Vision of World
Canon EOS 5D Mark II Review
1. A Serious Camera for a Serious Photographer
Think Canon's new pro-level DSLR that also shoots HD video is perfect for you? Odds are that it isn't, unless you've got mad skills.
ZoomProfessionals and advanced amateur photographers tend to rationalize the purchase of a new digital SLR camera by weighing the feature set and image quality of the camera along with the qualities of the lenses they already have in their camera bag. Canon’s latest DSLR, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, adds an additional twist to the consideration soup: the ability to capture high-definition video. But approach the Canon EOS 5D Mark II with caution–this camera is not for everyone.
What type of photographer is a good fit for this camera? Someone who could benefit from the Canon EOS 5D Mark II's HD video feature without having to depend on it. Few amateurs or professionals will replace their dedicated video cameras with this one. Its limitations and constraints would frustrate them to no end. The professional who is called on occasionally to shoot some video, such as a wedding photographer or commercial photographer with a diverse client base, will likely be best suited for this camera.
2. Lens, Sensor, Memory, and Battery
ZoomThe Canon EOS 5D Mark II is priced just under $2,700 for the body only and just under $3,400 for the body and the EF 24-105 mm f/4L IS USM lens, which we strongly recommend (if you’ve decided to buy the camera, that is). If you have a couple of lenses that are already in the same focal length area, you should buy it anyway–it is that good a lens and will likely lighten your camera bag as well. We assume that if you are considering buying this camera, you already own at least one other lens.
The EOS 5D Mark II is equipped with a CMOS sensor that measures 24 mm by 36 mm, which is the same size as a frame of 35 mm film. The sensor has 21.1 million effective pixels, equaling the pixel count of the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III (an $8,000 camera). And while the camera has only nine focusing points, compared to the EOS 1Ds Mark III's 45, we did not find this to be detrimental to the operation of the camera nor did it inhibit us in our picture-taking ability.
The camera stores images on a compact-flash memory card. There is only one card slot. Power comes from one of Canon's LP-E6 batteries. You can also purchase a battery grip separately that carries two batteries and extends the picture-taking capability of the camera or you can carry an additional battery, which is something we would strongly recommend. Our testing indicated that we could capture 350-450 RAW images with a fully-charged battery.
3. Video Magic: Worth the Hassle?
ZoomFor several years, many digital cameras have featured a "movie" setting to allow the user to capture video with a still camera. Usually, there are limitations that accompany this feature, such as a short-duration of movie clips (30 seconds to one minute) or a video file type that does not take advantage of the full size of the camera's sensor. Such is not the case with the EOS 5D Mark II. This camera can create excellent video that takes advantage of the full size of the camera's sensor. It can capture video in one of two resolutions: 1920 x 1080 and 640 x 480. Full resolution can be saved in 1080i or 1080p configurations. If you have a 4 GB CF card in the camera, you can fill the card up with about 12 minutes of video. A file size of 4 GB is the maximum you can generate.
While the video feature is not weakened in typical ways with the EOS 5D Mark II, our testing experience convinced us that in order to work the camera’s complicated video features, a user would benefit from professional video experience.
Here’s the main complication (or limitation, depending on how you see it): the camera lacks the ability to auto focus and track at the same time during video recording. With the camera set to either of the two "live" modes, your initial focus will be retained until you refocus by hitting the "AF-ON" button, which will refocus the camera to the subject you are recording at that moment. But, in that moment of re-focusing, the camera will cycle the focusing mechanism until it has determined the proper focus to the new subject matter. We also saw the video image flair out to white during this process. The camera opens the aperture to its widest to ensure that it is properly focusing on the subject, then closes the aperture down again. Probably, a professional would know to expect the camera to flare out, and would take into account that this would have to be edited out in post-production and shoot the subject accordingly.
Additionally, you cannot see the subject being recorded through the viewfinder, while the 3" LCD monitor is your viewing guide. Since the camera does not have an eyepiece cup around the LCD, you cannot get close enough to the image to ensure you are actually in focus. Maybe a professional could just go with his or her gut on this, but we couldn’t.
The EOS 5D Mark II does not have a standard video camera configuration that lends itself easily to balancing from the shoulder or holding the camera above or below your head. This will likely limit the camera to being used on a tripod only. Further, the controls for manually focusing the camera or starting and stopping the action are not conveniently placed as they otherwise would be with a dedicated video camera. This caused us no end of difficulties while trying to hand-hold the camera. In fact, it was at this point that we determined that hand-holding the EOS 5D Mark II was not a good idea.
Battery consumption is a minor concern, but it remains a concern, nonetheless. In capturing a mere 20 minutes of video, we went through half of a fully-charged battery. If you use this camera to shoot video for any meaningful length of time, have several batteries in your tote or know what you want to capture in one shot.
While we did try many different video capture scenarios with the EOS 5D Mark II, our results were less than stellar. That doesn’t mean beautiful video can’t be captured with it. We’ve seen some, but experienced professionals generated it. As an example of what is possible, see this video, created by Bob Davis.
4. Shutter Speed and ISO: Tough To Beat
The EOS 5D Mark II has a shutter range of 1/8000th of a second to 30 seconds, and while the camera does not have an ultra-fast frame rate (only 3.9 frames per second), it can capture a fast-moving subject for you. With an ISO range of 100 to 6400, this camera will also give you an exposure latitude that is usually found only on the highest-end professional cameras.
Our testing indicated that with the camera set to ISO 100 through 400, we found no disturbing indications of excessive noise in the images. With the camera set to ISO 800 or 1600, we did start to pick up noticeable noise in our images. Set it to ISO 3200 or 6400, and you can expect marked increase in noise levels. However, it should be noted that in a similar situation if you were using film at those speeds, you would be dealing with considerable levels of grain and you’d expect it.
We tried using the EOS 5D Mark II in a low-light situation. We set the camera up, using the 24 mm-105 mm lens, in the northeast bastion of San Francisco's Fort Point. If you are familiar with that city, it is the large brick fort located under the Golden Gate Bridge. The lighting in many of the gun galleries is very poor and this particular location in the fort is one of the most dimly lit. With the camera set to ISO 100, our indicated exposure was 30 seconds at ƒ22. Here is the resulting picture that has been converted to grayscale. Next to it is a picture of that same location taken 30 years ago with a Mamiya RB67 camera, shooting black-and-white film rated at ISO 100. The spot meter indicated an exposure value (EV) of 1, which translated into an exposure of 30 seconds at ƒ32. Because of the slow exposure, we had to allow for the phenomena of reciprocity failure (which means that the longer an exposure, the less capable the film is to register light). The reciprocity failure table indicated that the exposure was now six minutes and 30 seconds. As you can see from the two figures, the EOS 5D Mark II more than holds its own.
5. Color Quality
Most photographers do not purchase a digital camera for its ability to create black-and-white images. Far and away, color is still the dominant medium and the EOS 5D Mark II presents us with exquisite color. Here is an image of a Macbeth ColorChecker. The upper left wedges are indicative of various skin tones. The third row gives you a representation of both the RGB and CMYK color spaces. This image was taken with the camera set to ISO 100. The bottom row of wedges is a gray scale, ranging from white to black.
As you can see, the color from this camera is everything the photographer could hope for. Skin tone is where it should be and all of our primaries show you that the EOS-5D, Mk II can capture a full range of color as it should be. Still playing tourist in San Francisco, we ventured into North Beach. Saints Peter and Paul Church provided us with a well-lit subject against a beautiful blue sky. The greens of the park in the foreground generated an additional contrasting point to the bright building. The detail of the spires and the finials and the blue sky's depth of color provided us with sufficient evidence that the EOS 5D Mark II is worth your consideration.
Here is the south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge. You are left with no doubt as to what the color of the bridge really is. The detail and sharpness of the cables against the blue background of the sky reinforce the evaluation of the camera's abilities.
6. Learning Curves
ZoomDuring the many weeks we tested this camera, we often felt frustrated with the difficulties we encountered with the video features. If the camera was unable to generate professional video imagery, we would have had serious doubts about the EOS 5D Mark II's video features. It can, in fact, do what Canon claims it can do. However, video comes with a major caveat: You have to know what you are doing. Discussions we had with a number of professional photographers indicated they were disappointed with the level of sophistication necessary to command successful use of the video feature. Many photographers indicated that they would not have purchased the camera knowing what they know now.
To be clear: this is a superb camera for still images, with some additional video features. If you want to take advantage of the wide range of lenses available from Canon for its camera bodies, this could be the camera for you. Tilt/shift and ultra-zoom lenses are either not available or extremely expensive for dedicated video cameras. This camera can solve that problem for you.
The EOS 5D Mark II provides the professional and advanced amateur photographer with the widest range of capabilities for the price. You will generate images with a beautiful and consistent range of color. Your images will be sharp and shadow detail will let your customer or family members see what you saw through the viewfinder.
7. Bang For Your Buck and Canon’s T1i
For prosumers who have been wistfully casting their eyes on a more expensive professional camera, this camera can present a real value. The EOS 1Ds Mark III is a $7,000 camera, with 21.1 megapixels. But the EOS 5D Mark II costs only $2,700 and also has 21.1 megapixels. Sure, the 1Ds has major advantages over the 5D (primarily the sturdiness of the body and the better focusing system, as well as a more extensive feature set), but color is equal or better with the 5D. This camera is also only $1,300 more than Canon’s 50D, which is a true consumer DSLR. The EOS 5D Mark II bridges the gap to professional quality and could be an excellent investment.
ZoomBut if it is an easy-to-use video camera in a consumer-level DSLR that you want (and that’s probably what most of us amateurs aspire to), you might want to consider Canon’s newest DSLR: the EOS Rebel T1i. It costs only $900, including the lens, and shoots HD video at 1920x1080. That’s something the rest of us can get excited about.
Think Canon's new pro-level DSLR that also shoots HD video is perfect for you? Odds are that it isn't, unless you've got mad skills.
ZoomProfessionals and advanced amateur photographers tend to rationalize the purchase of a new digital SLR camera by weighing the feature set and image quality of the camera along with the qualities of the lenses they already have in their camera bag. Canon’s latest DSLR, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, adds an additional twist to the consideration soup: the ability to capture high-definition video. But approach the Canon EOS 5D Mark II with caution–this camera is not for everyone.
What type of photographer is a good fit for this camera? Someone who could benefit from the Canon EOS 5D Mark II's HD video feature without having to depend on it. Few amateurs or professionals will replace their dedicated video cameras with this one. Its limitations and constraints would frustrate them to no end. The professional who is called on occasionally to shoot some video, such as a wedding photographer or commercial photographer with a diverse client base, will likely be best suited for this camera.
2. Lens, Sensor, Memory, and Battery
ZoomThe Canon EOS 5D Mark II is priced just under $2,700 for the body only and just under $3,400 for the body and the EF 24-105 mm f/4L IS USM lens, which we strongly recommend (if you’ve decided to buy the camera, that is). If you have a couple of lenses that are already in the same focal length area, you should buy it anyway–it is that good a lens and will likely lighten your camera bag as well. We assume that if you are considering buying this camera, you already own at least one other lens.
The EOS 5D Mark II is equipped with a CMOS sensor that measures 24 mm by 36 mm, which is the same size as a frame of 35 mm film. The sensor has 21.1 million effective pixels, equaling the pixel count of the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III (an $8,000 camera). And while the camera has only nine focusing points, compared to the EOS 1Ds Mark III's 45, we did not find this to be detrimental to the operation of the camera nor did it inhibit us in our picture-taking ability.
The camera stores images on a compact-flash memory card. There is only one card slot. Power comes from one of Canon's LP-E6 batteries. You can also purchase a battery grip separately that carries two batteries and extends the picture-taking capability of the camera or you can carry an additional battery, which is something we would strongly recommend. Our testing indicated that we could capture 350-450 RAW images with a fully-charged battery.
3. Video Magic: Worth the Hassle?
ZoomFor several years, many digital cameras have featured a "movie" setting to allow the user to capture video with a still camera. Usually, there are limitations that accompany this feature, such as a short-duration of movie clips (30 seconds to one minute) or a video file type that does not take advantage of the full size of the camera's sensor. Such is not the case with the EOS 5D Mark II. This camera can create excellent video that takes advantage of the full size of the camera's sensor. It can capture video in one of two resolutions: 1920 x 1080 and 640 x 480. Full resolution can be saved in 1080i or 1080p configurations. If you have a 4 GB CF card in the camera, you can fill the card up with about 12 minutes of video. A file size of 4 GB is the maximum you can generate.
While the video feature is not weakened in typical ways with the EOS 5D Mark II, our testing experience convinced us that in order to work the camera’s complicated video features, a user would benefit from professional video experience.
Here’s the main complication (or limitation, depending on how you see it): the camera lacks the ability to auto focus and track at the same time during video recording. With the camera set to either of the two "live" modes, your initial focus will be retained until you refocus by hitting the "AF-ON" button, which will refocus the camera to the subject you are recording at that moment. But, in that moment of re-focusing, the camera will cycle the focusing mechanism until it has determined the proper focus to the new subject matter. We also saw the video image flair out to white during this process. The camera opens the aperture to its widest to ensure that it is properly focusing on the subject, then closes the aperture down again. Probably, a professional would know to expect the camera to flare out, and would take into account that this would have to be edited out in post-production and shoot the subject accordingly.
Additionally, you cannot see the subject being recorded through the viewfinder, while the 3" LCD monitor is your viewing guide. Since the camera does not have an eyepiece cup around the LCD, you cannot get close enough to the image to ensure you are actually in focus. Maybe a professional could just go with his or her gut on this, but we couldn’t.
The EOS 5D Mark II does not have a standard video camera configuration that lends itself easily to balancing from the shoulder or holding the camera above or below your head. This will likely limit the camera to being used on a tripod only. Further, the controls for manually focusing the camera or starting and stopping the action are not conveniently placed as they otherwise would be with a dedicated video camera. This caused us no end of difficulties while trying to hand-hold the camera. In fact, it was at this point that we determined that hand-holding the EOS 5D Mark II was not a good idea.
Battery consumption is a minor concern, but it remains a concern, nonetheless. In capturing a mere 20 minutes of video, we went through half of a fully-charged battery. If you use this camera to shoot video for any meaningful length of time, have several batteries in your tote or know what you want to capture in one shot.
While we did try many different video capture scenarios with the EOS 5D Mark II, our results were less than stellar. That doesn’t mean beautiful video can’t be captured with it. We’ve seen some, but experienced professionals generated it. As an example of what is possible, see this video, created by Bob Davis.
4. Shutter Speed and ISO: Tough To Beat
The EOS 5D Mark II has a shutter range of 1/8000th of a second to 30 seconds, and while the camera does not have an ultra-fast frame rate (only 3.9 frames per second), it can capture a fast-moving subject for you. With an ISO range of 100 to 6400, this camera will also give you an exposure latitude that is usually found only on the highest-end professional cameras.
Our testing indicated that with the camera set to ISO 100 through 400, we found no disturbing indications of excessive noise in the images. With the camera set to ISO 800 or 1600, we did start to pick up noticeable noise in our images. Set it to ISO 3200 or 6400, and you can expect marked increase in noise levels. However, it should be noted that in a similar situation if you were using film at those speeds, you would be dealing with considerable levels of grain and you’d expect it.
We tried using the EOS 5D Mark II in a low-light situation. We set the camera up, using the 24 mm-105 mm lens, in the northeast bastion of San Francisco's Fort Point. If you are familiar with that city, it is the large brick fort located under the Golden Gate Bridge. The lighting in many of the gun galleries is very poor and this particular location in the fort is one of the most dimly lit. With the camera set to ISO 100, our indicated exposure was 30 seconds at ƒ22. Here is the resulting picture that has been converted to grayscale. Next to it is a picture of that same location taken 30 years ago with a Mamiya RB67 camera, shooting black-and-white film rated at ISO 100. The spot meter indicated an exposure value (EV) of 1, which translated into an exposure of 30 seconds at ƒ32. Because of the slow exposure, we had to allow for the phenomena of reciprocity failure (which means that the longer an exposure, the less capable the film is to register light). The reciprocity failure table indicated that the exposure was now six minutes and 30 seconds. As you can see from the two figures, the EOS 5D Mark II more than holds its own.
5. Color Quality
Most photographers do not purchase a digital camera for its ability to create black-and-white images. Far and away, color is still the dominant medium and the EOS 5D Mark II presents us with exquisite color. Here is an image of a Macbeth ColorChecker. The upper left wedges are indicative of various skin tones. The third row gives you a representation of both the RGB and CMYK color spaces. This image was taken with the camera set to ISO 100. The bottom row of wedges is a gray scale, ranging from white to black.
As you can see, the color from this camera is everything the photographer could hope for. Skin tone is where it should be and all of our primaries show you that the EOS-5D, Mk II can capture a full range of color as it should be. Still playing tourist in San Francisco, we ventured into North Beach. Saints Peter and Paul Church provided us with a well-lit subject against a beautiful blue sky. The greens of the park in the foreground generated an additional contrasting point to the bright building. The detail of the spires and the finials and the blue sky's depth of color provided us with sufficient evidence that the EOS 5D Mark II is worth your consideration.
Here is the south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge. You are left with no doubt as to what the color of the bridge really is. The detail and sharpness of the cables against the blue background of the sky reinforce the evaluation of the camera's abilities.
6. Learning Curves
ZoomDuring the many weeks we tested this camera, we often felt frustrated with the difficulties we encountered with the video features. If the camera was unable to generate professional video imagery, we would have had serious doubts about the EOS 5D Mark II's video features. It can, in fact, do what Canon claims it can do. However, video comes with a major caveat: You have to know what you are doing. Discussions we had with a number of professional photographers indicated they were disappointed with the level of sophistication necessary to command successful use of the video feature. Many photographers indicated that they would not have purchased the camera knowing what they know now.
To be clear: this is a superb camera for still images, with some additional video features. If you want to take advantage of the wide range of lenses available from Canon for its camera bodies, this could be the camera for you. Tilt/shift and ultra-zoom lenses are either not available or extremely expensive for dedicated video cameras. This camera can solve that problem for you.
The EOS 5D Mark II provides the professional and advanced amateur photographer with the widest range of capabilities for the price. You will generate images with a beautiful and consistent range of color. Your images will be sharp and shadow detail will let your customer or family members see what you saw through the viewfinder.
7. Bang For Your Buck and Canon’s T1i
For prosumers who have been wistfully casting their eyes on a more expensive professional camera, this camera can present a real value. The EOS 1Ds Mark III is a $7,000 camera, with 21.1 megapixels. But the EOS 5D Mark II costs only $2,700 and also has 21.1 megapixels. Sure, the 1Ds has major advantages over the 5D (primarily the sturdiness of the body and the better focusing system, as well as a more extensive feature set), but color is equal or better with the 5D. This camera is also only $1,300 more than Canon’s 50D, which is a true consumer DSLR. The EOS 5D Mark II bridges the gap to professional quality and could be an excellent investment.
ZoomBut if it is an easy-to-use video camera in a consumer-level DSLR that you want (and that’s probably what most of us amateurs aspire to), you might want to consider Canon’s newest DSLR: the EOS Rebel T1i. It costs only $900, including the lens, and shoots HD video at 1920x1080. That’s something the rest of us can get excited about.
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