Review from E. Fisher for Presentment to the Canon 5D Mark II/50D, Vol. 2: Advanced TopicsRate: saying I wanted to get this 3 1/2 stars as it is a solid video with lots of good information.I have both this record and the initiative for the 5D Mk.II and I consider the first movie was a very good introduction to the basic controls of the camera and how the controls affected different aspects of one`s images.
he 5D has a lot of menu choices though and the more modern features simply wouldn`t fit in the showtime video as well.
I assumed, logically, that the advanced features of the camera would be explained more in depth in this second pic and that the picture would have its time covering these options for the duration of the entire video.Essentially I expected both volumes to do as a video adaptation of a camera specific user`s guide.What the 2nd book is in reality is 50% exploration of about of the 5D and 50D camera advanced settings and 50% discussion of non-camera specific photography/lighting/and image processing topics.One piece of the video, for example, spends a good care of time covering color profile settings in image processing software and the richness of managing color for a consistent image across different mediums.Another spends a lot of time demonstrating the use of gels on a film or a light box to create different lighting effects.It seemed like about half of the show was a variety of non-camera specific topics such as this, and the sections that did deal specifically with specific camera settings were often glanced over quite quickly (though not all).There is yet a good bit of heart in the custom functions that were never looked at.
Now, as I said, the matter is good content but covering color profiles as much as they did, as an example, was not what I expected in this video.If I wanted to see that, I`d have gotten a book or photograph on that topic.If I`d wanted to learn lighting techniques, I`d have gotten a book or photograph on that topic.If I`d wanted an overview on processing raw, etc. etc.I don`t mind them taking a moment or two to relieve one of these topics generally to provide context for an explanation of one of the camera`s settings or features, but a 15 to 20 minute digression on color management seemed inappropriate for a scene that I felt should have focused specifically on advanced topics specific to the 5D and 50D.If you`re looking for a fancy to get acquainted with your 5D or 50D, then by all means get the first volume of this set specific to your camera.If you`re looking for a secure and deep exploration of the advanced features of your camera that goes beyond the first video, then be aware that this second volume might make you, like it did me, a bit disappointed and wanting more content specific to your camera and less depth of coverage of non-camera specific photography and image processing concepts.