 | US $24.95 End Date: Saturday Feb-25-2012 10:05:31 PST Buy It Now for only: US $24.95 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
Canon 5d Mark II Reviewed by Extreme Nature Photographer Forestwander
Free Online Articles Directory
Why Submit Articles?
Top Authors
Top Articles
FAQ
ABAnswers
0 && $.browser.msie ) {
var ie_version = parseInt($.browser.version);
if(ie_version Login
Register
Hello
My Home
Sign Out
Email
Password
Remember me?
Lost Password?
Home Page > Technology > Electronics > Canon 5d Mark II Reviewed by Extreme Nature Photographer Forestwander
Canon 5d Mark II Reviewed by Extreme Nature Photographer Forestwander
Posted: May 16, 2010 |Comments: 0
|
]]>
Canon 5d Mark II Review
I started out in photography using a canon powershot A50. I had bought the camera in 2000 because that is when my first son was born. I did not want to miss anything as he grew up and I had never owned a camera before. I had heard of digital cameras but had not really ever used one. This canon powershot A50 was a 1 mega pixel camera that had some neat features for the cameras at this time. No video or anything like that but I learned to use some of the features of the camera fairly easily. It was quite expensive for my wife and I to buy this camera as it was around $250 and when you have just been married a few years and have a new baby that is a lot of money.
This camera lasted until my son was about 5 years old. I had began taking him fishing and hiking places with me and we took pictures along the way when we would go hiking. So we decided one fall in 2005 to go hiking and exploring in the mountains of West Virginia, when I say mountains I mean the Monongahela forest. There were so many areas to see and I was not sure really where to begin so we started at the falls of hills creek and immediately I knew that I was in love with nature photography and particularly waterfall nature photography. We eventually made our way up to the Seneca rock area of the northern Monongahela forest and took a tour of Seneca caverns, which was a great place to visit and a got a few pictures inside the caverns of bats and various rock formations. However, when we left I set my camera on top of the car and was getting our things arranged in the car preparing for our drive and inadvertently left the camera on top of the care. We started down the road and after about half of a mile I heard something go tumbling down the back of the car window. I looked in my rearview mirror and saw my $250 camera bouncing up and down on the road and pieces fly all over. This was very disheartening as we had planned to continue to spruce knob West Virginia which is the highest point in the state.
I managed to gather the pieces of my canon powershot A50 from off the road and made up my mind that we were not going to get any more pictures on our trip. This was pretty disappointing but I convinced myself that the trip was not about pictures but rather about my boy and his daddy spending time together. So we continued on to Spruce Knob and while up there I decided to look at the camera and see if it could be used even though it was in a bunch of pieces. I began getting the pieces together and believe it or not managed to get the camera to turn on by rigging the switch for the flash card door. Even though the LCD was cracked in many places it actually came on and I actually was able to take pictures with this camera that was stuck together literally with a couple small sticks and some tape. From this point forward not only did I realize that I loved nature photography but that Canon was the best camera I could have.
Once I began too look at other waterfall nature photos on the internet, I began to hunger for a new camera. I thought that I must be able to figure out how they made the waterfalls look so smooth and silky. This gave me the unction to save up and buy a new Canon Rebel 350D in early 2006. This camera was in my opinion the best camera I could have, although many others were much more expensive and had many more features, this was the first SLR I had ever held in my hand. I learned the different settings and was amazed at what aperture and exposure time could do to the look of a waterfall or stream. This is when Forestwander Free Nature Picture Photography was inspired one day walking home from work singing the gospel song “How Great Thou Art”.
After I had obtained a better camera I realized that the look and sharpness of a digital image did not depend solely on the body of a camera but largely depended on the quality of the lens. This is when I became determined to get a better fixed focal length lens and realized the difference in a quality lens and a cheaper zoom lens. I wondered can photography get any better and if so what would it take to make the very best images. Although I lacked the funding to obtain a high quality professional full frame digital camera I had the passion to still explore and take more and more pictures refining my skills and beginning to document each expedition in greater detail. I knew that I needed to begin capturing our hiking adventures on video but did not want to lug around a camcorder.
In 2007 we obtained a new Canon G9 which combined a high quality point and shoot lens with the latest technology video and audio capture built right into a very small camera. This camera had the best of both worlds and allowed us to hike and take great wildlife shots and even great macro floral photography. This is when I learned that RAW image format was the best way to shoot so that I could manipulate the exposure and color in post processing. Wow! I had thought jpeg was great until I experienced the benefits of salvaging typically unusable images by processing them with Canon photo professional. The Canon G9 really is a great little camera but it lacked the super sharp detail and range that my Digital Rebel 350D could attain. For the next two years I imagined how convenient it would be to be able to hike and take great quality SLR images as well as take nature adventure video at the same time with the same camera.
One day in late 2008 I read about new model Canon that was going to be released and that this camera would combine super quality 21 mega pixel full frame Canon technology with not only high resolution video, but HD 1080p quality video. I said to myself no doubt this camera would be far beyond my reach and must certainly cost $5,000 or more. However, I learned that this new camera could be purchased for a little under $3,500 with a high quality low aperture f4 zoom lens that also sports moisture resistant weather seals. This was without a doubt the answer to all of my needs and wants as a novice adventure nature photographer. After several months of saving a planning I was blessed with a new Canon 5D Mark II and accompanying 24-105mm F4 zoom lens.
I have now been the proud owner of this wonderful camera for almost a year now and am convinced that this camera is all that I will ever need. Even though there may be newer technologies that come out such as 3 dimensional holographic photography (think I am kidding, watch and see). The Canon 5D Mark II will always be my favorite camera. This camera marked the camera that brought me into the full frame professional market. This camera takes amazing low light photography at higher ISO settings, I often take low light photography in the forest and even take some night landscape shots from lofty mountain heights, it is imperative that the noise of these images is kept to a minimum.
Recently I have learned that I can connect my Canon 5D Mark II to my laptop and store images directly from the camera to my 500 GB hard drive. This gives me hours and hours of high quality video recording and thousands of 21 MP images. No doubt I have a lot to share with this new camera and I have only began to experience the wonderful quality this camera provides. So far I have posted at least 100 new 21 MP images on ForestWander and I have to say that they are some of the best images I have ever taken and they only keep getting better as I learn more about the 5D. The automatic bracketing features are really great and are helping me to experience the wide range resolution possible with HDR.
The live view function is truly amazing as it allows me to set up my 5D on a tripod close to the ground for a macro shot of a mushroom for instance. It would otherwise be impossible to focus on a small mushroom very close to the ground while looking through a view finder. Then I can press a button and focus and see the real results directly on the 3 inch screen. This is not only great for live real-time viewing but it is great for post image viewing, as I can literally zoom in on a particular area of a high resolution image and verify that it is in perfect focus before I even transfer and process the image on my local laptop. also, the automatic sensor cleaning system is great for a nature photographer who frequently changes lenses in the field where dust and contaminants are inevitable.
Below I have listed some of the features of the Canon 5d Mark II but do not compare only the specifications to other cameras keep in mind that Canon makes a great product and that their cameras are rugged, long lasting and even if other specifications on other Cameras that start with an N are slightly higher I will always be a die hard Canon fan from the real world experiences I have lived through over the past 6 years as an adventure nature photographer.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II specifications
List price
(body only)
US: $ 2,699
EU: € 2,499
UK: £ 2,299
List price
(EF 24-105 L kit)
US: $ 3,499
EU: € 3,299
UK: £ 3,049
Body material
Magnesium alloy
Sensor
36 x 24 mm CMOS sensor
Full 35 mm size frame
RGB Color Filter Array
Built-in fixed low-pass filter (with self-cleaning unit)
22.0 million total pixels
21.1 million effective pixels
3:2 aspect ratio
Lenses
Canon EF lens mount (does not support EF-S lenses)
No field of view crop (1.0x)
Dust reduction
“EOS Integrated Cleaning System”
Self-cleaning sensor unit (filter in front of sensor vibrates at high frequency at start-up and shutdown – can be disabled)
Dust Delete Data – Data from a test shot is used to ‘map’ dust spots and can be later removed using Canon DPP Software
Image processor
DIGIC 4
A/D conversion 14 bit
Image sizes (JPEG)
5616 x 3744 (21.0 MP)
4080 x 2720 (11.1 MP)
2784 x 1856 (5.2 MP)
Image sizes (RAW)
5616 x 3744 (21.0 MP)
3861 x 2574 (10.0 MP)
2784 x 1856 (5.2 MP)
File formats
RAW (.CR2; 14-bit)
JPEG (EXIF 2.21) – Fine / Normal
RAW + JPEG (separate files)
sRAW1, sRAW2 (see above)
Auto focus
9-point TTL CMOS sensor
6 “Invisible Assist AF points”
Centre point cross type F5.6 or faster
Center point additionally sensitive with lenses of F2.8 or faster
AF working range: -0.5 – 18 EV (at 23°C, ISO 100)
Focus modes
One shot AF
AI Servo AF
AI Focus AF
Manual focus
AF micro adjustment
Adjust all lenses by same amount (effectively body adjustment)
Adjust up to 20 lenses individually
AF point selection
Auto
Manual
Predictive AF
As close as 8 m (with 300 mm F2.8L lens at 50 kph)
AF assist No (only with external flash)
Metering
TTL full aperture metering 35 zone SPC
Metering range: 1.0 – 20 EV
Metering modes
Evaluative 35 zone (linked to any AF point)
Partial (8% at center)
Spot metering (approx. 3.5% at center)
Center-weighted average
AE lock
Auto: One Shot AF with evaluative metering
Manual: AE lock button
Exposure compensation
+/-2.0 EV
0.3 or 0.5 EV increments
Exposure bracketing
+/- 2.0 EV
0.3 or 0.5 EV increments
Sensitivity
ISO 100 – 6400
0.3 or 1.0 EV increments
Auto ISO (100-3200)
Expansion options:
ISO 50 (L1)
ISO 12800 (H1)
ISO 25600 (H2)
Shutter
Focal-plane shutter
150,000 exposure durability
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
Daylight
Shade
Cloudy
Tungsten
Fluorescent
Flash
Custom
Kelvin (2500 – 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 def. 1
User def. 2
User def. 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
Image processing options
Highlight tone priority
Auto lighting optimizer (4 settings)
Long exposure noise reduction
High ISO noise reduction (4 settings)
Auto correction of lens peripheral illumination (vignetting)
Color space
sRGB
Adobe RGB
Viewfinder
Eye-level pentaprism
98% frame coverage
Magnification: 0.71x (-1 diopter with 50 mm lens at infinity)
Eyepoint: Approx. 21 mm
Interchangeable focusing screen (3 other types optional)
Dioptric adjustment: -3.0 to +1.0 diopter
Mirror
Quick-return half mirror (transmission:reflection ratio 40:60)
Mirror lock-up (once or multiple exposures)
Viewfinder info
AF information:
AF points
Focus confirmation light
Exposure information
Shutter speed
Aperture value
ISO speed (always displayed)
AE lock
Exposure level/compensation
Spot metering circle
Exposure warning
AEB
Flash information
Flash ready
High-speed sync
FE lock
Flash exposure compensation
Image information:
White balance correction
CF card information
Monochrome shooting
Maximum burst (2 digit display)
Highlight tone priority (D+)
LCD monitor
3.0 ” TFT LCD
920,000 pixels
Automatic 3 level brightness adjustment plus 7 manual levels
170 ° viewing angle
Dual anti-reflection (‘Clear View’)
LCD Live view
Live TTL display of scene from CMOS image sensor
100% frame coverage
30 fps
Real-time evaluative metering using CMOS image sensor
Best view or exposure simulation
Silent mode
Grid optional (x2)
Magnify optional (5x or 10x at AF point)
Three AF modes – Live mode / Quick mode / Face Detection
Live histogram (Luminance or RGB)
Remote live view using EOS Utility 2.0 (via USB or WiFi/Ethernet using WFT)
Movie recording
Available optionally during Live view mode
1920 x 1080 (16:9) up to 12 mins (Quicktime 1080p H.264; 38.6 Mbits/sec)
640 x 480 (4:3) up to 24 mins (Quicktime 480p H.264; 17.3 Mbits/sec)
Max file size 4 GB
Quicktime MOV format (H.264 video, PCM sound)
30 fps
Record review
Off
On (histogram via INFO button)
Display mode same as last used Play mode
2 / 4 / 8 sec / Hold
Playback modes
1. Single image with exposure, file number, storage slot
2. As 1 but also image count and quality
3. Detailed exposure information, thumbnail and luminance histogram
4. Less detailed exposure info., thumbnail, luminance and RGB histograms
Playback features
Optional blinking highlight alert
Optional AF point display
Magnified view (up to 10x)
2×2 or 3×3 thumbnail index
Jump (by 1, 10, 100 images, screen, date, folder, movies, stills)*
Delete / Protect
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
External flash
E-TTL II auto flash with EX-series Speedlites
In-camera flash configuration (currently only 580 EX II)
Wireless multi-flash support
PC Sync
Shooting modes
Auto
Creative Auto *
Program AE (P)
Shutter priority AE (Tv)
Aperture priority AE (Av)
Manual (M)
Custom 1
Custom 2 *
Custom 3 *
Drive modes
Single
Continuous: 3.9 fps *
Self-timer: 2 or 10 sec (2 sec with mirror lock-up)
Burst buffer
Large/Fine JPEG: 78 frames (310 with UDMA card)
RAW: 13 frames
Orientation sensor
Yes
Auto rotation
On (recorded and LCD display)
On (recorded only)
Off
Custom functions
25 custom functions with 71 settings in 4 groups
Menu languages
25 Languages
English, German, French, Dutch, Danish, Portuguese, Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Spanish, Greek, Russian, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Romanian, Ukrainian, Turkish, Arabic, Thai, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean and Japanese
Firmware
User upgradable
Portrait grip
Optional WFT-E4 (WiFi / LAN / USB mass storage)
Optional BG-E6 battery grip
Connectivity
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
AV out (video & audio *)
HDMI connector
Microphone input
PC Sync flash terminal
Communication terminal on base for WFT-E4
InfraRed
Storage
Compact Flash Type I or II (inc. FAT32)
Supports UDMA cards
Copyright metatag support
Canon Original Data Security Kit supported (“Original Image Data”)
Power
Lithium-Ion LP-E6 rechargeable battery (supplied & charger)
CR1616 for date & settings
Approx. 850 shots at 20°C
Battery indication 6 levels & percentage (memorized)
Dimensions
152 x 114 x 75 mm (6.0 x 4.5 x 2.9 in)
Weight
No battery: 810 g (1.8 lb)
Accessories
Viewfinder: Eyecup Eb, E-series Dioptric Adjustment Lens with Rubber Frame Eb, Eyepiece Extender EP-EX15, Focusing Screens Eg, Angle Finder C
Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E4
Battery Grip BG-E6
All EF lenses (excludes EF-S lenses)
Canon Speedlites (220EX, 380EX, 420EX, 430EX, 430EX II, 550EX, 580EX, 580EX II, Macro-Ring-Lite, MR-14EX, Macro Twin Lite MT-24EX, Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2)
Remote control with N3 type contact, Wireless Controller LC-5, Remote Controller RC-1, Remote Controller RC-5
Original Data Security Kit OSK-E3
Retrieved from “http://www.articlesbase.com/electronics-articles/canon-5d-mark-ii-reviewed-by-extreme-nature-photographer-forestwander-2384670.html”
(ArticlesBase SC #2384670)
Submit articles to Articlesbase.com, and watch your traffic increase. Click here to make it happen.
Liked this article? Click here to publish it on your website or blog, it’s free and easy!
ForestWander -
About the Author:
ForestWander Free Nature Picture Photography
http://www.ForestWander.com
Extreme Nature Photography Adventure Gear Store
http://store.ForestWander.com
]]>
Questions and Answers
Ask our experts your Electronics related questions here…
200 Characters left
Where are the settings menu at to change your recording formats on a Canon XH G1s video camera? I want to record in HD. I am new to this particular camera and need some help
Is there anyway control the camera with PC? like taking picture
I have multiple HBB’S I’m Praying about opening all Natural, Biblically lead Physical therapy facility from home vs a stand up bldg due to the tax bennnys. What is your opinion on this? pollard388@bs
Rate this Article
vote(s)
0 vote(s)
Feedback
RSS
Print
Email
Re-Publish
Article Tags:
canon, 5d mark ii, review, camera, nature photography, adventure, hiking, aperture, resolution
Latest Electronics Articles
More from ForestWander
Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-TX10 16.2 MP Waterproof Digital Still Camera with Exmor R CMOS Sensor, 3D Sweep
Live life on the edge with the DSC-TX10 Cyber-shot Digital Camera. Designed to fit seamlessly into your active lifestyle, this innovative camera is certified waterproof, shockproof, dustproof and freeze-proof.
By:
tedl
Technology>
Electronicsl
Feb 14, 2011
Nikon as one company that is famous with its camera, never stopped to innovate their products. Now, Nikon launches its latest generation the Nikon D7000.
By:
nickl
Technology>
Electronicsl
Feb 14, 2011
Noise Cancelling Earbuds – Ιnexpensive, Safe and Silent
Since portable music player and mobile phones have become essential in your lifestyle, there is a huge amount of earphone choices. This article describes the functionality of noise cancelling earbuds and headphones by pointing out the differences among the two and helps you decide which one fits you better.
By:
nikospep83l
Technology>
Electronicsl
Feb 14, 2011
Sledgehammer as a Hand Tool Ranks Way Above its Conventional Counterparts
Sledgehammer is definitely a tool of choice when it comes to demolition work. For when compared to a conventional hammer not only is it more durable but also heavier.
By:
Article Managerl
Technology>
Electronicsl
Feb 14, 2011
Spray Guns and Drill Press: Ideal Tools to Make Any Work Simple and Easy
Spray Guns or Drill Press as tools do really come in handy when it comes to doing either some basic household work or any other construction or renovation work.
By:
Vikas Shannonl
Technology>
Electronicsl
Feb 14, 2011
Bring Efficiency to Your Work with a Claw Hammer and a Spirit Level
Banging a nail in the wall or measuring up the level of a surface is easy. But again, the only consideration one would need to keep in mind will be that tools like a claw hammer or a spirit level become easily available.
By:
Vikas Shannonl
Technology>
Electronicsl
Feb 14, 2011
Lightings are very important with the passage of time. You require lights while carrying out all most all the activities especially after the fall of darkness. There are many types of lights wherein LEDs are considered as one of the best option that are highly preferred by the people with the passage of time.
By:
hellbraavel
Technology>
Electronicsl
Feb 14, 2011
The brain of a surround sound system is the receiver, which delivers surround sound systems, amplifiers and changing capabilities.
By:
logenl
Technology>
Electronicsl
Feb 14, 2011
Why Give Your Sweetheart Flowers On Valentine’s Day?
Throughout many years on February 14th sweethearts and lovers have shown their intimate love for one another by giving each other flowers, candy and cards. Valentine’s Day without flowers would be like Christmas without presents or Thanksgiving without turkey.
By:
ForestWanderl
Relationships>
Datingl
Dec 29, 2010
Flower Pictures To Add Finishing Touches To Your Home Sweet Home
Flower pictures can be used to create a beautiful focal point in a specific room in your home sweet home to echo the beauty of nature.
By:
ForestWanderl
Home Improvement>
Interior Designl
Dec 25, 2010
Nature Photography Can Bring Creation To a New Light
Just about everyone knows how to take a picture. Not everyone knows how to take them well, but taking pictures can be fun for anyone of any age. Nature Photography is arguably one of the most fun ways to experiment with different techniques and angles.
By:
ForestWanderl
Hobbies>
Digital Photographyl
Dec 24, 2010
Why We All Love Beautiful Pictures
Have you ever just stared into space and imagined a beautiful picture? What did it look like? Did it keep you rooted to that spot both physically and somewhere in the space-time continuum as well? Did your face light up when these beautiful pictures manifest themselves in your mind?
By:
ForestWanderl
Arts & Entertainment>
Visual Artl
Dec 24, 2010
Where Can I Copy Free Images For My Web Site
When developing content for several types of documents; graphic designers and webmasters often search for free images in order to enhance the appearance of the communication. If intellectual property laws are observed when trying to find free images, then this process can be very productive.
By:
ForestWanderl
Internet>
Web Designl
Dec 24, 2010
Weather Conditions Result in Colorful Foliage
Moderate rain fall and slightly above average summer sunshine will likely yield a vibrant fall foliage display.
By:
ForestWanderl
Hobbies>
Digital Photographyl
Sep 16, 2010
This paper documents research of an interesting correlation between modern scientific facts, laws, theories and classic Biblical scriptures written in the King James Version Bible, KJV (University of Michigan Digital library production service, 1997). The scientific evidence presented substantiates the ancient Biblical writings in many areas of nature including matter, time, the Earth and human biology.
By:
ForestWanderl
Education>
Sciencel
Sep 15, 2010
Throughout history mankind has always celebrated the harvest of crops that many have labored for all summer long. The work involved with plowing, planting and cultivating a crop is really tough work especially in today’s standards. Since there are so many conveniently placed grocery markets that provide fresh food for a fair price, it is easy to take the blessing of a fall harvest for granted, which has been cherished for hundreds of years and many generations.
By:
ForestWanderl
Home and Family>
Holidaysl
Sep 15, 2010
lViews: 117
Add new Comment
Your Name: *
Your Email:
Comment Body: *
Verification code:*
* Required fields
Submit
Your Articles Here
It’s Free and easy
Sign Up Today
Author Navigation
My Home
Publish Article
View/Edit Articles
View/Edit Q&A
Edit your Account
Manage Authors
Statistics Page
Personal RSS Builder
My Home
Edit your Account
Update Profile
View/Edit Q&A
Publish Article
Author Box
ForestWander has 18 articles online
Articles Categories
All Categories
Advertising
Arts & Entertainment
Automotive
Beauty
Business
Careers
Computers
Education
Finance
Food and Beverage
Health
Hobbies
Home and Family
Home Improvement
Internet
Law
Marketing
News and Society
Relationships
Self Improvement
Shopping
Spirituality
Sports and Fitness
Technology
Travel
Writing
Cable and Satellite TV
Cell Phones
Communication
Electronics
Gadgets and Gizmos
GPS
Satellite Radio
Video Conferencing
VoIP
]]>
Need Help?
Contact Us
FAQ
Submit Articles
Editorial Guidelines
Blog
Site Links
Recent Articles
Top Authors
Top Articles
Find Articles
Site Map
Mobile Version
Webmasters
RSS Builder
RSS
Link to Us
Business Info
Advertising
Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2011 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved.
 | US $31.49 End Date: Monday Mar-12-2012 14:12:54 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $31.49 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
{author box}
Site is an authorized amazon and ebay affiliate.
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.