5D mk2 vs D700... auto focus differences really an issue?

[buckwheat]

Hi, I've been looking at these two bodies. I'm a Canon user and have been considering jumping across to Nikon. Sticking with Canon will be the easier option but I am concerned that the "slow" auto focus I keep reading about will be an issue (and the Nikon supposedly wins this battle hands down).

For 5D mk2 users, is this a real issue or splitting hairs?

I'll mostly be shooting fast moving kids, low light, etc. Will be pairing either camera with a 24-70 f2.8.

 

[willdoang]

why not wait & see first for 5Dmkiii or D800, if u really must buy now, 5Dmkii AF is ok but i've tried D700 too and i can say that it is faster(like on my 1Dsmkii),if u already hve quite an investment on canon lens, why not considering 1Dsmkii or 1Dmkiii(1.3x crop) since u put D700 in the fray u shouldn't really care about video anyway right...

 

[raydio]

The D700 has the auto-focus advantage and the 5D mkII has the megapixel advantage. Depending on shooting style, one or the other advantage should dictate choice particularly for those who are entering the hobby or profession.

Personally, I'm not a fan of switching brands especially when an investment in lenses is significant. Canon and Nikon will continue to outdo one another for as long as they are in business. We, the consumer, benefit from this. It wasn't long ago that Canon was the undisputed king. Nikon may have a slight advantage now, but there's no guarantee that they will stay that way for long. Canon will not sit idly by and let that happen and for that matter, neither will Nikon... advantage us!

The past year has seen a dearth of new bodies for various environmental reasons. The Canon 5D MkII was introduced over 3 years ago and a new model is way overdue. Ditto for the Nikon D700. The next 12 months should be an exciting one for the entire industry.

 

[gundamseed84]

Depends on what you want to shoot. If is high speed action then 5DII is not designed for such purposes. You might be better off with 1D series. Otherwise af shld be okay.

Alternative try using your skills to overcome the slower af issue. People in the past has nothing called 'auto' yet they can do it so af of D700 to me is nice to have but not a die die must

 

[buckwheat]

i guess im trying to maximise my dollar - ive learnt from past experiences that buying something that may not necessarily be the "one" im after just means im going to upgrade again very soon! i have had a 40D for around 3-4 years and whatever i buy now will be for a similar time period.

price wise the D700 and 5Dmk2 are very similar in price. going to the 1Dsmk3 is almost doubling the body cost (and thats for 2nd hand) so dont really want to do that.

 

[Kenneth67C]

Are you really comparing like for like? Different bodies and lenses.

What is your investment in lenses?

Instead, you could add a fast bright lens instead of changing bodies. I think this is more suited to shooting kids and low light.

 

[buckwheat]

Are you really comparing like for like? Different bodies and lenses.

What is your investment in lenses?

Instead, you could add a fast bright lens instead of changing bodies. I think this is more suited to shooting kids and low light.

either way im buying a full frame DSLR with a 24-70mm f2.8 lens. the only differences i can see between my options are:
- i already have 50mm f1.4 and 70-200 f2.8 canon lenses that i would have to sell off if i switched.
- the AF on the 5D is apparently very similar to the 40D i have and the D700 is vastly superior (only what ive read).

so i think im comparing like for like and focussing purely on the differences... i love my 50mm f1.4 but prefer it on a full frame (i have an older EOS3 and the perspective i got out of that film body were amazing).

 

[esoeij]

If your definition of 'fast moving kids' includes kids running around, doing sports etc, then the 5Dmk2 AF probably is not fast enough. My kids are quite fidgety and not always cooperative when I try to take photos of them, but most of the time the 5Dmk2 AF is good enough for me. What I can't do, or find very hard to do, is to shoot my kids when they are running towards me, or when they are running around (e.g. in a field, playground etc). When I expect a lot of action, I use my 7D, but most of the time I use the FF. If you want the best of both worlds within your budget, you could consider pairing a 7D with a 5D classic. Or retain your 40D and pair with either a 5D classic or 5Dmk2. Btw, I used to own a 40D, and its continuous-AF mode worked great for my kids' action shots.

As to whether it's worth changing systems, depends on how much Canon lenses and accessories you have accumulated. If I ever consider changing systems, I will probably get a basic 2nd system set-up first and decide whether it works better for me, before divesting my Canon gear. Worst thing would be to change system, then regret, then having to lose/spend $$$ to revert back.

 

[esoeij]

- the AF on the 5D is apparently very similar to the 40D i have and the D700 is vastly superior (only what ive read).

I did not own the 40D and 5Dmk2 at the same time. But my impression from using both cameras, is that the 40D AF seems to be faster. I managed to get sharp shots of my kids running towards me with my 40D with relative ease. Even if assuming it's similar, the higher fps burst rate on the 40D means you are likely to get more usable shots than the 5Dmk2. That's my personal experience so far anyway.

 

[L-coholic]

i guess im trying to maximise my dollar - ive learnt from past experiences that buying something that may not necessarily be the "one" im after just means im going to upgrade again very soon! i have had a 40D for around 3-4 years and whatever i buy now will be for a similar time period.

price wise the D700 and 5Dmk2 are very similar in price. going to the 1Dsmk3 is almost doubling the body cost (and thats for 2nd hand) so dont really want to do that.

D700 is cheaper than 5D2 at Malaysia.
about 500 SGD cheaper.

 

[buckwheat]

I did not own the 40D and 5Dmk2 at the same time. But my impression from using both cameras, is that the 40D AF seems to be faster. I managed to get sharp shots of my kids running towards me with my 40D with relative ease. Even if assuming it's similar, the higher fps burst rate on the 40D means you are likely to get more usable shots than the 5Dmk2. That's my personal experience so far anyway.

and that sums up my hesitation on the 5Dmk2. I looked at going to the 7D and whilst it would definitely be an upgrade from my 40D, i dont have any real desire to get another crop frame. i think the comment around trying out the nikkon, not investing too much and trying it out (prior to selling off the canon kit) is great advice and i think what i'll end up doing.

thanks all !

 

[Pinoy]

But my impression from using both cameras, is that the 40D AF seems to be faster. I managed to get sharp shots of my kids running towards me with my 40D with relative ease.

Both cams have 9 AF points. However, the 40D has the edge due to it having all 9 AF points as cross type, whereas the 5D only has 1 -- which is the center AF.

BTW, to the TS, if you can afford to wait then it might be better to do so -- especially since you already have investments in Canon. The 1DX offers a quite lot, and it's expected that some of the features -- including AF changes -- would trickle into lower models, 5D included.

:Later,

 

[gundamseed84]

My experience differs, I am using a basic 500D and if you are talking about kids running towards you I think they won't be as quick as people sprinting towards you. My 500D af is capable of getting shots like this....

so I believe 5DII can do it too. Of course D700 may make this kind of shots easier to achieve but end of the day I believe is skills (i am not saying i am skillful) rather than having technology covering the lack of it. What if one day you decide to shoot other things like F1 cars and say you think D700 af cannot cope with it? Change another model again?

So you have to weigh is it worth to make a loss and trouble to sell your entire gear away to address an issue which might not be solely on the body itself?

My suggestion is go rent/borrow both models and see if D700 is so superb over 5DII that the change of system is a must.

 

[Kiwira]

i have both, and if it's about focusing, then d700's got the upper hand in precision and speed

not really an issue on the 5d2 actually with the 24-70

 

[Pinoy]

My experience differs, I am using a basic 500D and if you are talking about kids running towards you I think they won't be as quick as people sprinting towards you..

The difference is, the path of the sprinter -- and even the f1 cars -- is pretty much straight or predictable. You can't say the same for kids.

If the quality of light isn't good (or low light if you prefer), the 5D fares worst than the 40D. I own both cams and that's what I've observed.

Now I've held and used a friend's D7000 and was very impressed how much it managed to lock a focus on a subject.

:Later,

 

[sinned79]

i used to own both 40D and 5DMKII at one point of time, and the reason for buying 40D was because I find my 5DMKII too slow when comes to shooting marathon shots. Hence I bought this 40D specially for this purpose (since i got a paid assignment and I don't want to miss too many shots with my 5DMKII). General use wise, the center focal point of 5DMKII is pretty fast enough but I wun say the same for the remaining 8 focal points around the center focal point.

 

[BraveHart]

FYI the 5Dm2 is used by some S.League photographers in Singapore. Do note that local stadium lighting is pretty bad but everyone seems to be able to deliver their shots still. I've personally used this body for my shoot and the ai-servo coupled with a fast lens is more than adequate to track fast action under such challenging lighting conditions.

Just because it's not marketed as a sports camera doesnt mean it cannot be used effectively for such purposes.

Anyway OT. Can't comment on it's performance vs the d700. I'm sure there is a difference but is it going to make a world of a difference? Doubt so.

 

[sinned79]

FYI the 5Dm2 is used by some S.League photographers in Singapore. Do note that local stadium lighting is pretty bad but everyone seems to be able to deliver their shots still. I've personally used this body for my shoot and the ai-servo coupled with a fast lens is more than adequate to track fast action under such challenging lighting conditions.

Just because it's not marketed as a sports camera doesnt mean it cannot be used effectively for such purposes.

Anyway OT. Can't comment on it's performance vs the d700. I'm sure there is a difference but is it going to make a world of a difference? Doubt so.

it also depends on what u want to capture. for example, for the marathon assignment i have undertaken, my paymaster wants me to capture (if possible) all the runners that cross my path... but as u know... not every runner will run and stop to let you shoot before continue running again... that's when the 5DMKII fps lose out... and you will miss a lot of shots (in the end i really had to buy a 40D to keep up with the fps so I wun lose shots). For soccer matches... its a different story cos its the excitement that you want to catch... the 5DMKII fps is adequate enough for you to get a few shots (at least 1-2 will be keepers). So i guess it really depends what type of photos you want to get from these sports. Some does not requires you to have fast fps and focusing but some does.

 

[chengpenguin]

FYI the 5Dm2 is used by some S.League photographers in Singapore. Do note that local stadium lighting is pretty bad but everyone seems to be able to deliver their shots still. I've personally used this body for my shoot and the ai-servo coupled with a fast lens is more than adequate to track fast action under such challenging lighting conditions.

Just because it's not marketed as a sports camera doesnt mean it cannot be used effectively for such purposes.

Anyway OT. Can't comment on it's performance vs the d700. I'm sure there is a difference but is it going to make a world of a difference? Doubt so.

I concur with you bro. 5D2's AI SERVO is pretty good actually. If you know your tool well, you can delivery amazing shots with it too

Although sports photography benefits from a high FPS camera, sometimes Instinct is what required at the end of the day.

 

[metalgear]

S League use 5DmkII correct leh... EPL than use 1D

5d original concept was the ultimate studio/portrait camera, so speed was never the goal.

Sure you can still use the 5DmkII to shoot anything you want, but don't expect the butcher's chopper to have the same precision as the surgeon's scalpel.