Canon EOS 5D Mark II: Test

Let's cut to the chase -- the Canon EOS 5D Mark II does live up to its billing. It takes a great full-frame DSLR, the original 5D (Pop Photo's 2005 Camera of the Year), boosts damn near everything, adds high-definition video capture, and turns in an overall performance that makes it a virtual steal (or at least as close as a steal comes in this price bracket). The body-only street price is $2,700; $3,500 with the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM kit lens.

Does the 5D Mark II have drawbacks? Certainly. The autofocus is no faster than that on the original 5D (greetings from the Wayback Machine). The burst rate, at just 3.9 frames per second, isn't pro-sports caliber. And when shooting video, though the image quality rivals any consumer-level camcorder, there's no autofocus.

Of course, the true wonders and shortcomings of this camera are in the details. So let's take a look at those in four key areas.

Philip Ryan

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