Camera Labs

These are a few thoughts for Canon MP-E 65mm users in APS-C bodies, esp important if you are after action moving subjects.

From now most of my shoots in the last 15 months were with the MP-E 65mm and canon 7D, the lens live in the body and I really like the results and dust free images. But I'm must admit, its a pretty overkill to keep the MP-E on a 7D body and the only important feature I use is the nice 100% viewfinder coverage.

The 7D body weight more than 800g while a entry level body weight 500g on average so I am trading a 5% more viewfinder coverage for 300g more of weight (it's almost the weight of an extra flash unit)

so I though about returning this lens to my nice 500D body, the problem is this one is no longer a "dust free" body due to lots of lens changes. I think for more time I will continue with the current setup as I don't have better use for the 7D body than extreme macro captures. BUT I'm very curious to know what the macro mates think about the use of a entry level body for MP-E handheld shoots.

Along the current bodies I found the 1100D (T3) as a very interesting alternative for the MP-E rest on:

- low weight
- 12 Mp sensor with better noise control than previous 450D (in reality I dont need the 18 Mp of the 7D even this 12 MP sensor is too much resolution for the apertures used with the lens)
- lack of unneeded features for the lens ( I don't need advanced AF system or a lot of frames per second nor high iso for these flash photography, as I use exclusively manual flash I don't even need advanced TTL control, I already switched from the 580 EX II to a yongnuo to economise weight)

reasons to keep in a high end APS-C body:

- 100% viewfinder coverage, the 7D viewfinder is precise, clear and allow a good control of image borders for most of the shoots, once you are used with it don't want to live without it
- Confidence, to have the most used lens in the most featured body
- I know a diffraction affected file of 12 MP and 18 MP have the same resolution, but some people don't, and simply value more the higher pixel count file, or could even value more due to gear used to make the photo

Simple, but I will value a lot the opinions that could come, and please exclude from the responses cameras with large capture area (APS-H and full frame) these are wonderful, but have the penalty of being heavy and require higher magnifications to fill the frame.

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http://www.gmazza.com

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You say about a non-clean system, would it not be sufficient to give it a good clean before moving lenses?

Sounds like you use the viewfinder, remember there is an optional angle finder if you want a bigger view, although coverage of course would be unchanged. Don't suppose you're a fan of live view? If you get for example 600D the tilt screen there could help if you're working in tricky positions.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

"Would less be more?"
Well... not in my opinion. I like a lot of features. You don't have to use them if you don't want to, but it's nice to know you could use them.

Still maybe the 600D's screen is the bit "more" you could need? I really like live view for the more precise work.

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

Thanks lot folks, here is the place I got most responses.

The main issues are weight, clean system, and excessive features. This is specifically for handheld shoots of in action bug (full flash photography) severely stopped lens (about f/20 to f/60 effective apertures). So each little bit of dust is magnified and the live view is not practical with the lens extended, need to use the viewfinder.

The question is more conceptual than personal, as I don't have other uses for the 7D than insect photos in the near future, so I will keep carrying 300g more of weight in exchange of a better viewfinder, the question is, is that choice clever if the same results could be achieved with lighter camera bodies ?

Being a non autofocus lens the MP-E is not much demanding of a full featured camera body.

Thanks again..

Best

Gustavo

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http://www.gmazza.com

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