Canon 5d dilemma - repair or upgrade?
Discussion
This is a a follow on from the recent thread on Canon 5d mk1s, and the general enthusiasm for them.
I've had a 5d mk1/classic for about 6 years now, and it's done sterling service and is in mint condition, but recently the AF has started to play up. It either locks on blatantly out-of-focus (with a beep and focus point confirmation), hunts and won't lock, or perhaps 25% of the time focuses ok, regardless of the lens. Fixation have quoted 300 quid to repair and service it, but my gut feel is that it just isn't worth it for such an old body. It's probably worth £450 at most even freshly serviced.
Couple that with the fact that (even when it worked) the slow AF on the 5d was driving me mad for moving subjects, and it feels like an enforced upgrade might be on the cards.
What would you do in my position? Shell out £300 on "old faithful", or replace it with a 5d mkIII, which will definitely focus quicker, or even a 6d which will still probably outperform my 5d's focusing, in addition to blowing it away in every other respect?! I know a used 5d mkII would be far cheaper, but I'm wary that it isn't the huge upgrade over my mk1 that I would want.
As I said, a dilemma! Any advice welcome.
Pete
I've had a 5d mk1/classic for about 6 years now, and it's done sterling service and is in mint condition, but recently the AF has started to play up. It either locks on blatantly out-of-focus (with a beep and focus point confirmation), hunts and won't lock, or perhaps 25% of the time focuses ok, regardless of the lens. Fixation have quoted 300 quid to repair and service it, but my gut feel is that it just isn't worth it for such an old body. It's probably worth £450 at most even freshly serviced.
Couple that with the fact that (even when it worked) the slow AF on the 5d was driving me mad for moving subjects, and it feels like an enforced upgrade might be on the cards.
What would you do in my position? Shell out £300 on "old faithful", or replace it with a 5d mkIII, which will definitely focus quicker, or even a 6d which will still probably outperform my 5d's focusing, in addition to blowing it away in every other respect?! I know a used 5d mkII would be far cheaper, but I'm wary that it isn't the huge upgrade over my mk1 that I would want.
As I said, a dilemma! Any advice welcome.
Pete
Time for an upgrade then! Unless you want to buy my 5DII? 
If you want to save a little bit of money you might want to look for a 7D, you can get a body in great condition for less than £700.
Unless having a full-frame is a sticking point. The 6D doesn't take CF cards so that is something to think of.
If you want to save a little bit of money you might want to look for a 7D, you can get a body in great condition for less than £700.
Unless having a full-frame is a sticking point. The 6D doesn't take CF cards so that is something to think of.
Edited by AndrewEH1 on Thursday 28th March 15:00
Thanks for the feedback. No surprise the recommendation was "upgrade!" - even my wife counselled against throwing £300 at my old 5d 
The point about size is interesting. I need to find somewhere to have a play with a 6d to see how the various changes affect handling, like the lack of a joystick, but if size is more like the 5d then that counts in its favour.
Unfortunately moving away from full frame to a bargain 7d isn't an option. My lenses are largely EF 'L' glass, and moving to a crop body would leave me with some strange focal lengths. Plus my brain has been calibrated to 35mm focal lengths since I was a teenager!
My big worry is still the 6d AF performance, and whether it will be up to the job of a very occasional motorsport event, among all the less challenging stuff. Given that I've been using a 5d for 6 years, and before that I was still using MF film bodies like an F1N and T90, it should be good enough for me! The question is a more subjective one of whether if I'm spending £1200 on a 6d, I should just bite the bullet and spend £2000 on a 5dIII and get a quantum leap in every respect compared to ye olde 5d. That £800 would buy me a few nice primes or a used 16-35 f2.8...
Pete
The point about size is interesting. I need to find somewhere to have a play with a 6d to see how the various changes affect handling, like the lack of a joystick, but if size is more like the 5d then that counts in its favour.
Unfortunately moving away from full frame to a bargain 7d isn't an option. My lenses are largely EF 'L' glass, and moving to a crop body would leave me with some strange focal lengths. Plus my brain has been calibrated to 35mm focal lengths since I was a teenager!
My big worry is still the 6d AF performance, and whether it will be up to the job of a very occasional motorsport event, among all the less challenging stuff. Given that I've been using a 5d for 6 years, and before that I was still using MF film bodies like an F1N and T90, it should be good enough for me! The question is a more subjective one of whether if I'm spending £1200 on a 6d, I should just bite the bullet and spend £2000 on a 5dIII and get a quantum leap in every respect compared to ye olde 5d. That £800 would buy me a few nice primes or a used 16-35 f2.8...
Pete
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