Nov

Two Cameras at the Crossroads: 5D Mark II or 7D

In September, I had an opportunity to do some shooting with the 5D for the first time as we had a demo unit in our office for a trade show. I took it for Labor Day weekend and instantly fell in love. I’ve been shooting video since 1990 and have always had some form of video camera in my arsenal mostly for short films. For larger projects I always rented gear.

FISH - With the 5D Mark II

I have to say this is the most “fun” I’ve ever had with a camera in my life. The ease of shooting, the ability to control the shot and then there’s the stunning images that look better than the real thing -- images one would usually need a crew with lights and all the trimmings to achieve. The possibilities seem endless, and my mind instantly ran to through all of the projects I can do that have been collecting dust due to lack of funding. The freedom to produce an independent feature without the cost and hassle of hiring a crew or cashing in favors for free help seems almost too good to be true.

So that’s it, I’ve got to have one, but there’s a hitch: the 7D. Now since its release there have been several articles written listing the specs of the 7D with comparisons to the 5D Mark II so I won’t list those here. The bottom line is the sensor size, variable frame rates and the price point. The key words I’ve heard about the 7D are “noticeably more grain in low light”. How important is that slight difference in grain?

The frame rate issue (the 5D Mark II only does 29.9 fps where the 7D will do 24 fps and other frame rates as well) will be shored up by a firmware update for the 5D Mark II Canon will release in early 2010. How significant is this low light issue? I’m not clear, as I haven’t had a chance to do a side-by-side comparison.

Some of the gurus of DSLR video such as Vincent LaForet and Philip Bloom review both models, and they state low light performance to be the most glaring difference, but they also conclude their reviews by declining to call a winner saying, “I like them both…” My feeling are they say this to stay in Canon’s good graces, so I don’t know how much faith I have in these comparisons. Anyway, I find the more reviews I read comparing the two cameras only serve to heighten my anxiety.

So, where do I go from here? I’m going with the 5D...I think... I have an opportunity to buy a body for 2k (MSRP $2700.00) from a friend of mine. It’s a year old, he wants a 1D Mark IV, so he needs to part with it. It seems like a good deal. However, just yesterday I found the 5D Mark II listed for 2k brand new. Two thousand dollars, and I still have to buy lenses. So with the 5D Mark II, I’m looking at a $5k investment with the lenses, or I can get the 7D, which is more adapted for shooting video with variable frame rates, dedicated menu options and buttons for video, and you get a lens for $1.8k at Best Buy.

A friend of mine who is shooting a feature using the two models says that the 7D is BETTER in low light than the 5D. Could this be true? My feeling is the 7D is more economically feasible for me, and I’ll be up and shooting quicker. So what’s my solution? Do I role the dice with the 7D or go with what I know to be an excellent camera.

My final solution: convince my boss to buy a 7D and use it on the weekends. If I find it doesn’t fill the shoes of the 5D, I won’t be plagued with the wretched buyer’s remorse syndrome. I’ll let you know how it goes!