Canon EOS 5D Mark II video tour
Part 1 and II
Part I demonstrates the Mark II's new features, continuous shooting and controls, along with several examples of its 1080p movie mode.
Part II demonstrates the Mark II's Live View modes and PC remote control software, along with including our verdict.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II intro
The Canon EOS 5D Mark II is the successor to the EOS 5D, the World’s first ‘affordable’ full-frame DSLR. Announced in September 2008, the EOS 5D Mark II comes almost three years after its predecessor, during which time the DSLR market has moved-on considerably. Unlike the EOS 5D which initially enjoyed no competition, the new EOS 5D Mark II finds itself launched against two key rivals: Nikon’s D700 and Sony’s Alpha DSLR A900. So the new 5D Mark II is in a much tougher position than its predecessor and Canon had to make some significant improvements.
The EOS 5D Mark II of course features a full-frame sensor, but the resolution enjoys a considerable boost from the 12.8 Megapixels of its predecessor to 21.1 Megapixels. This in fact matches the resolution of Canon’s current flagship, the 1Ds Mark III, but it’s not the same sensor. The EOS 5D Mark II features a new CMOS sensor which employs an improved output amplifier, a more advanced colour filter with superior light transmission, and other enhancements also seen in the recently announced EOS 50D. Canon claims the result is the highest quality seen from any EOS DSLR to date.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Like the recent EOS 50D, the new EOS 5D Mark II also enjoys a significant boost in its maximum sensitivity from a top speed of 3200 ISO on the original 5D to a considerable 25600 ISO on the Mark II – the highest sensitivity seen on a Canon DSLR so far.
The Megapixel count may have almost doubled and the tonal depth increased to 14-bit, but Canon’s latest DIGIC 4 processor can work sufficiently quickly to offer a small boost in continuous shooting from 3 to 3.9fps. Support for UDMA CF cards ensures the buffer is flushed quickly.
The 5D Mark II is also equipped with a bigger and more detailed 3in VGA screen than its predecessor, which can of course also be used for Live View. It isn’t just for capturing stills though – the 5D Mark II becomes Canon’s first DSLR to feature video recording, which also makes it the second ever DSLR to offer the facility after the Nikon D90.
Both models can record video in HD, but where the D90 offers 720p, the 5D Mark II boasts nothing less than Full HD in 1080p at 30fps. Audio is captured with a built-in microphone, and Canon even offers a stereo microphone socket for better quality results. And to exploit the quality of both stills and video, the Mark II is also equipped with an HDMI port for connecting to HDTVs.
So in the three years since the original 5D, the new EOS 5D Mark II almost doubles the Megapixels, extends the tonal depth to 14-bits, accelerates continuous shooting by a third, increases the sensitivity by three stops, greatly improves the screen, adds Live View, broadens the coverage of the viewfinder, adds environmental sealing, includes AF micro-adjustment, vignette correction and anti-dust facilities, supports UDMA cards, and of course throws in HD movie recording with HDMI output.
Some may have wished the continuous shooting rate was faster still and the viewfinder coverage was 100%, while others may lament the continued absence of a popup flash, but there’s no denying it’s a significant upgrade in almost every respect over the original 5D.
But as we said at the start, the EOS 5D Mark II enters a marketplace with two highly regarded rivals from Sony and Nikon. Each offers compelling advantages over the Canon, so the big question is how do the quality and features compare? Find out in our Canon EOS 5D Mark II review where we’ll examine all the new features, along with comparing the image quality against its predecessor and key rivals; we will of course also discuss the now infamous 'black dot' issue, and as always, you can also see a demonstration of the camera's key features in our Canon EOS 5D Mark II video tour.
Testing notes
We tested a final production Canon EOS 5D Mark II running firmware version 1.0.6. Following our convention of testing cameras using their factory default settings unless otherwise stated, the EOS 5D Mark II was set to Large Fine JPEG quality, Auto White Balance, Evaluative metering and the Standard Picture Style; High ISO Noise Reduction and the Auto Lighting Optimizer were set to their default Standard settings, while Highlight Tone Priority was disabled. Note: we disabled Auto Lighting Optimizer for our high ISO noise tests, and also have samples comparing the different noise reduction settings. Image Stabilisation was enabled for all handheld shots and disabled for tripod-based tests.
Part II demonstrates the Mark II's Live View modes and PC remote control software, along with including our verdict.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II intro
The Canon EOS 5D Mark II is the successor to the EOS 5D, the World’s first ‘affordable’ full-frame DSLR. Announced in September 2008, the EOS 5D Mark II comes almost three years after its predecessor, during which time the DSLR market has moved-on considerably. Unlike the EOS 5D which initially enjoyed no competition, the new EOS 5D Mark II finds itself launched against two key rivals: Nikon’s D700 and Sony’s Alpha DSLR A900. So the new 5D Mark II is in a much tougher position than its predecessor and Canon had to make some significant improvements.
The EOS 5D Mark II of course features a full-frame sensor, but the resolution enjoys a considerable boost from the 12.8 Megapixels of its predecessor to 21.1 Megapixels. This in fact matches the resolution of Canon’s current flagship, the 1Ds Mark III, but it’s not the same sensor. The EOS 5D Mark II features a new CMOS sensor which employs an improved output amplifier, a more advanced colour filter with superior light transmission, and other enhancements also seen in the recently announced EOS 50D. Canon claims the result is the highest quality seen from any EOS DSLR to date.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Like the recent EOS 50D, the new EOS 5D Mark II also enjoys a significant boost in its maximum sensitivity from a top speed of 3200 ISO on the original 5D to a considerable 25600 ISO on the Mark II – the highest sensitivity seen on a Canon DSLR so far.
The Megapixel count may have almost doubled and the tonal depth increased to 14-bit, but Canon’s latest DIGIC 4 processor can work sufficiently quickly to offer a small boost in continuous shooting from 3 to 3.9fps. Support for UDMA CF cards ensures the buffer is flushed quickly.
The 5D Mark II is also equipped with a bigger and more detailed 3in VGA screen than its predecessor, which can of course also be used for Live View. It isn’t just for capturing stills though – the 5D Mark II becomes Canon’s first DSLR to feature video recording, which also makes it the second ever DSLR to offer the facility after the Nikon D90.
Both models can record video in HD, but where the D90 offers 720p, the 5D Mark II boasts nothing less than Full HD in 1080p at 30fps. Audio is captured with a built-in microphone, and Canon even offers a stereo microphone socket for better quality results. And to exploit the quality of both stills and video, the Mark II is also equipped with an HDMI port for connecting to HDTVs.
So in the three years since the original 5D, the new EOS 5D Mark II almost doubles the Megapixels, extends the tonal depth to 14-bits, accelerates continuous shooting by a third, increases the sensitivity by three stops, greatly improves the screen, adds Live View, broadens the coverage of the viewfinder, adds environmental sealing, includes AF micro-adjustment, vignette correction and anti-dust facilities, supports UDMA cards, and of course throws in HD movie recording with HDMI output.
Some may have wished the continuous shooting rate was faster still and the viewfinder coverage was 100%, while others may lament the continued absence of a popup flash, but there’s no denying it’s a significant upgrade in almost every respect over the original 5D.
But as we said at the start, the EOS 5D Mark II enters a marketplace with two highly regarded rivals from Sony and Nikon. Each offers compelling advantages over the Canon, so the big question is how do the quality and features compare? Find out in our Canon EOS 5D Mark II review where we’ll examine all the new features, along with comparing the image quality against its predecessor and key rivals; we will of course also discuss the now infamous 'black dot' issue, and as always, you can also see a demonstration of the camera's key features in our Canon EOS 5D Mark II video tour.
Testing notes
We tested a final production Canon EOS 5D Mark II running firmware version 1.0.6. Following our convention of testing cameras using their factory default settings unless otherwise stated, the EOS 5D Mark II was set to Large Fine JPEG quality, Auto White Balance, Evaluative metering and the Standard Picture Style; High ISO Noise Reduction and the Auto Lighting Optimizer were set to their default Standard settings, while Highlight Tone Priority was disabled. Note: we disabled Auto Lighting Optimizer for our high ISO noise tests, and also have samples comparing the different noise reduction settings. Image Stabilisation was enabled for all handheld shots and disabled for tripod-based tests.
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Hi There, I'm Rick Miller from Comprehensive Photography. I'm very pleased to see almost
135,000 visits since my site was started on
January 29th 2009 (about 215 per day).
PLEASE CHECK OUT SOME GREAT PHOTOS, ARTISTIC NUDES, via link NUDE ART — MY BLOG AND SOME VERY NICE MOVIES!
While you visit and navigate through my site, next to the home tab, there is now a BUY menu item, that will link you to my gallery of pictures for sale — all High Resolution and top quality. So clicking on 'BUY' simply directs you to a new page to view and shop at your leisure; with the understanding that you are not committing yourself to a purchase. I've put some nice music on this new page as well, you can manage this in the upper right hand quadrant if you would rather have silence.
If you have been to Amazon.Com, or any other online store, the procedure for purchasing my work is equally as easy thanks to PayPal.
Some may remember posing for an "impromptu" photo opportunity during every family gathering. You stood there frozen, with cemented smiles as you wondered if Aunt Thelma would ever take the photograph. Cheese...... then Bam! You were blinded by the bright flash bulb. Auntie had the right idea. She wanted to memorialize every event. It didn't matter if the developed film never made it out of the card board envelopes. What was important is that she enjoyed taking photos.
Amateur photographers everywhere are still snapping pictures as a favorite pastime. Photography is a good means to chronicle someone's life. A picture tells a thousand words, so what an excellent way to document special moments, highlights and milestones.
Over time, our memory isn't as iron-clad as it once was. With photographs you can still recall the special moment even when the memory fades. Photography is good for your well being. Reflect on all the studies that talk about how beneficial laughter is to your health. Now consider your emotions when you see photos of a new baby, or a wedding, or any of the other adorable photos that are found in email in-boxes on a daily basis. They make you happy! Photos elicit positive emotions. Think about the people who were in south Texas during the winter of 2004. I'm sure they were happy to be down there when they had snow for the first time in over 100 years. There were people outside taking pictures at midnight; what an opportunity!
Have you ever seen deer on the side of the road? Not too many bucks will stop long enough to be photographed. If you're fortunate enough to see sitting deer, you better hope to have a camera with you; as they likely won't be sitting there waiting for you the next time you drive by.
While some people still prefer film cameras, digital cameras now come in any size or budget. For the novice photographer who merely enjoys taking photographs as a way to relax or capture those one of a kind moments, suitable digital cameras are available for under $100. Some people are still using 1.3 mega pixel digital cameras. By today's standard, that is considered a dinosaur. However it would still work if the photographer just wanted to take an occasional photo to list items for sale on eBay. Today many amateur photographers are using digital cameras with 4-6 mega pixels. As a rule of thumb, the higher the mega pixel, the higher the price tag. Notwithstanding, higher mega pixel cameras also come with more bells and whistles and have a higher resolution. Most all digital cameras also have a timer and ability to make very small movie clips. Many also have zoom lens features.
With digital photography it is fun to play around with new technology. Create a screen saver of your best photo with Image Box from CoolUtils. If you came back from Hawaii and have lots of great photos that you want not to just show to your friends but amaze them - make an astonishing slideshow. Imagine all pictures will be shown one by one with different effects, accompanied by music and your comments. With ImageBox every photo stops being a snapshot but becomes a living part of the presentation. Your friends will be amazed! Don't think about how difficult it is – you will create your first slideshow in 6 minutes. There are software programs that allow you to make digital images look better than real life by removing unwanted blemishes, moles, or wrinkles. Experiment with the software to add or remove people or objects from the photo. New technology provides the ability to alter a photograph so that it looks like an oil painting, pencil sketch, negative, sepia, black and white, charcoal drawing and a plethora of other options.
While it is possible to make a living as a photographer, the majority of camera users simply take photos because they enjoy it. It's true that time will not stand still. The taunting school aged children had it right when they responded to stares, "Take a picture why don't you – it'll last longer!" Now you do the same - stop reading and go take a picture... it'll last longer! REGISTER
Thank all of you so much for helping me to do something I love and enjoy. Please REGISTER and tell me what you think of the site.
While you visit and navigate through my site, next to the home tab, there is now a BUY menu item, that will link you to my gallery of pictures for sale — all High Resolution and top quality. So clicking on 'BUY' simply directs you to a new page to view and shop at your leisure; with the understanding that you are not committing yourself to a purchase. I've put some nice music on this new page as well, you can manage this in the upper right hand quadrant if you would rather have silence.
If you have been to Amazon.Com, or any other online store, the procedure for purchasing my work is equally as easy thanks to PayPal.
A NICE THOUGHT
Photos
Why do we take them?
By Mary Banas
Jan 22nd 2007
Some may remember posing for an "impromptu" photo opportunity during every family gathering. You stood there frozen, with cemented smiles as you wondered if Aunt Thelma would ever take the photograph. Cheese...... then Bam! You were blinded by the bright flash bulb. Auntie had the right idea. She wanted to memorialize every event. It didn't matter if the developed film never made it out of the card board envelopes. What was important is that she enjoyed taking photos.
Amateur photographers everywhere are still snapping pictures as a favorite pastime. Photography is a good means to chronicle someone's life. A picture tells a thousand words, so what an excellent way to document special moments, highlights and milestones.
Over time, our memory isn't as iron-clad as it once was. With photographs you can still recall the special moment even when the memory fades. Photography is good for your well being. Reflect on all the studies that talk about how beneficial laughter is to your health. Now consider your emotions when you see photos of a new baby, or a wedding, or any of the other adorable photos that are found in email in-boxes on a daily basis. They make you happy! Photos elicit positive emotions. Think about the people who were in south Texas during the winter of 2004. I'm sure they were happy to be down there when they had snow for the first time in over 100 years. There were people outside taking pictures at midnight; what an opportunity!
Have you ever seen deer on the side of the road? Not too many bucks will stop long enough to be photographed. If you're fortunate enough to see sitting deer, you better hope to have a camera with you; as they likely won't be sitting there waiting for you the next time you drive by.
While some people still prefer film cameras, digital cameras now come in any size or budget. For the novice photographer who merely enjoys taking photographs as a way to relax or capture those one of a kind moments, suitable digital cameras are available for under $100. Some people are still using 1.3 mega pixel digital cameras. By today's standard, that is considered a dinosaur. However it would still work if the photographer just wanted to take an occasional photo to list items for sale on eBay. Today many amateur photographers are using digital cameras with 4-6 mega pixels. As a rule of thumb, the higher the mega pixel, the higher the price tag. Notwithstanding, higher mega pixel cameras also come with more bells and whistles and have a higher resolution. Most all digital cameras also have a timer and ability to make very small movie clips. Many also have zoom lens features.
With digital photography it is fun to play around with new technology. Create a screen saver of your best photo with Image Box from CoolUtils. If you came back from Hawaii and have lots of great photos that you want not to just show to your friends but amaze them - make an astonishing slideshow. Imagine all pictures will be shown one by one with different effects, accompanied by music and your comments. With ImageBox every photo stops being a snapshot but becomes a living part of the presentation. Your friends will be amazed! Don't think about how difficult it is – you will create your first slideshow in 6 minutes. There are software programs that allow you to make digital images look better than real life by removing unwanted blemishes, moles, or wrinkles. Experiment with the software to add or remove people or objects from the photo. New technology provides the ability to alter a photograph so that it looks like an oil painting, pencil sketch, negative, sepia, black and white, charcoal drawing and a plethora of other options.
While it is possible to make a living as a photographer, the majority of camera users simply take photos because they enjoy it. It's true that time will not stand still. The taunting school aged children had it right when they responded to stares, "Take a picture why don't you – it'll last longer!" Now you do the same - stop reading and go take a picture... it'll last longer! REGISTER
Thank all of you so much for helping me to do something I love and enjoy. Please REGISTER and tell me what you think of the site.
Sincerely
Rick Miller