Quote from OutspaceKat on July 12, 2024, 11:04 pm

The ergonomics of the 5D M2 made it fit in my hand like it was designed specifically for it. I have never had a more pleasant experience holding a camera than with the 5d M2. I miss having a working unit dearly. Vintage glass mounting is easy with the dummy adapter of your choice. 

If you're a video geek, you can even put magic lantern on the 5D M2 and get some raw video, but the 5D M2 has moire issues.

My issue and word of caution to you is about the shutter. The 5D's shutters have a limited life span and Canon no longer services them. Some bodies do exceptionally well after 150,000 shutter actuations, up to over 1,000,000. On the other end, there's my $200, 6-week tale of love and heartbreak with a unit at 183,000 and it going caput. Know what the shutter count is before considering buying. If you're 100,000 or less, it probably is going to last a while, and if I had free money, yeah, I'd snag one again in a heartbeat. The M3 just doesn't gel in my hand like the M2 did. Anything at 150,00 or more, well, depending on how low the price is, I'd consider it, but it's going to need to be pretty low because they are simply clicking time bombs. Still, it takes gorgeous images, even if it won't last a long time. 

Never used the 5D M1, so I have on real opinion on one. I assume the shutter situation is the exact same, so be aware of that number.

Quote from Luke Green on July 13, 2024, 2:33 am

Quote from OutspaceKat on July 12, 2024, 11:04 pm

The ergonomics of the 5D M2 made it fit in my hand like it was designed specifically for it. I have never had a more pleasant experience holding a camera than with the 5d M2. I miss having a working unit dearly. Vintage glass mounting is easy with the dummy adapter of your choice. 

If you're a video geek, you can even put magic lantern on the 5D M2 and get some raw video, but the 5D M2 has moire issues.

My issue and word of caution to you is about the shutter. The 5D's shutters have a limited life span and Canon no longer services them. Some bodies do exceptionally well after 150,000 shutter actuations, up to over 1,000,000. On the other end, there's my $200, 6-week tale of love and heartbreak with a unit at 183,000 and it going caput. Know what the shutter count is before considering buying. If you're 100,000 or less, it probably is going to last a while, and if I had free money, yeah, I'd snag one again in a heartbeat. The M3 just doesn't gel in my hand like the M2 did. Anything at 150,00 or more, well, depending on how low the price is, I'd consider it, but it's going to need to be pretty low because they are simply clicking time bombs. Still, it takes gorgeous images, even if it won't last a long time. 

Never used the 5D M1, so I have on real opinion on one. I assume the shutter situation is the exact same, so be aware of that number.

Awesome - thanks for the vote of confidence. I’m eyeing a couple with around 50k shutter counts and hoping that lets me get some life out of them. 

If I end up grabbing one I’ll update this with some photos 🙂

Quote from Gideon Liddiard Photography on July 13, 2024, 9:41 am

Quote from Luke Green on July 12, 2024, 6:52 pm

Hey - does anyone have experience with the Canon 5d or 5dII? I've been looking for a cheaper, full frame DSLR to compliment my micro four thirds main camera. The main reason I was looking at Canon is because I already have an EF 50 1.8.

Does anyone have experience with the 5d or 5dII? I am mostly looking for a fun, DSLR-feel camera with the benefits (mainly in background blur) that full frame has over my micro four thirds camera. I'm sure the picture it takes will be more than adequate but wanted to know if anyone has opinions on the ergonomics, etc.

I also was planning on adapting a m42 vintage lens I have to it - does anyone have experience with vintage lenses on EF mount?

I know this is Pentax land, and I would love to snag a k1 but the price is a little prohibitive.

I have a 5D (Classic) and love it, mainly use it with the same 50/1.8, here's a video of my experience with it, pros and cons. Not yet used it with older lenses, but funnily enough I do have an M42 to EF adaptor on the way, as I ordered one yesterday.

https://youtu.be/D_DtQWtFBGY

It's also responsible for one of my favourite (non-music) shots I've taken on digital:

Quote from Kamera Brand on July 13, 2024, 11:50 am

I also was planning on adapting a m42 vintage lens I have to it - does anyone have experience with vintage lenses on EF mount?

I have the M42 to EF and use it on a 1D Mark II (APS-H). Lovely vintage look with dirt cheap lenses.
On full frame most M42 lenses will have some visible vignetting on APS-H its certainly less but still visible.
Personally I like it so it's not an issue for me.

If you go for the 5D Mark II the common and cheap M42 lenses probably will be pushed over their limit in terms of sharpness at full resolution.

I try to find some example images later.

Edit: If your M42 lense does not have a manual aperture switch you will most likely need to open it and modify it to keep the aperture pin pressed in. At least my adapter can not engage the pin. Alternative you can glue the pin in.

Quote from Kamera Brand on July 13, 2024, 12:14 pm

These are shot with the 1D Mark II and M42 adapter and Elicar 135mm f2.8 Automatic lens (That is a $10 lens).

Quote from Christian K. on July 13, 2024, 1:00 pm

Hi,

I had the 5D Classic for about one year, an I really loved it. (Sadly the shutter did go.) I especially liked the layout and logic of the physical controls - e.g. every button on the top  has 2 functions, one being controlled with the rear dial and the other with the front dial. After a short time the usage became muscle-memory and I rarely needed to go to the menu.

Part of the magic of that camera was (for me anyways), that it is a very capable camera that could handle almost anything, but it won't handle it for you, like modern cameras do. You have to think, when shooting, which is what makes it so much more rewarding.

Regarding manual lenses. I found it worked quite well, but you have the usual drawbacks of adapting, though. No communication between lens and camera, and no automatic aperture control, so you will have to manually turn the aperturering to the desired f-number after focusing (counting the clicks) and before taking the shot. So not the same experience as the same lens on its native camerabody.

Manually focusing fast lenses (not stopped down) with the standard screen is difficult (supposedly better with the  EE-S precision screen for the 5Dm1, different type for the mark 2), but stopped down a little no problem.

With the adapted lenses i mostly use M mode, since stop-down-metering isn't very reliable on EOS Cameras,  so while it's possible to use AV, it only works properly for some Apertures in my experience.

I found the switch for manual/automatic aperture control on some m42 lenses very convenient (in combination with an  collarless adapter that doesn't push the stop-down-pin), as I could set the aperture normally and use the switch to stop down, instead of remembering f8 is 5 clicks on this lens and 7 on the other...

After my 5D died, i wasn't confident enough for another try and got a 6D with known shuttercount instead. Should be in the same ballpark as the 5d mark 2 pricewise and may also be an option. Its much newer than the 5D Classic and therefor more forgiving (more boring?) but definitely a fine camera to. (No match for the K1 though...except the K1 doesn't adapt Contax/Yashica lenses...)

Regards, Christian

Quote from Kamera Brand on July 13, 2024, 2:09 pm

Found an example that shows the issue with high megapixel and cheap vintage glass.
This is taken with the same Elicar 135mm lens from the shots above but this its highly cropped in with much higher megapixel sensor.
You can see the sharpness isn't really there, even the sharpest parts are soft and the bright parts have a glow around it. This is very typical for the old M42 lenses or lenses form that time.

Quote from Luke Green on July 13, 2024, 4:05 pm

Quote from Gideon Liddiard Photography on July 13, 2024, 9:41 am

Quote from Luke Green on July 12, 2024, 6:52 pm

Hey - does anyone have experience with the Canon 5d or 5dII? I've been looking for a cheaper, full frame DSLR to compliment my micro four thirds main camera. The main reason I was looking at Canon is because I already have an EF 50 1.8.

Does anyone have experience with the 5d or 5dII? I am mostly looking for a fun, DSLR-feel camera with the benefits (mainly in background blur) that full frame has over my micro four thirds camera. I'm sure the picture it takes will be more than adequate but wanted to know if anyone has opinions on the ergonomics, etc.

I also was planning on adapting a m42 vintage lens I have to it - does anyone have experience with vintage lenses on EF mount?

I know this is Pentax land, and I would love to snag a k1 but the price is a little prohibitive.

I have a 5D (Classic) and love it, mainly use it with the same 50/1.8, here's a video of my experience with it, pros and cons. Not yet used it with older lenses, but funnily enough I do have an M42 to EF adaptor on the way, as I ordered one yesterday.

https://youtu.be/D_DtQWtFBGY

It's also responsible for one of my favourite (non-music) shots I've taken on digital:

What a thoughtful camera review - I really enjoyed that (and your black and white work especially!)

Quote from Christian K. on July 13, 2024, 1:00 pm

Hi,

I had the 5D Classic for about one year, an I really loved it. (Sadly the shutter did go.) I especially liked the layout and logic of the physical controls - e.g. every button on the top  has 2 functions, one being controlled with the rear dial and the other with the front dial. After a short time the usage became muscle-memory and I rarely needed to go to the menu.

Part of the magic of that camera was (for me anyways), that it is a very capable camera that could handle almost anything, but it won't handle it for you, like modern cameras do. You have to think, when shooting, which is what makes it so much more rewarding.

Regarding manual lenses. I found it worked quite well, but you have the usual drawbacks of adapting, though. No communication between lens and camera, and no automatic aperture control, so you will have to manually turn the aperturering to the desired f-number after focusing (counting the clicks) and before taking the shot. So not the same experience as the same lens on its native camerabody.

Manually focusing fast lenses (not stopped down) with the standard screen is difficult (supposedly better with the  EE-S precision screen for the 5Dm1, different type for the mark 2), but stopped down a little no problem.

With the adapted lenses i mostly use M mode, since stop-down-metering isn't very reliable on EOS Cameras,  so while it's possible to use AV, it only works properly for some Apertures in my experience.

I found the switch for manual/automatic aperture control on some m42 lenses very convenient (in combination with an  collarless adapter that doesn't push the stop-down-pin), as I could set the aperture normally and use the switch to stop down, instead of remembering f8 is 5 clicks on this lens and 7 on the other...

After my 5D died, i wasn't confident enough for another try and got a 6D with known shuttercount instead. Should be in the same ballpark as the 5d mark 2 pricewise and may also be an option. Its much newer than the 5D Classic and therefor more forgiving (more boring?) but definitely a fine camera to. (No match for the K1 though...except the K1 doesn't adapt Contax/Yashica lenses...)

Regards, Christian

The camera definitely seems fun, which is kind of what I’m going for. My OM-1 can do basically everything I would ever need, but I want a more thoughtful camera which is why I’m looking at older dslrs and it seems from both of these responses that this one fits the bill.

I am leaning towards the mark ii, because it’s not a ton more expensive and is a huge bump in megapixels. I really enjoy printing my photos so megapixels are worth thinking about. 

Quote from Kamera Brand on July 13, 2024, 11:50 am

I also was planning on adapting a m42 vintage lens I have to it - does anyone have experience with vintage lenses on EF mount?

I have the M42 to EF and use it on a 1D Mark II (APS-H). Lovely vintage look with dirt cheap lenses.
On full frame most M42 lenses will have some visible vignetting on APS-H its certainly less but still visible.
Personally I like it so it's not an issue for me.

If you go for the 5D Mark II the common and cheap M42 lenses probably will be pushed over their limit in terms of sharpness at full resolution.

I try to find some example images later.

Edit: If your M42 lense does not have a manual aperture switch you will most likely need to open it and modify it to keep the aperture pin pressed in. At least my adapter can not engage the pin. Alternative you can glue the pin in.

Ah, yeah that’s true. I have used the m42 lens I have (don’t remember which one it is exactly, but it’s a 55mm f/2) on a Sony mirrorless before and remember being satisfied with the sharpness stopped down, but at f/2 and 2.8 I remember it being noticeably soft (though that’s fun sometimes :-))

Quote from Luke Green on July 17, 2024, 6:15 pm

Pulled the trigger on a mark ii and it arrived yesterday. Found one that had about 40,000 shutter clicks so hopefully it has a long life ahead of it for me.

Here's a quick little test shot I took today. I'm taking it on a beach trip tomorrow as my only camera so I'll really get a feel for it then. First impressions:

• It's very big, but I really like the way it feels. Picking my OM-1 back up after made it feel tiny and sharp around the edges
• I didn't realize how much I rely on EVF exposure previews and histogram info. Definitely will make this more challenging but fun and a good exercise for me