Nigel Atkinson Photography
Equipment review: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Before reading this review please read my general introduction to reviews here
I purchased the 5D in March 2009 - almost exactly 3 years after buying the 5D 'classic'. The 5D was, and is, still a pleasure to use so dissatisfaction was not driving the desire to upgrade. Having splashed the cash it has definitely been worth it to me.
The MkII is very similar to the original, though it feels slightly more solid:
Viewfinder is an improvement on already good example (though this may be because I'm comparing the standard screen with the darker grid screen on my 5D)
Frame rate is slightly faster but the shutter is still very quiet
Rear LCD is much better.
Most important of all, the files it produces look fantastic - great colour as well as extra resolution.
My only frustration was the initial lack of a spare batteries, though my extra two have now arrived. This wasn't a big issue because the battery capacity appears to be huge.
I have played a little with the video and the quality is amazing, but only when you get your subject in focus. It is useful that you can activate the video and then takes stills while it is running but the frame rate is very slow, so you are likely to miss good stills and disrupt the video at key moments. I don't think I'll use it much once the novelty wears off.
So, if you are in the market for a top spec DSLR, and you have the cash handy, go buy it!
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