We Review The Canon EOS 5D Mark II: Highly Recommended

In the middle of September Canon announced their replacement for the famed Canon EOS 5D, an evolution 3 years in the making named the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. It was very positively received at introduction, for a variety of reasons, but mostly by what was promised by the now well known specifications:

• 21.1 megapixel / 36 x 24mm CMOS sensor
• ISO range from 100-25,600
• 920k, 3 inch LCD display
• 1080p high definition video
• DIGIC IV processing

The 5D Mark II, naturally offers much more than this, but these are what grabbed my attention, in part because of what the competition was offering. Nikon had been producing its well received D700 for a short time with a 12 megapixel sensor, better AF system, and no HD video, while Sony had only just announced its own full frame offering, the Sony A900, with a whopping 24 megapixels, but no live view, no video, and a less sophisticated AF than the D700. Amazingly, each camera offers something that the other doesn’t, but of the three, the 5D Mark II takes the most interesting road in my mind. It offers resolution distinctly higher than the Nikon D700, and close to the Sony A900. It has ISO capabilities similar to the D700 and better than the A900. Finally, it offers a feature neither can boast, full 1080p high definition video, a freebie as far as I’m concerned given all three cameras have (or had) essentially the exact same price. In short, logic points to the Canon EOS 5D Mark II representing an excellent value, for a near, if not actual professional camera. So how does it stack up? The answers follow in our review of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II.

What’s In the Box

• Camera Body
• Neck Strap
• Stereo Video Cable
• USB Interface Cable
• Battery Charger LC-E6
• Battery Pack LP-E6
• EOS Digital Solution Disk
• Instruction Manual

Not included, an HDMI cable to connect directly to an HDTV, but thankfully, a real manual is. It’s camera bag sized, and rather thick. This is a relatively advanced camera, so you’ll want to spend plenty of time with it.

In Your Hands

At 28.6 oz. (810g) the 5D Mark II is not a svelte camera by any means. In the hands, the 5D2 has a noticeable size and heft, and though it will be described as heavy by some, I’d prefer to call it “serious”.  The grip is substantial and easy, a groove for the third finger eases the hand into the proper location, while on the back side the thumb fits into a nice comfortable valley created by a raised area in the upper right-hand corner. For medium sized hands the 5D2 should be a pleasure to handle, larger fingers may find issues with grip depth, and smaller hands might have trouble reaching the top side camera options, but most will have no issues.

Aesthetically the camera is to the point and minus any extravagance. Covered in a nice grippy black textured material, with additional areas in a black eggshell finish, the only contrast comes from the white logos, and trace amounts of silver in the camera badging. For those familiar with the original 5D, the 5D Mark II is very similar, but certainly crisper, and vaguely more chiseled than the original. As far as looks go, the 5D Mark II is about as sharp as it can get, though certainly nothing revolutionary in terms of design.

As for the larger issue of build quality, the 5D Mark II is near professional grade. Fit and finish is top notch with one exception that we’ll get to momentarily, and Canon claims the 5D2, with its magnesium alloy body and weather sealing, has improved dust and moisture resistance over the 5D. In the field, I’ve used the 5D2 in a light rain, heavy snow, and next to and around several waterfalls with serious “spray”. In short the 5D2 has gotten wet and survived, though prolonged use in very wet conditions is certainly not something I’d recommend.

Now to the exception, and that is the plastic cover for the memory card slot. On my copy at least, the cover has a very slight give to it, noticeable because typically the corner it occupies lies in the butt of your right hand. It seems flimsy in design, though hasn’t presented any problems as of yet. Still, it’s the only glaringly cheap aspect on the entire camera.

Functionality

On the ergonomics front, the 5D Mark II is intuitively layed out, or at least becomes intuitive in short order. The shutter button is perfectly placed inside a subtle groove for the index finger. Just behind it, the main dial is crisp and “clicky”.  Behind the main dial and moving to the top are buttons for:

• LCD illumination
• ISO/flash compensation
• AF/drive mode
• Meter mode/white balance selection

The buttons are positioned so that the index finger naturally finds the ISO button first, then reaches for the other two critical buttons, with the illumination button “hidden” under the middle of the finger. It does take several outings with the camera to “memorize” their placements without pulling the camera down, but once learned, it becomes second nature.

The topside LCD displays the camera settings, and essential information. It’s well laid out, and easy to spot relevant information. Viewing angles are fine, with visibility being excellent in most conditions. In low light situations, it can be illuminated via the previously mentioned topside button.

On the opposite side of the camera is the mode dial (not in silver like the 50D oddly) with the following options:

• B / Bulb
• M / Manual
• Av / Aperture Priority
• Tv / Shutter Priority
• P / Program Mode
• Full Auto
• Creative Auto
• C1
• C2
• C3

No extravagant scene modes here, just the essentials, though Canon was kind enough to include a Full Auto for absolute beginners, which handles everything other than pressing the shutter. Creative Auto allows the user to simply control brightness, depth of field and color tone, by moving visual sliders on the LCD screen, essentially shielding more beginner type photographers from the possibly more confusing methods of controlling the very same parameters via exposure compensation, aperture, and Canon’s “Picture Styles”. Finally C1, C2, C3, are easy to access custom camera settings which can include favorite shooting mode, menus, and custom functions and are setup in the 5D Mark II’s menus. It’s an amazingly useful feature, and one that hopefully becomes standard on more and more cameras (given the sheer amount of options).

On the back of the camera is Canon’s trademark quick control dial, that works to cycle through image playback in addition to working in tandem with the main dial to set camera options. Below it is the oddly placed on/off switch, and above it, the multi-controller: a small joystick like device used mostly for selecting focal points and cycling through menu options. In the upper right hand corner are the AF-On  button, the AE lock / zoom out button, and the AF point select / zoom in button. Critically, the AE lock button is in perfect position for the thumb to access it while shooting, an expected, but still nice touch.

Rounding off the rear camera functions, on the far right side, butted up next to the LCD, are the menu button, picture style button, info button, playback button, and delete button, with the Live View button above the LCD (and yes it shares duty as the print share button).

Given the 5D Mark II’s amount of physical real estate, the button placement doesn’t feel crammed, and most important functions are intuitively placed, with the really important attributes easily accessible without ever having to put the camera down. In short, Canon has done an excellent job at making a camera as complicated as the 5D Mark II, be as easy to use as possible, and with just a small learning curve it quickly becomes instinctive to use.

Viewfinder

The Canon 5D Mark II offers 98% coverage with a magnification of .71x. It’s bright and clear, with the 9 AF points and spot metering circle occupying the center. The readout information is crisp and easily legible, essentially all camera settings can be quickly analyzed via the viewfinder. The only flaw I can find is that eyecup is nearly parallel with the back of the camera and LCD, which leads to one’s nose pressing against the LCD, and of course the resultant smears on said LCD.

LCD

The 5D2 has a 3 inch, 920K resolution LCD with what Canon claims is a 170 degree viewing angle. It’s a remarkable display, big and bright, and once you work once with one of these high resolution LCD’s (now found on more and more DSLRs) you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. Image playback is more than satisfying and used in conjunction with live view, the LCD easily allows you to achieve critical focus on the most detailed of details. As specified, the LCD has very useful viewing angles, you can hold the 5D2 fully overhead and still view what’s on the screen, and in addition to automatic brightness adjustments, there are further manual adjustments if desired. All in all, one of my favorite features on the 5D2, though despite protective coatings it is still annoyingly prone to smudging and smearing from oils from the face or hands. Once turned on though, the clarity of the LCD is enough to shine through any blemishes on the surface, and at least it’s easy enough to wipe off.

Focusing

An oft discussed issue with regards to the 5D2 has been AF performance. This stems from the fact that Canon has carried over the original 5D’s AF to the 5D2, a distinct lack of advancement for some consumers. The AF has 9 user addressable points, and 6 un-addressable ones. Further, and rather unfortunately, these 9 points are closely cluster together in the middle of the picture with large portions of the image around the perimeter nowhere near a focal point. Combined, the clustered 9 point array likely will not meet the needs of a sports photographer, or anyone often photographing highly dynamic subjects, but to be fair the 5D2 isn’t aimed at that market (with a flagship model above fully capable of filling those needs) and for what it is, the 5D2’s AF system is very fast to focus (near instantaneous) and well suited for studio or landscape work. In addition, the AF is more than capable enough to handle light to even full on action shots with a relatively high keeper rate using the 5D2’s AI Servo mode. In normal use, it’s a simple affair to select an AF point on the fly while still looking through the viewfinder, but again due to lack of coverage, you’ll be tempted to just use the center cross-type focal point to focus and then recompose the photograph. I found the AF to struggle in lower light situations, but we’re talking very low light where typically without a flash you would have never even tried to take a photo, but given the 5D2’s ISO capability you now can. It may seem like nitpicking, but if I’m ever frustrated by the AF of the 5D2 it isn’t with lack of points or ability to capture action, but almost always is with its inability to focus at all in (very) low light. That said, it’s a very competent system, but noticeably less advanced than what Nikon offers with its D700.

On the plus side, Canon has added the ability to make micro-adjustments to lenses and save those setting in camera. This feature is accessed via the in-camera menu, and allows the user to dial in focus on lenses that may be a bit out of focus. I was able to improve the perfomance of my 50mm f/1.4 by making such an adjustment, so for most users this will be an added feature put to good use.

Live View

Live View is implemented by pressing the Live View button placed above the LCD display. Essentially there are two versions of Live View, one for stills and one for movie and stills. We’ll touch on the movie mode later in the review, but in still mode there are two additional options:

• still display, which shows a clear representation of the image
• exposure simulation, which you might have guessed shows a somewhat accurate view of the image with the current camera settings.

For focusing in Live View, the preferred option will likely be Quick Mode, which uses phase detect – with the mirror flipping up to lock in focus using one of the 9 AF points after pressing the AF/On button. Optionally, there is Live Mode which uses contrast detect to achieve focus. You can move a selection box around the image before pressing the AF/On button to acquire focus. Once pressed, you can expect to wait usually 3 to 4 seconds to achieve focus, versus Quick Mode, which typically takes a second or 2. In actual use, both are substantially slower to focus than using the viewfinder, and really should best be used on a tripod. In either mode, manual focus can be used as a substitute, and coordinated with the ability to magnify to substantial degree, one can easily acquire critical focus anywhere in the image. I found this method the most satisfactory, as even using Quick or Live Mode, I tended to want to check exactly what was in focus.

There is a third method of focusing in Live View and that is using Live Face Mode. Like most face detection systems, the 5D2 will find the face and place a bounding box around the face. Multiple faces can be tracked, with the ability to cycle through the “important” face if desired using the quick control dial. Again, it’s a relatively slow process, best used on a tripod, and so while functional, a bit unlikely to be frequently used.

While using live view, Canon does provide optional grid overlays with 2 choices of grid density for aiding in image composition and as a replacement for image leveling. Also, camera settings can easily be viewed and changed on the LCD if desired, and there’s even a very useful histogram overlay available, though it will consume the upper right third of your screen area if accessed.

While you may not use the various focusing modes found in Live View, whether in the field or in the studio, I did find myself frequently using Live View, almost always with the tripod. The guarantee of having the exact focus desired, easily achieved manually while in Live View,  was usually too good to pass up.

Interface

The 5D Mark II uses a simple tabbed interface for its menu system, with the the various options and settings arranged mostly in a rather logical way. Options are changed using a combination of the quick control dial and the main dial and you can “flip” through the various pages using the joystick like multi-controller. There’s a special section of custom functions that will likely require some camera manual reading to make complete sense of, and finally there’s a section reserved for setting up the previously mentioned custom camera settings that can then be utilized by selecting them via the mode dial. Nothing earth shattering about the interface, but it is simple, well implemented, and easy to use.

Performance

Switching on the 5D2 is near instantaneous. Turn the power switch to the on position and you’re greeted with a “Sensor Cleaning” message (which the 5D2 does at start and powering down), but it can be bybassed for immediate shooting.

Speaking of sensor cleaning, Canon is using a “Self Cleaning Sensor Unit” in the 5D2. This works by using ultrasonic vibrations to shake the low-pass filter in front of the sensor, physically removing dust. To help facilitate the dust removal, the front surface of the low-pass filter has a special coating to help prevent dust from adhering to it. It seems to work effectively and unobtrusively.

The 5D2 has a frame rate of 3.9 FPS. Compared to the Nikon D700 and the Sony A900, the 5D2 comes off seeming like a slow camera, but in actual use the 3.9 FPS is snappy enough for most purposes, especially given its likely and recommended use as a studio or landscape camera. Adding to the perception of speed is the ability to shoot 13 consecutive RAW files (and unlimited JPEGS) thanks to the 5D2’s improved buffer. Using A UDMA card may improve results slightly, I was able to snap 14 in a row using a Transcend 16GB 300X CompactFlash card. Given the 21 megapixel, 14 bit files, that’s not too bad. Combining frame rate, continuous shooting, and the responsive AF, I’m not often thinking of  the 5D Mark II as a “slow” camera.

Battery life is very good, with Canon claiming 850 shots at normal temperatures. Obviously using Live View lowers this substantially at 200 shots, and if you want to shoot movies only, the battery life is good for 2 hours. In actual use, I’ve been very impressed with battery life. On multiple occasions I’ve left the camera on for days at a time, only to pick up the camera with bars still left on the battery indicator, and still be able to photograph during a day trip or while touristing, and never run out of power.

Image Quality

In short, image quality is superb. At 14 bits and 5616 x 3744 pixels in size, the RAW files from the 5D2 are simply chock full of detail. Left on auto white balance, WB is generally quite accurate, though in indoor lighting it heavily leans to the warm side (very heavily). For the most part the 5D2 does a very good job at exposing images, though in extremely contrasty scenes, highlights can still be blown. The 5D2 does have a highlight alert option (the blinkies) to alert you to this fact. Additionally there’s a highlight tone priority option which can add a stop back to highlights, but at the expense of added noise in deep shadows, and the removal of boost options from the ISO settings. Further, the 5D2 has and Auto Lighting Optimizer option in 4 strengths:

• disable
• low
• standard
• strong

which works well to improve dynamic range in photographs. I have it left at the default “standard” for most uses. So yes, the 5D2 is more than capable of taking a great looking photograph with a minimum of fuss from the operator. Using Picture Styles the look of the images can be further tweaked using one of 6 presets (standard, portrait, landscape, neutral, faithful, and monochrome) which can then be further adjusted (sharpness, contrast, saturation, color tone) allowing for the desired look, before ever getting to the digital darkroom. The included software even allows for creating a custom Picture Style and then uploading it to the camera for in-camera use.

Much of the interest in the 5D2 as it relates to image quality, surely has to be ISO performance, and at that, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II truly excels. While it may not win in an ISO shoot-off with the Nikon D700, it at the very least, comes very close, and a “close” at 21 megapixels just goes to show what a remarkable job Canon has done not only with its sensor technology, but also with DIGIC IV, the latest implementation of its image processor. Noise just doesn’t become an issue until after ISO 1600, with 3200 and 6400 still usable for prints up to and sometimes beyond 13 x 19″ (further still depending aesthetics). While the 5D2 does go all the way up to ISO 25,600, this setting is best left unused, having very poor image quality and detail being lost severely.

Opened on a computer, the files are large and amazingly detailed. A well focused shot will delight the photographer for some time, and I can assure you that some measure of that time will be lost to pixel peeping the 5D2 files. At lower ISO settings, noise is generally a non-issue, though it can sneak into poorly exposed images. If working in raw, clipped highlights can be recovered to a considerable degree and up to and including ISO 6400, any noise present can usually be easily removed. One critical caveat to the 5D Mark II has to be mentioned, and that is due to the large file sizes, photo management programs like Aperture or Lightroom will run slower than before, and uploading a 16GB CF card to disk can be a real chore. That said, image quality on screen and printed from the Canon EOS 5D Mark II is just outstanding.

Below I’ve included a series of ISO samples in addition to some sample photographs taken in typical settings. Click to expand the images to a larger size, or follow the link below each sampe to a full size version of each file. I’ll have a sample image gallery up in short order, so please do check back for that.

ISO Samples

Click here for full size ISO 100 image

Click here for full size ISO 200 image

Click here for full size ISO 400 image

Click here for full size ISO 800 image

Click here for full size ISO 1600 image

Click here for full size ISO 3200image

Click here for full size ISO 6400 image

Click here for full size ISO 12,800 image

Click here for full size ISO 25,600 image

Note that at ISO 800 and ISO 1600, very little has changed. It isn’t really till 12,800 that things start to get bad, but even at web resolutions, these images would be fine with minor editing. At 25,600 things really take a turn for the worse with the file giving up detail and saturation quite badly. Amazingly though, even it could be used in smaller sizes as above if really needed. All images are unedited other than slightly cropped at the edges, and the JPEG conversion. Camera was in the neutral setting using the Canon 50mm f/1.4 at f/11.

Movie Mode

Just a quick word or two on the video recording capability of the 5D Mark II. The 5D Mark II is able to record 1080p high definition video accessed via Live View (given the stills+movie functions has been chosen). As has been seen in countless videos now, the quality is very high, and I can personally attest to an excellent viewing experience  on up to a 65″ HDTV. Filming with the 5D2 is loaded with problems however, beginning with the lack of continuous AF. Focus can be achieved before hand with AF, but once filming has commenced, it becomes an entirely manual affair, and it isn’t easy, minus additional equipment. There’s isn’t a full manual mode while shooting video either, so the camera can and will override your settings if it thinks it needs to (though there are some work-arounds to this). Sound is also not great, unless again external equipment is utilized. Finally, editing the video can be a real pain unless you have a high-end system. With that aside, if you can think of movies on the 5D Mark II as moving pictures, keeping them shorter in length, and you’re willing to spend some extra money on a video type tripod (or other device), external microphone, and perhaps even Final Cut Pro, then you’re likely to end up with some very nice video footage. At the minimum though, you’ll need a steady hand, and a bit of patience.

Verdict

The Canon EOS 5D Mark II represents one of the best current values amongst full frame DSLRs today. It offers higher resolution than the Nikon D700, though somewhat lower than the A900. It compares favorably to the Nikon D700 in ISO performance (no small feat) and easily exceeds that of the A900. On the other hand, the Nikon D700 has a more advanced AF system and a faster frame rate and the Sony A900 offers a very useful and potentially cost saving camera based image stabilization system. If however, your photographic needs are largely studio or landscape driven or don’t involve shooting very dynamic scenes on a regular basis (for which there are better cameras than either), the Canon EOS 5D Mark II is an easy choice. It’s 21.1 megapixel sensor is capable of taking breathtaking imagery, it’s AF system is very fast and entirely competent (if a bit dated), and it’s ISO performance opens up possibilities likely not seen by most photographers, especially those moving up from prosumer level cameras. All of this in a pro-like camera body with light to moderate dust and moisture resistance. Finding real flaws with the 5D Mark II (unrelated to video) for the most part involves nit picking, the memory card cover is surprisingly cheap in feel, there’s no built in flash (advantage Nikon D700),  and low light AF can get frustrating, but only because the ISO performance leads you into environments where the light is low (again, opening up possibilities). Still, the great aspects and versatility of the 5D2 far outweigh the few negatives. Quite simply it’s an amazing camera, and the Canon EOS 5D Mark II easily earns a: “Highly Recommended”

Purchase the Canon EOS 5D Mark II at Amazon, B&H Photo, or Adorama.

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Image Samples

A variety of photographs, taken in some typically encountered scenarios. Click image for a larger preview, or click the full size link to see an original sized image. All photos are unedited from the original RAW files, excepting for some minor cropping on some, and of course the JPEG conversion.

ISO200 50mm f/11 0.8 sec original size	ISO200 50mm f/10 1/2sec original size	ISO125 50mm f/1.8 1/60sec original size
ISO125 50mm f/1.8 1/200sec original size	ISO125 50mm f/2 1/200sec original size	ISO125 50mm f/2 1/100sec original size
ISO100 50mm f/8 1/100sec original size	ISO1600 40mm f/4 1/80sec original size	ISO200 17mm f/11 1/400sec original size
ISO200 50mm f/2 1/8000sec original size	ISO200 50mm f/5.6 1/1000sec original size	ISO400 50mm f/1.8 1/4000sec original size
ISO200 50mm f/3.5 1/6400sec original size	ISO200 50mm f/11 1/250sec original size	ISO200 50mm f/10 1/640sec original size
ISO200 50mm f/10 1/800sec original size	ISO250 50mm f/9 1/800sec original size	ISO200 50mm f/1.8 1/2000sec original size
ISO400 50mm f/2.5 1/2500sec original size	ISO200 50mm f/1.8 1/25sec original size	ISO400 50mm f/2.8 1/800sec original size
ISO2000 50mm f/1.4 1/500sec original size	ISO1600 50mm f/2.0 1/6sec original size	ISO200 50mm f/2.8 1/20sec original size

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1. 

   Nico van der Merwe says:

   June 2, 2009 at 6:19 am

   Thanks the iso image samples really helps for comparison purposes!

   reply