One more discussion... Canon 5DmkII or 50D?

[zipperfoot]

All right, one more discussion, and then I'll try and stop bugging you all. xP
(I like to do as much homework [including dicsussion] as possible before investing in anything, can you tell?)

Now, granted, I understand that there's a bit of a chasm between these two cameras -- I know that the 5D has a full frame sensor, and is slightly more recent.

Here's my situation:
I am a student, practicing and hoping to go into fashion photography. I plan on going to school for photography in the fall of this year. I am looking for a substantial upgrade from the camera I have now. High resolution is an absolute must. (Mind, I am not about to turn professional, I just need a little bit more than what I have now.) I have narrowed it down to either the 5DmkII or the 50D. I have read and seen good things about both. Now. A full-frame sensor would more than likely mean that I would have to get better glass to take full advantage of the sensor size. This is something I am taking into my budget consideration. The 50D has a cropped sensor and, although I am fully aware of the importance of having good lenses, I may not need to invest quite so much into the glass because the sensor is not as comprehensive. The 50D also does not have the movie mode, which is a good thing for me -- the less "extra" stuff, the better.

What my basic questions come down to, I guess, is:
1. Do you think I need to pay the extra cost for the full-frame sensor, given my situation?
2. If anyone has ever owned and used the MkII or the 50D (preferably for something similar to what I do, such as portraiture and the like), could you recommend the 50D for its price?

EDIT: And then, what about the original 5D? Would that be a worthy investment? (This way I could avoid the video-camera issue and the price would be lower, but I have heard the 5D had some issues that were corrected in the mkII).

Thanks a lot again, guys. Your help is, as always, greatly appreciated.

[Anbesol]

The lens dilemma works both ways. The 50D has a much smaller pixel density, so it will bottleneck the quality of lens in a different way. Cut out an APS sized version of the 5D sensor and you are left with a ~9 megapixel image, things like chromatic abberation and diffraction are more exaggerated on the smaller pixel density of the 50D. However, the 50D also uses the sweet spot of all EF (full frame) lens. The 5D's lens bottleneck is that it uses the borders of the lens elements, so it will face lens problems like border softness and vignetting more so than the 50D. Bottom line: optical quality matter for both camera types.

The 5D also pairs very well with the 70-200 f/2.8 L for single/double portrait work, but will be far too telephoto for the 50D, which would pair better with the 24-70 f/2.8, 24-105 f/4 L, or the 28-75 f/2.8. Conventional wisdom states that in 35mm equiv, 70-105mm is ideal for portraits, which translates to 43-65mm on the 50D.

1. No, its an advantage, but far from being a must.
2. if your budget is tight, then the 50D would certainly suffice and do a terrific job at that.

Also remember, if you get the 50D now, its not like you are stuck with APS for the rest of your life, you can build a collection of lens that will transfer over to full frame when you make the move. Just avoid EF-S series lens. Digital full frame market in 5-10 years will look very different, you can build your collection with the 50D until you make your move to full frame.

Then, if an additional ~$2k isn't much to you, I'd still stick with the 5D.

[zipperfoot]

Anbesol - thanks a lot for your insight. c:
EDIT: What about the original 5D? Would that be a worthy investment? (This way I could avoid the video-camera issue and the price would be lower, but I have heard the 5D had some issues that were corrected in the mkII).

[Loupey]

What "issues" with the 5D have you heard?

I have both the 5D and the 50D but don't have experience with fashion photography. But it would seem to me that you would want a system that can produce fine shallow depth of field images (especially for portraits). In that regard, a large sensor camera with a fast prime lens might produce a "look" difficult to attain with a smaller sensor camera.

[zipperfoot]

What "issues" with the 5D have you heard?

I have both the 5D and the 50D but don't have experience with fashion photography. But it would seem to me that you would want a system that can produce shallow depth of field work (especially for portraits). In that regard, a large sensor camera with a fast prime lens might produce a "look" difficult to attain with a smaller sensor camera.

Nothing too serious or enough to really deter me from thinking of buying it, just things that, ironically in the long run sort of draw me closer to it (ie. softness around the edges of the frame, not being able to focus and get sharp detail... although personally I believe these are problems that stem from using the wrong lens or not shooting in the right file mode / just needing to adjust the sharpness in-camera...).

Even aside from the low depth of field, the level of detail on a larger sensor would be a good thing to have, I think... still, there's always the price issue.
Do you like shooting with the 50D, regardless?

[Loupey]

OK.

Being a full-frame camera, the 5D will push the performance of any lens at the corners - especially wide angle lenses. As for "not being able to focus and get sharp detail", you need not worry about that.

The 50D is a nice balance of resolution, fairly low digital noise, burst rate, and price. I consider it a solid performer - not amazing but definitely a good instrument.

[zipperfoot]

OK.

Being a full-frame camera, the 5D will push the performance of any lens at the corners - especially wide angle lenses. As for "not being able to focus and get sharp detail", you need not worry about that.

The 50D is a nice balance of resolution, fairly low digital noise, burst rate, and price. I consider it a solid performer - not amazing but definitely a good instrument.

Thanks very much for your help.
At this point I'm leaning towards the 50D, if for no other reason than price and simplicity.
As a side-question, have you ever used the little $100 Canon 50mm? I've heard good things and the price is salivating. xP

[Loupey]

At this point I'm leaning towards the 50D, if for no other reason than price and simplicity.

Actually the 5D, the original one, is simpler because it has far less automated features and there are less menu options. BTW, I sent you a private message - please disregard it as my 5D sold today.

As for the 50mm f/1.8, there is an entire cult following for that one. You can see and join in here:

Another 50mm f1.8 Thread

[zipperfoot]

Actually the 5D, the original one, is simpler because it has far less automated features and there are less menu options. BTW, I sent you a private message - please disregard it as my 5D sold today.

As for the 50mm f/1.8, there is an entire cult following for that one. You can see and join in here:

Another 50mm f1.8 Thread

Thanks for the offer anyway.
xD Wow, it is a cult following. Looking at that thread really makes me want to go for it even more.
Is it possible to order the 5D new from Canon, or some other source?
Also, didn't the 5D have certain "'problems" that got resolved in the mkII? (Just going off rumours and what I've heard.)