142 replies to this topic

[Drew]

You replace a camera when it's just out for repair? The economy needs you!
Doesn't matter how the audio stands up. I doubt any of the housing manufacturers will set up a hydrophone for the camera. Let it be known that the ones that do will get my recommendation for forward thinking(provided they ALSO have access to all the other functions including liveview for video ). The audio is PCM 44k 16bit stereo.

[TheRealDrew]

You replace a camera when it's just out for repair? The economy needs you!

Actually I have been toying with the idea of a new dSLR for a bit and I am not sure if the other camera will be back in time which is the real issue. Sort of hoping it won't be, just to justify my purchase and this time I am not diving.... May just grab a 40D or 50D because they are in all likelihood enough to do what I need to do from a still side of things. But I would carry 2-3 lenses and then the video camera, so I figured (as more justification) that the 5D would knock alll the pins down for me...though with the lens it is prricey....

Doesn't matter how the audio stands up. I doubt any of the housing manufacturers will set up a hydrophone for the camera. Let it be known that the ones that do will get my recommendation for forward thinking(provided they ALSO have access to all the other functions including liveview for video ). The audio is PCM 44k 16bit stereo.

Really thinking more above water use for the time being and was curious how the audio help up from how the camera records it. I know it is not XLR inputs, but was figuring the video and sound has to be better than the HC-3 (or equal). Though financially the HC-3 and the 50D/40D does make a lot more sense....

[bmyates]

Drew (RealDrew, not "just" Drew),

I don't think the 5DII will is much of a substitute for most camcorders for general-purpose video. The fact that it won't AF while shooting video actually makes its usefulness quite limited, as far as I see it, limited to a handful of lenses, and/or situations where the distance of subjects changes relatively little during a clip.

[loftus]

Drew (RealDrew, not "just" Drew),

I don't think the 5DII will is much of a substitute for most camcorders for general-purpose video. The fact that it won't AF while shooting video actually makes its usefulness quite limited, as far as I see it, limited to a handful of lenses, and/or situations where the distance of subjects changes relatively little during a clip.

I went down to our camera store ready to buy a D90. After playing with it a little, that factor alone made me hold off till the next generation. I'm still really keen on the concept, but I don't think either the Canon or the Nikon implementation is where this needs to be...... yet.

[Drew]

Actually Bruce, it's a retro video camera... like shooting a Bolex or Eumig 8/16mm before AF . I mean if they still have a market for rangefinders...

[TheRealDrew]

Bruce, Jeff, Drew

Thanks

Guess I will get a sense if my camera comes back in time, can always order something as needed. My credit card stopped burning a hole right now...sort of

I liked the old rangefinder cameras...

[jeremypayne]

Couldn't you get a lot of mileage out of the whole "1/2 the hyperfocal distance" thing when shooting video with something like a 10-17 fisheye?

[photovan]

Couldn't you get a lot of mileage out of the whole "1/2 the hyperfocal distance" thing when shooting video with something like a 10-17 fisheye?

There has been a couple of mentions of cropped sensor lenses in the last few posts... don't forget the 5dii is full frame.

[bmyates]

Couldn't you get a lot of mileage out of the whole "1/2 the hyperfocal distance" thing when shooting video with something like a 10-17 fisheye?

Is there a quick way of estimating (not with a calculator, but in your head on the fly) hyperfocal distance? That would certainly come in handy with this camera!

[jeremypayne]

Is there a quick way of estimating (not with a calculator, but in your head on the fly) hyperfocal distance? That would certainly come in handy with this camera!

There is a formula ... but I found this just poking around ...

http://www.nikonians...yperfocal2.html

Edited by jeremypayne, 10 January 2009 - 06:39 PM.

[photovan]

Is there a quick way of estimating (not with a calculator, but in your head on the fly) hyperfocal distance? That would certainly come in handy with this camera!

I had a windows shareware program that you could enter a focal length and a format (and even your preferred circle of confusion) into and it would produce the components of a "wheel" that you could print out, laminate and assemble for a particular lens. I used it in the field for my large format work. It was years ago and the machine I had it on is long gone. Can't find it on the web, but found the following alternative:

If you go to this page you can download a calculator wheel that you can cut out and assemble. Covers full frame (35mm) lenses and he has one for medium format too.

While not "in your head", it is more convenient than the online calculators, unless of course you have a waterproof iphone ...

Edited by photovan, 10 January 2009 - 07:15 PM.

[bmyates]

There is a formula ... but I found this just poking around ...

http://www.nikonians...yperfocal2.html

That's great, but since I occasionally use my camera when I don't have internet access I checked for iPhone apps that do the same calcs. There are several (including a simple one called "Hyperfocal Calc"). The most popular, and the one I bought ($2.99) is called PhotoCalc. Although I won't be able to take it diving, I can use it before dives to establish a few hyperfocal lengths for video for that particular lens.

Here's a related observation. Since getting a wide DoF seems to require both a fairly wide lens and a small aperture, I can envision lower light situations requiring (or at least benefiting from) higher ISO when shooting video with the 5DII. How much will its video suffer from higher (e.g., 1600) ISO settings? Same as stills?

[Drew]

The 5D2 uses ISO and shutter speed first, keep the aperture at it's widest, for video mode..
Remember underwater you focus on the virtual image.

[photovan]

.... How much will its video suffer from higher (e.g., 1600) ISO settings? ....

From what I've seen of my 5dmkii, 1080p video seems a lot more forgiving on a big flatscreen than a pixel-peeped 22MP still. The high iso performance of the video seems to work just fine in what I've shot so far.

Edited by photovan, 10 January 2009 - 09:30 PM.

[loftus]

Anybody with this camera had any issues like those described here?
http://www.neutralda...eos-5d-mark-ii/
Earlier I responded to Craig about why I am a Nikon 'fanboy' due to previous quality issues with Canon and other brands.

[james]

Hi Jeff,

I've been using my 5DII extensively for about a week now and it has worked very well. No complaints at all. I'll be taking my camera offshore next week into a salty environment so we'll see.

If I remember correctly, Nikon has had a few problems in the past as well (BGLOD for example) so we need to just be aware of potential problems w/ the tight delivery schedules the camera companies are working to.

Regards,
James

[Stewart L. Sy]

I've had my Mk2 since Early/Mid December, done a fair bit of shooting with it, no problems encountered even in sub-zero conditions. AF tracking for birds in flight is much improved over my 5dmk1. I should have pool tests in 3 weeks with my modified Subal.

Stu

[loftus]

Hi Jeff,

I've been using my 5DII extensively for about a week now and it has worked very well. No complaints at all. I'll be taking my camera offshore next week into a salty environment so we'll see.

If I remember correctly, Nikon has had a few problems in the past as well (BGLOD for example) so we need to just be aware of potential problems w/ the tight delivery schedules the camera companies are working to.

Regards,
James

It would appear that this is a weather sealing related issue, as it appears to be humidity related rather than temperature related.. At least in their mid-range, prosumer cameras, Nikon seems to scimp a little less than Canon in this area.
Sure all cameras / products will have issues, I do think there are overall quality issues between brands, at least that has been my experience.
J.D. Power surveys seem to support this as well.
http://www.jdpower.c...aspx?ID=2008038

Edited by loftus, 03 February 2009 - 08:20 AM.

[Paul Kay]

Just been trying mine out in sub-zero weather - had to scrape snow off it twice - no problems whatsoever (so far).

[Alex_Mustard]

Earlier I responded to Craig about why I am a Nikon 'fanboy' due to previous quality issues with Canon and other brands.