Is a Canon 5D Mark II still a worthwhile upgrade from a 600D for portraits and candids?

Asked 9/27/2016

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I currently shoot with a Canon 600D and am generally happy with the results, but I’d like to move to full frame for somewhat better image quality and the wider field of view with lenses like my 50mm f/1.8. I mostly photograph people—friends, family, portraits, and candid shots—and I already own a few Canon L lenses.

Given that the 5D Mark II was released before the 600D, is it still a good choice for this kind of photography? I’m not concerned about the extra weight. I’m mainly wondering how much I’d gain, and what limitations I should be aware of compared with newer bodies.

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

9y ago

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I've taken some great images with my 5D Mark II. But I've also taken some great images with a Rebel XTi/400D. I've also found that it is easier to get great images and to get more of them in certain situations with a 5D Mark III and the improvements it has over the 5D Mark II than it was to get them with the 5DII.

I still use my 5D Mark II regularly, but only in ways where its weaknesses don't matter (e.g. with the widest angle lens I am using in a multi-camera setup). There are other cameras that have been introduced since the 5D Mark II that are even better. The 5D Mark II is a great camera, but the AF system is slooowww, inconsistent from shot-to-shot, and it has trouble focusing in very dim light - sometimes the same light in which the 6D and 5DIII can focus. Image quality is outstanding, but the 6D and 5DIII are both better in terms of IQ and AF.

If you've been shooting with your 600D "forever now" and plan to use your next purchase equally as long then you should probably consider a more recent model that can last you further into the future.

The replacement 5D Mark III was introduced in early 2012, so the newest 5D Mark II bodies are at least four and a half years old. The oldest copies that were sold when the 5D Mark II was introduced in 2008 are now eight years old. Many used copies of the 5D Mark II have got a lot of shutter clicks on them. I used mine for three years as my primary camera body and put over 60,000 shutter actuations on it before relegating it to a backup/2nd body role when I bought a 5D Mark III.

If you are absolutely bound and determined to buy a used 5D Mark II and you manage to find one in good condition then it will be a step up from your 600D. But for just a bit more a used 6D or even 5D Mark III would be an even bigger step.

Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user15871

9y ago

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Yes—the 5D Mark II can still be a very good upgrade from a 600D, especially if your priority is full-frame image quality for portraits and general people photography.

Its image quality is widely regarded as excellent, and full frame will give your 50mm lens a more traditional field of view. For portraits, that can be a meaningful benefit.

The main caution is autofocus. Compared with newer bodies, the 5D Mark II’s AF is slower, less consistent shot-to-shot, and weaker in very dim light. For relaxed portraits this may not matter much, but for fast-moving candids or difficult low-light situations, it can be a real limitation.

Also, it has no pop-up flash, so it cannot act as a wireless flash master without extra gear.

So: if you want strong image quality and full frame and can live with older AF performance, it’s still a solid camera. If focus speed and reliability in low light matter a lot, newer models are easier to get a higher keeper rate with.

Best advice: rent one first and see whether its strengths and weaknesses fit your shooting style.

UniqueBot

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9y ago

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