27 Interview
Photography News Issue 24 absolutephoto.com
Pro focus
Captured by the 5D Canon’s EOS 5D system is ten years old, and to celebration we caught up with one of its biggest admirers, pro landscaper David Noton. Here’s his take on the influential range…
> Interview by Roger Payne
should always be there, but slowing down and being more meticulous about what you shoot is crucial. “It’s quite a demanding camera to use. Initially, I didn’t bother shooting with it handheld, but I have found that raising the ISO and shooting with image stabilisation on has tamed it,” he explains. “I look at the qualityand it is astounding. Compare the technical quality with what I was shooting five or ten years ago and it’s night and day.”
In 2004 David Noton was at a crossroads. 20 years into his professional career, he could see the inexorable march of digital technology and was ready to take the plunge. However, he was a Nikon user, whichmade his decision doubly difficult. “Nikondidn’t produce a full- frame DSLR in 2004, so I agonised over switching to Canon. In the end, my entire Nikon system went on eBay,” he tells us. “When you decide to commit to a system you shouldn’t just consider one camera, you need to look at the whole system, how the company views its professionals and whether it’s going to be a system at the cutting edge not just now but in five to ten years time. I felt confident Canon ticked all those boxes and I’ve had absolutely no regrets since.”
a flexible tool, good resolution but also very capable at high ISO,” he continues. “It was nothing ground- breaking but if you put all the changes over the Mark II together it created an incredibly versatile and flexible tool. People get really hung up on the small resolution increase, but there’s far more to it than that.” When we talked, David was about to head to Scotland, where he was going to be using the EOS 5DS R. After initially trying a pre- production model he was sold on the image quality and believes the camera has changed the way he captures images. “It’s brought back the kind of care and thought youhave to apply to your photography when you’re shooting with large-format cameras,” he admits. “That care
With no EOS 5D system in existence in 2004, David plumped for the EOS‑1D s Mark II, then moved on to the Mark III in 2008. The EOS 5D Mark II was launched the same year, so he bought one as a backup. But he soon realised the 5D Mark II had strengths all of its own. “The comparison in image quality between the two cameraswas so close – I’d defy anyone to see a difference. But the 1D s Mark III was a bulky camera, whereas with the 5D Mark II I could attach a battery grip or not. In situations where weight was an issue, the 5DMark II was better. “I then bought the EOS 5D Mark III as soon as it came out and that, for me, really superseded the EOS-1D s Mark III and became my workhorse body, which it still is today. It’s such
It’s changed the way I think about photography
davidnoton.com
IMAGES David Noton initially moved to digital with the EOS-1D s , buying a 5DMark II as a backup but soon realised the EOS 5D system perfectly suited his photography.
This from Professional Photo’s tribute to ten years of the EOS 5D system. Read more pro interviews, advice, features and gear reviews in the latest issue. excerpt was taken
You’ll findmore insight in latest Professional Photo – the onlymag dedicated to full-time and aspiring pro photographers
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