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130 of 133 found the following review helpful:
 Major positives and minor negatives Feb 22, 2007
By Ahamed B. Iqbal
Here are the basics that I considered and have found out from about 9 months of ownership. Keep in mind opinions on photography equipment varies greatly by the user and what the equipment is used for so while I think the 5D is near-perfect, others might not.
While the positives and negatives seem even in number, the positives FAR outweigh the negatives. I have no regrets about my purchase.
Positives
+Full frame sensor: allows me to acheive true wide angle photographs with no crop factor
+Image size: I have had a number of large (20"x30") prints made and the results are flawless
+Ability to shoot in RAW: While the files are huge (12MB+ each), the information and options this format provides has really expanded my technical and creative abilities.
+Build quality: While I haven't tried the true Canon Pro series (1 series), the 5D is pleasantly sturdy and feels solid in my hands. I can see how some might find it too heavy, especially with an L series lens.
Negatives-
-Lens requirements: Because of the full frame sensor, the 5D brings out the best (and worst) out of the corners and edges of your lenses. You will be able to tell a lesser quality lens more easily on the 5D than on a cropped sensor lens. The obvious negative is that better lenses like the L-series are generally much more expensive ($600+)
-No flash: Not a big deal to me but I've noticed that people are surprised when they see the 5D has no flash. This doesn't matter that much since built in flashes are rarely useful in most situations.
-Dust in sensor: Make sure you get a good sensor cleaning kit shortly after getting the 5D. There are steps you can take to minimize dust like changing lenses rarely and always indoors but you will need to clean the sensor every few months depending on use. To test if you need to clean (on any DSLR), put the camera on a tripod or flat surface, point it at a white wall , focus, and shoot with a long exposure and small aperture (5+ seconds and f/16 or smaller). If there is any junk on your sensor you should see it.
120 of 123 found the following review helpful:
Wonderful Camera for both professional and amateurs alike! Jan 05, 2007
By Hidenori Inagaki
"Hidenori Inagaki"
This is one of the greatest things ever in my opinion for both professional, and amateur photographer. Af least, it was for year 2006.
And I am very happy to tell everyone that many of my current works for magazine are actually using this wonderful camera.
There are several distinct advantage using this camera in the professional environment.
1. They are affordable full size sensor camera. Output quality will meets most of requirement given by the client.
2. Battery is interchangeable with 20/30D, so it is ideal candidate for 2 camera configuration with 20D/30D.
3. As far as Portrait photography are concern, it is currently one of the best in image quality and compared to the 1DS's older design sensor, when situation is ideal, it sometimes create superior result.
4. Very low ISO noise, it is really useful for anyone who frequently shoot for low available light situation. ISO800 was useable even for the magazine purpose.
5. Relatively lower shutter noise compared to the 20/30D that are helpful for some of noise sensitive shoot.
6. Availability of third party add on are actually important to me when I looked for camera. 5D is very good with availability and compatibility or such 3rd party equipment. And I am very happy to use many of 3rd party products with 5D.
1DS, due to the its form, has major difficulty with some of affordable 3rd party tool, most notably bellows system.
7. Weight is considerably less compared to the 1DS series and it is still full sensor size camera.
8. DOF of full size sensor camera thus great Bokeh can be archived if used with great lens.
9. Ability to shoot AdobeRGB color space RAW format
10. Fairly easy to find additional equipment at the local camera store, when you are on the road (I think
that is very important)
There are some disadvantage for this camera
1. It is 12.8M pixel despite the fact it is full sensor (or Leica format) size and it is 4M pixel smaller than 1DS MKII. And there are few occasion, it will not be enough for the given assignment(You really need to consider type of work you do)
2. It does have lower burst rate compared to 1D MKII or 20/30D that is not exactly ideal for the performance art, sports events, or outdoor bird photography.
Due to that fact, I normally bring my 20D with me, so if I need decent burst rate, I will rely upon my 20D instead.
3.It is not weather sealed, thus, you really cannot take it out when weather is not exactly ideal without shortening camera's life. So, it is not ideal camera for field photographer who shoot at challenging environment.
4. It is still expensive for the amateur and, it is still expensive for the professional photographer with rather low fee structure.
5. 9 point sensor is more than enough for the most of people. It is however, not for the some of professional who requires quick focus and shoot. It is bit frustrating to work with its AF, if you are used to with 45 point sensor of 1D/1DS series.
67 of 67 found the following review helpful:
 Should be 4 and half stars Dec 12, 2006
By adovelikeboy
"CJF"
The 5D is worth it, and then some. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat. Visually it performs better than anything else I've seen. I'm VERY attached to 35mm and this camera either matches film (beautiful tones; sumptuous shadow detail) or outperforms film by a margin (flexibility, detail, the utter lack of noise at high ISO settings).
I completely disagree with the assertion elsewhere that vignetting is inevitable. I shoot wide open almost all the time because I dislike flash. You'll find me indoors in the dark Seattle winter with the aperture wide and the ISO cranked to 800. The low noise/high resolution sensor is perfect for this. It out performs my 30D by a huge margin under such conditions.
Build quality? There's probably a grain of truth there. I hear the Nikons are better sealed, but the 5D feels neither cheap nor shoddy.
I use both the cheapy 50mm/f1.8 and the expensive 24-70 f2.8L series. They only time I've seen any vignetting is when shooting - CORRECTION - when shooting with a too cheap Hoya Polarizer attached. [ORIGINAL TEXT - when shooting at 24mm under bright sunlight; f4.0 to f8; I see some light roll-off in the corners as noted by M.Ryley, but none of the softness that he mentions]
This phenomenon is simply not there at all with longer focal lengths.
As for speed - maybe I have faster CF cards since I bought them recently, but this hasn't been an issue for me at all. However, I do prefer to use my faster 30D for sporting events where speed is of the essence.
I'm a semi-pro; I've been taking picture for over 20 years. I asked 5 full time professionals and a few gifted amateurs to recommend a camera before I made this purchase. Every one of them recommended the 5D - citing image quality. It gives probably three-quarters of the performance of the 1D at only one third of the price.
I recommend this camera.
50 of 51 found the following review helpful:
You will love it! It's real. Jul 11, 2007
By Bruce Fields
I've been shooting professionally since the 70's and most of my work has been in the still life arena. My personal interests have always been more in the area of portraits, landscapes and street shooting (Cartier-Bresson is one of my icons). View cameras and mid-format were my mainstay until I had to start using digital and I came in early, buying the then new Kodak DCS-560 which was the EOS 1N converted to digital and providing state of the art at that time (6.2 MP), for the humble sum of $25,000. Yes, that's right.
I used it as a studio camera and got decent results, pleasing most clients. In later years I rented the latest top runners for jobs as needed and the last one I used in this way was the Mark II. It was great to shoot with and I was able to produce 30x40 tack sharp portrait posters for the client with no trouble, using the RAW files it produced.
So why all this yaddayadda you might ask? Only to establish a) I have a base of experience which may be of some value and b) I am probably pretty fussy about my equipment.
With this being said I bought the 5D because I believed it would give me what I needed (and wanted). I could have bought the Mark III, but I was looking for a camera to do what the 5D does and didn't require the extra features of the Mark III, most of which are really much more technical than even most professional photographers could ever really utilize. I was concerned with what I consider "reality." The DCS-560 is the same general size, shape and weight as the Mark III. I know what it's like to carry that around the world. What would the Mark III offer me that I must have that the 5D wouldn't? Better image quality? Not really. Truth is that the 5D image quality is extraordinary and I can't think of a single purpose I will ever encounter where the supposed "improvement" of the MIII would be needed or, really, even apparent. If I were doing some really technical shot which required a feature of the MIII which the 5D lacks, I'll rent one. My opinion is it will never happen.
What about build quality? I like the fact that the MIII is weather proofed and it would be reassuring, certainly, if the 5D were as well. Again, truth is I take very good care of my equipment and always treat it with respect. I don't see myself exposing my 5D to harm by moisture (I can use a camera glove if I need to shoot in a downpour, not a very common occurrence I wouldn't think). Otherwise, the 5D is solidly built, feels very sturdy, and will not succumb to uselessness if exposed to marginal weather conditions, as long as I remain aware enough to just take proper care while using it. It's not hard to do. A journalist or someone who needs to shoot a lot in really serious weather would need to have a MIII. I don't. And that leaves burst speeds. I don't shoot sports and when I need to catch a moment in people shots where I'm looking for a particular expression, for example, the 5D speed works just fine. At a certain point, a higher burst speed is really overkill.
All cameras have strengths and weaknesses. To my thinking, the 5D's strengths are apparent: superb image quality (be sure to use the best optics. L series lenses, the 100 macro and a few others work for me), excellent build quality and finish, the best ergonomics I have ever found in a camera (shared by the EOS series as a whole) and a really great price. Compared to that $25,000 DCS I bought so many years ago (yes, the technology has advanced and the prices have come down) and even to the MIII, the price is a bargain. The only "weakness" would have to be the lack of extra insurance of a weather proofing construction.
So far my experience with this camera has been excellent. I just love it. It satisfies all my requirements and I don't feel that I am compromising any of them, simply because a higher priced and more feature filled model exists. The results I have been getting amaze me. Detail, lack of noise, color saturation and tonality, ease of operation, relative size and weight, battery life, ease of quickly changing modes and shooting parameters, the feel of it in my hands, all speak well to me. Right now it's my favorite camera. I like it so much, and it does so much of what I actually want and need, I don't think I'll be looking to replace it for quite a while. If you can embrace reality and not get sucked into hype (what you don't need), you will love it too. Highly recommended!
255 of 282 found the following review helpful:
A real winning full frame camera in a nice form factor-finally! Oct 24, 2005
By Mediahound
This is a great camera and brings Canon's top of the range Pro line a bit closer to amateurs. In fact, it's good enough for professional use and I know of several pros using the 5d (in addition to myself). There are 4 main advantages to the 5d:
Full frame - there is no more 1.6x or 1.3x crop factor to deal with. A 50mm lens gives the same field of view as a 50mm lens on a film camera. The focal length labelled on the lens is what the body captures.
Image quality - although not as many megapixels, the 5D is comparable to even to the top of the line 1dsMKII with regards to image quality. In fact, the 5D performs even better at high ISO speed ratings 800 and above than the more than double cost 1dsMKII.
Large LCD Screen - the screen is much larger than on previous cameras, including the 1dsMKII. It's very 'photographic' and while it's not that bright when outdoors in the sunlight, it's quite nice and usable still.
Form Factor - it has a smaller form factor than the higher pro cameras and is not very heavy. This is a plus in my book. Even if you are a pro, you don't want to necessarily look like one all the time. If you do want to look like one, you can add the optional battery grip.
I would recommend this camera to anyone. I can think of zero complaints for the pro or advanced amateur photographer.
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