# Where is it best to use 50 MP vs 20 MP? Wide angle or standard focal length.



## LovePhotography (Sep 1, 2016)

Okay, so I HATE changing lenses when I am out walking around shooting. I'm allergic to dropping lenses, getting dust in the camera and/or lens, inconvenience of juggling expensive stuff, wasting time, etc. SO, I was waiting to see what the 5D4 would be like, and I've decided to buy a very lightly used 5DS-R for $2750 instead. Maybe I'll replace my 6D with a 5D4 in a year when the price softens a bit. I currently have 6D and 7D2 bodies. So, now I will have three, which is what I want for walking around. One body for wide angle zoom (16-35), one for standard (24-105) and one for longer zoom (70-200 plus TC 1.4 iii if needed). That way, no changing lenses for +90% of walking around focal lengths.

My plan for walking and shooting (NYC Central Park, arboreteums, vacations, etc) is put my 70-200 2.8 Mk2 on my 7D Mk2 (for longer zoom up to 320mm), and put my EF 16-35 f/4 and Sigma Art 24-105 on the Canon 6D and 5DS-R (when it arrives). That way, I've got 16-320 mm covered seemlessly with good glass without changing lenses. 

So, the question is... all things being equal, (and using at least a monopod or tripod, etc., outdoor in good light)... is it better to have the 50 MP on the ultrawide 16-35 to catch all the information in that field of view, or is it better to put the 20 MP 6D on the 16-35, and put the 50 MP body on the 24-105 Art lens to catch the increased detail of close up (like portraits, flowers, buildings, skylines, museum stuff... which of course is the focal length for the lion's share of what most people shoot? Which would you do? Thanks.


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## 3kramd5 (Sep 1, 2016)

I would go by framerate and focusing speed, not by resolution. With long lenses I'm more likely to need snappy focus, and I'm more likely to burst exposures. With the 5DSR and 6D, there may be little difference between the two. But if the plan is eventually to replace the 6D with the 5D4, I'd certainly put the long lenses on the 5D4.

Edit, I missed that your 70-200 is going on the 7D.

In that case, I'd put the resolution behind the focal lengths/lenses I use most. If you use software such as lightroom you can pull those metrics.


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## AlanF (Sep 1, 2016)

With a long telephoto when you are striving for reach.


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## LovePhotography (Sep 1, 2016)

I've got an EF 300mm 2.8 Mk2 and an EF 600mm IS 2 that I can't wait to try on the 5DS-R for specific photography situations like the moon, BIF from a static location, etc. But don't ever intend to walk around with those!
But, I think I can handle 3 bodies and 3 medium sized lenses for walking around sight-seeing with a mind toward finding interesting things to photograph. One of my favorite things to do, and a great way to get decent exercise (both mental and physical) without the associated misery of walking on a F*&*ing treadmill.


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## tron (Sep 1, 2016)

I am torn between 5DsR, 1DxII and 5DIV.

I currently have 2 5DIII and a 7DII.

5DIV is/will be very expensive for what it is for now. I could find 1DxII for 1000 to 1200 euros more (grey) or 5DsR for 1000 less!

The issue is I would like some improvement in FL limited situations and all say that 5DsR is better than 7D2 (Plus it helps you target the bird. Of this I have experience struggling some times to catch fast flying birds with 7D2 and 500mm).

On the other hand 1DxII is a huge upgrade from 5DIII in the sense of noise and DR. But it comes with a price not only in real money but in size weight and shutter noise as well.


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## Labdoc (Sep 1, 2016)

I'm in a similar situation or soon will be. I have an 80D I mostly use with my 100-400 and a 1.4x converter. With the crop frame and converter it's like having a 900mm lens, IQ still acceptable. I ordered a 5D MK4 and I intend to get the full wide field of view with a 24 -70 and a new wide angle like the announced 16-35 L. At 24 and 30 megapixels there is still room for cropping without sacrificing IQ. Not to change the subject but I sold my 70D for the 80D and it's a major upgrade IMO, especially AF, even at F9. I looked at the 7D and decided the 80D was a better answer for a crop frame camera right now. 

Sorry if that made it a more complicated decision, but for me the crop frame camera and telephoto lens works best.


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## LovePhotography (Sep 1, 2016)

Another way to ask the questions is: At 16mm to 24mm for (landscape photos, for instance) does 50 MP make a huge difference over 20 MP (if the hand is steady and the lens is good). Or is it better to put the 50 MP on the lens I'd probably use the most- the Sigma Art 24-105 (and maybe the new Canon EF 24-105 if it blows the Sigma away). I realize the 24-105 may not be quite the best resolving lens I've got for a 50 MP sensor, but it's pretty darn good. I've got a Sigma Art 50 and Canon EF300 2.8 Mk2 as my very best resolution lenses when I want to see every damn tick on the rhino's ass at the zoo. ;D ;D ;D


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## Labdoc (Sep 1, 2016)

LovePhotography said:


> Another way to ask the questions is: At 16mm to 24mm for (landscape photos, for instance) does 50 MP make a huge difference over 20 MP (if the hand is steady and the lens is good). Or is it better to put the 50 MP on the lens I'd probably use the most- the Sigma Art 24-105 (and maybe the new Canon EF 24-105 if it blows the Sigma away). I realize the 24-105 may not be quite the best resolving lens I've got for a 50 MP sensor, but it's pretty darn good. I've got a Sigma Art 50 and Canon EF300 2.8 Mk2 as my very best resolution lenses when I want to see every damn tick on the rhino's ass at the zoo. ;D ;D ;D


 Totally different question. My choice would be 50 mp with the 24-105. The crop frame isn't giving you 24-105 and with 50 mp you can always crop away.


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## chauncey (Sep 1, 2016)

Use a long lens and photo-merge images when WA is needed.


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## Halfrack (Sep 1, 2016)

Easier answer - use the 16-35/4 with the 5DsR and the 24-105 with the 6D.

With the higher MP and the wider lens, you can take it all in. Using the 1/(2 x focal length) method, you're fine down at 1/80th hand held, and with IS, even slower.


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## Al Chemist (Sep 1, 2016)

Here are some screen captures comparing the Zeiss 21mm lens on my 5Dsr vs the 5D3. This lens is incredible at any time but with the 5Dsr...wow! I try hard to frame my pictures in camera but seem to always end up cropping when they are on my computer. The 5Dsr allows you to crop and keep cropping. The first image is a crop of the original 30mb image from the 5Dsr. The second shows how crops from both cameras (tripod mounted-same settings) compare.

The same is true with my telephotos so now when out hiking and carrying 2 bodies (one with a telephoto zoom and the other with the Zeiss 21mm or 50 Makro Planar) I am faced with the problem of deciding which body to use with which lens. The 100-400 L v2 is awesome on the 5Dsr!


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## LovePhotography (Sep 1, 2016)

So, the consensus is: (?)

EF 70-200 2.8 Mk2 ---> 7D2 (becomes 112-320mm f/4) (then can add TC 1.4 to get up to 448mm)
Sig Art 24-105 ---> 6D
EF 16-35 f/4 ---> 5DsR

Thanks for the advice.

I do understand about photo stitch and PP and all that, just don't have much time to run an entire days worth of photos (let alone a vacation) through much more than DxO 10 default settings except for a handful of my very favorite shots. I consider myself lucky to be able to get away long enough to just take the photos, let alone PP them. :-\


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## Act444 (Sep 2, 2016)

Personally, I'd put the wider angle lens on the higher resolution camera, but YMMV. Would give me more room for cropping should the need arise. 

Having FINALLY seen the 5D4 release and preliminary reviews, I decided to join the 5DSR club. Running that in combo with the 5D3 should take care of things for now. Didn't like the increase in resolution on the 5D4 for everyday shots...however, there are _limited_ applications where I wished I had more cropping power in post, so this camera should close that gap. I bought it for detail...and man, does it deliver...the 100 macro is superb, and even the 50 1.2 (horrible focus shift/inconsistency experienced though) was noticeably better and resolving a bit more than I remember seeing on my 5D3

And although it's not a high ISO camera, what surprised me is how much detail (using the 100 Macro) was captured even in ISO 6400 images. Pixel level, noise is like the 7D2 BUT the image is significantly sharper and punchier, which I wasn't expecting. Enough so that additional noise reduction can be applied to get it down closer to 5D3 level and still maintain good detail, while the 5D3 image basically falls apart at anything greater than the default setting. For this reason, (so far) I am comfortable raising the Auto ISO limit to 6400 up from the default 3200. That said, it means more time spent in post compared to before. But I knew that going in...


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## Al Chemist (Sep 2, 2016)

What I have done when hiking with 2 bodies is have the telephoto on the 5D3 and the wide angle on my 6D. So now that I have the 5Dsr, the telephoto would be on the 5Dsr because wildlife doesn't pose for very long and I almost always crop wildlife photos. It's going to be a hard decision each time I go out, unless I sell the 5D3 and decide to buy a 5D4. Even if I do that, the decision will be hard.


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## pwp (Sep 2, 2016)

Act444 said:


> Personally, I'd put the wider angle lens on the higher resolution camera, but YMMV. Would give me more room for cropping should the need arise.



I almost always work with two bodies, most often with 24-70 f/2.8II or 16-35 f/4is and 70-200 f/2.8isII. The wide is always on the FF body, currently a 5D MkIII. The 70-200 will be on a 1D MkIV or 7D MkII. This just works. I'm not alone on this. 

-pw


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## Pookie (Sep 2, 2016)

My wife's family is in Manhattan and we go often... 

Walking in Central park with two expensive camera bodies slung is asking for trouble. Be sure to also carry a giant map of the city and a shirt that says "I love NY". A cowboy hat would look good too.


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## LovePhotography (Sep 2, 2016)




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## Maiaibing (Sep 2, 2016)

tron said:


> On the other hand 1DxII is a huge upgrade from 5DIII in the sense of noise and DR.


Hate the Dx body format myself. Currently my 300mm IS L II is my most used lens. To lug that around AND a Dx body would kill me. Shutter noise is also an issue, love the "stillness" of the 5DS/R.

5DS/R already has up to 2 full full stops better DR than the 5DIII. However, high iso noise is only slightly better. 

For me it works like this: 50 MPIX gives detail to die for - and its clearly superior to the 5DIV (looks like 50% better). And you can crop deep into your shots. Your lenses also can do more because you can crop. Finally, all your lenses are better with the 5DS/R than any other camera out there - and this is especially true for the 300mm f/2.8 IS L II. 

Better noise and DR of 5DIV sure is nice - but lets remember it only counts when you actually need it. 

I get very little blown highlights myself with the 5DS/R (of course I'd love to have even less!). However, I'd really crave less noise for night shots. Still, the improved high iso noise of the 5DIV over the 5DS/R its not enough to convince me to add a 5DIV at the current price point. 

For me the 5DIV is simply not worth 3.500$ because it will never be my camera of choice for everyday shooting. The 5DS/R is too good for that. 

Maybe if the 5DIV price comes down faster and harder than I expect. But I'll also be looking for the 6DII to arrive in 2017 with hopefully an even better sensor than the 5DIV just as the 6D sensor knocked over the 5DIII sensor in all aspects except it had a little less MPIX.

Great we have options!


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## Act444 (Sep 2, 2016)

pwp said:


> Act444 said:
> 
> 
> > Personally, I'd put the wider angle lens on the higher resolution camera, but YMMV. Would give me more room for cropping should the need arise.
> ...



When the format is the same (e.g., both are FF), I'd put the WA on the higher-res body. But in the case of 1 crop and 1 FF body, your approach makes sense and that's what I'd do as well.


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## Luds34 (Sep 2, 2016)

Pookie said:


> My wife's family is in Manhattan and we go often...
> 
> Walking in Central park with two expensive camera bodies slung is asking for trouble. Be sure to also carry a giant map of the city and a shirt that says "I love NY". A cowboy hat would look good too.



I think you forgot your winking face or sarcasm tags.


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