REVIEW CANON 5D

Canon's press material for the EOS 5D states that it 'defines (a) new D-SLR category', while we're not typically too concerned with marketing talk this particular statement is clearly pretty accurate. The EOS 5D is unlike any previous digital SLR in that it combines a full-frame (35 mm sized) high resolution sensor (12.8 megapixels) with a relatively compact body (slightly larger than the EOS 20D, although in your hand it feels noticeably 'chunkier'). The EOS 5D is aimed to slot in between the EOS 20D and the EOS-1D professional digital SLR's, an important difference when compared to the latter is that the EOS 5D doesn't have any environmental seals. While Canon don't specifically refer to the EOS 5D as a 'professional' digital SLR it will have obvious appeal to professionals who want a high quality digital SLR in a body lighter than the EOS-1D. It will also no doubt appeal to current EOS 20D owners (although lets hope they've not bought too many EF-S lenses...)

Canon EOS 5D vs. EOS 20D feature and specification differences

	Canon EOS 5D	Canon EOS 20D
Sensor	• 35.8 x 23.9 mm CMOS • 12.8 million effective pixels • No FOV crop (1.0x)	• 22.5 x 15.0 mm CMOS • 8.2 million effective pixels • 1.6x FOV crop
Image sizes	• 4368 x 2912 • 3168 x 2112 • 2496 x 1664	• 3504 x 2336 • 2544 x 1696 • 1728 x 1152
Lens support	Canon EF lens mount (not EF-S)	Canon EF lens mount (EF and EF-S)
Auto focus	• 9-point TTL • 6 "invisible assist AF points" * • -0.5 to 18 EV working range * Within the spot metering circle	• 9-point TTL • -0.5 to 18 EV working range
AF assist	No (only with external flash)	Yes
Metering modes	• Evaluative 35 zone • Partial (8% at center) • Spot (3.5% at center) • Center-weighted average • 1.0 to 20 EV metering range	• Evaluative 35 zone • Partial (9% at center) • Center-weighted average • 1.0 to 20 EV metering range
ISO range	ISO 50 - 3200 (when extended)	ISO 100 - 3200 (when extended)
ISO steps	0.3 EV steps	1.0 EV steps
Flash X-sync	1/200 sec	1/250 sec
Image parameters	"Picture Style" • Standard • Portrait • Landscape • Neutral • Faithful • Monochrome • User 1 • User 2 • User 3	• Parameter 1 • Parameter 2 • User 1 • User 2 • User 3 • B&W
Custom image parameters	• Sharpness: 0 to 7 • Contrast: -4 to +4 • Saturation: -4 to +4 • Color tone: -4 to +4 • B&W filter: N, Ye, Or, R, G • B&W tone: N, S, B, P, G	• Sharpness: -2 to +2 • Contrast: -2 to +2 • Saturation: -2 to +2 • Color tone: -2 to +2 • B&W filter: N, Ye, Or, R, G • B&W tone: N, S, B, P, G
Viewfinder	• 96% frame coverage • 0.71x magnification • Focusing screen can be changed	• 95% frame coverage • 0.9x magnification
LCD monitor	• 2.5" TFT LCD (wide viewing angle) • 230,000 pixels	• 1.8" TFT LCD (wide viewing angle) • 118,000 pixels
Shutter release	Soft touch	Soft half-press then click shutter release
Histogram	• Luminance • RGB	Luminance
Built-in flash	None	Electronic pop-up
Shooting modes	• Auto • Program AE (P) • Shutter priority AE (Tv) • Aperture priority AE (Av) • Manual (M) • Bulb • Custom	• Auto • Program AE (P) • Shutter priority AE (Tv) • Aperture priority AE (Av) • Manual (M) • Auto depth-of-field • Portrait • Landscape • Close-up • Sports • Night portrait • Flash off
Continuous speed	3 frames per second	5 frames per second
Continuous buffer	Up to 60 JPEG or 17 RAW frames	Up to 23 JPEG or 6 RAW frames
Folder selection	Yes	No
Playback file size display	Yes, MB	No
Playback jump	• 10 images • 100 images • By date • By folder	10 images
Custom functions	21 custom functions with 57 settings	18 custom functions with 50 settings
Portrait grip	Optional BG-E4 battery grip	Optional BG-E2 battery grip
Dimensions	152 x 113 x 75 mm (6.0 x 4.4 x 2.9 in)	144 x 106 x 72 mm (5.6 x 4.2 x 2.8 in)
Weight	• No battery: 810 g (1.8 lb) • With battery: 895 g (2.0 lb)	• No battery: 685 g (1.5 lb) • With battery: 770 g (1.7 lb)

List price (body only)	US: $3,299 [check/order] EU: €3,699 (inc VAT) UK: £2,539 (inc VAT)
Body material	Magnesium alloy
Sensor	• 35.8 x 23.9 mm CMOS sensor * • Full 35 mm size frame * • RGB Color Filter Array • Built-in fixed low-pass filter • 13.3 million total pixels * • 12.8 million effective pixels * • 3:2 aspect ratio
Image processor	DIGIC II
Image sizes	• 4368 x 2912 (L; 12.7 MP) *• 3168 x 2112 (M; 6.7 MP) * • 2496 x 1664 (S; 4.2 MP) *
File formats	• RAW (.CR2; 12-bit) • JPEG (EXIF 2.21) - Fine / Normal • RAW + JPEG (separate files)
File sizes	• RAW: approx. 12.9 MB • Large / Fine: approx. 4.6 MB • Large / Normal: approx. 2.3 MB • Medium / Fine: approx. 2.7 MB • Medium / Normal: approx. 1.4 MB • Small / Fine: approx. 2.0 MB • Small / Normal: approx. 1.0 MB
Color space	• sRGB • Adobe RGB
Lenses	• Canon EF lens mount (does not support EF-S lenses) * • No field of view crop (1.0x) *
Focusing	• 9-point TTL • 6 "Invisible Assist AF points" * • CMOS sensor • AF working range: -0.5 to 18 EV (at 20°C, ISO 100) *
Focus modes	• AI Focus AF • One shot AF • AI Servo AF • Manual focus
AF point selection	• Auto • Manual • Home position
AF assist	No *
Metering	• TTL 35 zone SPC • Metering range: 1.0 to 20 EV (at 20°C, ISO 100, 50 mm F1.4)
Metering modes	• Evaluative 35 zone • Partial (8% at center*) • Spot metering (3.5% at center) * • Center-weighted average • Metering range: 1 - 20 EV (at 20°C, ISO 100)
AE lock	• Auto: One Shot AF with evaluative metering • Manual: AE lock button
AE bracketing	• +/- 2.0 EV • 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments
Exposure compen.	• +/-2.0 EV • 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments
Sensitivity *	• Auto (ISO 100 - 400) • ISO 50 (Enhanced L) * • ISO 100 • ISO 125 • ISO 160 • ISO 200 • ISO 250 • ISO 320 • ISO 400 • ISO 500 • ISO 640 • ISO 800 • ISO 1000 • ISO 1250 • ISO 1600 • ISO 3200 (Enhanced H)
Shutter	• Focal-plane shutter • 30 - 1/8000 sec • 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments • Flash X-Sync: 1/200 sec * • Bulb
Aperture values	• F1.0 - F91 • 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments • Actual aperture range depends on lens used
White balance	• Auto (3000 - 7000 K) • Daylight (5200 K) • Shade (7000 K) • Cloudy (6000 K) • Tungsten (3200 K) • Fluorescent (4000 K) • Flash (6000 K) • Custom (2000 - 10000 K) • Kelvin (2800 - 10000 K in 100 K steps)
WB bracketing	• +/-3 levels • 3 images • blue/amber or magenta/green bias
WB shift	• Blue (-9) To Amber (+9) • Magenta (-9) to Green (+9)
Picture style *	• Standard • Portrait • Landscape • Neutral • Faithful • Monochrome • User 1 • User 2 • User 3
Custom image parameters *	• Sharpness: 0 to 7 • Contrast: -4 to +4 • Saturation: -4 to +4 • Color tone: -4 to +4 • B&W filter: N, Ye, Or, R, G • B&W tone: N, S, B, P, G
Viewfinder	• Eye-level pentaprism • 96% frame coverage * • Magnification: 0.71x * • Eyepoint: 20 mm • Dioptric adjustment: -3 to +1 diopter • Precision matte screen Ee-A (removable *)
Viewfinder info	• AF points • Focus confirmation light • Shutter speed • Aperture • Manual exposure • AE Lock • Exposure compensation amount • AEB level • Spot metering circle • Flash ready • Red-eye reduction lamp on • High-speed sync • FE Lock • Flash compensation amount • Warnings • Maximum burst for continuous shooting • Buffer space
LCD monitor	• 2.5" TFT LCD * • 230,000 pixels * • 5 brightness levels • 10x zoom playback
Shutter release	• Soft touch *
Record review	• Off • On (histogram via INFO button) • 2 / 4 / 8 sec / Hold
Histogram	• Luminance • RGB *
Flash	• No built-in flash unit * • E-TTL II auto flash / metered manual • Flash compensation +/-2.0 EV in 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments • X-Sync: 1/200 sec * • Hot-shoe & PC Terminal
Shooting modes *	• Auto • Program AE (P) • Shutter priority AE (Tv) • Aperture priority AE (Av) • Manual (M) • Custom
Drive modes	• Single • Continuous: 3 fps up to 60 JPEG / 17 RAW frames * • Self-timer: 10 sec (3 sec with mirror lock-up)
Burst buffer	• RAW+JPEG: 12 frames • RAW: 17 frames • Large/Fine JPEG: 60 frames • Large/Normal JPEG: 150 frames • Medium/Fine JPEG: 120 frames • Medium/Normal JPEG: Unlimited • Small/Fine JPEG: 200 frames • Small/Normal JPEG: Unlimited
Direct printing	• Canon Compact Photo Printers • Canon PIXMA Printers supporting PictBridge • PictBridge
Orientation sensor	Yes
Auto rotation	• On (playback uses orientation data in file header) • Off
Playback mode	• Single image • Single image with info (inc. histogram) • Magnified view (1.5 - 10x in 15 steps, browsable) • 9 image index • Image rotation • Jump (by 10 or 100 images, by date, by folder *)
Custom functions	21 custom functions with 57 settings *
Menu languages	• English • German • French • Dutch • Danish • Finnish • Italian • Norwegian • Swedish • Spanish • Simplified Chinese • Japanese • Traditional Chinese • Korean • Russian
Firmware	User upgradable
Portrait grip	Via BG-E4 battery grip (optional) *
Wireless	Via WFT-E1 (optional)
Connectivity	• USB 2.0 Hi-Speed • Video out • N3 type wired remote control • PC Sync flash terminal
Storage	• Compact Flash Type I or II • Microdrive supported • Support for cards over 2 GB (FAT32) • No CF card supplied
Power	• Lithium-Ion BP-511A rechargeable battery (supplied & charger) • Supports BP-511 / BP-511A / BP-512 / BP-514 • CR2016 Lithium battery (date/time backup) • Optional AC adapter
Dimensions	152 x 113 x 75 mm (6.0 x 4.4 x 2.9 in) *
Weight (no batt)	810 g (1.8 lb) *
Weight (inc. batt)	895 g (2.0 lb) *

My initial description of the EOS 5D when compared to the EOS 20D was 'chunkier', and I still think that's a fair comment. It's actually not that much larger than the EOS 20D, about 8 mm (⅓ inch) wider and taller but thanks to a remolded and grip (which now has a finger hook) and its extra weight (125 g / 4.4 oz) the EOS 5D does create the impression that it is both more substantial and more robust. Other than this the EOS 5D does look remarkably similar to the EOS 20D, even the control layout on the rear of the camera is virtually identical. The intention of course is to tempt existing EOS 20D owners to upgrade with the least amount of fuss.

Side by side

Below you can see the EOS 5D flanked by the eight megapixel EOS 20D and the sixteen megapixel EOS-1D Mark II. The 5D is just a little larger than the EOS 20D and quite clearly smaller than the EOS-1Ds Mark II (although add the battery grip and overall dimensions are similar). Weight wise (including battery) the EOS 5D is 125 g (4.4 oz) heavier than the EOS 20D and a wrist saving 640 g (22.5 oz) lighter than the EOS-1Ds Mark II.

In your hand

As I mentioned above the hand grip on the EOS 5D is slightly larger than that of the EOS 20D, there's also more space between the tips of your fingers and the lens mount. There's no "nail file" effect on the side of the lens mount on the EOS 5D as Canon has now covered that area with rubber. The support areas of the camera (front and rear) are covered in a rubber material which provides good grip although isn't as soft as that used by Nikon on the D2H/X.

Design changes compared to the EOS 20D (animated)

Place your mouse cursor over the image below to compare the design of the EOS 5D to the EOS 20D. This makes it easier to visualize the difference in size between the two cameras, most noticeable is the increased size of the viewfinder prism and the significant increase in the size of the LCD monitor.

LCD Monitor

The EOS 5D features a large 2.5" LCD monitor which thankfully has good resolution (230,000 pixels), this makes for detailed image review as well as attractive clean and easy to read menus. The LCD also has a very wide viewing angle which means you don't have to be holding the camera straight on to see it. On the downside the screen isn't as bright as I would have liked, you will find yourself turning up the brightness setting, and there's no anti-reflective coating.

LCD Panel

On top of the camera is a large LCD panel which provides a wide range of information about the current camera settings and exposure. The main numeric section of the panel doubles up to provide other types of information such as the 'Busy' warning, ISO setting and processing parameter set when these are being changed. The panel has an orange backlight which is illuminated by pressing the backlight button to the top left of the panel, the backlight stays on for approximately six seconds.

A breakdown of information displayed on the LCD panel can be found on the diagrams below.