My Other Camera is a 5DmkII

[Ysarex]

I have a hardware problem.

I retired from full-time college faculty 4.5 years ago and now teach part-time. At that time I had a relatively new Canon 5DmkII with a 24-105mm f/4L and a 200mm f/2.8L. Just this afternoon I took exposure 1420 with the 5D. In other words it's barely used. I purchased it in the year before I retired and once I stopped teaching full-time I also stopped using the 5D.

I take a lot of photos. I carry a camera with me everywhere I go and take photos all week long. I have a little Samsung EX2 compact that I use constantly. Nearly all the photos that I post here on TPF come from that little compact. The 5D sits in a bag in the closet for months on end. I got it out yesterday and charged the battery. It had been a year since I used it at all. Today I went for a walk in the neighborhood as is my habit and I took the 5D along.

I took some photos with the 5D. It takes great photos, but I wasn't happy. It's too heavy. It's too big. I got stopped by people who wanted to know who I was working for or what I was doing. That never happens when I carry my EX2. I got home after walking about two miles and I was hurting for having to carry the 5D (I took both lenses).

Apart from an occasional road-trip or vacation to visit the kids the 5D no longer gets used. My wife says sell it. So I have it sitting here on the desk right now and I think I should sell it and buy an APS sensor mirrorless camera to replace it and maybe I would use that camera. I'm looking at the Fuji X-E2.

I've never used or really even looked at TPF's Buy/Sell forum. Damn! This is one hard decision.

Joe

 

[raventepes]

Another option could be an Olympus OM-D EM1. I'm hearing nothing but good things about it, and Micro 4/3 has the best lens line up for mirrorless, thus far.

 

[bratkinson]

I feel your pain! As a Medicare-aged geezer, my downtown Chicago 'walkabout' a couple months ago was cut to only 4 hours account too many aches and pains from carrying a gripped 5D3 w/135 f2L and 24-105 f4L in a Lowepro case hooked to my belt. This getting old stuff is a real pain! So, I've been considering either getting a mirrorless Canon and putting the 24-105 on that or a G15 for less than 'big time' shooting. In other words, I'm considering going your route of carrying a pocket sized camera (OK, a G15 isn't exactly pocket sized). Having moved from film to digital starting with a G3 then G5, I'm still hooked on the G-series cameras! Who knows, maybe my 5D3 will start gathering dust like your mark ii.

 

[Ysarex]

I feel your pain! As a Medicare-aged geezer, my downtown Chicago 'walkabout' a couple months ago was cut to only 4 hours account too many aches and pains from carrying a gripped 5D3 w/135 f2L and 24-105 f4L in a Lowepro case hooked to my belt. This getting old stuff is a real pain! So, I've been considering either getting a mirrorless Canon and putting the 24-105 on that or a G15 for less than 'big time' shooting. In other words, I'm considering going your route of carrying a pocket sized camera (OK, a G15 isn't exactly pocket sized). Having moved from film to digital starting with a G3 then G5, I'm still hooked on the G-series cameras! Who knows, maybe my 5D3 will start gathering dust like your mark ii.

I got up this morning and listed it on the buy/sell forum. It just doesn't make sense to keep something like that if it's not going to get used. It was really hard to push that submit button. I realize that part of my difficulty is entirely in my head. It's an identity problem. I've been a photographer for nearly 40 years now and part of "being a photographer" is having the right gear -- it's like a uniform. How do I get "photo cred" out of carrying around a Samsung compact -- that's just one step away from using a phone camera!

I guess I'm going to be a retired photographer now.

Joe

 

[SnappingShark]

Or you could become an advocat on how to get the best damn photographs possible from a Samsung Compact, and use it to show off each and every feature!

Positives.
No negatives (no pun intended).

 

[sashbar]

How do I get "photo cred" ...
I guess I'm going to be a retired photographer now.
/QUOTE]

I think you will be surprised how much "photo cred" you will get out of X-E2.
I have read 3 or 4 posts from 5D2 users who switched to X-E1 and all said it gave them a new lease of photographic life.

 

[lambertpix]

Have you read any of Scott Bourne's stuff lately? He switched from big Canons (like 1DX) to an Oly OM-D recently for some of the same reasons you indicated. He's written a ton about this, but here are a couple links to start with:

Olympus OM-D EM-5 (Micro Four Thirds) Long Term Review | Photofocus

What?s In Scott?s Bag Now? | Photofocus

 

[Derrel]

Enjoy the new Fuji. From what I have read the Fuji-made lenses are REALLY GOOD lenses!

Lenses for Fujifilm | Sans Mirror ? mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras | Thom Hogan

 

[Ysarex]

Lambert & raven, thanks I've read good things about the OM-D, but I'm not going to drop down to a 4/3 sensor. My compact has a postage stamp sensor I know, but that's been OK since I also had the 5D. One of the big issues here for me is the drop in sensor size and I'm still struggling with the idea of moving down to APS (even though I've basically stopped using the 5D I still have it).

Sashbar & Derrel, it really is the Fuji X-Trans sensor that's brought me to this point. I've gotten a hold of a number of sample raw files from the X-E1 and X-Pro and now that PhotoNinja and Capture One support the X-Trans sensor I've had a good look at it's performance. It really is impressive. A smaller sensor is a smaller sensor and there's no way to get around some of the ramifications of that, but that X-Trans sensor really is a next-gen cut above. And Derrel, my first lens is going to be the 14mm f/2.8 (assuming I go through with this -- still nervous).

Joe

 

[brunerww]

Ysarex - If the 5D Mk II is too big and heavy and "moving down" to the X-E2's APS-C sensor is problematic, have you considered the full frame Sony A7 ($1998 with the 24-70 f3.5-5.6)?

Significantly smaller and lighter than the 5D Mark II: Compare camera dimensions side by side

About the same size and weight as the X-E2: http://camerasize.com/compare/#487,493

Full frame lenses will generally be heavier, but Amazon says the product weight for the X-E2 with its 18-55 kit lens is only 0.2 lbs less than for the A7 with the 24-70mm.

This camera seems to hit the sweet spot for sensor size, resolution, high ISO performance, PDAF autofocus speed and compactness.

Cheers,

Bill

 

[sashbar]

There is a good comparison of Canon 5D3 and X-E1

Review of the Fujifilm X-E1

The last update is May 2013 though, so there were some numerous improvements in FUJI hardware since, especially AF. The most significant hardware update was last August.

 

[Ysarex]

There is a good comparison of Canon 5D3 and X-E1

Review of the Fujifilm X-E1

The last update is May 2013 though, so there were some numerous improvements in FUJI hardware since, especially AF. The most significant hardware update was last August.

Thanks, I hadn't seen that one.

Joe

 

[ronlane]

Joe, if you need a tax right off, you can donate it to the needy, I'll be needy for you (Wished I could take it off your hands for you, specially the body and the 24-105L).

And since you're close, I could probably even hitch-hike up there and pick it up and we could do a photo-walk before I headed by down south. (Oh wait, it's not started snowing up there yet has it?)

 

[Derrel]

I feel your pain! As a Medicare-aged geezer, my downtown Chicago 'walkabout' a couple months ago was cut to only 4 hours account too many aches and pains from carrying a gripped 5D3 w/135 f2L and 24-105 f4L in a Lowepro case hooked to my belt. This getting old stuff is a real pain! So, I've been considering either getting a mirrorless Canon and putting the 24-105 on that or a G15 for less than 'big time' shooting. In other words, I'm considering going your route of carrying a pocket sized camera (OK, a G15 isn't exactly pocket sized). Having moved from film to digital starting with a G3 then G5, I'm still hooked on the G-series cameras! Who knows, maybe my 5D3 will start gathering dust like your mark ii.

I got up this morning and listed it on the buy/sell forum. It just doesn't make sense to keep something like that if it's not going to get used. It was really hard to push that submit button. I realize that part of my difficulty is entirely in my head. It's an identity problem. I've been a photographer for nearly 40 years now and part of "being a photographer" is having the right gear -- it's like a uniform. How do I get "photo cred" out of carrying around a Samsung compact -- that's just one step away from using a phone camera!

I guess I'm going to be a retired photographer now.

Joe

bratkinson, Ysarex, maybe you two can take heart6 from this interesting column Kirk Tuck wrote not too long ago, after having attended the PDN photo show in NYC recently.

The Graying Of Traditional Photography And Why Everything Is Getting Re-Invented In A Form We Don't Understand By Kirk Tuck | DIYPhotography.net

 

[Ysarex]

Joe, if you need a tax right off, you can donate it to the needy, I'll be needy for you (Wished I could take it off your hands for you, specially the body and the 24-105L).

And since you're close, I could probably even hitch-hike up there and pick it up and we could do a photo-walk before I headed by down south. (Oh wait, it's not started snowing up there yet has it?)

Too late, we had our first flurries Monday night and woke Tuesday morning to a light dusting in a few spots. Is it still 110 F down there?

Joe