It was a fleeting encounter with a preproduction unit on the Rhine. Too short to draw broad conclusions yet, but enough to capture some of the impressions that transmits this SLR range of professional hands.

His uneven reception among the first professionals who have already reviewed their new specifications and the emergence of new models in this segment of moderately priced and comprehensive format (the Nikon D700 and Sony A900, specifically) make up a far more complicated than that in once hosted the EOS 5D.

canon 5d mark ii

Menus updated

The veteran users of the EOS 5D will not feel strange at the hands grasping the refurbished model. The basic lines and Canon continues to remain faithful to his idea of reserving the integrated vertical grip for the EOS-1 range.

It will be a matter of taste, but maintain some balance in size and weight that is a very wise idea for this range.

The construction of the new Mark II does not consent, prima facie, no objection. Even more so if, as in this case, one has the possibility to see the magnesium alloy chassis that has helped to conceive this body.

canon 5d mark ii

Indeed, official data claim that has been improved stamping and sealing of the camera to make it more resistant to inclement weather, to dust and water than its predecessor. Obviously, only time can corroborate this promise.

New times and functions of the latest generation have disrupted the main menu on the camera, but not the majority of commanders-in that provides a generous supply and its distribution throughout the body.

canon 5d mark ii

All this despite the overwhelming display has grown to 3 inches, in relation to the 2.5 that incorporates its predecessor.

In addition to the few external differences regarding the previous model, it also draws attention to the apparent similarity between the EOS 50D, even more so if you are armed to the hilt, and this optional EOS 5D Mark II. Only slightly more voluminous body of the second or marking Pentaprism clarify the doubts upon approaching a couple of reflex.

canon 5d mark ii

98% of vision

Taking into account what the EOS 5D Mark II houses inside it, saying that the developments would bring are few really unfair. Still, there are some points where three years of evolution have not draft at all.

canon 5d mark ii

One of the clearest is, for example, the viewer. Excellent in coverage and bright, her leap of 96% to 98% may know little if we present the data to look other models. And it is that both the Nikon D3 as the Sony A900 boast a 100% vision through the eyepiece.

canon 5d mark ii

Unjust or not evident in the literal sense of that word in this new Mark II is a step behind the extraordinary sights of their competitors.

Something similar happens with the shooting speed of 3.9 frames per second. The sound of the blast is impeccable and his timing-is-probably more than enough for most users there are done with this model.

It is true that the EOS 5D and shoot 3 frames per second, but the fact remains that the resolution has now risen from 13 to 21 million pixels. However, the problem comes from the always uncomfortable comparisons, and that is that the young A900 is capable of moving its 24-megapixel to 5 frames per second.

canon 5d mark ii

Video

Comparisons aside, there are three pillars of the EOS 5D Mark II: its high resolution 21 million pixels, the new processor DIGIC IV, who dares with a maximum sensitivity of ISO 6400 and forced with values of up to ISO 25,600, and the media more of them all: the ability to record movies.

The first two, we fear that much is still difficult to speak, as the model tested is not final and photographs obtained can neither run nor taken as a reference for the performance of the camera.

Yes we can, instead, discover how the video recording on the Mark II. The system is almost identical to that proposed by the Nikon D90 and very simple in its operation.

Just turn on Live View-like in the EOS 50D, we now have own command-and click the Set button in the center of the rear wheel. A red signal on the screen then tells us the start of the recording.

Two aspects marked distances in connection with the D90: the size of the video (of 1920 x 1080 points, ie Full HD) and the operation of the automatic focus by contrast during the recording of the sequences.

Attention, yes, because the final size of the file can give you more of a scare. A 4-GB card, for example, will serve for about 12 minutes of video quality and maximum resolution, we warn those responsible for the brand.

New landscape

With the newly opened doors of Photokina, it will be interesting to see how it runs the bath masses first of the new EOS 5D Mark II.

Arguments is clear that not lacking, and their hands and asking for their myriad options, the truth is that the camera promises. But long waiting times to produce expectations that are not always enforced, or at least not all of them.

Recent changes in the market, the emergence of new competitors, with the resurgence of Nikon and Sony’s claims, and the resolute commitment of Canon by combining sensitivity and resolution drawn a picture really interesting and a new challenge for this reflex.

Compact, lightweight environmental protection, successor EOS 5D has a newly designed Canon CMOS sensor with a sensitivity up to ISO 25600 for shooting in near dark conditions. The new DIGIC 4-processor combines with the improved CMOS sensor to deliver territory medium format image quality in 3.9 frames per second, up to 310 frames.

Generated from Live View Mode, HD video capture enables users to shoot continuously at full resolution at 30 fps 1080 – for stunning quality images with an excellent level of detail and realism.

The integration of the HD movie is a high-end 21.1-megapixel camera opens up a wide range of new possibilities for photo journalists and news photographers. With its full frame CMOS sensor and an excellent ISO performance, the EOS 5D Mark II will rely on a photographer looking for the best camera equipment is available – from the studio and marriage with nature and travel photographers.
Other improvements include the EOS 5D

* Addition of Canon’s EOS Integrated Cleaning System, with a new Fluor coating on the low-pass filter
* Large 3.0 “Clear View LCD with VGA resolution, a 170 ° angle of the eye and anti-reflective coating
* Improved menu system, including Quick Control Screen for more direct access to the common institutions
* Automatic lighting peripheral correction, using EF lens detailed information to optimize JPEG images directly from the camera
* Magnesium alloy construction with extra protection of the environment
* UDMA memory card compatibility.

“Professional photographers and photo journalists weddings already opt for the EOS 5D for its discrete size and excellent image quality,” said Mogens Jensen, head of Canon Consumer Imaging. “The addition of an HD-recording of the film opens a new chapter for EOS. It creates new opportunities for the EOS photographers to capture and share their stories and to remain relevant in a rapidly changing digital landscape.”

Main specifications:

* New 21.1 megapixel CMOS sensor with an improved EOS Integrated Cleaning System (EIC)
* New 1080 Full HD resolution recording of the film
* 3.9 frames per second continuous shooting
* High performance DIGIC 4 offer superb image quality
* Up to 310 large JPEG images in a burst with a UDMA card
* 3.0 “VGA (920k dots) Clear View LCD
* ISO 100-6400 (extension of 50-25600)
* 9-point AF AF Assist + 6 points

Additional information

New CMOS sensor
The EOS 5D Mark II’s newly designed full-frame 21.1 megapixel CMOS sensor features sensitivity of ISO 100-6400, expandable to 50, 12800 and 25600. Large 6.4?m2 pixels are redesigned to more light and provide a better signal to noise ratio for 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 viewing angle associated with smaller sensor cameras. Like qualify for finer control over the depth, photographers move to the EOS 5D Mark II full-frame format, the newly designed broad, bright viewfinder 98% coverage on a joy to work with.

4 new DIGIC processor
A new 4-DIGIC processor, combined with 14-bit analog to digital conversion offers smooth mono-tonal gradations in areas such as skies and very accurate color rendition. In addition to HD movies, DIGIC 4, the high speed for long uninterrupted continuous eruptions of large JPEGs, near-instant start-up time and the immediate and speedy review after shooting. DIGIC 4 also provides for improved noise reduction algorithms, in addition to the already low noise images from the EOS 5D Mark II, the CMOS sensor.

HD video capture
The EOS 5D Mark II is Canon’s first D-SLR to take full HD 1920×1080 video capture. Once filming starts from the Live View mode, photographers can fire off single or continuous stills, with video capture continued after the last recording is captured.

See all
A new 3.0 “VGA-resolution LCD screen offers a wide 170 º angle-of-view, offer much clarity for accurate focusing controls in the view. The brightness of the display can automatically adjust to viewing conditions, prolonging the life of the battery in low light and improve viewing in bright conditions. A new special Live View button switch modes there appears a real-time image on the LCD. This makes EOS 5D Mark II photographers to enjoy the simplified shooting from awkward angles. Easy connection to a PC is easy distance shooting.

Precision focus and metering
A 9-point autofocus system is supported by 6 additional invisible Assist AF points located inside the spot-metering circle next object to optimize performance in AI SERVO AF mode. For accurate exposure readings in difficult light conditions, spot metering circle covers only 3.5% of the frame.

Control
The EOS 5D Mark II revamped the menu system includes a new Quick Control screen for direct access to the most changed settings. A new Creative Auto mode allows photographers to cede control of the main settings on the camera, while simultaneously controlling variables such creative background blur, drive mode and image brightness. Customized user settings allow photographers to switch between two completely different camera setups. This is ideal for quickly changing between two different environments, such as switching from working within a church without flash outdoors with fill-flash at a wedding.

Accessories
Shooting flexibility of the program is expanded with a series of new accessories. Shooting capacity can be expanded to include both the high-capacity lithium-ion 1800mAh Battery Pack LP-E6, or Battery Grip BG-E6.

A new optional Wireless File Transmitter –
the WFT-E4 – provides external HDD and GPS compatibility, along with the ability to save images directly onto a computer or FTP server, or operating the camera wirelessly. Both the BG-E4-E6 and WFT feature a vertical shutter release orientation and other essential controls for portrait work comfortably, with a strong grip to help balance the camera when used in combination with long lenses.

Presentation Technologies:

CMOS
Canon’s CMOS technology is one of the company is the main competitive advantages, with noise reduction circuitry at each pixel site delivers virtually noise-free images. Compared with the CCD technology, the lower power consumption characteristics of Canon’s CMOS sensors also contribute to longer battery life.

Signal conversion in Canon’s CMOS sensors is handled by individual amplifiers at each pixel site. Unnecessary charge transfer operations are avoided, greatly accelerate the process to signal to the image processor. Noise generation is reduced, power consumption is limited and faster frame rate potential is increased.

DIGIC
Image data captured by the CMOS sensor is processed by Canon’s DIGIC image processor specially built before being written to the camera memory card. DIGIC technology uses an advanced image processing algorithms to provide accurate, natural colors, accurate white balance, and advanced noise reduction. Ultra-fast processing speeds result in a highly responsive camera operation and near-instant start-up time.

DIGIC chips operate with a high-speed DDR SDRAM image buffer – reading, processing, compressing and writing image data fast enough to clear the buffer during continuous shooting long bursts. And since DIGIC integrates all major functions, power consumption to a minimum.

EOS Integrated Cleaning System
The EOS Integrated Cleaning System combats dust on the sensor in three important ways: Reduce, Repel and Remove.

* Reduce – Internal camera mechanisms are designed to dust. The new cap prevents dust generation through wear on the cap itself.
* Repel – Anti-static technologies, including a special fluorine coating, applied to the low-pass filter that the front of the sensor, so there is no substance to attract.
* Remove – A Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit uses hi-frequency vibrations to shake the dust from the infrared filter for a period of about one second after each start. For instant shooting after power up, this feature is disabled immediately the shutter release button is pressed.

Canon also has an internal Dust Delete Data system that can map the position of visible dust on the sensor. This can then be deleted automatically after the shoot with the latest Digital Photo Professional software.

Picture Style
Picture Style pre-sets simplify in-camera control over image qualities. Picture Style pre-sets can be seen as different types of film – each a different color provision of a reaction. Within each selectable pre-set, photographers have control over sharpness, contrast, color saturation and tint. The camera’s factory default configuration is set to immediately usable JPEG images without need for additional menu settings. Picture Style presets applied to a RAW image can be revised with Canon’s Digital Photo Professional software.

The six pre-sets are:

* Standard – crisp, vivid images that no post-processing
* Portrait – optimizes the color hue and saturation and weakens sharpening to attractive skin tones
* Landscape – for punchier greens and blues with stronger sharpening to an edge on the crunchy mountains, tree and building lines
* Neutral – ideal for post-processing
* Faithful – adjusts color match with the subject in color when shooting under a color temperature of 5200K
* Monochrome – for black and white photograph with a range of filter effects (yellow, orange, red and green) and toning effects (sepia, blue, purple and green).

Software
Digital Photo Professional software
Digital Photo Professional software provides high speed and high quality processing of lossless RAW images. Processing with Digital Photo Professional provides real-time display and immediate application of image adjustments, which control over RAW image variables such as white balance, dynamic range, exposure compensation, noise reduction and color tone – plus the ability to Auto Focus points on a picture. The Lens Aberration correction tool allows precise correction of various types of disturbances caused by certain cameras. Images can be incorporated into the camera with sRGB or Adobe RGB color space.

Digital Photo Professional supports sRGB, Adobe RGB, RGB Color Match, Apple RGB and Wide Gamut RGB color range supports. ICC (International Color Consortium) profiles can be attached to TIFF or JPEG images when converted from RAW. This allows faithful reproduction of colors in software applications that support ICC profiles, such as Adobe Photoshop. To improve efficiency, a set of image adjustments can be saved as a recipe and applied.

EOS Utility
The latest version of EOS Utility provides essential support for Remote Live View shooting, camera configuration and the image transfers. Closely integrated with Digital Photo Professional, EOS Utility can be configured to monitor “hot topics” and rename folders automatically move incoming images in a structured file system. Users can also tag their images with EXIF data, including information about copyrights.

Picture Style Editor
Picture Style Editor enables users to individual Picture Styles that fit with their personal needs. Every Picture Style contains detailed information about how specific colors should be represented in an image. Once new Picture Styles are created, they can be uploaded directly into the camera and applied to JPEG or RAW images. When working with RAW files in DPP, both personally Picture Styles and the 6 predetermined Picture Styles can all be adjusted.

Days and days of rumors, confirmations and denials, of ads and mysterious phenomena such as the curious people by the Democratic candidate for the White House may have passed bills to the Japanese.

And it is that today, in what is probably the area with more professional photographers per square meter, the show formerly known as the Pasarela Cibeles and renamed as Gateway Madrid Fashion Week, the EOS 5D Mark II, it has barely lifted comment.

Not only that his presence was not announced, but on Tuesday, sources confirmed to Canon this means that the new SLR not pisaría the catwalk.

However, the EOS 5D Mark II has made act of presence, but with clothes preproduction. “This is almost a project to which you have placed an order for the casing you can see,” a representative was excused from Canon Spain yesterday. “The final version will be far from this.”

A first step discreet

The typical bustle of the parades are mixed with an apparent wariness Canon stroll by the camera, probably because this Friday celebrated the official press conference in Madrid a day later than in other European countries, and do not want to break the magic.

Even so, the EOS 5D Mark II has approached timidly to the catwalk for the first time to test whether withstand the rigors of daily work.

Oscar Mateos, head of Canon in the Madrid event, proud yesterday showed clips captured with high sensitivity and challenged the informant graphics around it to guess the value ISO used. ¿3200?, Asked a photographer. 25,000, award Mateos with satisfaction.

While it is still early to speculate on the performance of this model, to QUESABESDE.COM was able to reporters yesterday graphs have not embraced the novelty gun with so much joy as it might have deserved.

So, more than one wondered if we are not confused with the EOS 50D to note the presence of the new SLR in the event. Others questioned directly by the PowerShot G10 because the new Mark II “not interested”.

Conservative

Daniel Ochoa of Olza, photographer for the Associated Press, said yesterday this means that “the important thing [the EOS 5D Mark II] is a camera that is giving sharpness because he did not EOS 40D and EOS-1D Mark III either. “

“I believe that Canon has been very conservative in this chamber, since it has not really brought anything revolutionary: the video as the ISO 25000 and was Nikon, and the 21 megapixels are also not surprising. In addition, we will have to see how it works, what da noise and what colors. I truly revolutionary approach would be that good, “he commented this photojournalist.

Oscar del Pozo, freelance photographer, commented: “The video recording is not what I’m looking for. Looking for a lightweight camera body as the second film to make, but the EOS 5D Mark II offers benefits that are not needed, while others, such as speed, have not improved enough. More and more megapixels ISO is fine, but that does not justify a change of model. “

From Sanbernardo, the newspaper ABC, is going a bit beyond the qualities of the new EOS in his analysis: “The move [a reference to the video recording] is good, as long as publishers we are not loaded with double work each item. “

“There will come a time when the newspaper take a video and you ask the photo, or vice versa. Or disappear photographers or disappear ENG [Electronic News Gathering]. If the camera gives good results in high definition, we will end up recording and video capturing a frame instead of taking a picture, and this will destroy the charm of the picture. “

Maybe not the most appropriate setting to get a ride the EOS 5D Mark II, but the fact is that the flowers in this model were few. And they were, they were nuanced. “The progress is good, and the video for me … but I explain to me what I do with the EOS-1Ds Mark III for which I paid 6,000 euros,” complained a photographer for a powerful publishing group.

canon-eos-5d-mark-ii

The Nikon D90 is no longer alone. If this was the first SLR camera that came with video recording, now comes with the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, the successor of the first model EOS 5D, and that allows video recording in HD format.

We are talking about a camera aimed at professionals, both for benefits such as by price, as it offers a CMOS sensor full frame rate of 21.1 megapixels, far more than most of us need, plus a maximum of ISO 25600.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark II record video in 16:9 format at a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and 30 frames per second, although we can also do 4:3 and resolution 640 × 480. In both cases, the maximum supported is 4GB or 30 minutes of video and sound recordings are performed in MOV format with MPEG-4 compression. Unlike the D90, in this case the sound is recorded in stereo, incorporating an entry for microphones.

The video recording is linked to the Live View mode, which allows us to use the screen back of the camera, 3-inch, as a viewfinder, also includes features such as face detection for better auto focus in portraits.

How could it be otherwise, offers capture in RAW format, allowing these to save 10 or 5.2 megapixels, thereby reducing the size of the resulting file in case you do not need so much resolution. It was also incorporates a system of self-sensor to eliminate any accumulated dust.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark II will be put on sale in late November and will have a price of 2699 U.S. dollars if only the body and 3499 U.S. dollars if we choose to acquire it with a Canon EF 24-105 mm lens.

UPDATE: In Europe, the price of the body will be 2500 euros and 3300 euros kit.