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Pocket-lint Canon EOS 5D Mark II Steve's Digicams Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital Trends Canon EOS 5D Mark II ReviewThe Digital Picture Canon EOS 5D Mark II |
Viewfinder
The viewfinder of the 5D Mark II is all that you would expect of a camera in this class; it's clear, bright and comfortable on the eye. We were not able to measure the coverage of the viewfinder in our explorations at the Photokina show, but it seemed to be pretty close to the 98 percent that Canon claims, and definitely felt improved from the original 5D, which cropped out the edges of the image from the viewfinder. The in-viewfinder information shows pretty much everything that is shown on the top menu, making it easy to control the cameras without taking your eye off the subject. A small diopter adjustment wheel on the right of the viewfinder allows for adjustments for the visually challenged, but we found no problems using the viewfinder with spectacles. Canon offers a number of replacement focusing screens that present different lines and boundaries in the viewfinder, including a grid and super precision screen that makes it easier to focus in low light. Another interesting thing to note is the small microphone to the left of the viewfinder, which can be used to record narrations on the video that the camera records.
Sensors beneath the viewfinder turn the LCD off
when you hold the camera to your eye.
LCD Screen
The 3-inch LCD screen is a definite step up from the 2.5-inch display of the 5D; the screen is not only bigger, but feels brighter and easier on the eye. That's probably mostly due to a huge jump in resolution, up to 920,000 pixels. The 5D screen had just 230,000. The Mark II is a substantial improvement, making it much easier to check focus, and presenting more information on the screen without getting in the way of the photo itself. The screen has 7 levels of brightness, and can automatically adjust the brightness depending on the light level.
The 3-inch LCD screen is a definite step up from the 2.5-inch display of the 5D; the screen is not only bigger, but feels brighter and easier on the eye. That's probably mostly due to a huge jump in resolution, up to 920,000 pixels. The 5D screen had just 230,000. The Mark II is a substantial improvement, making it much easier to check focus, and presenting more information on the screen without getting in the way of the photo itself. The screen has 7 levels of brightness, and can automatically adjust the brightness depending on the light level.
The LCD screen of the 5D Mark II is a big improvement
on the original 5D; it is bigger, brighter and sharper
on the original 5D; it is bigger, brighter and sharper
Flash
Unlike most modern SLRs, the 5D Mark II does not come with a built-in flash. This is an interesting decision by Canon; built-in flashes generally produce poor results (especially on the more finicky SLRs), but they can be useful. However, if you can afford the $2699 sticker shock of the 5D Mark II, chances are you can spend an extra few bucks on a compatible flashgun. The 5D Mark II also goes against the annoying trend of manufacturers coming up with flash hot shoe styles that only work with their flashguns; the 5D Mark II will work with any flash with a standard hot shoe. It will, of course, work best with a Canon Speedlite II flash (these include Through The Lens, or TTL, metering), but it's reassuring to know you can buy a cheap generic one if yours breaks down or gets lost when your baggage is redirected to Paris for no good reason by Lufthansa.
Unlike most modern SLRs, the 5D Mark II does not come with a built-in flash. This is an interesting decision by Canon; built-in flashes generally produce poor results (especially on the more finicky SLRs), but they can be useful. However, if you can afford the $2699 sticker shock of the 5D Mark II, chances are you can spend an extra few bucks on a compatible flashgun. The 5D Mark II also goes against the annoying trend of manufacturers coming up with flash hot shoe styles that only work with their flashguns; the 5D Mark II will work with any flash with a standard hot shoe. It will, of course, work best with a Canon Speedlite II flash (these include Through The Lens, or TTL, metering), but it's reassuring to know you can buy a cheap generic one if yours breaks down or gets lost when your baggage is redirected to Paris for no good reason by Lufthansa.
The lens mount on the 5D Mark II is the standard EF lens mount, which brings compatibility with a huge range of lenses, from the short and wide to the tall and very long. No lens is included as standard with the 5D Mark II; you have to either buy a lens or use one of your existing lenses. Because the camera has a full -frame sensor, there is no multiplier; you'll get the full range of focal length from a zoom built for a 35mm film camera. However, the point to note is that the 5D Mark II is not compatible with the EF-S lenses that the lower-end of Canon's SLR range uses. So, if you are upgrading from a Digital Rebel, you may not be able to use some of your lenses.
The lens mount of the 5D Mark II will work with EF lenses, but
not with the EF-S lenses that are used on lower end Canon SLRs
Connections
Underneath the two rubber covers on the right side of the camera is a veritable banquet of plugs and sockets, including a mini HDMI port for connecting to an HDTV, a mini USB port for connecting to a PC, an A/V out port for connecting to an analog standard definition TV, a microphone input, a wired remote control socket and a power socket. Pretty much the only thing missing is a FireWire port and a time travel port that allows you to download your photos before you've taken them. The microphone port is especially interesting; this is the first camera we've seen that includes this port that has migrated from a camcorder. We weren't able to test the quality of the internal microphone, but they are seldom as good as an external microphone, so it is great that Canon has included this as an option.
Battery
The 5D that we looked at was juiced up by a small 1800mAh battery that fits into the handle. Although this particular unit was marked as being for European use only, it seems that this same model of battery will be used in the U.S. We weren't able to test the battery life of the camera using this battery, and Canon has not released any figures for expected battery life. However, we found that the 5D had an excellent battery life, and we expect the Mark II will likely do the same, though the bigger screen may prove to be more of a power drain. We'll know more about this when we drag a final production unit into our lab for a through examination.
The 5D that we looked at was juiced up by a small 1800mAh battery that fits into the handle. Although this particular unit was marked as being for European use only, it seems that this same model of battery will be used in the U.S. We weren't able to test the battery life of the camera using this battery, and Canon has not released any figures for expected battery life. However, we found that the 5D had an excellent battery life, and we expect the Mark II will likely do the same, though the bigger screen may prove to be more of a power drain. We'll know more about this when we drag a final production unit into our lab for a through examination.
The battery of the 5D fits into the grip
of the camera
The battery of the 5D holds 1800mAh of charge
of the camera
The battery of the 5D holds 1800mAh of charge
Memory
The 5D Mark II also bucks the trend in not using SDHC cards. Instead, it uses the old faithful CompactFlash. This will be welcomed by anyone who has invested in a lot of big, fast CompactFlash cards, but does again mean that anyone who is upgrading from one of the newer Canons that have moved over to SDHC cards will have to buy new storage. We found the cards to be very easy to remove and install; with practice, we could do it in just a few seconds, which will be welcomed by anyone trying to shoot quickly who runs out of space.
The 5D Mark II also bucks the trend in not using SDHC cards. Instead, it uses the old faithful CompactFlash. This will be welcomed by anyone who has invested in a lot of big, fast CompactFlash cards, but does again mean that anyone who is upgrading from one of the newer Canons that have moved over to SDHC cards will have to buy new storage. We found the cards to be very easy to remove and install; with practice, we could do it in just a few seconds, which will be welcomed by anyone trying to shoot quickly who runs out of space.
The 5D Mark II uses old school CompactFlash cards
not the newer SDHC type.
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