The Canon 5D is perhaps Canon's most popular professional-grade digital SLR. With 12.8-megapixels and a true full-frame CMOS sensor, the 5D is very attractive to nearly any professional or advanced amateur photographer. The 5D's price isn't bad either; it retails for around $2800 (body), making it a very competitive seller among other cameras in its class.

At only 810 grams, the Canon 5D's body is considerably lighter and more compact than most other professional dSRLs, making it quite easy to hold and transport. The camera's 12.8-megapixel full-frame 35.8 x 23.9-millimeter CMOS sensor is nearly in a class by itself. The camera contains the same effective noise reduction system found on the professional EOS-1Ds Mark II, so that images come out noise-free at almost any ISO (ranging from 100-1600).
The Canon 5D's new 2.5-inch LCD display is bright and crisp with a resolution of 230,000 pixels and a viewing 170-degree wide viewing angle.
The camera also has an effecient 9-point AF system with 6 additional invisible assistant AF points within the spot-metering circle. These addtional AF points help the camera to track your subject more accurately.

Picture style pre-sets allow you to easily select and control a variety of important image features, including sharpness, contrast, color tone, and saturation. The current presets include standard, portrait, landscape, neutral, faithful, and monochrome. Users can also create their own pre-sets from a variety of options.

The Canon 5D has a high-speed USB 2.0 interface for rapid download of images. A video-out interface allows you to connect the camera to a tv monitor so you can present or review your photos. The camera is compatible with CompactFlash Type I and Type II memory cards of 2 GB or larger.

Key Features

• World's smallest and lightest full-frame digital SLR* with a 12.8 Megapixel CMOS Sensor and superb image quality.
• DIGIC II Image Processor for outstanding image quality and performance - 3.0 fps for up to 60 consecutive JPEG or 17 RAW frames in a burst.
  
• New larger 2.5 inch LCD screen can be viewed even at extreme angles up to 170 deg.
• New "Picture Style" function for superior command of in-camera color, contrast and sharpness.
• High-precision 9-point AF with 6 additional Supplemental points surrounding the center point for superior focus tracking.
• Strong and light magnesium-alloy body with new shutter durability-tested to 100,000 exposures.
• Compatible with over 50 Canon EF lenses and most EOS System accessories.

Specifications

• Type: Digital AF/AE SLR
• Recording Medium: CompactFlash (CF) Card Type I and II
• Image Format: 1.41 x 0.94 inches/35.8 x 23.9 millimeters
• Compatible Lenses: Canon EF lenses (except EF-S lenses)
• Lens Mount: Canon EF mount
• Lens Focal Length Conversion Factor: 1.0x
• Image Sensor Type: High-sensitivity, High-resolution, Single-plate CMOS Sensor
• Pixels: Approx. 12.8 megapixels
• Total Pixels: Approx. 13.3 megapixels
• Aspect Ratio: 3:2 (Horizontal : Vertical)
• Color Filter System: RGB primary color filters
• Low-pass Filter: Fixed position in front of the image sensor
• Recording Format: JPEG, RAW and RAW+JPEG simultaneous recording provided. Backup image recording enabled (Same image recordable on CF card standards)
• Image Format: JPEG, RAW
• File Size: (1) Large/Fine: Approx. 4.6MB (4,368 x 2,912) (2) Large/Normal 2.3MB (4,368 x 2,912) (3) Medium/Fine: Approx. 2.7MB (3,168 x 2,112) (4) Medium/Normal: Approx. 1.4MB (3,168 x 2,112) (5) Small/Fine: Approx. 2.0MB (2,496 x 1,664) (6) Small/Normal: Approx. 1.0MB (2,496 x 1,664) (7) RAW: Approx. 12.9MB (4,368 x 2,912)
• Folders: Folder creation/selection enabled
• File Numbering: (1) Continuous numbering (2) Auto reset (3) Manual reset
• Color Space: Selectable between sRGB and Adobe RGB
• Image-processing Parameters: Six preset Picture Style settings plus three user-defined custom Picture Style function with individual adjustments for sharpness, contrast, saturation and color tone
• Interface: USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, NTSC/PAL for video output
• White Balance Settings: Auto, Preset (Daylight, Shade, Cloudy/Twilight/Sunset, Tungsten Light, White Fluorescent Light, Flash), Manual (Custom, Color Temperature)
• Auto White Balance: Auto white balance with the image sensor
• Color Temperature Compensation: White balance bracketing: +/-3 stops in full-stop increments; White Balance Correction: Blue/Amber bias +/- 9 levels; Magenta/Green bias +/- 9 levels; Blue/Amber bias and Magenta/Green bias cannot be set together during White Balance Bracketing
• Viewfinder Type: Eye-level SLR with fixed pentamirror
• Viewfinder Coverage: Approx. 96% horizontally and vertically (coverage against JPEG Large)
• Viewfinder Magnification: 0.71x (-1 dpt with 50mm lens at infinity)
• Eyepoint: 20mm
• Dioptric Adjustment Correction: -3.0 to +1.0 diopter
• Focusing Screen: Standard focusing screen: Ee-A
• Mirror: Quick-return half mirror (Transmission: reflection ratio of 40:60, no mirror cut-off with EF 600mm f/4 or shorter lens)
• Viewfinder Information: AF (AF points, focus confirmation light), Exposure (shutter speed, aperture, spot metering circle, exposure level, AE lock, exposure compensation, AEB level), Flash (flash ready, red-eye reduction lamp on, high-speed sync, FE lock, FEB shooting, flash exposure compensation, insufficient flash warning during FE lock), White balance correction, Maximum burst, CF card full warning, CF card error warning, No CF card warning
• Depth-of-Field Preview: Enabled with depth-of-field preview button (with Speedlite 580EX, 550EX, 430EX, MR-14EX, or MT-24EX, pressing the depth-of-field preview button fires a modeling flash)
• Eyepiece Shutter: None (eyepiece cover provided on strap)
• Autofocus Type: TTL-CT-SIR AF-dedicated CMOS Sensor
• AF Points: 9 AF points (plus 6 invisible Supplemental AF points)
• AF Working Range: EV -0.5-18 (at ISO 100 at 20 degrees C/68 degrees F)
• Focusing Modes: Autofocus, (One-Shot AF, Predictive AI Servo AF, AI Focus AF (automatic switching between One-Shot/Predictive AI Servo AF)), Manual Focus (MF)
• AF Point Selection: Manual selection, Automatic selection
• Selected AF Point Display: Superimposed in viewfinder and indicated on LCD screen
• Metering Modes: Max. aperture TTL metering with 35-zone SPC (1) Evaluative metering (link to all AF points) (2) Partial metering (approx. 8% of viewfinder) (3) Spot metering (approx. 3.5% of viewfinder) (4) Center-weighted average metering
• Metering Range: EV 1-20 (at 68 degrees F/20 degrees C with 50mm f1.4 lens, ISO 100)
• Exposure Control Systems: Program AE (Shiftable), Shutter speed-priority AE, Aperture-priority AE, Full Auto, E-TTL II autoflash program AE, Manual exposure
• ISO Speed Range: Equivalent to ISO 100-1600 (in 1/3-stop increments), ISO speed can be expanded to ISO 50 and 3200
• Exposure Compensation: (1) Manual, (2) AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing)Bracketing range: A±2 stops in 1/2- or 1/3-stop increments
• AE Lock: Auto: Applied in One-Shot AF mode with evaluative metering when focus is achieved; Manual: By AE lock button
• Shutter Type: Vertical-travel, mechanical, focal-plane shutter with all speeds electronically-controlled
• Shutter Speeds: 1/8000 to 30 seconds (1/3-stop increments), X-sync at 1/200 seconds
• Shutter Release: Soft-touch electromagnetic release
• Self-timer: 10-second or 2-second delay
• Remote Control: Remote control with N3 type terminal
• EOS External Flash or Dedicated Speedlites: E-TTL II autoflash with EX-series Speedlite
• PC Terminal: Provided
• Drive Modes: Single, Continuous (approx. 3 frames per second), Self-timer
• LCD Monitor Type: TFT color liquid-crystal monitor
• Screen Monitor Size: 2.5 inches
• Pixels: Approx. 230,000
• Coverage: 100% for JPEG images
• Image Display Format: Single image, 9-image index, Magnified zoom (approx. 1.5x to 10x), Auto play, Auto play right after shooting, Rotated, Jump
• Highlight Alert: In the single image (INFO) mode, the highlight portions containing no image information will blink
• Battery: One Battery Pack BP-511A/BP-514/BP-511/BP-512
• Number of Shots: Approx. 800 (68 degrees F/20 degrees C), approx. 400 (32 degrees F/0 degrees C) *The above figures comply with CIPA standard and apply when a fully-charged Battery Pack BP-511A is used.
• Battery Check: Automatic
• Power Saving: Provided. Power turns off after 1, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30 minutes
• Back-up Battery: One CR2016 Lithium Battery
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 6.0 x 4.4 x 3.0 inches/152 x 113 x 75 millimeters
• Weight: 28.6 ounces/810 grams (Body only. Battery: 2.9 ounces/82 grams)
• Operating Temperature Range: 32 to 104 degrees F/0 to 40 degrees C
• Operating Humidity Range: 85% or less