Robert’s Photography Blog

Don’t get me wrong! The purpose of this post is not to slam Canon’s latest full-frame sensor dSLR. There has been plenty said on the positive side by Canon and happy early adopters. However, I am still sitting on the fence wondering if the Canon EOS 5D will be added my list of Canon bodies purchased (D30, 10D, and 20D). The first two are long gone – sold to bargain hunters.

Petteri Sulonen has probably written the most balanced review yet. He ponders whether the EOS 5D is a dead-end and that APS-C sensors could be the defacto standard for all but specialty high-end cameras. According to Petteri, Full-frame is a little too hot …while 4/3 is a little too cold …while APS-C is just right — the sensors sharp enough and fast enough for almost any purpose, without putting too burdensome demands on the lenses.

OK, I don’t own a Canon EOS 5D yet. However, I recently spent and hour playing with one at Alan Photo here in Singapore. My own ‘Ben Franklin’ analysis comes out like this: Positive aspects: – full-frame, lower noise at high ISO, larger LCD display, larger view-finder, and snaz appeal. Negative aspects: – high cost*, wide-angle lens issues (vignetting, soft corners, shallow DOF), weak auto-focus (similar to the EOS 20D), LCD poor in bright sunlight, and viewfinder awkward when wearing glasses.

*Don’t try to tell me that the Canon EOS 5D is cheap compared to the Canon EOS 1DsII. Canon pro film bodies were priced around US$1,000 and used to last 8-10 years!