Plemix

Back when the Canon EOS 5D was announced, it created quite a stir. A full-frame, high pixel count dSLR at an affordable price was simply too good to be true! The next generation of the 5-series continues to give us the same awe: 21 MP, HD movie shooting ability, built-to-last construction at a reasonably expensive price. I expect a lot from this body, let’s find out how it performs!

The package is by no means deficient. You can find the body, 1 eyecup 5b, neck strap, video and USB cables, a battery, a charger, a CD rom (EOS digital solution) and a manual. There is no HDMI cable, however.

The outlook of the new Canon EOS 5D Mark II is almost identical to that of the old one, but don’t let this fool you: the underlying construction is a lot more weather resistant. Theoretically that should give you more peace of mind when you take it to a dusty/rainy place.

As you can see from the close up, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II does not look like a plastic toy. The magnesium alloy provides a cold, metallic, sturdy feeling while the carefully placed rubber provides a good grip.

Being a professional camera, it doesn’t have (and shouldn’t have) any scene modes. The creative automatic (plain English description of what you will get with the current setting) and auto mode (CA and green square respectively) provides a bridge to professional photography for those who are still learning the art. As users learn more about photography, they will probably use the Custom Modes (C1 -3) more often.

The rubber covers will stay at where they are and not get into the “cable’s way”. All the ports (PC Sync, Communication Terminal, microphone input, AV out, USB 2.0 and HDMI) are located in one place so you don’t have to flip the heavy monster to find the right socket. The HDMI port and microphone input are newly added to complement the HD movie capability of the camera.

Same size but more juice, the new LP-E6 battery pack will get you more shots before demanding a recharge.

The 3” screen has 920,000 pixels and a lot of anti-reflective layers to give the best viewing experience.

With full-frame sensor, you don’t have to trouble yourself with fish-eye lens or EF-S lens to shoot wide-angle. Of course, the extremely high pixel count (21MP) will expose any defects in your lens, so only the best lens (e.g. the high-end Canon “L” lenses) are worthy to accompany this fantastic camera.

I doubt if there is any meaningful difference the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and the much more expensive Canon 1-series cameras in terms of focus speed and shutter lag. The Canon EOS 5D Mark II may have less AF points, but it still manages to perform as a pro-body. It is a solid, speedy performer that gives little head room for improvement. Besides, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II has the advantage of a lighter body (because of the optional vertical hand grip, as opposed to the mandatory one found on EOS 1-series camera), and the ability to shoot HD (1920 x 1080) for 12 minutes is a nice addition. To a true photographer, that might mean very little, but for a journalist, being able to film the whole event may mean a world of difference!

# posted by plemix @ 6:06 PM