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Canon EOS 5D Mark II
The 21.1 megapixel EOS 5D Mark II is Canon’s first DSLR camera to offer High Definition video capability. The new Canon 5D Mark II has a newly designed Canon CMOS sensor with ISO sensitivity up to 25600, new DIGIC 4 processor, 3.0” Clear View LCD with VGA resolution, and 3.9 frames per second continuous shooting. With a body-only price tag of $2,699 / €2,499 / £2,299, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II is available from the end of November. It will also be available in kit form with the EF 24-105mm f4.0L IS USM lens for £3049.99 / €3999.99.
Update: We now have some exclusive shots of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II from the UK press launch, including a side-by-comparison with the original 5D model that it replaces.
Canon Europe Press Release
Canon redefines the future of photography: 21.1 MP EOS 5D Mark II offers Full HD video capture
Amstelveen, The Netherlands, 17 September 2008: Canon announces the full frame, 21.1 Megapixel EOS 5D Mark II: the first EOS with full High Definition video capability.
Compact, lightweight and with environmental protection, EOS 5D successor boasts a newly designed Canon CMOS sensor, with ISO sensitivity up to 25,600 for shooting in near dark conditions. The new DIGIC 4 processor combines with the improved CMOS sensor to deliver medium format territory image quality at 3.9 frames per second, for up to 310 frames.
Triggered from Live View Mode, HD video capture allows users to shoot uninterrupted at full 1080 resolution at 30fps – for amazing quality footage with outstanding levels of detail and realism.
The integration of HD movie capability into a high-end 21.1 Megapixel camera opens a multitude of new possibilities for photojournalists and news photographers. With its full frame CMOS sensor and outstanding ISO performance, the EOS 5D Mark II will appeal to any photographer in search of the finest camera equipment available – from studio and wedding to nature and travel photographers.
Other improvements to the EOS 5D include:
* Addition of Canon’s EOS Integrated Cleaning System, with a new Fluorine coating on the low-pass filter
* Larger 3.0” Clear View LCD with VGA resolution, a 170° angle of view and anti-reflective coatings
* Improved menu system including Quick Control Screen for more direct access to common settings
* Automatic peripheral illumination correction, utilising detailed EF lens information to optimise JPEG images straight out of the camera
* Magnesium alloy construction with additional environmental protection
* UDMA memory card compatibility.
“Professional photojournalists and wedding photographers already choose the EOS 5D for its discrete size and outstanding image quality,” said Mogens Jensen, head of Canon Consumer Imaging. “The addition of HD movie recording opens a new chapter for EOS. It creates new possibilities for EOS photographers to capture and share their stories and to stay relevant in a rapidly changing digital landscape.”
Key Specifications
* New 21.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor with improved EOS Integrated Cleaning System (E.I.C.S.)
* New Full HD 1080 resolution movie recording
* 3.9 frames per second continuous shooting
* High performance DIGIC 4 providing superb image quality
* Maximum 310 large JPEG images in a single burst with a UDMA card
* 3.0” VGA (920k dots) Clear View LCD
* ISO 100-6400 (expansion from 50 up to 25,600)
* 9 AF points + 6 Assist AF points
New CMOS sensor
The EOS 5D Mark II’s newly designed full frame 21.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor features ISO sensitivity from 100-6400, expandable to 50, 12,800 and 25,600. Large 6.4μm2 pixels have been redesigned to capture more light and yield a better signal to noise ratio to ensure lower noise images throughout the ISO range. The full frame sensor has the same dimensions as a frame of 35mm film. This means that wide-angle lenses stay wide, without the change in angle of view associated with smaller sensor cameras. As well as benefiting from finer control over depth of field, photographers moving up to the EOS 5D Mark II’s full frame format will find the newly designed wide, bright 98% coverage viewfinder on a joy to work with.
New DIGIC 4 processor
A new DIGIC 4 processor combined with 14-bit analogue to digital conversion provides smooth gradations in mono-tonal areas such as skies, and highly accurate colour rendition. As well as HD movie shooting, DIGIC 4’s high speed provides for long uninterrupted continuous bursts of large JPEGs, near-instant start-up times and immediate and fast review after shooting. DIGIC 4 also provides for improved noise reduction algorithms, complementing the already low noise images from the EOS 5D Mark II’s CMOS sensor.
HD video capture
The EOS 5D Mark II is Canon’s first D-SLR to incorporate full HD 1920x1080 video capture. Once filming is started from Live View mode, photographers can fire off either single of continuous stills, with video capture continuing after the final frame is captured.
See everything
A new 3.0” VGA resolution LCD provides a wide 170º angle-of-view, providing plenty of clarity for accurate focus checks in playback. The screen brightness can automatically adjust to suit viewing conditions, extending battery life in low light and improving viewing in bright conditions. A new dedicated Live View button switches modes to display a real-time image on the LCD. This allows EOS 5D Mark II photographers to enjoy simplified shooting from awkward angles. Simple connection to a PC provides easy remote shooting.
Precision focus and metering
A 9-point auto focus system is supported by 6 additional invisible Assist AF points, located inside the spot-metering circle to optimise subject tracking performance in AI SERVO AF mode. For accurate exposure readings in tricky lighting conditions, the spot metering circle covers just 3.5% of the frame.
Control
The EOS 5D Mark II’s redesigned menu system includes a new Quick Control screen, for instant access to the most commonly changed settings. A new Creative Auto mode allows photographers to cede control of key settings to the camera, while retaining control over creative variables such background blur, drive mode and image brightness. Custom user settings allow photographers to switch between two completely different camera setups. This is ideal for changing quickly between two different environments, such as switching from working inside a church without flash to outdoors with fill-flash at a wedding.
Accessories
Shooting flexibility is enhanced with a range of new accessories. Shooting capacity can be extended with either the high capacity 1800mAh lithium-ion Battery Pack LP-E6, or Battery Grip BG-E6. A new optional Wireless File Transmitter – the WFT-E4 – offers external HDD and GPS compatibility along with ability to transmit images direct to computer or FTP server, or operate the camera wirelessly. Both the BG-E6 and WFT-E4 feature a vertical orientation shutter release and other key controls for comfortable portraiture work, with a substantial grip to help balance the camera when used with long lenses.
Click on the following images to open a larger version in a new window.
Ricoh CX2 Review
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX1 Review
Pentax K-x Review
Canon PowerShot G11 Review
Canon PowerShot SX120 IS Review
Canon EOS 7D
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZX1
Fujifilm FinePix S200EXR
#1 Mustafa Ajlan Abudak-Turkey
......THE ANSWER ....
6:02 pm - Wednesday, September 17, 2008
#2 da answer
The "answer" to what everyone already knew. This is no news. Just a 5D replacement with a bigger pixel count and updated sensor.
Everyone expected IQ news, but I had hopes that, after so much fuzz, there'd be more to it than a new sensor. But other than the video feature, I'd say the camera functionality remains the same.
They could have added an in-body gps receiver.
They could have added the many times helpful flash (yes, sometimes it's useful if your main flash runs out of battery, or you just couldn't carry it).
They could have added an auto brightness control for saving batteries.
They could have improved the way AF/AE lock works on matrix metering mode.
They could have done so many new things to compete with other manufacturers. But sounds like they'll never invent anything new. They only compete where Nikon seems to be winning.
Anyway, now lets wait for real world unbiased samples, and see if the IQ is worth enought o pay the price difference from a 5D to a 5D MkII
7:17 pm - Wednesday, September 17, 2008
#3 Scott M
Hey Canon....2001 called and they want their 3.9 FPS and 9 point AF back. Seriously? HD video? How gimmicky. If I want HD video I'll buy an HD video camera.
C'mon Canon...I am a big customer and I expected much bigger things from you.
9:20 pm - Wednesday, September 17, 2008
#4 Canon hurts..
As a pentax owner(Because haven't got lots of money to spend on Canon quality.) I really like specs and the body design of 5D Mark II. 5D is almost 3 years old and still perfect and very competative with latest Nikons and Sony bodies.Especially at low iso(up to 400) still 5D iso and rendering will be my choice for photography (I will buy one 5D after Photokina hopefully) cause money talks.With that price drops, you can not get a better machine if you take photography seriously.Video or other modes don't mean a thing to me either.
'But sounds like they'll never invent anything new. They only compete where Nikon seems to be winning.'
Very funny statements with lots of could have been... the list for Nikon or other brands in last 5 years is much longer. And it is very interesting to see that Nikonians say Canon will never invent anything .
Look at the FF compact body has medium format pixels.This is not prosumer one.İf this body reach the quality output of D3 then Nikonians will all talk about the lost battle.Cause that is the body has medium format ability and compact DSLR design.Something really new for photography (or at least for me)
Logically always the leader is copied by others.(For instance CMOS sensors etc copied by other manufactures in previous years) and that is why they are always the second.. the third and so on...
After the samples , expect to see the ''da''or other nikonians with their FF 12.1 million effective pixels.It is very illogical to think any company can catch up with Canon without producing its own sensor. Sony did it right cause has the ability but for others it is very hard to realize the aim; Being the number 1..
10:34 pm - Wednesday, September 17, 2008
#5 David
"They could have added an auto brightness control for saving batteries."
They did. The imaging-resource.com preview claims so.
10:42 pm - Wednesday, September 17, 2008
#6 Mike AM
I expected canon to do.....
Give me a break, Canon did exactly what they had to - claim the lead from Nikon.
What would the point be of going crazy on the 5D? Thats what the xxD range is for.
This MK2 has improvements everywhere that really matter.
Being able to get from iso50-25K is spectacular in a 21meg camera.
Just accept it for what it is - the MARK TWO version of the 5D, not the 6D.
2:21 am - Thursday, September 18, 2008
#7 Daniel
Agreed, they changed the parts that mattered. Digic 4 processor, Higher resolution, more sensitivity, faster burst rate, etc. The parts to make a better picture, and thats why you buy such a nice camera for.
5:08 am - Thursday, September 18, 2008
#8 da answer
Hi Mike, you are right. It's just that after so much advertising, everyone expected something more than an upgrade on this one (a 6D). Thus my comment.
And the last part wasn't targetted at the 5D. I said they never invent stuff themselves on any camera. They only do that after somebody else has put the toes in the new waters.
@David, ah, I must have missed this, thanks! They must be using the camera's front light meter to control the brightness?
6:04 am - Thursday, September 18, 2008
#9 Markus Jais
Well, it's not the revolution some expexcted but I think it's a worthy upgrade to the old 5D.
The huge increase in megapixels, movies (for those who care about this), better wheater sealing and sensor cleaning make this a good camera at an very attractive price.
I think the 5D will make a great landscape camera. For sport and widlife, the 50D is probably better (or the Nikon D700 because of it's better AF and 8 fps).
7:57 am - Thursday, September 18, 2008
#10 Mustafa Ajlan Abudak-Turkey
Dear Da Answer
that is the evolution a passing between formats. MKII has solid DNA that covers both specifications with improvements.And the price is something like a gift.And the EF lens range means versatility to medium world.(and even video) Hey guys what you ask for evolution. A body takes picture by itself? This is what you get from the word evolution?
Yeah I see what I really expected to see; evoulution part is for me what commenter canon hurts said about;
''the body has medium format ability and compact DSLR design.Something really new for photography''
Yes this is kind a evolution anew step forward, and a new brilliant mutant came
You said;
''I said they never invent stuff themselves on any camera.''
This is your point of view.For me something makes me smile and think how far the problem in the degistive systems of fanatics of others...
Yeah let us see the new things in MKII;
In addition to highlight tone priority, new features of interest include peripheral illumination correction (once can be done via DP) and auto lighting optimizer. The former helps even out brightness and decrease light fall-off at edges. The latter optimizes the dynamic range—keeping highlights from blowing out while maintaining shadow detail in many exposures.
and three levels of high ISO noise reduction have also been added. Other improvements over its predecessor include the incorporation of a sensor-cleaning system and a step up to a 3-inch 920,000 dot/VGA resolution LCD (Absolutely better than Nikon) with adjustable brightness levels. (as PP states)
For me as Danie and Mike rightfully states Canon intelligently changed where it had to be changed to surpass Nikon,Sony and others.They tried to make a solid great machine into nearly perfect one with all around medium ability and DSLR versatility. This gives us freedoom of choice,freedom of mobility, freedom of creativity.If You ask more you should wait some and ready to pay at least twice the price for next flagship.(probably comes in 2009 end)or stay with your baby FF drink your aqua water..
11:09 am - Thursday, September 18, 2008
#11 pedro
21.1 megapixels. That is great.
11:16 am - Thursday, September 18, 2008
#12 AA
FRANKEN-CAMERA is here!!!!! Finally!!!!!
Stills & HD Video - hahahahaha what more can you ask for in a Franken-camera?
Just stick a decent sound recording system and voila! We won't need anything else.
12:12 am - Sunday, September 21, 2008
#13 Mustafa Ajlan Abudak
Where are the exited nikonians ?
http://blog.vincentlaforet.com/2008/09/20/something-very-interesting-is-comingboth-to-this-blog-and-to-our-industry/
Read it (the evolution) carefully..
11:31 pm - Sunday, September 21, 2008
#14 Deb0
Can't beleive the nagging of some. As an avid event, candid and wedding photographer, the higher ISO performance alone is worth the upgrade. I frequently have to shoot in situations where light is poor and flash is not allowed.
If this camera can deliver clean ISO 1600 performance, it's worth a few hundred extra to upgrade.
Yes, HD Video is a gimmick, which I would never used. But DIGIC IV, High ISO and greater MP is a nice upgrade.
12:57 am - Tuesday, September 30, 2008
#15 Josh Mehler
Yeah, you could buy a video camera instead of this. But, I have a NICE video camera (HVX200), and it sucks to carry around, attracts the police whenever I shoot on the street, doesn't take my SLR lenses (or any lenses for that matter), does awful in low-light. I feel sorry for all the still camera people who are going to have to fight with us videographers who want this camera when it comes out.. We are used to paying WAY more for less optical quality. Can't wait to get my hands on this, even with the limitations. I'm used to limitations in video gear.
2:11 pm - Tuesday, September 30, 2008
#16 Paul
Whoa!!! Calm down you folks! Nikons are good for news and sports photography (the dSLRs) and Canons are good for landscapes and portraits. I have a sweet little Canon ZR-950 camcorder and for a $279 machine the image quality is incredible. For me a Nikon D700 is in the works because that's what I like. I like the color rendition of the Canons a little better than that on the Nikons, but I like the way the Nikons feel in my hands a lot better. Once you get up into the upper echelons of the "Canon vs. Nikon" battle its more a matter of what do YOU like. Most serious pro photographers have more than one kind of camera - "the right tool for the right job". Now relax and go enjoy taking some pictures!
2:10 pm - Tuesday, October 7, 2008
#17 Jim Chamberlain
I want to defend the HD video "gimmick".
I was recently in a hot air balloon with both my 5D and an oversized HD video camera (Panasonic HVX200 "P2")in a cramped gondola. I would have loved to have one camera doing double duty. Can't wait for my 5D MkII delivery!
http://wwwphoto.org/2008/2008MontagueBalloons/
4:57 am - Tuesday, October 28, 2008
#18 Greg
I totally agree that the increase in clarity at high ISO is worth the $ alone. I shoot macro in low light levels so the upgrade will be very welcome. Not that the 5D does a bad job. The only problem will be that I'll have to do all those trips again to re-shoot the images I have. Life is tough in the jungle.
11:17 am - Tuesday, November 11, 2008
#19 Peter Salvia
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Chevy Chase, MD
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Default Free 5dmarkii Video Tutorial
Hi All:
This camera is a game changer. Period. Suddenly, all the world class still photographers in the world will have a tool at their disposal they are already skilled at using and can capture 1080p. I’m hoping this will create an influx of high quality footage that can do away with the dirth of poorly composed video making up the majority of what we see on television (with the exception of the Planet Earth’s and Wild China’s out there).
I’m a video guy walking into a room of still photographers so there’s a whole lot I know I have to learn about lenses, f-stops, etc. Video Editor / Producer and Apple Certified Trainer by trade, I do know a bit about the video production side of things so I've posted some free video tutorials to my site and hope you will check them out:
http://tinyurl.com/6qp3ju
Final Cut Prose episode 4 presents an all-in-one video tutorial showing you how to cut, color, and compress video shot with the upcoming Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR using three Final Cut Studio 2 applications: Final Cut Pro, Color, and Compressor.
If there are further topics anyone would like covered let me know and I'll do my best to crank out a quick video tutorial. I'm really looking forward to working with the great footage this camera will inevitably produce and looking forward to being an active member in this new forum.
proactively • peter
3:11 am - Saturday, November 22, 2008
#20 Marco
Wow. Sounds like a lot of Nikon people trying to defend their choice.
I have both Nikon and Canon. I'm in the process of selling my Nikon gear. I am also upgrading my 5D to a MkII. That's why I'm finally selling off the rest of my Nikon. Need the $$
As for the "Gimic" of the HD. Have you ever looked at the HD output of the average consumer or prosumer HD video camera? No bokhen. If you want to have a person in focus, and the background out of focus, you need to use special equipment. Can you say expen$ive? (rent for $600 per weekend)
The Canon Full size sensor and my F1.4 or 2.8 lens will give me a video look that no Sub $8,000 video camera could.
I think that is exciting, and I'm a still photographer!
2:27 am - Saturday, December 6, 2008
#21 Rick
These are damn fine exciting times! I've just sold my D300 and am now offloading all of my lenses too. I always preferred the image quality of the 5D and this was a no-brainer (well, not really...I'm still quaking in my boots cause I loved the D300). I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on this camera.
Any advice on where to purchase this? Seems everyone is out of stock and even Calumet are telling me they can't guarantee on before Santa comes... Ho-hum....
10:21 pm - Saturday, December 6, 2008