The Canon 5D, the popular full-frame D-SLR used by professionals and enthusiasts alike, now has a successor…and it’s the most feature-rich “compact” D-SLR yet, but with a significant price tag.
Canon has announced the EOS 5D Mark II, a 21.1-megapixel full-frame digital SLR with “live view” and HD video recording capabilities, set to hit the market with a MSRP of $2699, body-only ($3499 when coupled with a Canon EF 24-204 mm zoom lens).
That’s far more expensive than Nikon’s new video-shooting D-SLR, the D90, a 12-megapixel camera retailing for $999 (body-only), but the Canon 5D Mark II is by no means an entry-level D-SLR like the Nikon D90. The new 5D has a full frame 24 x 36 mm sensor and an light sensitivity range of up to ISO 25,600, both features which allow photographers to capture extremely high-quality “raw” images which are best-suited for intricate manipulation in Photoshop.
As a result of that high-octane sensor and a new DIGIC 4 image processor, Canon is calling the 5D Mark II “groundbreaking,” saying it “achieves the highest level of image quality of any EOS Digital SLR released to date.” But the most unusual aspect of this new D-SLR is its capacity to shoot video as well as pro-grade stills. THe 5D Mark II will shoot 16:9 full HD video at 1920 x 1080 pixels. With a 4-gig memory card (the new 5D will use compact flash cards), that translates to about 12 minutes of HD video at full resolution (or 24 minutes when shooting standard definition).
The Canon EOS 5D Mark II is expected to ship in late November.
