Canon EOS 5D Mark II

First off, I love my Canon 5D Mark II. I have had a Rebel XSi and I still have a Canon 50D and my 5D just blows them both out of the water.

Here are my favorite features of the camera:
Full frame sensor – My Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 lens totally rocks, now. I can get those full shots of people dancing at weddings. My Canon 15mm fisheye gets about 180 degrees with the 5D whereas the 50D didn't get more than about 130. Every lens in my bag is more valuable today that they were with the 50D.

High ISO clarity – the 21 megapixels really makes it easy to get clarity when shooting at 1600 or 3200. I’ve never had a satisfying shot at 6400, so I can’t speak highly of that mode.

Automatic ISO option – Sometimes you just want the camera to pick the ISO setting, or you want to hand the camera to a stranger and not have to set it up. This wasn’t available in the 50D (1). My wife likes the Creative Auto (CA) mode because she can make minor tweaks to get her shots just right.

Video – The video rocks! I hadn’t expected to shoot any video, but when do you have the opportunity to shoot video with a fisheye lens? I do wish it allowed me to choose frame rates like the 7D and I just wish one of these DSLR makers would put a simple autofocus sensor in a place that allows it to AF as well as a cheap camera. Oh well, I guess if I want to pick my aperture, that’s what I get.

Construction – it’s noticeably different from my XSi, but not far off from my 50D. Both are constructed sturdily enough that I’m not afraid to let my 2 yr old play with it. One thing I noticed right away is that the shutter button is not the same as my 50D, it’s actually a bit softer. You can depress it a little easier without camera shake, which has given me some opportunities to shoot at lower shutter speeds and still get quality shots w/o a tripod.

I bought mine with the 24-105mm f/4 kit lens. I sold the lens after a week and actually made money on the deal. I prefer my Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 to the 24-105mm, but would love to switch to the Canon 24-70mm. I’m holding out until I’ve got my Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 IS which will really demonstrate the clarity and poise of this camera.

I purchased the Canon 5D Mark II the very first day that I could find it sold anywhere. I happened to do an inventory check of the regional Best Buy stores and, much to my surprise, one store had three units in stock. An hour later, I was the proud owner of a pretty supreme camera body.

In the time that I've owned the 5D Mark II (a little over a year now), I have shot well over 12,000 exposures and have been nothing short of thrilled with its build quality. The camera just feels good in your hands. The viewfinder is nice and bright and the controls are thoughtfully laid out and should be a breeze to get used to by both new and existing Canon shooters.

The camera truly shines with its image quality. 21.1 megapixel, 14-bit RAW images are a wonder, especially for someone who primarily shoots HDR photography (such as myself). I am able to bump the ISO to 3200 with little-to-no loss in IQ. This makes shooting in low-light a pleasure, especially when coupled with a fast lens. Previewing images on the hi-res 3" LCD screen is fantastic and responsive.

My only gripe is a software limitation that really affects HDR photographers and that is Canon's decision to limit bracket series to three exposures. I do wish they allowed for at least 7 - 9 exposure bracket series, as Nikon does. It's a small knock, and probably won't phase the majority of photographers who will use this camera body.

You cannot go wrong using the Canon 5D Mark II.