tallmanirl
Posts: 76
Location: Ireland
Registered: 5 Jun 2008
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Popularity of Canon 1Ds Mark2 For Landscapes
Posted: 15 Jun 2008 at 18:16 GMT
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For the professional landscape photographers here, what makes this camera so popular among landscape photographers? I've read of the tough build, but, to a layman like myself, surely theres' more than that? Info on Pros and Cons welcomed. I'd generally use it for 180 degree panos with stitching.
Fergal.
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Hans Nyberg
Posts: 803
Location: Denmark
Registered: 28 Aug 2005
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Re: Popularity of Canon 1Ds Mark2 For Landscapes
Posted: 15 Jun 2008 at 20:35 GMT
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I never heard anyone say that it is popular among landscape photographers. Its basically the Camera for the Press photographers or the fashion photographer.
It has the largest resolution 16,7 megapixel among DSLR (now followed by it's next generation Mark III with 21MP )
That might be an advantage but personally I find it to big and heavy to carry around in nature.
The smaller sensor of for example a Nikon D300 or a Canon 40D or 450D might be an advantage for some types of landscape photos as you will get a larger depth of field.
Hans
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Steven Scott
Posts: 38
Location: Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, United States
Registered: 13 Mar 2008
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Re: Popularity of Canon 1Ds Mark2 For Landscapes
Posted: 15 Jun 2008 at 21:39 GMT
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Tall Man,
It seems almost everyone on this site is a 360 VR photographer. Like you, I only shoot a 180 pano. I manage a high-end "pro" camera store -- so I'll give you my 2 cents worth opinion.
The II is a full-frame camera. Enough said. The III is absolutely incredible, but at $7,999 US, it is a lot of money. But you get what you pay for.
The Canon 5D is about to be replaced. So, don't even think of it. The 1Ds II is great for landscape and most anything else you would want to shoot. I'd love to shoot 180 panos with it. Try it with the Canon 100-400 L Glass lens ... or something more toward the other end!
I love the Canon 40D, but after you add the battery grip or wireless grip, it is as bulky as the II. Right now, we're seeing incredible images from the Nikon D300. Less with Nikon's full-frame D3, but I do hear good things about it.
Like always --- get out and shoot with the 1Ds Mark II. I shoot a lot of 3 shot panos -- some five shot panos. The lens you use depends on the scene you are shooting. A friend shot a $14 million home with one -- incredible images. Another shoots weddings.
I'm shooting PAP (pole aerial photography) so I use a Canon G9 at 25 feet. A lot of folks here use Canon XTi, XSi, 40D and Nikon D40, D60 (new), D80 and D200. I would assume weight has a lot to do with it, as Hans so aptly stated.
Put some good glass (Canon L) with a 1Ds Mark II ... you would probably be very happy. Let us know what you do.
Best to you,
Steve
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photo41
Posts: 172
Location: Stamora Romana - Timisoara, Romania
Registered: 14 Dec 2007
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Re: Popularity of Canon 1Ds Mark2 For Landscapes
Posted: 16 Jun 2008 at 2:17 GMT
updated: 16 Jun 2008 at 2:18 GMT
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Hello friend,
A grip put on any camera will add weight to a camera.
There is a lot of very good and gifted photographers who use Canon 5D around much more experienced and informed than me; of course with a lot of spectacular results; I heard also a lot of good things on 40D. I suppose the addition of the Mark III Ds 21 Mp in speed is not much of a gain in panoramic photography so if you have this amount of money I think you should consider one of the following two directions: a series of good lenses on a full frame camera or a medium format camera which would certainly impress us and your customers as well ... but might be very very heavy and improbable to get to a nice spot for landscape (for instance a 503 Hasselblad, with a digital back and a Carl-Zeiss 28mm fisheye would weight over 5 kilos - not to mention around 15 K Euros. I'd really appreciate some information on this...)
As a personal experience one just cannot imagine the amount of psychological pressure when adding/upgrading to such an impressive gear until living it... and this comes with the disappointments when comparing the personal work to the other ones until having experience and learning the gear and own limits.
Actually I am too at the beginning and am looking forward with extreme interest for advice from the experienced well known photographers from this forum.
regards,
Valentin
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tallmanirl
Posts: 76
Location: Ireland
Registered: 5 Jun 2008
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Re: Popularity of Canon 1Ds Mark2 For Landscapes
Posted: 16 Jun 2008 at 14:51 GMT
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Thanks guys,
Hans, I read the magazines to see what the landscape photographers were using. Many use the pano cameras, but for the DSLRs, again and again the 1Ds Mark2 was mentioned. It was by far the most popular.
As for weight, I don't venture far from the car for my photos anyway. A carpark overlooking a nice scene, ideal for using the tripod, as well as convenience.
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tallmanirl
Posts: 76
Location: Ireland
Registered: 5 Jun 2008
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Re: Popularity of Canon 1Ds Mark2 For Landscapes
Posted: 16 Jun 2008 at 14:52 GMT
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Steve, what are the benefits of a Full Frame Camera for landscapes?
Regards,
Fergal.
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Doug Aurand
Posts: 703
Location: Albuquerque, NM, United States
Registered: 2 Jan 2008
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Re: Popularity of Canon 1Ds Mark2 For Landscapes
Posted: 16 Jun 2008 at 17:07 GMT
updated: 16 Jun 2008 at 17:25 GMT
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Tallman
A "Full Frame Camera" is simply one with a 36mm x 24mm sensor, the same size as 35mm film.
The biggest advantage of the 1Ds MarkII is the 16MB resolution,so there's more detail than say the brand new Canon XSi, but the benefit isn't exclusive or particular to landscape photography.
One of the reasons you may notice many of your magazine's photographers using the one of the 1D series is that Canon has had a Full Frame Sensor in it since the 1Ds announced in 2002, while Nikon ony introduced the D3 with a Full Frame Sensor this year. So professional photogs who wanted their lenses to work like they do on film cameras (no crop) only had one choice for 5 years.
So basicly, Canon had a 5 year head start on Nikon, and more professional photographers who had the money bought the 1Ds or later models in the series.
Its that simple. It didn't have anything to do with Landscape Photgraphy
Correction: I think Kodak had a full frame camera that had a Nikon mount, so there may have been another choice
Doug Aurand
Albuquerque, NM
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Steven Scott
Posts: 38
Location: Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, United States
Registered: 13 Mar 2008
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Re: Popularity of Canon 1Ds Mark2 For Landscapes
Posted: 16 Jun 2008 at 17:31 GMT
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Tall Man ...
Doug said it well. Full frame means no crop factor, plus the 16MP is pretty darn good. I can see where landscapes with a lot of tonal variety would be good for this camera, but as Doug stated, it is used by a lot of other photographers .... such as portrait and wedding shooters.
I'm anxiously waiting on the new 5D. We call it the 5D(2) at the moment. Also, rumor that a new 40D in the 16MP range is coming, since the $200 rebate program started. Don't consider the new Canon XS. It's a stripped-down version of the Canon XSi.
Full Frame - Lens Are Exact - 16MP = Pretty Awesome Images
Best to all,
steve
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tallmanirl
Posts: 76
Location: Ireland
Registered: 5 Jun 2008
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Re: Popularity of Canon 1Ds Mark2 For Landscapes
Posted: 16 Jun 2008 at 18:55 GMT
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Thanks guys! Things a lot clearer now!
Fergal.
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tallmanirl
Posts: 76
Location: Ireland
Registered: 5 Jun 2008
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Re: Popularity of Canon 1Ds Mark2 For Landscapes
Posted: 16 Jun 2008 at 20:48 GMT
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All that said,
Are there any downsides to this camera I should know about?
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Bob Stone
Posts: 37
Location: Rochester, NY, United States
Registered: 20 Oct 2007
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Re: Popularity of Canon 1Ds Mark2 For Landscapes
Posted: 17 Jun 2008 at 1:44 GMT
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Just one...
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tallmanirl
Posts: 76
Location: Ireland
Registered: 5 Jun 2008
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Re: Popularity of Canon 1Ds Mark2 For Landscapes
Posted: 17 Jun 2008 at 13:19 GMT
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Yeah I'm aware of that one! 
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marcus newey
Posts: 127
Location: somerset, United Kingdom
Registered: 23 Oct 2005
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Re: Popularity of Canon 1Ds Mark2 For Landscapes
Posted: 17 Jun 2008 at 20:59 GMT
updated: 17 Jun 2008 at 21:04 GMT
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Tallman,
Many landscape photographers use medium and large format film cameras. A scan from a 4"x5" negative provides far more information than any 8, 10 or 12 million pixel dslr can ever provide [in a single frame]
But, a digital slr does have many practical advantages over a medium or large format camera, they are therefore tempting, even for 'traditional' landscape photographers.
Whilst others are catching up fast [ eg. sony and nikon are each expected to release a 24m pixel 'full frame' body before the end of the year] for a few years only Canon had a fullframe dslr with a very high resolution in the 16mp 1Ds mII
For wealthy hobbiest and professional photographers the high price of both the body and the quality lenses needed to make full use of that body are perhaps justified.
However, as a first time dslr purchase, it is slightly crazy, especially if you are happy to use stitching techniques, which mostly negate the high mp advantage of the 1Ds body. Unless you've you've already got a brace of canon af 35mm film bodies and a cupboard full of exotic glass.
I understand you're interest in the camera, but a 5d [especially a 5d sucessor] a nikon d300 etc etc will also give great results and leave lot's of change to spend on arguably the most important items- the lenses.
Untill you've used a dslr for a while you won't actually know whether you want to shoot with a classic 50mm 1.4 prime, or a 17-50ish 2,8 zoom or 200 f2 vr telephoto or a 14mm super wide rectilinear prime etc etc. Once you've got a good understanding of the lens choices you might like to make then you can better assess what manufacturer and body suits you best.
And given that you're even considering a 1Ds as a first dslr purchase I'm guessing your pockets are quite deep. It might actually be a medium or large format camera possably with a digital back is what you're looking for.
I'd read this:
www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/1ds-mk...
read around anything in the article you're not sure about [there's loads more info for the landscape shooter on that site]. I'd certainly want to know exactly what I wanted before laying out £10k or more on a camera system.
In the meantime, get a d60 or a 1000d or 20d or a650 or whatever and some basic lenses and you'll already be very close to the 'perfection' of shooting with a 1ds. And you'll quickly, and reletively cheaply, learn what you actually neeed for your own shooting requirements.
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tallmanirl
Posts: 76
Location: Ireland
Registered: 5 Jun 2008
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Re: Popularity of Canon 1Ds Mark2 For Landscapes
Posted: 18 Jun 2008 at 10:01 GMT
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Thanks Marcus, will take that on board. The reason why I was asking about the Mark2 is I was advised by my tutor to see what the landscape photographers were using and to get the best I could afford. I want professional quality stuff. When I checked it out, most common DSLR used by magazine contributors was the Mark2.
You're right about the lens choices. My existing one does of course, equal the 35mm format. To get similar effects to when I set my lens to 135mm (so that there is very little stretching), that's a difficulty for me.
No, the pockets aren't deep, but I am investing here.
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tallmanirl
Posts: 76
Location: Ireland
Registered: 5 Jun 2008
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Re: Popularity of Canon 1Ds Mark2 For Landscapes
Posted: 18 Jun 2008 at 10:15 GMT
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Marcus,
You mentioned £10k for the camera system. The 1Ds Mark2 Body comes in at about €2500 (£1,984). What range of prices for the lenses? What other costs might be involved here? I'll investigate the other cams you suggested as well.
Regards,
Fergal.
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