[Thorwaywhobia]

Pretty amazing looking specs![thumbup]

http://www.usa.canon.com/templatedat...17_5dmkii.html

Along with the ability to capture full HD video clips at 1920 x 1080 resolution, Canon's EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera features a 21.1-megapixel full frame 24 x 36mm CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 imaging processor and significantly lower noise, with an expanded sensitivity range from ISO 50 to ISO 25,600. The Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR offers a full-frame 24 x 36mm, 21.1 megapixel CMOS sensor and continuous shooting at 3.9 frames per second (fps) for an unlimited number of full-resolution JPEGs to the capacity of the memory card or up to 14 RAW images in a single burst when using a UDMA CF card. The camera includes a 15-point Autofocus (AF) sensor with nine selectable AF points plus six additional Assist AF points (three center AF points sensitive to f/2.8 lenses) with enhanced light source detection and AF microadjustment for greater autofocus performance. The EOS 5D Mark II camera also features a large, clear 3.0-inch Clear View LCD screen with 920,000 dot/VGA resolution, four times the pixel count of the EOS 5D camera's 2.5-inch screen, for enhanced clarity and color when viewing images. The new camera is equipped with a high-performance, high-magnification optical viewfinder providing 98 percent coverage, giving a new dimension to the saying, "what you see is what you get." Professional photographers will also appreciate the enhanced 150,000-cycle shutter durability of the EOS 5D Mark II camera. HD and SD Video Capture
Canon has taken its expertise in imaging, photography and video capture technology to a new level with the EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR. Answering the question of where SLR technology is going next, the EOS 5D Mark II features 16:9 Full HD video capture at 1920 x 1080 pixels and 30 fps as well as 4:3 standard TV quality (SD) video capture at 640 x 480 pixels and 30 fps, both capabilities appearing for the first time in a Canon SLR camera. Video capture is part of the camera's Live View function, using the Picture Style that has been set for Live View still image shooting. This allows skilled photographers and cinematographers to adjust image sharpness, contrast, color saturation and white balance, and have those settings apply to the movie image. When recording video, the camera's rear LCD screen can be letter-boxed by a semi-transparent border to match the aspect ratio of the movie recording size. Moreover, the EOS 5D Mark II camera's HD video capability enables new levels of creative expression through its unfettered access to the complete line of more than 60 Canon EF lenses, which provide an incredible variety of visual effects including everything from ultra-wide-angle and fish-eye to macro and super-telephoto, including many large-aperture L-series professional lenses that can keep the main subject in razor-sharp focus while blurring the background beyond recognition.

The EOS 5D Mark II will record video up to 4GB per clip or a maximum continuous movie capture time of 29 minutes and 59 seconds, whichever comes first. Depending on the level of detail in the scene, a 4GB memory card can record approximately 12 minutes of video at full HD resolution or approximately 24 minutes in standard definition.i Video clips are recorded in .MOV format using an MPEG-4 video compression and sound is recorded using linear PCMii without compression. The new camera features an input terminal for external stereo microphones as well as a built-in monaural microphone for convenience. To help show off those fantastic movies as well as still photos, the EOS 5D Mark II camera includes an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) output to display crisp, clear images on a High-Definition TV.

[darieBarexish]

Finally! Guess I won't be getting a new motorcycle! 1080p video as well? Holy crap.

[tickerinet]

Guess I don't have to sell all my gear to get into the a900 now. This is looking good. Cheaper than its competitors with an image sensor that's supposed to be better the the 1ds mk 3. Also, the ability to encode full 1080p HD video is a huge bonus as far as I see it.

[Nikkytas]

Video samples here.

I'm a bit disappointed that Canon went down the increased megapixel road without first giving a real boost to the continuous shooting and a substantial AF increase, but this is a camera targeted at landscape and portrait photogs, after all.

The video mode does look well-refined though.

[spravka.ua]

If they did that, there would be not many benefits to the much more expensive flagship model such as the 1ds mark 3. 1ds mark 3 owners are already pissed that the new sensor has better image quality.

[ambiddetcat]

If they did that, there would be not many benefits to the much more expensive flagship model such as the 1ds mark 3. 1ds mark 3 owners are already pissed that the new sensor has better image quality.

Lets be realistic here though - better AF and FPS does not make it a sports camera. To be honest, Canon is behind the market on this one - both other comparable FF models do higher FPS, and have AF at least as good (Sony and Canon have the same setup, with Sony having more assist points). I don't blame people for being unhappy really - Canon could have done better.

The problem (to me), is that they went with cheezy gimmicks (movie mode) rather than focusing on more important things..

[gorbasevhuynani]

Oh well, I guess this could be my next camera. It will take me 2 years to get it, so by then I hope to have learnt a lot more about photo shooting

[inmeirulez]

Lets be realistic here though - better AF and FPS does not make it a sports camera. To be honest, Canon is behind the market on this one - both other comparable FF models do higher FPS, and have AF at least as good (Sony and Canon have the same setup, with Sony having more assist points). I don't blame people for being unhappy really - Canon could have done better.

The problem (to me), is that they went with cheezy gimmicks (movie mode) rather than focusing on more important things..

The movie mode in this camera is far from a "cheesy gimmick." Real video functionality on a SLR camera is an incredibly valuable, incredibly useful feature for a videographer (it has HUGE benefits over dedicated camcorders, except for those that are INSANELY, incredibly expensive). A person could use this camera to shoot cinematic, high-quality video that would rival stuff you see in movies (check out the sample videos posted in this thread). The main downside is the limited storage space, but that can be worked around.

TBH, the movie mode alone makes this camera worth more than it's priced.

[BonjGopu]

Lets be realistic here though - better AF and FPS does not make it a sports camera. To be honest, Canon is behind the market on this one - both other comparable FF models do higher FPS, and have AF at least as good (Sony and Canon have the same setup, with Sony having more assist points). I don't blame people for being unhappy really - Canon could have done better.

The problem (to me), is that they went with cheezy gimmicks (movie mode) rather than focusing on more important things..

The image quality is all that I care about really, and with the a900 being below the 1ds m3, and the 5d m2 now being hailed as better than the 1ds m3 (iq wize), then answer for me is easy. The movie mode is a revelation for me, when I go to shoot the wild eagles, I can now shoot some clips through my 500mm. That to me is an excellent added bonus, as I was actually considering buying a vid cam for that purpose. Also, in the a900 thread I was wowed at the image quality, but not so much with having to rebuild my lens collection. Now I don't, and I am quite happy.

The main downside is the limited storage space, but that can be worked around.

TBH, the movie mode alone makes this camera worth more than it's priced.

Agreed. Doesnt the grip bring the option for usb storage???

[romalama]

ISO 25,600?

WTF?

i'm not entirely sure what that says about noise performance but it's sounding interesting regardless

[DumnEuronoumn]

I'll wait for some actual tests before passing final judgment on the camera, but I don't think that Canon put too much R&D into the movie mode. Even the 40D was hacked to use a movie mode; it was simply an extension of the LiveView feature, so I doubt much of Canon's effort was diverted from other aspects of the camera just for that. Also, traditional camcorders usually sport small image sensors, which makes it difficult to obtain the DOF that you can see in the samples i linked to above.

The high ISO samples seem to show great performance, but just like pre-production 50D models, I am concerned that some banding may creep into the shadows of the final product. For me the attribute that will make or break this camera is its AF. If the nine selectable and six assist points do show a marked improvement over the MkI, then I'll consider the camera a success (assuming the final high noise samples look like the images I've seen), but if that's not the case, then I think Canon may have missed its mark in developing a camera that bests the D700 without undercutting its own 1-series - a difficult target, to be sure.

*remember, Canon's sports camera is still the 1D MKIII, and users looking for the ultimate in weather-sealed high performance portrait/landscape cameras should look no further than the 1Ds MKIII. Now we just have to see how that balance is upset or maintained.

[st01en_lox]

Here's why the good video capabilities on an SLR is amazing - famous photographer Vincent Laforet's blog on a pre-production 5D MKII:




Here is the story behind the short video that I produced with what I believe to be a “game changer”of a camera for the following reasons:
1. The 5D MKII camera produces the best stills in low light that I’ve ever seen - what you can see with you eye in the worst light (such as sodium-vapor street lights at 3 a.m. in Brooklyn) - this camera can capture it with ease.2. It produces the best video in low light that I’ve ever seen - at 1080p. A top commercial film editor who who regularly edits RED camera footage - and has seen the raw footage from the 5D MKII - says the 5D MKII is “far superior to the RED camera” in terms of low light performance…
3. You can use your prime and zoom lenses from your Canon still cameras with it - and shoot wide open… so you can shoot films with fisheye lenses, 50mm 1.2 as well as the 200mm f2 or 400mm 2.8 that you may already own…
4. This camera is so easy to use - that you can work incredibly quickly, mostly handheld - without a huge production - and using natural light - ergo you don’t need a huge budget and tons of preparation anymore… forget the lighting trucks and generators that take up entire city blocks…
5. This camera will sell for approx. $2,700 - and perform better than many $100K plus video cameras out there…
6. Photojournalists in particular - will be able to take full advantage of this camera’s strengths - because they are used to walking into any room, and finding the best natural “available light” in the room - or knowing how to add a single light source to make it pop… they are used to working quickly and with small or no budgets… which is something this camera is begging you to do…

It has the potential to change our industry. And link: http://blog.vincentlaforet.com/2008/...-our-industry/

Basically, Serial Carpens was right on, and this guy explains it in good detail.

[Idonnaink]

Basically, Serial Carpens was right on, and this guy explains it in good detail.

'Course I'm right...I don't always pull everything out of my ass.[thumbup]

I actually shoot and edit all of the low-budget TV commercials that our ad agency produces, so I have hands-on experience with video equipment frustrations. I know how to get the results that I envision, but the equipment we use won't let me get the shot I want most of the time because we don't have the budget to afford cameras that cost as much as a small house.

This camera, however, can change all that in a heartbeat. Pretty damn exciting, really.[surrender]

[DuePew]

Laforet's short film shot on the 5D MII will be going live in the next few hours...in the meantime, there's a preview video on youtube of it being shown on a laptop:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XggG7iFfoCk

Click on the high quality link and prepare to be astounded. Can't wait for the full, non-youtube version.[surrender][surrender][surrender][surrender][surrender]

[Kiliunjubl]

The video is available on Canon's website now. [surrender]

[anaisdannyxys]

Many pants have been creamed around the world now[surrender]

[galaktiusman]

The video is available on Canon's website now. [surrender]

Holy toledo!!!! [shocked]

[Dwerfsd]

Many pants have been creamed around the world now[surrender]

I did, multiple times for sure........

[Fhgzmftq]

The video function looks very cool.

[Lictimind]

Yup I'm definitely getting this camera now. That video is incredibly incredible.