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March 12, 2009
[REVIEW—CANON EOS 5D MkII]
Price: $4300 (body only)
Bliss!
The low-down: This 21 megapixel camera with a full 35mm frame-size sensor is a revision of the 5D that was released to great acclaim in 2005. The pixel count has been increased and a full HD movie mode has been added as a function of live view. The body is as rugged and well constructed as ever, the ergonomics are good, but not as well thought out as the rival Nikon D700. The LCD is now the industry standard high resolution 75mm screen. Even with the large files produced by the camera a burst speed of 3.9 fps in JPEG is achievable. There is no pop-up flash – this is a serious camera.
Like: Used with the Canon EF 24-105mm L lens image quality is superb. The resolution is such that small areas of the image can be cropped and enlarged without loss of detail. Low noise performance is exemplary at the highest ISO settings. And the movie mode is surprisingly effective, delivering true high definition video straight from the camera.
Dislike: While the high definition movies are excellent we do have reservations about the utility of this feature. To work properly the camera needs to be tripod mounted and the focus needs to be constantly tweaked manually. The user manual says “auto focusing is not recommended” when shooting movies. Maximum clip size is about 12 minutes.
Verdict: There are now three outstanding cameras in this market niche. The Canon 5D was the first by three years and the MkII is not a lot different from the MkI. Nikon and Sony have come at the design from fresh points of view. For anyone with an investment in Canon lenses the choice is easy, but for the lucky few with the (lots of) money it is a little harder. But the good news is, whichever you choose you will have a superb camera. It was sheer pleasure being reacquainted with the Canon 5D type.
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Posted by terry at March 12, 2009 08:51 AM
