Another 5D question

Mitch

I have my hammer poised over the bulging piggy bank just waiting for Canon to announce the expected rebates for the US.

I shoot primarily landscapes and people. No sports.

I want the 5D, for the ff (get full use of wides), more mp, ability to change screens, hopefully better af, and the lower noise at higher ISOs.

As often happens, I've started to second guess my decision.

Can the 5D produce as much detail as the 20D (30D)?

Doing the math the pixel density is much higher on the 20D than it is on the 5D. Yes there are more pixels in the 5D but they are spread over a larger area. Please correct me if I am wrong. As I see it the 20D has about 24242 pixels per sq mm while the 5D has 14762. Even the 1Ds mkII has a lower pixel density, 19127.

Shouldn't higher pixel density mean sharper picture with more detail?

Thanks for taking the time to look and I am sorry if I am :deadhorse

Again thanks all

Mitch

lekke

Mitch wrote:

I have my hammer poised over the bulging piggy bank just waiting for Canon to announce the expected rebates for the US.

I shoot primarily landscapes and people. No sports.

I want the 5D, for the ff (get full use of wides), more mp, ability to change screens, hopefully better af, and the lower noise at higher ISOs.

As often happens, I've started to second guess my decision.

Can the 5D produce as much detail as the 20D (30D)?

Doing the math the pixel density is much higher on the 20D than it is on the 5D. Yes there are more pixels in the 5D but they are spread over a larger area. Please correct me if I am wrong. As I see it the 20D has about 24242 pixels per sq mm while the 5D has 14762. Even the 1Ds mkII has a lower pixel density, 19127.

Shouldn't higher pixel density mean sharper picture with more detail?

Thanks for taking the time to look and I am sorry if I am :deadhorse

Again thanks all

Mitch

Don't worry Mitch, not only are the photos more detailed, the dynamic range on the photos is FANTASTIC. You won't believe all the shades of colors you'll see on the photos... like the gradual fallof of light on a wall / colorful background etc

I love my 5D so much I wouldn't even trade it for the [much noisier] 1ds mk2. OK, I would, but then I'd sell it and get a new 5D and some gLass

Andy

Math is hard.
Viewing large prints is much, much easier.
I've owned many cameras, and presently I own 20D, 5D, and a RebelXT IR conversion.

I sold my 1Ds Mark II in favor of the 5D, it's that good. I get far more detail from the 5D than the 20D, no question.

Math is hard

lekke

Andy wrote:

I sold my 1Ds Mark II in favor of the 5D, it's that good.

See what I mean??

Blurmore

The pitch/density question/debate is kinda hard to grasp...but is explained fairly well here.

http://www.alpenglowimaging.com/articles/d2x1dsmkii-resolution.htm

lekke

btw if anyone's interested to see some ISO 3200 shots with the EOS 5D + 50mm f/1.4 USM

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lekke/sets/72057594054200170/

Scott_Quier

Mitch wrote:

Shouldn't higher pixel density mean sharper picture with more detail?


Mitch

Higher pixel denisty means smaller pixels/photosites.

Think of the photosites as buckets into which the lens pours photons. The smaller buckets mean they can hold fewer photons. When the photosites fill up, they overflow and the energy (charge) associated with those photons flows into neighboring photosites. This is one of the causes of noise.

So, for now, more and larger photosites is better then more and smaller photosites. There are trade-offs in all things though. Most photographers want to get as many pixels as possible for the resolution boost. But, if you make the photosites too large, you can't fit them all onto a sensor that can be adequately covered by the image circle projected by your glass.

And, I gotta think the 5d would/does produce better image data than the 20d/30d. Just wish I could justify the price of acquisition - but my better half would have my head if I even suggested that idea.

Hope this helps some.

Jamoke

Canon Convert - 5D!!
I went through the same debate. And I bought both. So perhaps my insight might be valuable, as these were my first DSLR and my first Canon cameras. I bought them at the same time, thinking the 20D would make a great backup, and carry everywhere I go type of body, and the 5D I could use when I wanted to feel more power. I must say the 5D carry's an astoundingly more effective punch. The crispness, noislessness, clarity, purity of color, and wide aspects are amazing. When I use my 20D I'm usually let down, and wish that I had my 5D with me. I was up in the mountians, and I saw a red tail hawk about 100 feet away and couldn't get any closer. I had my 70-200L IS USM with a 2X convertor, and my 20D. It made for some nice pictures but I know the 5D would have been so much better for that situation, and I regret not taking my 5D hiking with me.

My advice - If you can afford the 5D you will not be dissapointed!!! I think it's worth it, and would recommend it to anybody.

oh - and my wife wanted the 5D, so she uses it more than I do, so that's how I could justify the purchase... a 5D for her, and a 20D for me...

MarkM6

lekke wrote:

btw if anyone's interested to see some ISO 3200 shots with the EOS 5D + 50mm f/1.4 USM

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lekke/sets/72057594054200170/

:jawdrop

Mitch

Thank you all for your comments. The 5D it is! Now if Canon will just cooperate with those rebates I will be a happy camper.

I went into my local camera store yesterday, just to take a look. So far I've only seen pictures of the 5D, which was still the case when I left. They had the camera, boxed up. I got the impression that it was there for buyers not lookers. Being a lcs it was $200 to $300 more than some other venues. Also they knew nothing of any impending rebates.

Thanks again,

Mitch

DanielB

Mitch wrote:

Thank you all for your comments. The 5D it is! Now if Canon will just cooperate with those rebates I will be a happy camper.

I went into my local camera store yesterday, just to take a look. So far I've only seen pictures of the 5D, which was still the case when I left. They had the camera, boxed up. I got the impression that it was there for buyers not lookers. Being a lcs it was $200 to $300 more than some other venues. Also they knew nothing of any impending rebates.

Thanks again,

Mitch

B&H has it for 2895 if you add it to your cart... just type "psjan" in the search box, select Canon in their scroll box... and theres a 5D... add it to your cart and presto, its now 2895