I’m in the lucky position right now to have all three of Canons latest cameras sitting here in front of me. I have been using the 5dMKII since January last year , I purchased a 7d in August and just over two weeks ago I picked up the new Canon 1dMKIV. Whilst I’m not going to do exhaustive comparative testing between all the cameras (I simply don’t have the time to do this and plenty of websites out there will do this anyway) I thought I should collect together some of the thoughts I have had whilst using these cameras. These 3 cameras cover a broad spectrum in pricing so they are likely to appeal to both professional and amateur photographers. Which camera would I chose for a particular task? Read on to find out.
People always e-mail to ask me question like “which is the best camera 5d or 7d ?” “Which has the best low light performance, 5d or 1d?”. The problem is that people never ever give me any information as to what they want to use the camera for so often it’s hard to answer that question of which one you should get. Quite simply, there is no perfect camera for EVERY situation. But then most photographers will hardly ever find themselves in EVERY situation anyway. Some may need low light sensitivity because they do a lot of work indoors, some may require a large number of megapixels because they print their work as fine art at very large sizes and some may shoot sports, requiring a higher number of frames per second. Very few photographers will find themselves ticking all these boxes. Of course i’m simplifying things slightly with those three categories….. but you get the idea. Having used these three cameras for a while now I thought I’d put down some of my thoughts and opinions……warning , it’s a bit of a long one though.
5dMKII
Ever since I got this camera last year I have been in love. The quality of the images it produces are quite simply breathtaking if you attach an equally nice piece of glass to the front of it. With it’s full frame 21MP sensor it easily produces the most detailed photos out of the 3 cameras. if you were to put a photo taken with the 5d and 7d next to each other there would be absolutely no doubt as to which camera took which photo. The results are night and day. With the price of the 5dMKII falling recently, the difference in image quality is not even reflected by price difference any more. If straight up image quality is all you desire, the 5dMKII is the camera you need. With such a large sensor though, any shortcomings in your lenses will become more evident. Particularly corner sharpness and vignetting at wide apertures. Pick your lenses carefully for this camera, only the best will match the detail produced by the sensor.
Video quality on the 5dMKII is far superior to the 7d. This is something that I have been asked a lot too recently and my quick answer has surprised a lot of people. To my eye, the 5d video is far superior in clarity and sharpness to the 7d video. That is not to say that the 7d video is bad, not at all, but it is not as good. The size difference between the 5ds full frame sensor and the 7ds 1.6 crop sensor is the reason for this. If absolute quality of the video is your goal, the 5dMKII should be an easy choice over the 7d. If multiple frame rates are a factor then that raises some more questions which will be discussed later. Right now, the 5dMKII is only capable of 30.00 fps although a 24/25 fps firmware update will be available in the coming months (it will not include 720p 50/60fps)
A couple of things that I do not like about the 5dMKII…. shutter lag and 1/200x-sync speed. The shutter lag on the 5dMKII is noticeably longer than both the 1dMKIV and the 7d. After some time you will find yourself adjusting to it but it can be disadvantageous if you are shooting simultaneously with 2 different cameras. I use the 5dMKII a lot at night time when i’m shooting urban skiing and snowboarding and it is still possible to time things perfectly with one shot but it is a noticeable difference. The second thing that I do not like is the 1/200 sync speed. This is no problem at all when shooting in a studio or at night but it makes it very hard to shoot with strobes outside in daylight. Other cameras have a 1/250 or higher sync and you can often push those even further with minimal flash banding. The 5dMKII though is stuck at 1/200. Pushing it even to 1/250 leaves a huge portion of the image unlit by the strobes.
If I am traveling light and not shooting any kind of sports then the 5dMKII is a no-brainer to pick. I believe it to be the ultimate travel photographers camera. It’s is extremely lightweight and also physically smaller than 1 series cameras which in-turn makes it more discreet. The batteries are incredibly efficient and 2 of the tiny batteries will keep you shooting all day long. Some people sight the lack of great weather sealing as a negative against the travel camera tag, but I would say just use on of THESE if it starts to rain. In this case, the positives far outweigh the negatives! By coupling this camera with the 24-105mm f4 lens you have a formidable piece of kit. Add to that a wide aperture prime such as my new favorite, the 24mm f1.4 II L and I would happily travel the world with only that.
Now on to low light performance. The 5dMKII performs the best in low light situations. You can make enormous, beautiful prints from photos shot at ISO3200 and higher. Even when comparing to the much newer 1dMKIV, the 5dMKII has a slight edge in low light performance, again thanks to it’s full frame sensor. Much has been said about the low light performance of the 7d, yes its good for a 1.6 crop but personally over iso 1600 it was not acceptable to me. This isn’t based on specific tests just real world shooting.
I’d like to say a quick note about frames per second too, obviously the 5dMKII is the slowest of the 3 in this category. 3.5 fps is VERY slow. If you only intend to shoot naturally lit sports, this is not the camera for you, you will need something faster.
Canon 7d
I had high hopes for this camera on its announcement. A fast fps camera in a small package is the dream for any photographer that has to carry their equipment on their back all day. I had to try one out so I picked one up as soon as they became available. Video functions were fun to play with, especially the 60fps 720p mode. Quality was acceptably high in the video but not as good as the 5d. Still much better than traditional video cameras like the Panasonic HVX though. Ergonomic improvements such as dedicated video buttons were a welcome addition over the 5d.
Who is the 7d for then? Well as it turns out, Canon did not make any leaps in image quality over the 50d. Cramming 18MP images into a 1.6 crop sensor was, in my opinion, a ridiculous idea. If they had left it at 12MP it would have been an entirely different camera. Unfortunately, with a camera in this price bracket they are targeting a consumer group that is not necessarily totally clued up on the technicalities of sensor size and pixel density. The fact of the matter is that I have had commercial posters printed 20ft wide with my 8MP Canon 1dMKIIN. 20FT !! And they look fantastic (check the galleries in my facebook group for some examples) You do not need to have a huge number of MP in order to make large prints, it is far far better to have lower noise than larger photos. For the most part, professional photographers now understand this, the new 1dMKIV is only 16MP and the Nikon D3s is only 12MP and there are NO complaints about either of those figures. Canon made the decision to put 18MP in the 7d just to appeal to the consumer market which has been sadly misled into thinking that the MP count is the magic number.
7d photos were not bad, there are plenty of examples out there to look at on the review sites. Compared to cameras in the same price category it is superior, but for someone who owns a 5dMKII and a 1 series camera the quality difference is fairly large. Rightfully so , the other cameras are FAR more expensive. So who is the 7d for then? The feature set on the 7d is quite incredible for a camera in that price bracket. For an amateur photographer who likes to take photos of many things from sports to landscapes and maybe the odd video, this one is for you. It is not the best at anything, but it does everything and it does it better than other cameras in a similar price range. If price is your deciding factor then this one is for you.
A few other things i noticed while shooting with the 7d:
- 8fps is not always 8fps. The camera slows down the max FPS in darker situations or when using a lens with a small maximum aperture. Try firing a burt at 8fps and then covering your lens with your hand to hear it slow down even with shutter priority set to a high enough shutter speed to maintain 8fps. I spoke to Canon about this issue, they were aware of it and said it was simply a feature of the camera.
- Spot AF point is a great idea. The 7d allows use of a spot auto focus point that is much smaller than the others making it easy to focus on tiny subjects far away. It works very well.
- The auto focus system in general is excellent. As good as my old 1dMKII , but far far inferior to the new 1dMKIV
- Weather sealing is great, i shot all day with the camera soaking wet. No problems.
- Its very light but sturdily built. Oxymoron? No , compared to a 1 series it is very lightweight but at the same time it feels solid in the hand.
- AF point selection is a bit over complicated for my tastes. I prefer the simpler 1dMKIV.
- 1/250 sync is fine but it cannot be pushed to 1/320 like the majority of the 1series cameras. Pushing past 250 produces significant banding.
- JPEGS from the camera exhibit significant noise reduction and smoothing. They need considerable sharpening in post, but they respond well to the sharpening. Try and shoot in RAW when possible.
- If one more person asks me if the 5d quality is really that much better than the 7d I will stop answering e-mail questions
The difference is night and day. Full frame vs 1.6 crop , c’mon people!!
Canon 1dMKIV
This is the big daddy of current Canon family. Only recently available in limited numbers before the Winter Olympics , I was luck enough to get one from CPS a few weeks ago. Initial impressions are all very positive. Low light performance is not quite on a par with the 5dMKII, but it is so close that it requires pixel peeping to notice it. 10fps is ridiculously fast but the number of photos you can shoot before the buffer is effected greatly by the speed of your memory card. I would recommend at least 30mb/s cards. If you have older cards, now would be the time to upgrade. Build quality is incredible, as you would hope for in a product that costs more than $5000. It feels like you could take this to the end of the earth and back again and it would still keep ticking. Video clarity is so similar to the 5dMKII that its impossible to tell the difference without close scrutiny. Where the 1dMKIV comes into its own though is the available 24/25/50/60 fps modes. The “jello vision” associated with DSLR video is also hugely improved. I have found it possible to perform much faster panning motions with this camera before seeing the dreaded rolling shutter effect. If video is your main goal , the 1dMKIV is the camera for you , as long as price is not an issue.
The auto focus system of the MKIV is greatly improved from the last 1 series camera that I owned which was the 1dMKIIN. I skipped the MKIII after the reports of bad focus in that camera but the MKIV seems to have no such problems. I have seen none,and have heard of none reported on the internet. Believe me people will have been looking hard for it after the MKIII debacle!! What is interesting is Canons decision to leave out some of the new focus modes that were implemented into the 7d. The 7ds zone focusing modes seem like a good idea and at first I was a little annoyed that they were not included in the flagship camera. Once I shot with the MKIV though I realized that they are just not necessary though, the MKIV AF is so intelligent that you just don’t need it. And less complex AF point selection is beneficial in situations like sports shooting. With the 7d I found myself spending much more time trying to decide which type of focusing i should be using. In a sports situation I would have missed the shot by the time I had decided. Canons solution, just let the camera decide. The only thing I would like to have seen is the 7ds spot AF point. Dedicated video buttons were left off the MKIV but again I believe this was just for simplicity and a cleaner design. The use of the AF lock button as the Rec. Start/Stop button is a good solution and works very well. Much more intuitive than the 5dMKII.
Image quality is fantastic, infinitely more impressive that the 7d (obviously at 3x the price) but not quite as detailed as the cheaper 5dMKII. Again, if quality if your priority, the 5dMKII is still the best bet but if other factors enter into the decision like durability and shooting speed then the 1dMKIV will still hold up admirably to pixel peeping and production of large fine art prints. Low light shooting is very impressive too. With my MKIIN I would try not to shoot over ISO 400. Now I can shoot at ISO 1200 and achieve similar quality photos. Low light is not quite as good as the 5dMKII, but in most situations it is so similar that it does not matter. Impressive given the 1.3 crop sensor.
In my opinion the 1dMKIV comes as close as possible to my ideal camera. Some people are not happy about the 1.3 crop factor but for me I think I prefer to have the longer reach on my telephoto lenses. My 15mm fisheye is not a full 180 degrees but again, there are lenses that can offer that field of view if I really needed it. 16MP images are far bigger than I will need in the majority of situations but its nice to have nonetheless and the build quality means that I never have to worry about the camera, just the photos. For those who skipped the MKIII, you will also notice the reduction in weight with the new LI-Ion batteries in the MKIV. Coming from a MKIIN I can tell you that it is a noticeable difference both in the camera and the weight of the spares that you have to carry in your pack.
Most people will always find something to complain about when a new camera is announced but the fact is that all specifications are a trade off. It is impossible to have the mythical 21mp, 10fps, full frame camera that fits in the palm of your hand (at least with current technology). The quicker that people learn to understand how one specification affects another the quicker they will find their perfect camera, more than likely its out there already.
Similar Posts:
- External monitor use with the Canon 5dMKII, 7d and 1dmkIV
- Canon annouces the 1dmkIV
- 5DMKII – Quick video test
- Tested my 85mm lens.
Thanks a lot for your wisdom on these cameras
Great info!
I actually just bought a 7D mainly for the frame rate and to replace my XSi. I love how it feels in my hand, much larger and sturdier than the XSi and the speed helps me capture the moments I used to miss due to buffer issues too!
I tend to do more sports/action and birding, another reason why I stayed with a crop. That little extra reach (to me) can be a good thing. I also like the expanded single-point AF selection, but also have the spot focus point enabled when I need it. I’m still getting a bit used to the controls as they diff from my XSi.
Also the 5DMkII has been out of my price range and until I get paid for my hobby
It will have to wait. So far I’m happy with my purchase. I haven’t tried out the video yet, but never had an interest in that either.
Just moved from a 450D to the 5D MK II and as pretty much all I shoot is in really dark bars / music venues, the 5D MK II is stunning. ISO 3200 and even higher is producing stunning results and has allowed me to work at gigs that were previously impossible. I am only just starting to push this camera and am looking forward to seeing what else it can do.
Why not just wait for a bit until the 1ds version comes out? They always come out a few months after the 1.3 crop version.
Thanks for taking the time to write such a thoughtful and “real world” impression on these three. I’m fortunate enough to own a 1DMKII (purchased used a few years ago) and it’s layout and ease of use has really allowed me to take my photography to new levels (the longer you can stay out of a menu system the better IMHO).
But that’s a 5+ Year Old camera now, and even for me I get worried about it’s inevitable shutter failure – will Canon even have the parts to replace it?
So I keep an eye on the new stuff – the “what if” list – just in case I need to replace my primary body fast. Without the opportunity to try before I buy without significant output (renting bodies is expensive!) I rely on here-say and reviews to get me as close as possible.
In my mind I’d love to see the 5D with the 7D AF… that’s kinda a sweet spot coming from a 1 series body; since you really do get used to it’s top-shelf performance in AF. But like you said, there’s no perfect camera.
So if, for me, right now the 1DMKII is the perfect body albeit sometimes I miss a shot because I just can’t go over ISO1600, or if I have a client with an arbitrary measurement of pixels attached (someone who only wants 12MP images or something), and if the 1DMKIV delivers in a way that upgrades the 1DMKII in every way possible why wouldn’t it be my destination camera?
Oh yeah – the price. I spoiled myself by buying used, now, if I needed too, that luxury may not be afforded me.
Thanks again!
Josh i’m not sure I follow you? Why would I wait for the 1dsMKIV? I’m perfectly happy with the 1dMKIV. The 1dsMKIV will likely have a sensor in the range of 28-31MP but that will limit its shooting speed to between 4 and 5 fps I would imagine. For my work I have no need for that number of megapixels , whilst I do need to have a continuous speed of at least 8 fps and preferably 10. The 1dMKIV fits my needs perfectly. Especially with a 5dMKII as a 2nd body, that way I have full frame resolution if I need it any time. Also the 1dsMKIV will probably be $9000 here in Canada. You could buy a 1dMKIV and a 5dMKII for that price.
Justin you are welcome, thanks for reading the blog. I too feared for the shutter on my MKIIN but i’m sure Canon will be able to replace them for some time to come. Many photojournalists still use these cameras. As you say, its always nice to keep an eye on developments though…. just in case. We can hope that the next iteration of the 5d will have a much better AF system, it is the one thing about that camera that people continually talk negatively about so I would not be surprised if it does get that update. Though i’m sure not for at least another 12 months.
Thanks for taking the time to put together this post. Hearing your take solidly confirms everything I’ve been wondering about re: the 7D’s performance vs the 5DII.
The 5DII is obviously great for wedding photogs due to the low light performance and image quality, but not ideal as a primary body for a strobist/sports shooter- though according to a lot of reports I’m hearing a max sync speed of 160 for many- even worse than what you are getting.
As someone that picked up a 50D just to have the 7D come out a few months later, it makes it that much easier to hold out for the next gen and just be happy with what I have for the time being. (though weather sealing and video is cool, it isn’t something I can’t live without at the moment. And of course the 1d IV is awesome if you can justify the expense as a prosumer.
7d better than a panasonic hvx?. HVX has better bit rate, color ratio, color space, way more customizable, gamma control, knee control, etc. just to name a few things.
If you are going to bother commenting on my site then at least put a name to yourself instead of hiding behind a childish nickname.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion you certainly don’t have to agree with it but I know i’m not alone when i say that the quality of the video is better. It might not have all the features of the HVX but to many peoples eyes the quality is much better and the look of the videos people have been producing could not even have been imagined 2 years ago to come from a camera in that price bracket. Sure there are some caveats and its not an ideal camera for ” run and gun” style shooting , or shooting fast moving action due to lack of autofocus , but my remark was purely based on the quality of the video not the usability. There must be a reason that when i was shooting the Olympic Torch last week in whistler, 4 out of 5 news agencies attending were shooting with the 7d…..
With such a crowded camera bag, I would consider a camera burlap sack.
Awesome, informative post. Thanks.
Dan,
the 7D has canon lenses!!! that or especially the 5D can do things the hvx would have to do backflips for. DOF, amazing lenses… The HVX isn’t even used much anymore, the Sony EX cameras are being more and more now instead in commercial production. Cameras will always have differences, but George lucas and many others are considering using the canon DSLR’s for some of their shooting in major feature films. (mostly because of their small structure combined with the lenses / resolution)
OK sorry to continue an argument, but the proof is in the pudding, when you see professionals switching over to another camera there is usually a very good reason. Their pay checks rely on it.
I am really thankful for Dan reporting on his findings and also what other professionals are up to in the field, it really gives confidence to what a lot of people already think is a good way to go.
Dan,
Thanks for reporting your findings. I always think it is worthwhile to get actual hands on reports from people who use these cameras in the field.
I’m currently on the older 5D which I have had nearly four years now and it has served me well. I am tempted by the Mk 11 version, but was initially put off by the larger pixel size due to the extra storage space required – both cards and hard disk space. My primary use of the camera is for travel work and I like to travel light, particularly if trekking in the mountains. I am hoping that the next iteration of this camera may include some the newer technology found in the recent relases, yet still retain the quality of image that you and others have found. And hopefully, a lower pixel size.
My dillema is do I wait another year, or opt for the 5D Mk II now the prices are lower.
Thanks again
Dave
Tough call Dave. Who knows when we will see the next iteration of the 5d. I would probably just get one right now. The image quality cant really get much better in the future anyway. I think you would be very happy with the mkII
Thanks Dan. Judging by all the rave reviews of this camera from many photographers perhaps I should just go for it. Seeing as you have been using this camera in sub zero temperatures with little drain on the battery it could be just right for me when trekking in the mountains and away from power sources to recharge.
The low light capability and quality is also going to be of benifit when shooting in those scenarios where its dark and I can’t use a tripod – monastery interiors etc.
Again, thanks for posting your hands on impressions – so valuable.
Dave.
Hi Dan, thanks a lot for taking the time to share your thoughts on the cameras.
I’m in a pretty big predicament right now. The truth is that I just can’t afford a canon 1dmark4. So im still in between the 7d and 5dmark2. I work mainly with photojournalism at a local newspaper in vancouver and at my college newspaper too. So the portraits I take aren’t in studio and Im trying to focus as much as I can into sports photography now. That being said, Im really considering in buying a 7d.
First, my pictures are mainly published in newspapers, rarely in large prints. Second, they are going to be sports picture mainly.
Your review was indeed very valuable to me. But I was wondering if in your opinion a 5dmark2 could be better at any aspect other than the quality than a 7d?
Thank you for all your great reviews,
Lucas Socio
Hey Lucas,
I’m going to throw a curve ball in here for you. What about a second hand 1dMKIIN ? Many sports guys skipped over the MKIII and held onto the MKIIN including me while waiting for the MKIV. It is a fantastic camera and can be had for a very good price. As your stuff is going in papers 8MP is no problem and then you have the ruggedness of a 1 series body which I think would be well appreciated for someone in your line of work. If you want to do sports then 5d is the wrong way to go for sure. You might even be able to get 2 MKIINs for a good price so you can have 2 cameras lensed up and ready to go at events.
Hi Dan,
Thanks alot for the quick response.
I was considering a 1dmark2, but the fact that the ISO isn’t a good one has turned me down. I have used it before and it is a great camera in many aspects. But when pushed to ISO 400 and 800 its noise is already noticeable.
Also, i’m not a big fan of buying used stuff, especially when it comes to cameras and flashes. I know 1dmark2 has been around for a while too and any second hand I buy won’t give me much security regarding its life time.
Although I havent made up my mind yet I’m leaning towards the 7d now.
But again, thanks for the suggestion.
One more thing Dan, since you have used both cameras do you find 7d’s ISO any better than the 1dmark2?