Shooting The Canon 5D Classic in 2023
Whilst I try and sway away from a lot of gear talk, I wanted to bring up a bit of a classic digital camera that has found its way in my hands, and that is the Canon 5D Mark 1, often dubbed as the “classic”. I’ve had a couple of these pass through my hands in the past, and this will be my third in the course of ten years. I’m not ever letting this one go! Why? In an era marked by an abundance of auto focus points, phase detection technology, remarkable high ISO performance, and impressive burst rates, it's natural to wonder if "less is more."
The Canon 5D Classic, in 2023, is an eighteen year old full-frame DSLR and hosts a 12.8-megapixel sensor, which, by today’s standards, might not be considered exceptionally high, but I truly believe it remains entirely practical for most uses. The 5D is encased in a robust magnesium alloy body that that screams durability and great craftsmanship. There is definitely a reassuring heft when it comes to handling the camera.
You have an ISO range that spans from 100 to 1600, with the ability to extend it further to 50-3200 through custom functions. Some have mentioned that ISO 50 may exhibit slightly more noise than ISO 100 because it's software-based, however, in my experience with this camera so far, I haven't detected any noticeable noise issues. When you consider that this camera was released in 2005, the noise actually holds up pretty well. While it may not excel in low-light conditions, this can be effectively mitigated by using fast lenses or applying noise reduction techniques during post-processing.
Comparing the rear screen to todays cameras, it’s nothing to write home about. This is one of the camera's significant drawbacks, in my opinion. The 5D Classic features a 2.5-inch, 230,000-pixel LCD panel that, sadly, is not well-suited for effectively reviewing your images. Nevertheless, it serves its purpose for navigating the camera's simplistic menu, and you can also review your histogram and spot any highlight blinkies during image review, which is very useful.
The 5D Classic features a 9-point autofocus (AF) system, which, again, by todays standards, may not be considered exceptional. However, if you're akin to my shooting style and rely mostly on the center focus point, it proves to be pretty satisfactory. I’ve found a lot of the other focal points to be a little inaccurate in use. The autofocus operates swiftly, although its performance is based on the specific lens in use. Like most DSLR’s, to engage autofocus, you typically half-press the shutter button and receive focus confirmation via the viewfinder and/or an audible 'beep.'
The button layout of the Canon 5D Classic is so intuitive and easy to use with each button and dial serving a purpose. There is nothing in the way, and having the rear command dial is a life saver for one handed use, as you can change aperture on the rear dial, and shutter speed on the front dial. If you wish, you can even change the ISO with the same hand by pressing the button on the top in front of the LCD and operating the rear dial. The top LCD also tells you all of the info you need: Shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance, drive mode, metering, exposure, file type, battery info and so on.
It’s not a surprise to learn that the camera doesn’t feature a video mode, or even live view! It’s extremely minimal. So why am I returning to shooting the 5D classic in 2023?
Modern digital cameras are packed with an abundance of features that often results in unnecessary complexity. When you look at film cameras, these served photographers well for a significant period without the need for hundreds of focus points or ISO settings exceeding 3200-6400. I personally don't feel that more features automatically translate to better photographers. I appreciate that for some, depending on what they shoot, then yes, there is a case for blisteringly fast face and eye detection and so on. But for the majority of users, these additional features can often overcomplicate the photographic process. The Canon 5D Classic emerged during the transition from the film era to the digital era. At the time, it featured a cutting-edge full-frame sensor while maintaining a handling and operation style reminiscent of traditional film cameras.
It’s fair to say that the DSLRs/Mirrorless cameras of today surpass the Canon 5D Classic in terms of high ISO performance and overall speed. I can easily see this with my Nikon Z6ii, but when it comes to image quality, I would argue that they may not necessarily outshine it. What I love most about the 5D Classic is that it possesses a certain image quality that modern cameras find hard to replicate. While today's higher megapixel sensors offer more detail and larger prints, there's a distinctive charm in the image quality that the 5D Classic delivers. Many that shoot this camera tend to share the same sentiment in that it imparts a filmic essence to its images. The colours are incredibly rich and vibrant, and there's an organic quality to the photos it produces. I've consistently found that the images captured with the 5D Classic often require minimal editing and are frequently close to perfection straight out of the camera.
I should add that this camera isn’t a replacement for my Z6ii, but more a 50mm shooter that acts as a companion. Like the X100 that I’ve featured on this blog over the last couple of months, I just love keeping things simple. The images in this blog are from the last couple of months.
All images shot with a Canon 5D Mk1 “Classic” and a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens
