View Full Version : Canon 1D MKII Thoughts.
Hi all. Am about to get hold of a Canon EOS 1D MKII n. It's a November 2005 model. Needs the shutter motor which Canon can do for £216 inc sensor clean & motor replacement. It was repaired last year to the tune of £1300 by Canon. Lots of parts have been replaced as new.
It will be a step up from my trusty 400D at long last!
Any thoughts, for's & against etc?
Thanks,
Paul.
Well, it's big and heavy - have you handled one before? The viewfinder will be big and bright compared with what you are used to, and of course there's that machine gun like 8.5 frames per second :)
According to DxOMark the sensor quality is not that much different to the 400D you are used to apart from a noticeably higher noise ceiling. See:
http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Cameras/Compare-Camera-Sensors/Compare-cameras-side-by-side/%28appareil1%29/184|0/%28brand%29/Canon/%28appareil2%29/435|0/%28brand2%29/Canon
You won't be able to use EF-S lenses of course.
Keep us updated! :D
Ian
Hi Ian, thank you for that link.
I have not held an EOS1 yet but I did have on my 400D an official Canon battery grip which bulked it up a bit so hopefully it's not too far off that.
I didn't know you couldn't use EF-S lenses with it, you learn something new everyday! I do own two 'L' lenses so they should be alright for now.
I remember last year I was going to buy an EOS 5D and had been in touch with Stephen about what he thought of it. I would love to have his opinion of this camera but sadly can't.
Thanks for the input Ian.
Paul.
I have just turned a bright shade of green :)
I have just turned a bright shade of green :)
Me too! If only for the higher noise ceiling!:rolleyes:
Well I got it today! It's really heavy!! The small buttons are a bit fiddly but I will soon get the hang of it. It's awesome. Can't wait to get out and about with it, looking good for Thursday for a day out with it and I am going to a music festival at the weekend so will take it with me.
Fast Eddie
20-09-11, 09:35 PM
Wow, just saw this. Bet you'll have loads of fun with it.
Gayle was given a Nikon d1 some time back and even at 4mp with a couple of old manual focus lenses you could tell it was special. I'm guessing the 1D II will be the same.
Not used any of the canon pro models, but I can relate to the weight thing, for me it inspires confidence and everything just seems to work quicker, thats what I found with the d2x and d2h I have used, when I got the d7000 I got the grip at the same time and it never comes off, only to charge the camera battery, one of the downsides but I can live with it.
But yeah adding a grip to a body can make the cam feel alot different and alot more pro, not to mention making it look more profesional when folks are paying you!
I think we will be on a d4s by the time I get another pro body *LOL
Have had some problems connecting to the Canon software that I have on my laptop here. It won't recognize the camera in the EOS utility. Googled and updated everything but it looks like I need a Firewire cable which I would get but my laptop here doesn't have a Firewire port! Have to download the pics using Explorer then editing in Lightroom. Can't tether it now to take time lapse stuff direct to the laptop which has annoyed me as the laptop is about a year old and cost over £500! Gutted :(
Took it with me to a local festival. Takes some getting used to the controls layout but I will get used to that. The camera drew a lot of attention from other photographers there which led to a few contacts being made in the area where I live, also, one of the bands asked me (after I had shown them the pics on the camera) to do a photo shoot for them for an upcoming album and pictures for their website which I am pleased about! Anyhow, here are a few from the weekend, took well over 500 pics, narrowed that down to about 140 and then only really happy with about 10 of them!
http://dpnow.com/galleries//data//888/V0R4255.jpg
http://dpnow.com/galleries//data//888/V0R4254.jpg
http://dpnow.com/galleries//data//888/V0R4353.jpg
http://dpnow.com/galleries//data//888/V0R4548.jpg
Fast Eddie
27-09-11, 08:19 PM
Nice looking images.
You can pick up a usb > firewire cable, but I think it requires the camera to be able to transfer via usb. Not sure if you can find out if this one will.
Edit: Does it not have USB conectivity too?
http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/Digital_SLR/EOS_1D_Mark_II/index.aspx?specs=1
I think you're better off with Lightroom anyway :)
Does your laptop have an ExpressCard slot? If so you can get FireWire adapters to fit. I use one on my three year old HP laptop.
Ian
The last one is interesting...
photograph of someone taking a photograph of someone taking a photograph
Nice looking images.
You can pick up a usb > firewire cable, but I think it requires the camera to be able to transfer via usb. Not sure if you can find out if this one will.
Edit: Does it not have USB conectivity too?
http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/Digital_SLR/EOS_1D_Mark_II/index.aspx?specs=1
INTERFACE
Computer IEEE 1394 (Supplied with 4-pin dedicated cable), USB 1.1 (Mini-B, PTP)
Ian, I don't think it has an Expresscard slot. It is a Samsung R730.
Only way I get images is to connect the camera, little box comes up with the name of the camera and what I would like to do next. I then click through to the camera where the pictures are and download them that way. Then use LR (which I upgraded to LR3 earlier) to process them. Upgraded because in LR3 you can tether the camera for remote shooting but, you do need the EOS utility as a bridge to the LR function and of course, I can't use the EOS utilities!
You're right, your R730 doesn't have an ExpressCard slot, but the higher-spec R780 apparently does.
There are firewire to USB adapters but I'm not sure this will help you as the software will be expecting firewire hardware. I don't think this is going to work, sadly.
Ian