lukan Loc: Chicago, IL

Nikon Df = a good sensor wrapped in a plasticky box that looks like an old Nikon film camera. :D

haroldross Loc: Walthill, Nebraska

I seem to of been misunderstood. I was not referring to recording video using a 5D MK III with an STM lens. I was making reference to recording video on the 70D with an STM (the 40mm pancake lens in particular, which I believe to be the noisiest STM lens). The difference between using an STM lens and a non-STM lens for recording video on the 70D is quite noticeable in the the STM lens focuses smoother and with less audible noise.

gessman Loc: Colorado

There is some confusion for sure. In your comment just following this where, in this thread, you were talking about the 70D, you talked about it as though you were making a generic comment that perhaps you had picked up reading about the 70D and STM lens and not that you had actually used the 70d, STM combo, or at least as I read it. You didn't state or even imply that you own and have used that combo in this thread unless I overlooked it which is possible.

You said previously in this thread: "As far as megapixels go, there is very little difference as already been stated. The 70D has one of Canon's latest sensors and processors. The 70D can take picture in low light conditions and with the STM series lens, you will get autofocus while making videos. Also, the AF is much improved over the 60D."

I jumped to a conclusion based on the fact that your comment above fails to say that you have and have used a 70D while the comment below here that you made in another thread today about the 40mm STM pancake lens, you say you have been using it on a 5D3. The confusion is all mine of course, but I was aided in your generic comment in this thread and the more specific comment you made in the other thread about what you had been using. I accept the responsibility for the misunderstanding. Please pardon me.

In the other thread about the 40mm STM pancake lens you said: "I have been experimenting with the 40mm pancake lens on my 5D MK III camera. Over all it is a decent little lens. AF is quick and it is fairly sharp edge to edge at f/4 and above."

What I would like to know from you and ametha is just what precisely are we calling "autofocus." Will each of you please tell me what you mean when you say "autofocus." The term "autofocus" has been around since the last Canon generation, the T-Series T-50 through T-90, before the jump to EOS but the 70d, t4i, t5i, and EOS M has another level of focus called "tracking focus" or "follow focus" that presumably only those four cameras I just listed are capable of performing and the STM lens were designed to take advantage of the technology in those bodies. It is also a form of automatic focus that goes well beyond what we have been calling autofocus since the T series was released and is self-actuated, not activated by pressing the shutter button or the back button focus if so designated but it is not called "autofocus." If you would please, Haroldross and ametha, tell me what you mean when you say "autofocus." Are you referring to the traditional focusing method by the user pushing a button or the self-actuated variety? That isn't amply clear to me from what I've read on this thread. Maybe I missed something. It happens.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Perhaps you could give us your definition of auto focus since your thoughts on the subject seem to differ from some of us as to whether non STM lenses are capable of auto focus in video mode. Mind you, the video auto focus would be mediocre at best, but auto focus it is. While new technology may give us new features such as "tracking focus" that doesn't change the fact that with a non STM lens, pushing the shutter or back button will bring the image into focus without manually rotating the focus ring. That in my book is auto focus as opposed to manual focus.

gessman Loc: Colorado

You need to go back and read what I have written. Nowhere in anything I've said have I disagreed with anyone and I don't appreciate your intrusive and obnoxious overly aggressive behavior of interjecting yourself into my asking questions of ametha. As far as I am concerned your comments are quite unnecessary with regard to anything I might have to say. What I have to say in this thread is for the benefit the person who started the thread and any others who are looking in and may need the information I will share herein.

What we have to recognize here if we, with a little more experience, are going to be of maximum help to the maximum number of people is to answer the questions lessor experienced people ask as fully as possible. I don't think it is reasonable for us to make comments without explanation and leave people hanging. For instance, if the question comes up asking if one can focus both non-STM lens and STM lens during videoing, it is insufficient to simply say, "yes you can" when in reality if you do, it is highly likely that you will not like the results that you get because it is extremely difficult to get perfectly smooth video if you touch the camera to either focus or zoom while recording. It is a problem to the degree that Canon advises against it.

There are other people "out there" reading this, lurkers and total newbies, who can benefit from the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I just asked if everyone was through talking about that so if that were the case, I could pick it up and serve up that warning before some newbie shows up a somebody's wedding to shoot video and had not had the farsightedness to do some practice runs. Things like that seem to happen all too frequently as is evidenced by the number of newbies coming here and asking what they can do to unscrew what they have screwed up.

Further, the comments being made in this thread about the STM lens seem to fail to take into account that the STM technology has taken focus during video to a whole new level and one only very rarely needs to focus during recording with a t4i, t5i, 70D, and EOS M, and I guess the SL1, with a STM lens. While it was pointed out twice in two separate posts by others that focusing during video is often problematic and that a lens may hunt for awhile before achieving focus, my experience is a little different in that the four lens I have been using for video since the 5D2 was released all hunt to some degree every time I hit the shutter release or the back button and often they never achieve focus and both cases which leave you with some pretty gnarly video but in the case of never locking focus it leaves you with completely unusable video.

Another thing I would like to point out is that while it is a wonderful camera, the 6D was brought in as an entry level full frame camera with less features and quality than either the 5D2 or 5D3 and remains in that position currently considered to be a lessor camera than either the 5D2 or 5D3 which both sell used for more than the 6D sells for new. I might also point out that the 6D is alleged to produce less noise in images than the 5D3. I hear part of reason the 6D is generally rated below even the much older 5D2 is because the 5D2 and 5d3 are both weather sealed and the 6D is not but I cannot attest to that with complete confidence since I do not have first hand information which leaves me with only hearsay. The 5D2 has been left out of the equation totally in this thread and yet it is still an exceedingly viable option at a reasonable price. The 60D is a stripped down 7D with less features as the 6D is a stripped down version of the 5D2 and 5D3 but, as I understand it, a different sensor which accounts for the slightly better noise control.

If there is anyone who is interested, there are also two 18-135 lens and only one has STM technology to maintain constant focus without user intervention so they are not equal and if anyone anticipates shooting video with one of the four bodies that are capable of constant focus, you will want to get the STM version of the 18-135 which offers the most utility of all the STM lens. The difference between the non-STM lens and the STM lens is that the STM lens focuses in smaller increments and is therefore smoother, which may have been mentioned earlier by someone else.

A look at tracking auto focus as it is on the t4i, t5i, 70D, EOS M, and Sl1:

Here is what you need for tracking focus a 70D:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxoURoNCBrw

Here is what you need for follow focus on the 60D, 7D, 5D2, and 5D3.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD0lggabbDI

Comparison of the non-STM and the STM lens:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho0hOhRSuHk

Side-by-side comparison of 60D and 70D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IRSc2wSpIc

gessman Loc: Colorado

edstubbs, all things considered, having gone from a 20D to a 5D2 several years ago and before the 7D and 60D, I am totally convinced that in most cases the move to full frame sensor cameras is a beneficial thing overall. In the absence of an interest in video, I too would recommend the 6D as a good move but obviously as an all-purpose machine, the 70D and STM lens hold a lot of promise. Good luck with your decision.

dynaquest1 Loc: Austin, Texas

In my opinion, no photographer that can correctly compose his shot needs more than 12MP. The only real advantage to higher MP's is the ability to crop the image and still have a very usable photograph. to me the difference between 18 and 20MP is negligible.

That said, these days, if you intend to upgrade, you are going to get more MP's like it or not.

TheDman Loc: USA

What if you make large prints?

dynaquest1 Loc: Austin, Texas

Well if you compose correctly (and don't have to significantly crop) then 12MP will print with excellent results to 11" x 14." Anyone who prints above that size with regularity is in a league different than 99% of us here and he already knows what he needs in term of MP's for the print work he does.

gessman Loc: Colorado

I've been hearing that about 12 megapixels but I can't seem to get these mountain goats up here at 14,000 ft. in Colorado to understand that I need them to just stand still so I can come closer and compose 'em without having to crop. I've been talking to 'em about that for a few years now and they just don't seem to want to listen up. I guess when they don't cooperate I could just go on back home and shoot my cat or dog but that's just not what I'm interested in shooting. :roll: :-)

lukan Loc: Chicago, IL

Just shoot the cat, pet the dog! :lol: :thumbup:

TheDman Loc: USA

"No photographer" wouldn't be very accurate, then. 11x14 is a small print, even for non-professionals.

Take 5 Cinema Loc: Canoe BC

The mega-pixle wars is sometimes misunderstood. The more megapixels, generally, the lower the sensitivity or it just gets nasty grainy - not the best for night shots. In low light, it gets grainy.
But take the new Sony A7S. It has 12 Mpx and has an ISO in around 400,000 or crazy number. It will take pictures when your eyes can't even see the subject. The cleanliness at 25,000 is as good as high end cameras at 160-800. That has got to be worth something

It is: In video, it is dynamite.

Don't let megapixel wars steer you in the wrong direction. Super sharp has compromises. If you like night shooting, and film noir, or lots of dark drama, this is the ticket to heaven.

dynaquest1 Loc: Austin, Texas

Perhaps time for a longer lens?

I'd like to point out that the most expensive pro level camera made by Nikon, the $6500.00 D4S, is "only" 16MP. And that is to ensure a fast frame rate of 11fps. But still....if 16MP's is good enough for Nikon's best camera, 12MP should be good enough for most of us.

But, again, this is moot because any upgrade to a new DSLR...even a entry level....is going to be a minimum of 16MP and likely more.

TheDman Loc: USA

Best for who? Landscape shooters don't use the D4S, they use the 36MP D800. To them, that's Nikon's "best" camera.