate my blog posts help me by following on https://instagram.com/edmundronald

dwdallam

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2044
    • http://www.dwdallam.com
fast D3x/5DII comparison
« Reply #21 on: August 06, 2009, 04:38:24 am »

Edmund,

You say like using the cheap 50mm Canon Lens? Which one? I've been thinking about getting a 50mm lens, but don't want to spend the money for the Canon 1.2L.
Logged

DonWeston

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 148
fast D3x/5DII comparison
« Reply #22 on: August 06, 2009, 09:18:37 am »

FWIW - I  find my 50mm EF Macro and 50mm USM F1.4 both vastly sharper then my 17-40L, and 70-300mm IS USM, and won't even comment how either of them is leagues sharper then my 3rd 24-105mmL...

Now trying a 24mm ef 2.8 and 100mm  usm macro, back to basics, hoping this works...
Logged

eronald

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6642
    • My gallery on Instagram
fast D3x/5DII comparison
« Reply #23 on: August 06, 2009, 11:53:05 am »

Quote from: dwdallam
Edmund,

You say like using the cheap 50mm Canon Lens? Which one? I've been thinking about getting a 50mm lens, but don't want to spend the money for the Canon 1.2L.

I'm using the 50/1.8. For "thing" shots - travel stuff, it works great. It costs about $100, basically acts as its own lens hood, and is quite sharp when stopped down a bit. It's impossible to argue about the price

If you want to do people, then it's worth getting the 50/1.4, because it has a nice softish look when a bit open. The 50/1.8 is a bit harsh on people, the diaphragm opening is not circular.  

I have had to junk a 50/1.8 though, which was not sharp enough after some use, I think it probably got hit, and they may be fragile. Although, I guess you can always recycle the thing as a lenscap

Edmund
« Last Edit: August 06, 2009, 11:58:54 am by eronald »
Logged
If you appreciate my blog posts help me by following on https://instagram.com/edmundronald

KevinA

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 979
    • Tree Without a Bird
fast D3x/5DII comparison
« Reply #24 on: August 06, 2009, 12:42:10 pm »

Quote from: eronald
I have a D3x, and a 5DII.

I regularly use the cheap 50mm lenses on both cameras. Theses 50mm lenses are addictive.

The D3x weighs a ton, is built like a hammer, focuses fast and accurately within a cm or so tolerance, and produces beautiful luminous images in any light.
The 5DII is fairly light, is solid enough for the real world, focuses decently but not really well, and seems to run out of light all too often.

In practice, the 5DII seems to have better DR to handle external architecture and interior architecture. The 17m TS/E lens is delightful.
In practice, the D3x does much better on portrait situations with a medium tele, due to the fast off-center focus points, and skin tone is something I prefer. I have run off full length portrait posters from the D3x Jpegs.


More subjective drivel.

- Direct-printed postcards from the Nikon look better.

- A quick test I did with a fast C telephoto (200/2) on the 5DII showed inaccurate focus acqusition. A set of tests I did with the N 200/2 on he D3x showed inferior sparkle/look, compared to an old  C 200/1.8  model which I have used extensively for fashion and portrait. The old C 85/1.2 is superb but slow; the N 85 1.4 is a sharp and fast-focusing lens which always gets a decent shot.

- The 17mm TS/E on the 5DII is superb. If you want to use this lens, it's worth acquiring a camera for it.
 
- The 5DII does video. One day you may need that.


My feeling is if you want to photograph things, and in particular interiors or exteriors with highlights and shadows, you want the 5DII, if you want to photograph people especially working in low light or people who move, you want to use the pro Nikon. Both cameras can do either quite well, but each does one thing superbly.   I also believe that the old 5D may be superior to the 5DII for skin tone. As for the EOS-1 series, they're nice but not perfect. The D3x is still the closest thing to a perfect all round camera that can be found out there. And yes, I still use a 50mm on each camera most of the time.

Edmund

Hi Edmund,
Can you tell me what the AF is like on the Canon and Nikon, I'm shooting the smkIII and if I shoot 5 in a row I'll get 5 different focused images. I'm looking to shoot some night stuff from a helicopter soon and I need to shoot nearly wide open. Right now I'm turning circles trying to get a consistent focus. I would like to stick with Canon because of the faster wide prime lenses. But fast and soft is not much use to me.
Any views on this from a shooter of both?

Kevin.
Logged
Kevin.

dwdallam

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2044
    • http://www.dwdallam.com
fast D3x/5DII comparison
« Reply #25 on: August 06, 2009, 10:17:54 pm »

Quote from: eronald
I'm using the 50/1.8. For "thing" shots - travel stuff, it works great. It costs about $100, basically acts as its own lens hood, and is quite sharp when stopped down a bit. It's impossible to argue about the price

If you want to do people, then it's worth getting the 50/1.4, because it has a nice softish look when a bit open. The 50/1.8 is a bit harsh on people, the diaphragm opening is not circular.  

I have had to junk a 50/1.8 though, which was not sharp enough after some use, I think it probably got hit, and they may be fragile. Although, I guess you can always recycle the thing as a lenscap

Edmund

LOL I was wondering if you meant the 100 dollar series. I gotta get one of those now. 50 1.4 it is.

Thanks
Logged

dwdallam

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2044
    • http://www.dwdallam.com
fast D3x/5DII comparison
« Reply #26 on: August 06, 2009, 10:19:02 pm »

Quote from: KevinA
Hi Edmund,
Can you tell me what the AF is like on the Canon and Nikon, I'm shooting the smkIII and if I shoot 5 in a row I'll get 5 different focused images. I'm looking to shoot some night stuff from a helicopter soon and I need to shoot nearly wide open. Right now I'm turning circles trying to get a consistent focus. I would like to stick with Canon because of the faster wide prime lenses. But fast and soft is not much use to me.
Any views on this from a shooter of both?

Kevin.

Are you using single point auto focus and getting different focus points?
Logged

narikin

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1371
fast D3x/5DII comparison
« Reply #27 on: August 07, 2009, 11:41:57 am »

Quote from: KevinA
Can you tell me what the AF is like on the Canon and Nikon, I'm shooting the smkIII and if I shoot 5 in a row I'll get 5 different focused images. I'm looking to shoot some night stuff from a helicopter soon and I need to shoot nearly wide open. Right now I'm turning circles trying to get a consistent focus. I would like to stick with Canon because of the faster wide prime lenses. But fast and soft is not much use to me.
yes that's Canon at the moment. sadly the AF is broken in current releases, and they don't seem to be bothering to fix it.
I don't find it holds focus at all well, first shot is bang on then it will miss track a person or shift focus for no reason. 5D2 or 1Ds3, it makes no difference.
someone there needs to sack the entire AF team, and hire in fresh blood.

it's making me seriously think of getting a D3x, even though I have a lot of great Canon glass.
Logged

eronald

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6642
    • My gallery on Instagram
fast D3x/5DII comparison
« Reply #28 on: August 07, 2009, 12:00:04 pm »

You need to try the AF with your own focal length and usual subject matter. I have had both very good and very bad results, but the good results with Nikon tend to be consistent - ie if the camera can track then it will always track.


Edmund

Quote from: narikin
yes that's Canon at the moment. sadly the AF is broken in current releases, and they don't seem to be bothering to fix it.
I don't find it holds focus at all well, first shot is bang on then it will miss track a person or shift focus for no reason. 5D2 or 1Ds3, it makes no difference.
someone there needs to sack the entire AF team, and hire in fresh blood.

it's making me seriously think of getting a D3x, even though I have a lot of great Canon glass.
Logged
If you appreciate my blog posts help me by following on https://instagram.com/edmundronald

Dan Wells

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1044
fast D3x/5DII comparison
« Reply #29 on: August 08, 2009, 02:27:35 pm »

On the D3x glass question:
The 24-70 f2.8 is superb - among the best lenses I've ever owned or used.
The 105 macro (newish AF-S VR version) is also very good - I'll take the 24-70 over the 105 by a hair, but the latter is also a truly lovely lens.
I've never had much of a chance to use the 14-24 (don't own it yet), but it gets very, VERY high praise, including on the D3x.
The problem is with longer glass - the current 70-200 has a poor reputation on full frame, especially at high resolution, the (very old) 80-400 is worse. Most of us are hoping that the new 70-200 will solve the problems with the current one.
The little consumer 70-300 AF-S G VR is surprisingly decent, and is a commonly carried (I have one, and I've heard of several other D3x owners who do)stand-in until a better medium tele comes out).
From what I've heard, all the exotic teles (200-400, 300, 400, 500, 600) work very well on the D3x.

                                             -Dan
Logged

KevinA

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 979
    • Tree Without a Bird
fast D3x/5DII comparison
« Reply #30 on: August 09, 2009, 03:41:33 am »

Quote from: dwdallam
Are you using single point auto focus and getting different focus points?

I tend to use centre spot only shifting left or right if the centre is something without contrast or defined edge.

Kevin.
Logged
Kevin.

dwdallam

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2044
    • http://www.dwdallam.com
fast D3x/5DII comparison
« Reply #31 on: August 09, 2009, 03:43:59 am »

Quote from: KevinA
I tend to use centre spot only shifting left or right if the centre is something without contrast or defined edge.

Kevin.

I see you are also talking about auto tracking focus too, and yes, the 1DSIII is not the best. But do you have the newest firmware? I think, if I recall correctly, that this issue can be improved by a service visit.
Logged

Geoff Wittig

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1023
fast D3x/5DII comparison
« Reply #32 on: August 09, 2009, 04:44:48 pm »

Quote from: dwdallam
Edmund,

You say like using the cheap 50mm Canon Lens? Which one? I've been thinking about getting a 50mm lens, but don't want to spend the money for the Canon 1.2L.

I can definitely recommend Sigma's very nice 50mm f:1.4 on Canon's full frame cameras. I had the same issue; I wasn't impressed by the build quality of Canon's 50mm f:1.8 or f:1.4, and the 1.2 was just over the top. The Sigma's center sharpness is excellent wide open, and falls off nicely and naturally toward the edges, so it's ideal for low-light environmental portraits. Some folks have complained of dodgy autofocus, but it's worked fine for me. The depth of field is so shallow I find myself focusing manually to make sure the subject's eye is "in". The only issue may be its true focal length, which is actually about 48mm, whereas most "50 mm" lenses are more like 51-53 mm, so it seems just a little wider than expected. Stop down to about f:2.0 and you'll have to apply some diffusion for most faces because it's cruelly sharp.
Logged

KevinA

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 979
    • Tree Without a Bird
fast D3x/5DII comparison
« Reply #33 on: August 09, 2009, 05:23:37 pm »

Quote from: dwdallam
I see you are also talking about auto tracking focus too, and yes, the 1DSIII is not the best. But do you have the newest firmware? I think, if I recall correctly, that this issue can be improved by a service visit.

I've tried all types of focus, it's consistency I can't find. Today I shot some boats at the start of the Fastnet race, pin sharp everyone. Yesterday I happy snapped on the beach, I got front focus and back focus, it's driving me crazy. I've sent it to Canon twice, i think I'll take everything to them to check out.

Kevin.
Logged
Kevin.

eronald

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6642
    • My gallery on Instagram
fast D3x/5DII comparison
« Reply #34 on: August 09, 2009, 07:21:32 pm »

I did some fine focus adjustment today on my D3x. By testing, I found that the sensors mounted on the X and Y axis work well, but those off the axes are not of the same quality. I think.

Edmund
Logged
If you appreciate my blog posts help me by following on https://instagram.com/edmundronald

BernardLanguillier

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 13983
    • http://www.flickr.com/photos/bernardlanguillier/sets/
fast D3x/5DII comparison
« Reply #35 on: August 09, 2009, 08:51:46 pm »

Quote from: Dan Wells
I've never had much of a chance to use the 14-24 (don't own it yet), but it gets very, VERY high praise, including on the D3x.

I am not big on super wide, but the 14-24 does indeed work very well on the d3x.



Quote from: Dan Wells
From what I've heard, all the exotic teles (200-400, 300, 400, 500, 600) work very well on the D3x.

Here is one from this weekend with the 300 f2.8 VR, such a wonderful piece of glass.



One lens you didn't mention that works great too is the 85 f1.4.



Cheers,
Bernard

dwdallam

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2044
    • http://www.dwdallam.com
fast D3x/5DII comparison
« Reply #36 on: August 09, 2009, 11:01:51 pm »

Quote from: KevinA
I've tried all types of focus, it's consistency I can't find. Today I shot some boats at the start of the Fastnet race, pin sharp everyone. Yesterday I happy snapped on the beach, I got front focus and back focus, it's driving me crazy. I've sent it to Canon twice, i think I'll take everything to them to check out.

Kevin.

 That's a little disturbing. Did you shoot the boats with the same lens as the beach?

 Can you mount your camera on a tripod and shoot the same object in the same light with the same focal point several times to see if you are getting front or back focus? I would suggest this:

Set up your camera so you know it's not moving (bench test).

Set up a subject that does not move straight on.

Shoot 10 shots at the same focal point using a single focus point.

Do the same thing except use a different location on the subject, such as a point an inch or so further of nearer to you. You should angle the subject so you are not hitting it flat on for the second test.

Do it all over except manual focus.

It may be lens differences, not the camera.

Please let us know.
Logged
Pages: 1 [2]   Go Up