So, I’ve been hunting and researching new cameras since December. I’ve always wanted a full frame camera but just couldn’t justify the price tag ($2500 for the Canon 5d mark ii). So, I thought the original 5d (the “classic”) might be a good alternative (and help save me about $1500 for a used one). But, considering that the original 5d classic came out in 2005 and the mark ii came out in 2008, I wasn’t sure how the technology held up. So I decided to rent the 5d classic and thought hopefully it’d sway me enough to buy it instead of the mark ii.
And then, of course, I got a cold late last week, and it was bad enough that I couldn’t even get out of the house to play with my newly rented camera. So it sat there, unused for 2 of the 3 days I rented it. Sigh. But yesterday, I felt well enough to at least go to a nearby city and visit my favorite restaurant. So off we went! All these were taken with the full frame camera. I’m digging it. I think the pictures are richer and have more “pop.” Or I could just be imagining it. :)
Sideboard Cafe
The Danville Hotel
411 Hartz Ave, Ste L
Danville, CA 94526
a happy day 
Nice photos! I think that Canon 5d is not too shabby, and this coming from a Nikon shooter. What did you decide?
Thank you! Still undecided, but heavily leaning to the 5d classic. :)
Don’t want to be all stalk-ishy =) Saw your flickr full frame post earlier today.. waiting to see the full set and here it is . They are magnificent! BUY ! =D
You’re not — I do the same thing (check someone’s flickr and blog)! :) Thank you — and I’ll probably buy it. So weak!
I’ve sometimes thought of buying the 5d classic too, but the relatively low maximum ISO made me think I should wait for the Mk III to come out so the price of the Mk II will decrease. I don’t think it’s going to happen for a while though. The 5d seems to be an amazing camera though, from what I’ve seen on photography blogs. Going full frame is my dream.
It’s too bad it’s not compatible with your 30mm lens! Are you going to make the plunge?
Yeah, the lower ISO was a concern for me as well. But the classic offers at least 1 full stop extra for low light compared to my XSi, so that’s good. ISO 1600 on the classic is really quite clean. (And the $1500 difference certainly helps!)
Originally, I also thought I’d wait for the mkiii to come out so the price of the mkii would drop, and I would buy the mkii then. BUT the mkiii probably won’t come out until this winter (at the earliest), and Canon traditionally hasn’t dropped prices much on older models anyway when replacements come out. So I guess the mkii probably wouldn’t drop to near $2000 for maybe 6-12 months after the mkiii. Which means that I’d have to wait 1.5 – 2 years to get the mkii! I just can’t wait that long. :)
Not sure if I’ll buy the classic, although I’m very tempted. I’ll probably wind up buying it if I can find a really clean, refurbished copy.
Oh right. I have a T1i so I got used to knowing I could go up to 6,400 if I wanted. I’m sure the 5D would compensate for the low ISO in many many ways, though.
Aren’t refurbished copies of the 5D very rare? I hope you can find one easily. It seems like it would be a great investment.
That is such a fantastic set of photos. I love the one with the Yummy sign!
Canon has a refurbished Mkii for $1,999.
Weird, I can’t reply directly to your response… but anyway, if you can go up to ISO 6400 already, then it might be hard to go back down (the 5d can go up to 3200, although 1600 is really clean, much better than my XSi). And yeah, that refurb’d mkii from Canon is so tempting! But then with tax and shipping, it becomes $2201 vs $2500 new. So I’d go with the new one. (When the mkii was in the Canon Loyalty Program, it was only $1599! I’d definitely get it then.)
Hello! I just stumbled onto your blog from the wordpress tag page (for photography). Anyways, these are really great shots! And that food looks delicious! Now I’m looking into the 5d. Good luck w/ your camera shopping!
Thanks so much!
No, you are not imagining it. The full frame images do seem to have something extra and this are delicious! I nearly bought the MkII last year, but the price tag was just too much. Now I kind of regret it. MkI or MkII? What to do??????
Thank you, James! I know… such is my dilemma. Oh, but let’s not forget — the mkiii is coming out probably at the end of this year, if the rumors are true. The choice just got harder!
those chips looks delicious! fantastic shots.
xo Alison
thank you!
oh goddd, i looove these shots. life in full frame is just so much better. :D
Thank you! Yeah, life kind of looks a bit richer in FF, doesn’t it? :)
Hi Jacqueline,
I have used my 5D for 3 years now and absolutely love it. However, it has some disadvantages compared to the MkII.
1. You have to clean your sensor manual pretty frequently while the mkII does it for itself.
2. ISO as you mentioned above.
If you are going to upgrade, I will go all the way with MKII because the price will not drop anytime soon. One of my friends luckily got a mkII used from B&H for 2000 so you might have to look a little harder for some germs.
Hi Annie — thanks! I love hearing from people who’ve used it. :) I agree with you, I don’t think the price will drop for a while — at least a year or more. I was originally tempted to get that, but there’s something about the original 5d that just seems more film-like; I can’t place my finger on it. In an ideal world, I could also test out the mkii side-by-side. Ah well. We’ll see.
Beautiful photos, as always!
~Leah
i have a 5d and my pics don’t come out this beautiful =) beautiful light in this place. my two cents: after using my 5d for about 2 years, i’m so ready to upgrade. i agree with the ISO issue with 5d. Also, when i compared my 5d with my friend’s 5dmii, the white balance on his was so much better. but then it can be just my particular 5d that is screwy?
When we finally got our own DSLR last year, we made the hard sacrifice of not getting a full frame so that the camera is lighter for travel. So hard when you love photography and have to consider compromises. But it was a good decision in that we walk all day and night when we’re travelling. Hope you get the right thing for you. We’ll probably get a full frame next time and keep the other one for travel. Probably. Once you go up it’s so hard to come back down!! Agh!
Love these! I know what you mean about justifying the expense. Luckily I’ll be launching my biz shortly, so once I can afford to put some money down I can call it a business expense. ;) I figure because I’m going to have it for a loooong time, I should really invest in the best that I can. Same reasoning I used for my car and iMac, and it’s worked out well for me so far! :)