I had my first look at the 5D MKII yesterday and was amazed at the quality I really do think it is worth the extra £££ but is this the right time to buy one? It has been out for a while and it has taken me over 4 years to save and would be heartbroken if a new version came out this year. The 7D has a better focus system, the 60D has the tilt screen so I would like both of these and I am hoping that the new version will incorporate the features.

Would I be waiting years for the new 5D or do you feel it’s not far away?

I really hope 5Dmkiii will be out by NAB 2012, but who knows, and do you really need a FFsensor, 60D is
great, not as expensive and will be easy to sell when mkii comes out

To be honest, the Panasonic GH2 offers better video quality than the 5D in pretty much every way except for ultra shallow DOF. I shoot with a 5Dmkii, 7D, and GH2 all the time, and the GH2 consistently produces the nicest looking footage. It's even better at high ISOs in low-light, and offers incredible telephoto options with the sensor crop feature.

A GH2 runs $899 for the body only. Add a few cheap lens adapters (I use Canon glass with my GH2) and you can shoot with the best video-centric "DSLR" (the GH2 isn't technically a DSLR since it doesn't have a mirror) available right now while building a collection of whatever lenses you like. Then when the 5Dmkiii comes out you'll still have some cash if it proves to be what we all want.

Would I be waiting years for the new 5D or do you feel it’s not far away?

Those who know, wont tell. Those who tell, don't know.

You can look at past behavior (3 years between 5D and 5D2), but that is not a predictor of future performance. They could even get rid of the product line altogether, like they "kind of" did with the 60D (by removing some features that the 50D had).

One site claimed that Canon won't release any DSLRs before the end of the year. Yeah, this would push us past the 3 year window, but it "feels" right to me. The next gen is likely to be based on the DIGIC V. Why show that hand before Christmas? The 5D2 is still highly desirable and competitive. If I were in charge, I'd stay DIGIC IV across the line for this holiday sales season and start rolling out the next gen in 2012 with plans for as many DIGIC V DSLRs as possible for December 2012.

Of course, this is all conjecture. I have no inside knowledge. For all I know, they'll announce five new DSLRs tomorrow.

So... what to do?

Since the 5D2 has been out a while, I might buy used. There are a lot out in the field now and with the soft economy, there are probably some hungry sellers out there. That minimizes your loss if a 5D3 comes out soon. Besides, if you shoot video, who cares about shutter clicks? Just make sure that the body has been treated well and that the sensor is clean.

Me? I'm considering the anti-alias filter for the 5D2. I doubt that the 5D3 will solve the aliasing thing and it may be some time before anti-alias filters are available for a 5D3.

Thanks for the info its helped me make up my mind as I already use a XHA1 I think my best option would be just to buy

5DMK2
Memory Cards
Battery Grip
Batteries
Glidetrack or dp slider
Bag

I will film the majority of the wedding with my XHA1 in 25P and use the 5DMK2 to capture whatever else I can e.g. venue setup, stage setup etc. The option of lenses is quite large, can anybody recommend a good lens to start off with the halls are most always dark so performing in low light is key.

http://www.calumetphoto.co.uk/etc/uk/pdfs/rental/rental_guide_2011-12_final_lo.pdf

Tariq,

The best option is to have a camera now so that you can shoot now. Apart from serving your present needs, bringing in new work, revenue etc it also helps in fine tuning skills (I consider it as a never ending learning).

I would second Jon's suggestion of buying used. You will get a good deal and by the time the upgraded version is available for buying you would have recovered your investment.

The feature set will be upgraded. So you are likely to feel bad that you dont have the "latest" and will also miss out on the features. So the best bet is to get a used 5DII.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

Also, the new model prices are inflated for the first 6 months. Better to wait and let the prices stabilize. If you have an old canon point and shoot, look at Canon's loyalty program. You can trade it in for a refurbished 5d mark II for a very good price.

Hi,

Yes my intention was to buy the list below and hire the lenses because I simply can't afford them just yet. I want to hire a lens that would be the first lens that I would purchase. What lens would you recommend for good DOF and best suited for low light conditions?

Unless you absolutely lust after & must have a 5DII then save money & get a 600D with a Canon EF-S 17-55mm F/2.8 IS. It delivers the same quality video as a 7D/60D but has an articulated screen & the cool 3X HD crop mode which gives you a free 51-165mm F/2.8 lens without having to swap lenses either. The 5DII is only better for video in low light requiring high ISO otherwise picture-wise all Canon DSLRs are identical.

The 5DII is only better for video in low light requiring high ISO otherwise picture-wise all Canon DSLRs are identical.

Or when you need to go wider AND have Full Frame glass on hand... which the OP doesn't I assume.

ADDENDUM: Why did I post that? because DVinfo is highly indexed by search engines and comes up routinely in MY internet searches for items so I included that for completeness... not to rebutt Nigel.

The first lens depends on what you shoot.

For instance, a 50mm prime is a great choice. You get a fast lens for cheap, and there are many good options out there.

But what if you shoot extreme sports? A 50mm prime is useless, except for interviews. (Extreme sport is best done with the widest possible lens when you can get close, and the longest IS lens when you can't.)

For narrative, I love the 35mm view. It costs more than a 50, but I could shoot a whole film with one. In fact, I recently did an instructional video with nothing but the 35mm. A 50 looks more conservative. A 35mm has a bit more attitude and accentuates camera movement more.

There's no best lens. Choose based on your application.