Official 5DMKII users thread

[chengpenguin]

I'm using 16-35 II and the distortion is less pronounced when compared to 17-40. A good landscape lens. Distortion is less visible when zoomed to > 21mm.

Again, it depends on budget... Get what you can afford comfortably.

 

[valenlks]

hi! I've just purchased a 5d2 and realized that when u select the top AF point (in landscape) and half press to focus on the point.. it'll beep..however it happens that it will have an extra vague and faint point of the AF point right on top of it.. and previously i rented a 5d2 before my purchase and realized that actually it occurs on it too. I reported the problem to the company and the person-in-charge said that all their 5d2 have the same problem. I'd like to inquire if it happens to the rest of the 5d2 users as well, or is it the batch manufacturing issue. Thanks!

 

[metalgear]

17-40 distortion quite bad on 5DMKII... unless u want to spent time correcting the distortion during PP.

not sure about 16-35 but now I am using Carl Zeiss 21mm (upgraded from 17-40) and I simply love this lens

17-40 is a fine lens, distortion is there but can't be beat for price and weight. distortion can also be managed, even better, used to enhance the selected elements in the frame if you know how:
17 Amazing Wide Angle Images

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perspective_distortion_(photography) << see "artistic uses"

the full frame of the 5d takes advantage of this, plus adds a slight vignetting, reminiscent of the older/classic lenses.

colour and contrast is also good for HDR too.

 

[sinned79]

17-40 is a fine lens, distortion is there but can't be beat for price and weight. distortion can also be managed, even better, used to enhance the selected elements in the frame if you know how:
17 Amazing Wide Angle Images

Perspective distortion (photography) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia << see "artistic uses"

the full frame of the 5d takes advantage of this, plus adds a slight vignetting, reminiscent of the older/classic lenses.

colour and contrast is also good for HDR too.

i know. but its tiring to PP those photos taken by this lens. me not that artistic enough to make use of this distortion (since i used it mainly for landscape shoots).

 

[bkling1]

i know. but its tiring to PP those photos taken by this lens. me not that artistic enough to make use of this distortion (since i used it mainly for landscape shoots).

Fully agree on the above...Can't imagine pp few hundred of photos at each operation. By the way, if there is sufficient budget, there r plenty of good alternative wide angle lens for 5Dii such as nikor 14-24 with adapter, cz 21mm or leica 28mm (later version with sn:3xxxxxx). Once you have used the above few lens, you will realize that Canon has a lot to catch in their wide angle lens for FF camera.

 

[sinned79]

Fully agree on the above...Can't imagine pp few hundred of photos at each operation. By the way, if there is sufficient budget, there r plenty of good alternative wide angle lens for 5Dii such as nikor 12-24 with adapter, cz 21mm or leica 28mm (later version with sn:3xxxxxx). Once you have used the above few lens, you will realize that Canon has a lot to catch in their wide angle lens for FF camera.

yeah, i have since upgraded to CZ 21mm. love this lens very much! save me headache correcting the distortion during PP.

17-40L is not a bad lens actually. i really loved it and its my longest use lens before i sold it away to upgrade to CZ 21mm. But it no longer serves my needs when comes to landscape photos.

 

[MikeCruzPhotography]

<---- Subscribed!

 

[Far far away]

<---- Subscribed!

Welcome back again Mike!

 

[Snoweagle]

I'm using 16-35 II and the distortion is less pronounced when compared to 17-40. A good landscape lens. Distortion is less visible when zoomed to > 21mm.

Again, it depends on budget... Get what you can afford comfortably.

I'm using Sigma's 12-24 and distortion control is excellent, some more cheaper than Canon's 16-35.

 

[jonathann]

I'm using Sigma's 12-24 and distortion control is excellent, some more cheaper than Canon's 16-35.

i second this. used the 12-24mm sigma ver 1 before and it was great on the 5D2.

 

[raydio]

i second this. used the 12-24mm sigma ver 1 before and it was great on the 5D2.

I rented the Sigma 12-24 ver 1 for a week in September and was struck by a virulent strain of BBB. I was heavily medicated for a while to rid myself of this horrible affliction. But once you get BBB, you can never get totally rid of it!

 

[jonathann]

hahaha. i didnt get infected with the 12-24mm BBB virus because i am not a landscape shooter. thus rented it only for a particular trip. however got heavily poisoned with the 70-200 f2.8 ver 2 BBB virus when it just got launched. no known medication available except to BBB.

 

[chengpenguin]

hahaha. i didnt get infected with the 12-24mm BBB virus because i am not a landscape shooter. thus rented it only for a particular trip. however got heavily poisoned with the 70-200 f2.8 ver 2 BBB virus when it just got launched. no known medication available except to BBB.

Can... Give me all your money and your BBB virus will be gone!

 

[N-user]

hahaha. i didnt get infected with the 12-24mm BBB virus because i am not a landscape shooter. thus rented it only for a particular trip. however got heavily poisoned with the 70-200 f2.8 ver 2 BBB virus when it just got launched. no known medication available except to BBB.

The antidote usually comes from the manufacturer... though not long lasting..... which is... no stock..... so the BBB virus self cure till the next round....

 

[jonathann]

Can... Give me all your money and your BBB virus will be gone!

haha. thats not a good advice.

 

[astroboy]

Some things polariser can do that PS can't (unless u plan to spend several hrs on each pix). Like taking away reflected sunlight on the roof of a temple etc.

Nowadays with all the digital darkroom tools, I don't find the need for a polariser.

Sigma 12-24 is great for indoor use eg interiors. Outdoors it can be a problem with sun flare, cannot attach filter etc.

i second this. used the 12-24mm sigma ver 1 before and it was great on the 5D2.

 

[Kenneth67C]

Some things polariser can do that PS can't (unless u plan to spend several hrs on each pix). Like taking away reflected sunlight on the roof of a temple etc.

But I want the reflection...

 

[jasonyjw]

Just got myself a 5D2. loving every bit of it. why wait for mk3 when the current is bang for buck?

a question for the experienced users, does the focusing screen EG-S or whatever helps in normal event, wedding photography?

 

[Far far away]

Just got myself a 5D2. loving every bit of it. why wait for mk3 when the current is bang for buck?

a question for the experienced users, does the focusing screen EG-S or whatever helps in normal event, wedding photography?

COngrats on getting yourself a great camera!

Regarding the EG-S screen, I am using one now but it is mainly to help me focus when I am using manual lenses like my Zeiss 35/1.4 and 50MP. I was using the stock screen all along with my other lenses inclusive of the 35L and no problem with that. So buy the EG-S if you are interested in manual big aperture lenses. Else the stock screen works fine.

 

[crabball]

Pls also note that eg-s is good for only lens with f2.8 or bigger. Lens with smaller aperture (e.g f5.6) will cause the viewfinder to b very dim/dark