The Canon 5DSR as a travel camera

As I mentioned in a previous post, it has been just over a year since I purchased the Canon 5DSR. As a Melbourne based photographer specialising in the commercial, architectural and industrial fields, it was not that I was unhappy with the files from my 5D Mk III, quite the contrary I still have an absolute love affair with that camera and plan to use it for many years to come. However I do quite often make very large panoramic prints, and also have a couple of clients that really require the extra resolution in the final images that the 5DSR offers.

My Canon EOS line up over the years…

I have a long history with the Canon EOS series, beginning in the days of film with the EOS 650; my first DSLR was the Canon 20D (which I still own), followed by the full frame 5D Classic. The original 5D became my workhorse for a number of years, and certainly repaid itself many times over. With the difficult conditions that I put my gear through (construction sites, underground in mining sites) it was only a matter of time before the 5D became unreliable, and so in 2007 I moved to the 1Ds Mk III, not only for the increased resolution but also for the rugged durability. As much as I enjoyed using the 5D, I really fell for the 1Ds Mk III. The files it produced, and knowing to what extent they could be manipulated in post production, coupled with the tank like construction and most importantly the incredible reliability just gave me that extra confidence on every shoot. I enjoyed using it so much that even after my original was stolen during a burglary at home, I purchased one second hand (at an incredible price considering the eye watering amount the original cost me…) which I continue to shoot with on occasion, and which accompanied me to Japan recently as backup (most of the Nara deer images which can be found on my portfolio website were captured with the 1Ds…)

As a backup to the 1Ds I purchased the 5D Mk II, and I have to say that I never got along with this camera; I know there are many satisfied users who still produce incredible images with the Mk II, but I just really struggled with the basic focusing system and even the handling just felt ‘off’… Of course in fairness I was used to the 1 series by now with the inbuilt battery grip and 45 point focusing sensor, and so when the Mk II simply stopped working after only a trivial amount of usage, I decided to put the estimated $800 in repairs that I was quoted towards a new 5D Mk III instead. Brilliant files combined with great handling and a much lighter body (important considering the weight load of equipment that I carry on every assignment) completely sold me on the Mk III, and I continue to enjoy using it every time I really don’t need the extra resolution. Which brings me to the 5DSR, and my recent trip to the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore…

 

More pixels, more dynamic range…

I perfectly understand that for many people, there really is no apparent need for the 50.6 million pixels that the 5DSR offers, although now having used the camera for the last year I do find that the incredible versatility in having so much detail in the final files is just wonderful. All of the following images were captured inside the Gardens By the Bay in Singapore during our Easter visit, and while I do own a couple of macro lenses, I did not have them with me on this occasion. All shots were taken with my standard complement of 17mm TS-E (for the architecture) and the 24-70 f2.8 L II, 70-200 f2.8 L II for the flowers, with quite a number of the flower images being close crops from much more expansive views . I also carried the 16-35 f4 L with me on this trip, and a couple of the views looking up and down in the dome were taken with this lens. Obviously this is a very image heavy post with 70 pictures; these were all captured over a two hour visit to this amazing celebration of the plant world in which I tried to document not only the beautiful flora but also the incredible dome architecture by making a few panoramic views of the main waterfall tower. This first dome comprises a path that winds its way around the central tower offering incredible views in all directions, while the second flower dome is a wonderful showcase home to a variety of species from around the world.

While the 5DSR does demand a little more concentration in terms of technique while shooting (keep those shutter speeds up!), it certainly delivers in the expanded dynamic range that the files exhibit. I find that the images just seem to ‘pop’ off the print and computer screen in a way which exceeds anything that I get with my older camera bodies. I really enjoy working with the expanded highlights and shadow range in post production, and although I realise it is not technically as wide as in the Nikon D810 that I used for a while, I personally just prefer the final file output from the 5DSR over anything else that I have used (and that includes all of the current Nikon range).

Considerations when selecting the Canon 5DSR…

Good technique is a must…this camera can be very unforgiving with slower shutter speeds rendering all those lovely pixels as pointless if the image is not crisp. This also means that only the sharpest lenses are worthy, one of the reasons that I retired my 16-35 f2.8 L II and purchased the 16-35 f4 L. I still have the f2,8, but the image corners are mush by comparison to the f4 and just not acceptable in my opinion.

Battery life is a concern, as I am used to shooting all day on the 5D Mk III without needing to change; however with the 5DSR I get about 700 frames before I need to reach for a spare. Obviously with such big files I have also had to upgrade my storage and workflow options while traveling and at home, but really this seems a small price to pay for such a great imaging tool… If anyone has any questions or comments about this camera, please fell free to drop me a line…