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Introduction
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01.Sample Photos
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02.Design
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03.Product Tour
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04.Hardware
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05.Durability
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06.Photo Gallery
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07.Image Quality
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08.Sharpness
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09.Color
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10.Noise Reduction
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11.Dynamic Range
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12.Low Light
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13.Distortion
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14.Video
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15.Usability
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16.Ease of Use
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17.Handling
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18.Controls
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19.Speed
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20.Features
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21.Extras
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22.Video Features
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23.Specs & Ratings
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24.Conclusion
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25.Comments
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
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IntroductionNext: Page 2
DesignSample Photos
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 | ||||
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Focal Length: 24mm This shot of the Charles River was shot in Full Auto mode on a moderately overcast day. |
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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 | ||||
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Focal Length: 105mm The doll’s head was shot in Program mode, with spot metering at the central point, on a shaded porch. |
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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 | ||||
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Focal Length: 35mm 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. |
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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 | ||||
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Focal Length: 58mm 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. |
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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. |
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Focal Length: 105mm Gracie was shot sitting quietly on the porch on an overcast day, in Program AE mode with center-weighted metering in Standard Picture Style. |
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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 | ||||
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Focal Length: 105mm Shot on a sunny day in Program mode with spot metering set to the center point and Auto ISO on. |
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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. |
Still Life Examples
In the following sample images, clicking on the larger image will download the full resolution original.
| Still Life Comparisons | ||||
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| Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
| ISO Low | ||||
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ISO 100
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ISO 100
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ISO 200
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ISO 200
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| Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
| ISO 200 | ||||
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| Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
| ISO 400 | ||||
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| Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
| ISO 800 | ||||
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| Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
| ISO 1600 | ||||
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| Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
| ISO 3200 | ||||
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| Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
| ISO 6400 | ||||
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| Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
| ISO 12800 | ||||
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| Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
| ISO 25600 | ||||
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| Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
NOTE: The images above are not used in our testing or scoring, but are included here to show real-world examples of the differences between cameras at the various ISO settings.
Noise Examples
The following are 100% crops taken from the still life photos above. You can click on the thumbnails above to view a full-size version of the entire photo.
| Noise Comparisons | ||||
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| Canon EOS 5D Mark II | Canon EOS 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
| ISO Low | ||||
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ISO 100
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ISO 100
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ISO 200
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ISO 100
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ISO 100
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ISO 200
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| Canon EOS 5D Mark II | Canon EOS 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
| ISO 200 | ||||
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| Canon EOS 5D Mark II | Canon EOS 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
| ISO 400 | ||||
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| Canon EOS 5D Mark II | Canon EOS 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
| ISO 800 | ||||
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| Canon EOS 5D Mark II | Canon EOS 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
| ISO 1600 | ||||
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| Canon EOS 5D Mark II | Canon EOS 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
| ISO 3200 | ||||
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| Canon EOS 5D Mark II | Canon EOS 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
| ISO 6400 | ||||
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| Canon EOS 5D Mark II | Canon EOS 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
| ISO 12800 | ||||
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| Canon EOS 5D Mark II | Canon EOS 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
| ISO 25600 | ||||
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| Canon EOS 5D Mark II | Canon EOS 50D | Sony Alpha A900 | Nikon D90 | Nikon D700 |
NOTE: The images above are not used in our testing or scoring, but are included here to show real-world examples of the differences between cameras at the various ISO settings.
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