dfoo
Well-known
Thats nice. However, here is an image that shows a somewhat different bokeh.
Lenses for travel on 5D Mk II
- Thread starter Nick De Marco
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Nick De Marco
Well-known
Thanks for all the very interesting replies.
I did sell the M8, although I loved the camera. I don't think it does well at high noise, and although I never had any really major issues, the 5D has been more reliable. Discovering the ability to use 3rd party lenses on the 5D, the higher useable iso and the launching of the 5D mk II all lured me back toward the canon and I could not justify owning two expensive cameras, My M8 has gone to a good home and I will continue to use my film M6 and some M lenses. I also bought the LX3 which I think is a great compact if you want something small to carry around when the Canon (or even at times the M8) is too big.
I agree with some of the comments about zooms. As useful as they can be, especially for professional work, when doing my own creative work I prefer to get the lens which produces the best image and that is usually a prime lens. Plus I quite enjoy the discipline. I do think the 70-200 f2.8L lens is as good as just about any prime, but it is such a heavy beast (I lugged it across Lao before) I would rather not take it with me).
I have recently been testing various third party used lenses I own on my new Canon 5D Mk II. I have nothing against many of Canon's finest L lenses (my favourite of the moment being the 35mm f1.4L), but sometimes find other lenses have a special 3 dimensional feel and smooth bokeh. I love my Leica Summicron f2, for example, far more than the Canon 1.4 which I find quite brutal at f2. I have a few very nice Leica R and Contax/Zeiss lenses I can use on the 5D. Reading various forums made me look into Olympus Zuiko lenses too, a cheaper alternative. I bought the 21mm and 28mm f2 lenses on ebay. Both very nice lenses but the 21mm is nowhere near as good as my Leica Super Angulon 21mm f4 (at f4, f8 or f16 in my opinion). The 28mm, on the other hand, is a great lens.
So, on the eve of a trip to Myanmar I narrowed down my travel options. Leica 21mm f4 (I compared it to my Oly 21/f2 and it was far better throughout the aperture range), Oly 28/f2 (which, on the other hand, is flawless), Canon 35L f1.4, Leica Summicron f2 (far, far nicer than the Canon 1.4) and Canon 135L f2 (another great Canon lens).
Then - just tonight - I noticed an old second hand Olympus SLR on my shelf I had picked up for about #60. I wondered what lens it had on it. Sure enough it was the Olympus Zuiko 50mm f1.8. I tried it on my 5D mk II straight away and was immediately impressed. I then quickly compared it to the Leica Summicron and found, to my shock and disbelief, I think it produces better images than my Summicron, and even a smoother bokeh. Whilst it is not engineered as well as the Leica, it is half the weight and tiny. So the Leica will say at home and the surprise find, Oly 50/1.8, is coming on holiday to Asia.
I did sell the M8, although I loved the camera. I don't think it does well at high noise, and although I never had any really major issues, the 5D has been more reliable. Discovering the ability to use 3rd party lenses on the 5D, the higher useable iso and the launching of the 5D mk II all lured me back toward the canon and I could not justify owning two expensive cameras, My M8 has gone to a good home and I will continue to use my film M6 and some M lenses. I also bought the LX3 which I think is a great compact if you want something small to carry around when the Canon (or even at times the M8) is too big.
I agree with some of the comments about zooms. As useful as they can be, especially for professional work, when doing my own creative work I prefer to get the lens which produces the best image and that is usually a prime lens. Plus I quite enjoy the discipline. I do think the 70-200 f2.8L lens is as good as just about any prime, but it is such a heavy beast (I lugged it across Lao before) I would rather not take it with me).
I have recently been testing various third party used lenses I own on my new Canon 5D Mk II. I have nothing against many of Canon's finest L lenses (my favourite of the moment being the 35mm f1.4L), but sometimes find other lenses have a special 3 dimensional feel and smooth bokeh. I love my Leica Summicron f2, for example, far more than the Canon 1.4 which I find quite brutal at f2. I have a few very nice Leica R and Contax/Zeiss lenses I can use on the 5D. Reading various forums made me look into Olympus Zuiko lenses too, a cheaper alternative. I bought the 21mm and 28mm f2 lenses on ebay. Both very nice lenses but the 21mm is nowhere near as good as my Leica Super Angulon 21mm f4 (at f4, f8 or f16 in my opinion). The 28mm, on the other hand, is a great lens.
So, on the eve of a trip to Myanmar I narrowed down my travel options. Leica 21mm f4 (I compared it to my Oly 21/f2 and it was far better throughout the aperture range), Oly 28/f2 (which, on the other hand, is flawless), Canon 35L f1.4, Leica Summicron f2 (far, far nicer than the Canon 1.4) and Canon 135L f2 (another great Canon lens).
Then - just tonight - I noticed an old second hand Olympus SLR on my shelf I had picked up for about #60. I wondered what lens it had on it. Sure enough it was the Olympus Zuiko 50mm f1.8. I tried it on my 5D mk II straight away and was immediately impressed. I then quickly compared it to the Leica Summicron and found, to my shock and disbelief, I think it produces better images than my Summicron, and even a smoother bokeh. Whilst it is not engineered as well as the Leica, it is half the weight and tiny. So the Leica will say at home and the surprise find, Oly 50/1.8, is coming on holiday to Asia.
dfoo
Well-known
How do you find using manual focus lenses on the 5d? I have a nikon adapter and have used some of my AIs lenses (not all of them will fit!). Even though I have focus confirmation, I still find it very irritating to use 🙁 It would be great if there was a split prism available!
Nick De Marco
Well-known
I agree. I find my rangefinder M cameras so much easier to focus with manual lenses. I have to say though, and I ever thought tjis when I bought it, I find the Live View focus on the 5D Mk II fantastic for manual lenses, albeit when using the camera fast outside it's not too helpful (but I will either take my chances then or use L AF lenses I guess)
gavinlg
Veteran
Something you might find interesting - I had an olympus om 50mm 1.8 (the made in japan version) and compared it on my 5d to my old canon 50mm 1.8 II (plastic fantastic). The images made by both lenses were indistinguishable in bokeh, rendering, sharpness, everything.
loneranger
Well-known
So I am narrowing it down to the Zuiko 21 and 28, the canon 35, the Leica 50 and the Canon 135. I realise this is all a matter of personal taste and preference. Many would prefer to take just one lens or all the best zooms etc. So although I don't espect anyone can tell me what lenses are best for me, the whole point of these forums for me is to discuss and get other people's ideas. So if anyone has thoughts or advice about this choice, or good/bad experiences with any of these lenses, I would be grateful.
In my first few days of experimenting with the 5D mk II this week (whilst at work) I have made a couple of galleries using some of the lenses I am uncertain of. They are here
http://www.pbase.com/nickdemarco/canon_5d_mark_ii
Thanks
Nick
With my 5d I use a pentax 28mm f2 and sometimes the pentax 31mm f1.8. Both are much sharper wide open than the oly 28/2, which I sold a while ago. And stopped down a little, the pentax 31 is just out of this world. It is the sharpest lens EVER made for any camera.
Nick De Marco
Well-known
Here is a shot I took with the Oly/50 in Myanmar, f2.8 I think
johnastovall
Light Hunter - RIP 2010
Same ones I use now for my 5D, 24/1.4L, 50/1.0L and 135/2.0 L and maybe the 35L.
Nick De Marco
Well-known
I am just compiling my Myanmar galleries now, and will post some shots here o. I am very happy indeed with the Canon 5DII, but I am glad I took the M6 as well, the photos I have developed from that add something else.
In the, a link to my first complete gallery from the trip, Bankcock Chinatown,. Its all 5D II, mostly with the Oly 50mm f1.8, which I now think is one of the finest 50mm lenses there is.
Here is the gallery: http://www.pbase.com/nickdemarco/bangkok_chinatown
And this is my favourite photo from it, with the Oly 50 wide open
In the, a link to my first complete gallery from the trip, Bankcock Chinatown,. Its all 5D II, mostly with the Oly 50mm f1.8, which I now think is one of the finest 50mm lenses there is.
Here is the gallery: http://www.pbase.com/nickdemarco/bangkok_chinatown
And this is my favourite photo from it, with the Oly 50 wide open
monochrome_joy
Analog Enlightenment
Take a couple of primes, like a 35 and a 50, maybe an 80 or 135. Spend most of your time enjoying the country and culture and let the photography happen naturally. If you take to much gear, you'll feel the need to use it all. I'm very happy with the photos I made on a trip recently and all I took was a film camera with a 35 and 50.
Then of course, your style of photography might be different than mine which would make my advice moot. Which is really kind of the whole pointlessness of "traveling, which gear?" posts.
Then of course, your style of photography might be different than mine which would make my advice moot. Which is really kind of the whole pointlessness of "traveling, which gear?" posts.
Nick De Marco
Well-known
Johnsonjj, that's what I did - concentrated on a couple of primes. And the people I photographed. Very glad I did too
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JohnL
Very confused
When traveling with *only* my 5D, I usually take 24-105, 70-300 DO and 35/1.4 as a minimum. Depending on what I expect to shoot, I may take one or two others.