Bison Bud

I love my Pentax K3, but have to admit that I've long been disappointed by it's low light performance! I would really like something that will give me the ability to shoot well in low light and have acceptable noise levels. Since my lens stable contains only Pentax and Canon lenses and that fact that I'm disabled and on a low budget, I've been looking at either a used 5D Mark II or possibly the older 5D.

I think either would be a big improvement for me with the biggest difference, other than price, being in the amount of sensor pixels with the 5D having only 12.8 MP and the 5D Mark II having 22.3 MP. Anyway, from many discussions here, it would seem like the full frame sensor with the bigger pixels (5D) should actually have the better low light performance. However, the 5D appears to max out at 1600 ISO and I have to wonder whether the bigger pixels will make up for that and give me the low light performance I desire. The Mark II apparently goes up to 25600 ISO and has almost double the pixels, which should help with resolution and the ability to crop, so it's been a bit of a toss up for me. Financially I'd prefer the 5D, but think I would probably be better off the 5D Mark II if I can swing it.

Anyway, I'm having real trouble making a final decision and pulling the trigger on either of them. So, I'd really appreciate hearing your take on this situation, especially if you have personal experience with both cameras. Man, I'd love to have a new 5D Mark IV, but that's just not going to happen! Thanks for any input you might provide and good luck and good shooting to all.

Kingman

While I cannot speak to the Canon 5D MkIV, I can speak to the difference between the Pentax K3 and the Pentax K1. The K1 has superb low light compared to the K3 and costs almost 1/2 the Canon 5D Mk IV. The K1 is FF while the K3 is cropped a cropped sensor. If you need a low light cropped sensor body to use your glass, I am told that the Pentax KP also has excellent lowlight capabilities. I am pretty sure the K1 equals if not out performs the low light performance of the Canon 5D Mk IV. Where the Canon bodies will out perform the Pentax bodies is much faster AF for sports, however all Pentax bodies are weather sealed and far less expensive. For particularly landscapes and macro you probably can’t beat the value of Pentax bodies.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Just before the 'mega' pixel wars started, the 10 to 12MP EOS designs were excellent performers, as good as or better than the next generation that pushed into the 16- to 18MP range, a generation that includes the 5DII. Finding extensive reviews of the original 5D is a challenge, you might start here with Rockwell that includes some comparative ISO analysis: https://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/5d.htm

The 5DII is a lot of camera, now at a highly discounted price, but still not a highly regarded low-light performer. Are the used prices on the 5DIII outside your budget? If looking for the highest image quality north of ISO-6400, the technology isn't really there, even with the newest models of 2019.

I'd look at the 1DIV as compared to the 5DII. You'd give up some pixels, but gaining 1-series performance and ergonomics and a 1.3 'crop' factor.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Note that most cameras use digital amplification above about ISO 800 or at most 1600. They are called “ISO invarient”. That means you get the same result if you boost exposure in your post processing program as you get by turning up the ISO on the camera. So higher ISO numbers on the camera don’t mean much in terms of the image you can produce.

It might make more of a difference to you for a camera with electronic viewfinder.

Vietnam Vet

I have the 1ds mk3 (full frame) and the 1d mk4. If your consideration is low light the 1ds mk 3 is a better performer
BnH has several used bodies between $900-$1100
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=canon%201ds&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=&usedSearch=1

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Look at a used 6D. Pretty basic AF and minimal controls but that 20 mp sensor outperformed the 5DII in low light and according to some evaluations even edged out the 5DIII. Indoors I got very useable shots at ISO 12,500. Once I wanted a silhouette to use as a background. I tried taking a shot of the horizon on a full moon night. It tried to make it a full color shot, muddy and noisy but the colors were there.

User ID

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$900 at CUSA for 6D refurb.



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speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Or you could stay with Pentax and get the K1, it comes at a nice low price, even when new! You get full frame, 36 MP, a weather sealed body and better low light capability than you have now! If you go that way, get the K1, first version, not the mark II, because the first version is the better one of the two (better image quality)!

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Here is a tip that no one recognizes. Older cameras were usually lower megapixels. Once you have completed your editing, downsample your high mp image to 12 mp, and you will see the noise disappear, and the image look nice and crisp.

This image was shot with a D810 at ISO 3200 and cropped and downsampled.

(Download)

AirWalter Loc: Tipp City, Ohio

Buy a Nikon D750. You will love the low light performance of this camera. I have one and I could not believe the low light images I could capture without the use of a flash.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

I second the Canon 6D recommendation by Robert. I have a 6D and from first-hand experience, it does very well in low light. Also, the processor is fairly recent compared to the 5D or 5DII.
All of our best to you on your photographic journey.
Smile,
JimmyT Sends

jdub82 Loc: Northern California

MPB.com is selling a used 6D in good condition for $619.00. Their price for a 5D II in good condition starts at $549.00.

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

Check out used Nikon D3 and D4 series cameras which have exceptional low light performance. dpreview.com has ratings and comparisons of low light perrormance you can check on.

mrova Loc: Chesterfield, VA

Interesting tip. Never heard of that but I'm still pretty new, is that something you can do in LR?

TSHDGTL

You might find this site interesting. The Pentax K-1 has great dynamic range if you do a lot of post processing.https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/image-comparison/fullscreen?attr134_0=canon_eos5dmkiii&attr134_1=pentax_k1&attr134_2=canon_eos5d&attr134_3=nikon_d750&attr136_0=1&attr136_1=1&attr136_2=1&attr136_3=1&attr176_0=off&attr176_1=off&attr176_2=off&attr176_3=off&normalization=compare&widget=268&x=0.5985073587919464&y=-0.1912307315269365