a slow 5DII?

[canonmick]

got a new 5D Mark II for Christmas and have been wondering if something is amiss. When I set up a shot and compare the same settings with my old reliable 40D, it's as if the new boy requires a higher ISO, or slower speed, or bigger aperture for the same shot.

Is it me or could it be the camera? Does a full frame need more light?

thanks,

Canonmick

[jdepould]

Side-by-side examples?

[LoveDSLR]

Are you referring to the metering? Then try taking meter readings of a gray card with both cameras. The exposure values (EV) should be identical.

[canonmick]

no side by sides yet and no gray card yet but I will pursue as suggested
thanks for the advice

[skyline photo]

I have a 5d mk II. never had a issue with it on exposure. cameras vary a slight bit. how much off is it to the 40? you might want to go to a camera store that has a mkii out on display and compare yours to that one if they dont mind you shooting the display model. if it's off to that one take it back to where you got it and swap it with a new one.

[Skyyton]

The exposure should be identical on a full frame or a crop sensor. One of your cameras probably needs to be calibrated.

[Raoul Isidro]

Assuming you are using the same EF lens, the 5D has more area to meter as captured by the lens than the small sensor of the 40D. If the DR of the scene is great, the metering and recommended exposure settings will of course be different on the 2 cameras. Now if the 40D uses an EF-S lens (10-22mm) and the 5D uses an equivalent EF lens (16-35mm) and both have the same frame of scene, the metering will be close between the 2 cameras.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by Raoul Isidro

Now if the 40D uses an EF-S lens (10-22mm) and the 5D uses an equivalent EF lens (16-35mm) and both have the same frame of scene, the metering will be close between the 2 cameras.

Im sorry, what?

It sounds like the 5D and 40D are using different metering modes.

[Raoul Isidro]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

Im sorry, what?

It sounds like the 5D and 40D are using different metering modes.

Using those lenses mentioned for their respective cameras, the view will be almost the same for both, therefore the metering will be close in value. But using the same lens on both cameras will produce a different meter reading, because the 5D will be "seeing" a lot more area, and those areas can have extreme light meter readings compared to the cropped 40D view. Both cameras will have the same light metering methods.

[RichardTaylor]

@Canonmick

If you are capturing the same scene the exposure should be the same.

Exposure doesn't vary according to the camera used it. It varies because of the light falling on the subject and how well the metering system measures that light.