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Canon EOS 5D Review
Peter
Kun Frary
Appearance, Weight
and Feel
This mid-sized camera is curvy and
a looker. Hell it's better looking than my last girlfriend. The
lack of a popup flash allows the pentaprism hump to take
on an aerodynamic contour similar to the 1D series. The
finish is a textured satin black and looks rather industrial.
Nevertheless, the finish is both durable and ruggedly handsome.
I prefer a camera with enough mass
for stability and to counterbalance big glass. At 810g
(28.6 oz)
the EOS 5D is beefy, almost the
same weight and size as the EOS 3 (780g) or 10D (790g), but noticeably
larger and
heavier than a 20D (685g) or 30D (700g).
Thus, larger telephoto lenses like the EF 300 4L or EF 70-200
4L USM
balance
well. At 152 x 113 x
75 mm, there is also plenty to grip on to. It's petite compared
to other full frame cameras such as the EOS 1D series.
When in hand, the EOS 5D
feels solid and doesn't squeak or flex when you squeeze
it. The magnesium
body is cool to the touch and reinforces the sturdy and confident
feel of the camera. The contoured grip is extremely comfortable--fits
my hand perfectly--and is similar in feel to an EOS
3, 1N or 1V, although the finger grooves aren't as deep. In
contrast the 20D grip is smaller, less contoured and not nearly
as comfortable.
I find the rubber port cover--USB,
remote, video and flash--tricky to open.
Viewfinder
The
EOS 5D sports an eye-level glass
pentaprism, Ee-A Precision Matte
focusing screen and Quick-Return half mirror. The stock
focusing
screen is
bright and contrasty,
brighter than my EOS 3. I find manual focus
easier on this screen than
the stock 10D screen. However it reveals a mildly gritty halftone
texture when
a F4 or slower lens is used. With a F2.8 or faster lens screen
texture is virtually invisible. The screen texture is similar
to the stock 20D screen, albeit finer grained and slightly brighter
(probably due to lower viewfinder magnification).
The focusing screens are
user interchangeable,
but currently there are only 2 other screens
available, a plain
matte (Ee-S) and grid (Ee-D). The Ee-S is
darker but
with higher contrast
to facilitate manual focus
(no microprism).
The Ee-D sports grid lines to
aid in composition.
Interchangeable focusing screens
are easy to
clean: remove and blow off particles with bulb
blower or compressed
air. Avoid cleaning the screen while
installed. A blast of air will hurl particles into
unreachable places, e.g., between screen
and pentaprism.
The viewfinder yields
96%
coverage at 71% magnification and is
near in size and coverage to a 1D series viewfinder.
After using a 10D for 3 years I feel
like I've reached viewfinder Nirvana. I'll never
go back to that tiny peephole again. Now it's easy to keep
horizons straight and the glory of landscapes are
apparent. This is a magnificent viewfinder!
I find the eye relief of 20mm ample
and have no problem seeing the entire viewfinder, including the information
display and surrounding black border. I
have heard shooters
with deep-set eyes, tall noses and/or extremely thick spectacles
complain
it
is difficult to see the entire viewfinder. With
Revo sunglasses (high nose pads), I can still see the entire
image
and information
display.
The green backlit viewfinder display
shows F stop, shutter speed, exposure compensation, burst frames
and flash compensation. Display brightness automatically adjusts
according to ambient light. It has an analog scale for manual
exposure and exposure compensation. In addition, icons for AE
Lock, AF confirmation and flash illuminate when appropriate.
The transparent gray focusing rectangles
flash red when activated (this may be disabled with a custom
function). The AF rectangles seem
small compared to the 20D due to lower viewfinder magnification.
I find the
viewfinder data display slightly small and dim in bright
light. I can read it but must scrutinize it longer than
other EOS cameras. The low viewfinder magnification--.71x--makes
for a tiny data display
compared to the 10D (.88x ) and 20D (.94x) displays.
A custom function for brightness
would be helpful.
While I'm complaining, I'd also like
a duel ambient
and
flash
scale (like the 1D VF series display).
Viewfinder Dust
I've
read rumblings on the 'net about early production bodies
with industrial
leavings in the mirror chamber,
resulting in dirty viewfinders and
sensors out of the box. With
use the leavings work their way out of nooks and crannies, leaving
hundreds of particles on the screen.
Some owners sent their bodies to Canon for cleaning only
to have
hundreds of particles
dislodge again during transit.
At the time of this
review--12 weeks of use--I haven't noticed an unusual amount
of viewfinder dust. All
SLRs eventually get a few specks on the focusing screen. I
can see 3 nearly microscopic black specks if I point at a white
cloud and concentrate really hard. I would not notice them
during normal use. Of course I never change lenses under
dusty conditions or use zooms
in
sand
storms
or
salt spray.
I'll update this section if things change a few months or year
out. July 2009 Update: still no problems with both viewfinder and sensor dust.
Treasure Island at Las Vegas • EOS
5D and EF 24-105 4L IS USM hand held.
ISO 1600, F4 with IS engaged.
Ease of Use
If you've used EOS cameras, you'll
feel at home with the EOS 5D. If
you're coming from a 10D or 20D you won't have to crack
the manual as most controls and operations
are the same or similar.
If you've never
used a DSLR, the EOS 5D is easy to
learn with a fully automatic mode (point 'n shoot) and intuitive
semiautomatic
and manual modes when you're ready to take control. Most important
controls are clearly labeled and available at the twist of
a dial or switch. I can
quickly toggle in and out of drive,
AF and exposure modes. However, changing drive modes is
easier on the Elan 7:
simply push a clearly labeled thumb switch on the top deck.
You can easily
do this while looking through the viewfinder! The EOS 5D
requires a button push and dial spin.
The control surfaces feel solid and
responsive. The shutter button is comfortable and
is more similar in feel to my EOS 3 than the 10D or Elan 7.
The 10D requires a deeper stroke to fire. However, it
isn't
as
touchy
as the EOS 3's shutter
button. Unlike the EOS 3, I haven't had any accidental exposures!
Of course,
the touchy shutter button of the EOS 3 enhances release speed.
Incidentally, the vertical release on the BG-E4 is more
sensitive than the main shutter button.
Cold boot or wake from sleep is
virtually instant. AF and shutter
response feel as fast as my
EOS 3, and are much faster than
the 10D and Elan 7.
The top LCD is clear and about
the same size as the 10D/20D.
Dull orange illumination is available at the touch of a button
on the top deck. I prefer the cool blue neon glow
of the EOS 1N, 3 and Elan 7NE.
LCD Monitor
The 5D sports a rear mounted 230,000
pixel, 2.5 inch TFT color LCD with 5
levels of brightness and magnification controls.
The magnification
feature is handy
for checking exposure and
sharpness in the field. Unlike point 'n shoot digicams, the LCD
is used for image review and menu options only--preview is not
available.
The
TFT is clear
under most conditions except daylight,
where it is useless. It's
dimmer and less contrasty than the 10D,
20D and 40D screens so you'll need to max out
brightness. Firmware
1.1.0 increased LCD brightness somewhat, but it's still on
the dim side. The TFT initially
was too warm for my taste--yellowish--but was corrected to
a more neutral hue with Firmware 1.1.1. Fortunately, viewing quality
is consistent
across a 170 degree viewing
angle.
So, unlike the
10D or 20D, a slight tilt
of the head won't change contrast and color.
The TFT protective
cover is subject to nose grease and is difficult to keep clean. It also scratches easily if rubbed against shirt buttons.
The many menu options are easy to
navigate with the QCD and Jump button. Canon
choose to enlarge the print rather than fit more text in a larger
screen. A wise choice as it's easier to read than the screens
on the 10D and 20D.
©Copyright 2006-2009
by Peter Kun Frary • All Rights Reserved