Camera Labs

Hi Gordon,

Episode 2 of Zacuto's video shoot-out was interesting for a number of reasons, not least the use of ISO 160 in preference to ISO 100 for all the DSLRs except the Nikon D3s. When and if you have an opportunity could you use your contacts at Canon to ask what the Base ISO of the sensor of the 5D Mark II is? We all know that the dial starts at 100 (with an extension down to 50) but I'm left wondering if that's strictly true of the sensor itself.

Bob.

P.S. For those who are unfamiliar with the concept of a sensor's Base (or native) ISO I penned a few thoughts in my thread Know your Base (or Native) ISO.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

I've used the charts at DxO to determine what the base ISO might be.

If this link works you'll see a comparison of the 5D2, 50D and also Oly E-P1. Click through to ISO.

The reason I chose those two are that the 50D is widely claimed to have a higher base than ISO100, and you can see at the bottom of the chart the measured ISO at setting of 100 is same as setting of 200. The same happens with the E-P1, but in that case Olympus do admit the base is ISO200. Back on the 5D2, you can see ISO100 continues to drop lower, and only the extended ISO50 setting flattens off at the same level as ISO100. On that basis, it looks like the native ISO of the 5D2 is on the ISO100 setting.

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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.

Hi popo,

I think I agree. I still try for ISO 100 if the situation permits. Life would be a lot simpler if the manufacturers (not just Canon) could arrange for the readout amplifier gain to be set at intermediate levels (e.g. 125 and 160) rather than just the "main" levels (e.g. ISO 100 and 200) and then deriving the intermediate levels by massaging the picture data after the A/D stage (not sure if I've got that right but I think that's what happens). That might explain why ISO 160 can produce a lower black level noise than ISO 100 as setting the readout amplifiers to ISO 200 may slightly improve the S/N ratio in the shadows but at the expense of reducing the dynamic range. Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately) I have far greater challenges in just trying to take a pleasing composition so deciding whether to set ISO 160 or ISO 100 is the least of my worries.

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

I don't mean to interrupt the great conversation, but I will cut in for a moment to announce my new membership in the 5D Mark II club!

That's all! Looking forward to contributing to this thread some time next week (when the camera actually shows up!).

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5D mk II | 50mm 1.4 | 28mm 1.8
My Flickr

I am with you on this Bob, my main worry is composing a great shot. Still, made for a very interesting read.

@Rhesebag: congrats on your new camera. I am sure you will love it and it will go well with the 50mm you have.

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http://www.parismetrotrash.com

Hi RhesEbag,

Yes, congratulations. I was about to post the single word Shan't in your "talk me out of it" thread but I was too late.

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

Any word on when/ if canon will be replacing/ updating w newer version of there Mark II 5D ?

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No rumours that bear repeating. Anything is possible, I suppose, but my guess is that a replacement is extremely unlikely this year with replacements for the 550D/T2i and 1Ds3 more likely and possibly also a successor to the 50D.

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

The 5D was announced in the end of 2005, the 5DMk2 followed in the end of 2008 and if they keep this 3-years-rhythm the 5DMk3 might be announced in the end of 2011 - not too soon.

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III + Canon EOS 33v
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

I spent a beautiful week during summer on Agay on the French riviera, a place that now belongs to my favorite regions (of those I have had the luck to visit, anyway).

The thing is, on the train ride back home from Milan to Switzerland, my camera bag was stolen... The 7D is gone what a lousy way to end your perfect French vacations, huh?

Long story short, the insurance paid for it all, and I bought myself a 5D MKII, which I think means I now belong to this thread and not to the 7D group anymore.

I am curious to know if anybody has made the switch from 7D to 5D, or if somebody has worked with both bodies, and know what they think, I mean, comparing both of them.

I think the perfect camera would be a 7D with a full frame sensor, but it doesn't exist (and if it did, Im not sure I'd be able to afford it). But in the meantime that's the reason I bought a 5D and not another 7D: I just fell in love with the capabilities of the FF sensor of the 5D.

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Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 24-105mm f/4.0 L

I had the 7D for a short time, along with my 5D2. It would be awesome to have an upgraded 5D to have at least the same kind of focusing as the 7D. Nothing else needs to change for my use (well, perhaps an improved bracketing range). Out of the 2 canon bodies I currently own, the 5D2 is by far the most used and loved, just because it has a full frame sensor with great picture quality!

Jumping ahead to 5D3 - ff they release a new 5d next year, I hope they keep the same resolution as the current model, though build the sensor with all the new technolgy they have used in the 7D and 1DIV to have a super sensitive sensor with nice large pixels that perform well in low light and perhaps they can improve the dynamic range a bit too:)

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http://www.parismetrotrash.com

you also need to change your signature, as it still stes you have a 7D

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http://www.parismetrotrash.com

Thanks for the reply man. Yes, i changed the signature (and I deleted all the efs lenses too, I now have to sell them all).

I'm thrilled to see how my pics are going to come out of that big sensor. I think it is canon's currently best sensor, in terms of image quality and low light performance.

Perhaps the biggest advantage of the 7D are its features, but in the end the name of the game is "sensor performance", I think.

Luis

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Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 24-105mm f/4.0 L

Prospective buyers have a dilema at the moment in that the 5D mk ll has the better sensor but the 7D the better technology. It would be frustrating for buyers to have to wait for the camera with the better sensor to get even the same technology as the 7D. The 5D mk ll is also the more expensive camera, but with the lower technology?

Of course when the 5D mk ll does come out I would hope that it would go ahead of the 7D in technology. But do we have to wait until the end of next year when the 7D is already out there with the better technology?

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Canon 40D, EF-S 17-85mm IS USM, EF 70-300 IS USM, EF 50mm f/1.4, Speedlite 430EX II, EF 70-200 f/4L IS USM, EFS 10-22mm.

Hi Stuart,

I think a typo crept into your last paragraph and that you really meant 5D Mark III.

It's a funny thing but I just don't see the problem you're describing. If I wanted a sports/wildlife camera then I'd buy a 7D but at my more sedate pace of life the feature set of the 5D Mark II is more than enough for my needs and it arguably still produces the best quality images of any Canon DSLR including the 1Ds3.

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.