Canon EOS 5D Mark II

The full-frame, 21.1-megapixel Canon 5D Mark II is in many ways an exceptional camera, and truly groundbreaking when it comes to video recording, where it not only holds sway as the first SLR to offer full 1080p movies, but delivers exceptionally high-quality results in the process. Considering its price ($2699 for the body alone, $3499 with the 24-105mm kit lens), size (over three pounds with lens) and lack of training-wheel features like preset scene modes and a pop-up flash, this is clearly not a camera for casual shooters. The sophisticated photographer, though, or those eager to fully explore their photographic potential will appreciate the wealth of capabilities and topnotch performance provided here. The full-frame sensor translates to superior flexibility when shooting wide-angle and panoramic scenes, the high megapixel count means more flexibility in cropping and editing files, and the extraordinary level of customizability allows users to tailor the camera features to precisely match their image style desires and shooting preferences.

Performance

Our lab testing revealed exceptional image sharpness and color accuracy, with acceptable automatic white balance results and outstanding custom white balance accuracy. Dynamic range was another strong suit for the 5D Mark II, where it outperformed our other test cameras by a significant margin. Image noise performance was first rate both in well-lit and dim shooting situations, though color accuracy fell off when shooting in low light. While Live View shooting is provided, and looks good on-screen, we still find the slow autofocus performance limits the usefulness of this feature in most situations.

Video

The 5D Mark II is a solid video performer. The camera managed good color accuracy in both bright and low light and managed to capture crisp, sharp video in all of our tests. There was a bit of blurring present on its footage taken for our motion test, and the camera produced slightly higher noise levels than the other video-capable DLSRs we’ve tested, but overall it performed excellently in our tests. With the camera’s firmware upgrade it offers all the necessary manual controls for video as well (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO). The only thing really lacking is a continuous, live autofocus feature.

Hardware

Build quality for the Canon 5D Mark II is impressive, with a rugged magnesium alloy chassis well sealed against the elements. The LCD screen matches the 3-inch 920,00-dot spec that’s become increasingly popular in higher-end SLRs from several manufacturers, but that familiarity doesn’t make it any less pleasurable to use when reviewing photos, reading menus or shooting with Live View enabled. The optical viewfinder is unexceptional but perfectly adequate, the battery delivers a respectable 800-plus shots per charge, and HDMI output (even without including the cable) is both appropriate and welcome for a camera shooting high-res photos and high-def video.

Controls

The 5D Mark II provides a host of customizable features (including 71 custom function settings), with three Camera User Settings slots on the mode dial for instant access to the combinations you use most frequently. The Picture Style system is another strength for serious shooters, providing six preset combinations of sharpness, contrast, saturation and color tone settings plus the option to download others or create your own with included software. Another useful software feature is the option to shoot directly from your computer by connecting with a USB cable, a nice alternative to the extra expense of a remote control (though those are certainly available).

Sample Photos

In the following sample images, clicking on the larger image will download the full resolution original. Each photo is accompanied by four actual-size crops.

Landscape Sample
				Focal Length: 24mm Aperture: f/10 Shutter: 1/200 sec. ISO: 100 This shot of the Charles River was shot in Full Auto mode on a moderately overcast day.
				Auto settings produced an image with very good sharpness and fine depth of field, from the Royal Sonesta sign (at the back, left of center) to the park benches in the right foreground.

Close-Up Sample
				Focal Length: 105mm Aperture: f/13 Shutter: 1250 sec. ISO: 1600 The doll’s head was shot in Program mode, with spot metering at the central point, on a shaded porch.
				Note the sharpness around the eyes controlled highlight intensity on the metal ball, and the subtle gradation from pink to white on the doll's cheek (third photo across).

Texture Sample
				Focal Length: 35mm Aperture: f/5.6 Shutter: 1/2000 sec. ISO: 2000 Boston hasn’t invested much in upkeep on the Longfellow Bridge over the Charles River, providing an opportunity to shoot complex corrosion using aperture priority mode and center-weighted metering, with exposure comp of 1 1/3 stop to brighten the foreground.
				The details here are not as tack-sharp as we might have liked, though with 21.1 megapixels available the photo looks crisp even at substantial magnification.

Night Scene Sample
				Focal Length: 58mm Aperture: f/4 Shutter: 1/5 sec. ISO: 6400 Shot in the evening, with the sky not quite black, using a tripod and timer release to minimize shake. Program AE mode, center-weighted metering, with the lens wide open.
				Shot at the maximum official ISO, it's noisy but still perfectly usable. The subtle blue of the sky through the trees is maintained and the color of the pink cloth at right is accurate.

				Focal Length: 105mm Aperture: f/5.6 Shutter: 1/60 sec. ISO: 100 Gracie was shot sitting quietly on the porch on an overcast day, in Program AE mode with center-weighted metering in Standard Picture Style.
				The handheld shot maintains excellent detail in the dog's left eye and in the fur, and the range of tones in her coat are captured nicely.

Signage Sample
				Focal Length: 105mm Aperture: f/6.3 Shutter: 250 sec. ISO: 100 Shot on a sunny day in Program mode with spot metering set to the center point and Auto ISO on.
				Details in the brightly lit gold lettering are sharp, colors are reproduced accurately throughout, and the color breaks between red, green and gold are clean.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Specs
Type	Professional SLR
Focal Length Minimum	24.0 mm
Focal Length Maximum	105.0 mm
Aspect Ratios	3:2, 16:9
Frame Rate(s)	30p, 24p, 25p
Original Price	2699.00 $
Height	113.5 mm
Width	152.0 mm
Depth	75.0 mm
Weight	810.0 g
Model Colors	Black
Display Type	LCD
Display Size	3.0 in.
Display Resolution	920,000 pixels
Viewfinder Type	optical
Viewfinder Magnification	0.71 x
Viewfinder Coverage	98.0 % coverage
Diopter Adjustment - New	-3.0 to +1.0m^-1
Media New	CF Card Type I and II, UDMA-compliant CF cards, via external media (USB v.2.0 hard drive, via optional Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E4A)
Connectivity Options	USB, A/V, miniHDMI, microphone, wired remote, hot accessory shoe
Battery Type	removable lithium-ion
Battery Model Number	CR1616
Mirror Technology (Interchangeable Lens)	DSLR
Waterproof	No
Manual Controls	manual focus, aperture priority mode, shutter priority mode, full manual exposure, custom white balance, ISO control
ISO Options	100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, Extended ISO
Minimum ISO	100
Maximum ISO	6400

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Scores
Rating	Score	Weighting
Color Score	13.61	9.0
Color Modes Score	4.0	1.0
Long Exposure Score	9.87	4.0
Noise Score	6.9	9.0
ISO Options Score	8.0	1.5
Sharpness Score	8.69	6.0
Chromatic Aberration Score	8.23	3.0
Picture Options Score	13.28	0.5
Dynamic Range Score	8.31	6.0
Stabilization Score	3.13	5.0
Auto White Balance Score	13.26	4.0
Custom White Balance Score	15.28	2.0
White Balance Features Score	8.75	0.5
Playback Mode Score	8.0	1.5
In-Camera Editing Score	0.5	0.5
Software Score	7.0	0.5
Direct Print Features Score	5.0	0.5
Sensor Score	4.0	1.0
Viewfinder Score	8.0	1.5
LCD Score	9.1	2.5
Flash Score	3.0	1.0
Lens Mount Score	10.5	1.5
Battery Score	8.0	1.0
Memory Score	3.0	1.0
Connectivity Score	5.5	1.0
Other Hardware Score	0.0	0.5
Shooting Modes Scores	12.0	1.0
Live View Score	3.25	2.0
Scene Modes Score	0.0	0.5
Picture Effects Score	4.0	0.5
Focus Score	10.75	1.5
Exposure Score	3.75	1.0
DOF Preview Score	2.0	0.5
Metering Score	8.0	1.0
Shutter Speed Score	11.0	1.0
Self-Timer Score	3.0	1.0
Other Controls Score	2.0	0.5
Handling Score	7.0	2.5
Controls Score	9.25	2.5
Menu Score	8.75	2.0
Manual Score	6.0	1.0
Shot to Shot Score	3.81	3.0
Drive and Burst Modes Score	5.75	1.0
Video Color Score	12.68	1.25
Video Sharpness Score	10.59	1.25
Video Motion Score	9.0	0.63
Video Noise Score	11.19	0.63
Video Controls Score	6.0	1.2
Video Low Light Sensitivity Score	4.96	0.95
Video Low Light Color Score	10.47	0.78
Video Low Light Noise Score	12.18	0.78
Video Compression Score	7.5	0.95
Video Audio Score	2.25	0.3
Video Handling Score	4.5	0.73
Color Other Features Rating	0.0	0.5
Noise Other Features Rating	0.0	0.5
Playback Other Features Rating	0.0	0.5
Resolution Other Features Rating	0.0	0.5
Design & Handling Other Rating	0.0	0.5
Total:	797