Canon EOS 5D Mark II - Greatness Redefined
17 September 2008

When it rains, it pours and it's turning out to be a pretty big flood of cameras this month even before Photokina opens its doors to the photo bigwigs around the world. Brace yourselves for this news, because Canon has just announced the much coveted 5D replacement the Canon EOS 5D Mark II.

HD Movie Capture
In a move that's definitely going challenge the distinctiveness of the Nikon D90, the EOS 5D Mark II comes with full HD (1080) video capture at 30fps which sweeps away the D90's paltry 24fps moving image capture. And unlike the Nikon D90, the EOS 5D Mark II can record movies and take pictures at the same time. A built in microphone captures sound but you do have the option of attaching a microphone through the audio input.

Sensor
It's the sensor that makes the camera, and the EOS 5D Mark II almost doubles the resolution of its predecessor's 12.8 megapixels with its full frame 21.1 megapixels CMOS sensor. That's 36x24mm of pixels devoted to capturing images with no cropping or magnification effects. Canon's also claiming that a redesign of the pixels will help minimise noise.

DIGIC 4
Canon unveiled the DIGIC 4 with the Canon EOS 50D, so it's no surprise to see it out now with the EOS 5D Mark II. It might come to better use with the titan that is the EOS 5D Mark II, the resolution alone requiring a powerful processor like the DIGIC 4. But it also comes to good use with the movie recording, the fast responses and up to 3.9 fps burst shooting. That burst shooting is only capped by the capacity of the card, which means get a good card and you can shoot at 3.9fps until the card is full.

Live View
Speaking of Live view, we'd be shocked if such an elite camera didn't have it. The EOS 5D Mark II's Live View is shown on a 3-Inch Clear View LCD which will be a gem to watch with its 920K dot resolution. The wide viewing angle and dual anti-reflective coating will further enhance viewing pleasure but don't worry about performance, with 3 types of autofocus taking images becomes even more fun.

ISO
If you are looking for a range in ISO sensitivity, the EOS 5D Mark II delivers with ISO ranging from 100-6400. Still, if you are a night stalker and you can't use a flash well the 5D Mark II offers an expanded ISO range of 50, 12,800 and even 25,600.

9 point AF
A 9-point Auto Focus system allows users more control on precision and metering but this is boosted by 6 additional Assist AF points located inside the spot-metering circle to optimise subject tracking performance in the AI SERVO AF mode.

Self Cleaning
What DSLR these days could ever leave the drawing board without an anti dust system. The 5D Mark II has 3 ways to combat dust bunnies. It prevents dust from generating inside, has an in-camera sensor cleaning mechanism and the ability to map those stubborn particles on the sensor so you can remove them on the image with the software provided.

Menu Design
The Canon EOS 5D Mark II's menu system has been redesigned and updated to include a quick control screen for instant access to settings. A Creative Auto Mode lets the camera make some decisions while the photographer can control creative variables like the blur and image brightness. A custom mode allows photographers to change immediately between two different setups.

Last Word
The Canon EOS 5D Mark II is all about precision, control with more than a little extra thrown in with the HD video capture. The EOS 5D Mark II builds on the qualities that made its predecessor so popular and then adds to that mix with a little more creative input. Not only the movie recording but also a revamped control system and menu. Set to arrive in November this year, the EOS 5D Mark II is already causing tidal waves of anticipation in Canon fans.