The 3.0 inch TFT color LCD display performs very well for a camera of this age. Live View and, in particular, the self cleaning sensor were, to my mind, very useful additions compared to its predecessor, the Canon 5D. But of course these features, and the camera's 9 point AF sensor array, are pretty standard fare by today's standards.

Interestingly the 5D Mark II was one of the first DSLR cameras to offer full HD video which it captures video at 30 frames per second (FPS).

The camera's Flash Synchronisation speed, up to and including 1/200 second, is, to my mind adequate. However, folks expecting to do a lot of outdoor flash photography might well consider a newer model with a faster flash sync speed (1/250 second or higher).

The camera offer's an ISO range from ISO 100 to 6400 that can be expanded from ISO 50 up to ISO 25600. The default is ISO 100, where I use it most frequently. 

The camera's full frame format is great for folks looking to get the full scope of their wide-anlge lenses.  The full frame sensor always produces a larger image in the viewfinder, compared to an APS sized sensor, which allows for easier and more controlled composition.

I'd certainly recommend the Canon 5D Mark II it for landscape and architectural photography.

A Burst Mode of up to 3.9 frames per second (FPS) allows the user to obtain 13 RAW or 78 Fine quality JPEG files on a single burst. But that's only about half the frame rate optainable from some of today's more sophisticated cameras designed with sports and photojournalists in mind.  

Being built around a full frame camera the Canon 5D Mark II is compatable with all Canon EF lenses, but not with the more recent Canon EF-S which have been designed for use with APS-C sensor cameras.

I've taken my camera to Antarctica, South Georgia Islands, Iceland, Greenland and on a -30C night shoot in Harbin, in far north east China.  The camera's magnesium alloy exterior and stainless steel interal chassis, together with lots of care and tenderness, have resulted in it not missing a single beat along the journey. But, let's be clear, as this is neither the strongest nor best weather sealed camera in the world, your experience may well be different to my own.

So, while this reveiw hasn't resulted in a 5-star recommendation, its important to remember that this camera has been on the market for over 3 years. And that's a long time in our contemporary digital world. Should you consider purchasing a Canon 5D Mark II, given today's competition? If, like me, a full frame sensor is a critical factor for you (full angle of view maintained with wide-angle lenses and easier composition) then the 5D should certainly be considered.

I paid around AUS$5,000 for mine with the Canon 24-105mm f4 IS lens attached. Its a great all round lens covering classic 24mm wide-angle, through standard 50mm and classic portrait focal lengths of 70-105mm. All that in one lens and, regardless of the focal length you select, the maxium aperture achievable remains f4. Compared to that today's price is pretty reasonable. You're alternative is to wait for the soon to be released, and higher spec, Canon 1Dx or the mooted direct replacement for the 5D Mark II, whatever it may be called.

 

The Canon 7D is regarded as a semi-professional camera. With an 18.0 Megapixels, APS-C CMOS Sensor and Canon's proprietory DIGIC 4 Processor delivers a pretty decent punch for the price.

The cameras 3.0" LCD 920,000 pixel TFT LCD displays images with clarity and good color rendition. The LCD also features a transparent overlay option allowing for the display of the camera's spot metering circle and on-demand grid lines and a dual Axis Electronic Level and Tilt display to help ensure straight horizons.

Folks working hard to achieve stong compositions will appreciate the 100% Viewfinder. That means what you see through the viewfinder is what's recorded by the camera's sensor. The 19 point AF system promises more accurate focusing than its predessors.

For videographers this camera can record True HD Video at 30, 25 and 24 frames per second. The camera can also be set for standard HD (1280 x 720p) or at 640 x 480p to enable you to film at 50 or 60 frames per second.

While a common fixture on most dslr cameras today, the built in Self Cleaning Sensor is, nevertheless, very handy saving many, many hours of dust removal on the desktop.

 

The 7D has an ISO range of 100-6400, expandable up to 12800.

With a Burst Mode of 8 frames per second and a buffer holding up to either 15 RAW images, or 94 Fine JPEG files, a large range of sports and special effect photography can be undertaken with confidence.

An important feature is that all Canon EF and EF-S lenses are compatable with the 7D.

The 7D accepts Type I and II Compact Flash (CF) as well as the more recent UDMA-compliant CF cards.

Despite its lightweight, this is quite a strong camera. Solid construction and a shutter mechanism designed for up to 150,000 exposure cycles underpin that fact.

With a relatively straightforward menu system, at least by modern standards, its reasonably easy to navigate your way around many of the camera's main features and functions.

I can recommend this camera for folks looking for a quality, general-purpose camera suitable for a range of applications. Its APS-C sensor makes it a great choice for telephoto-based sports and wildlife photography.

While there are several configurations to choose from the link I've provided is for a special package that includes some pretty useful accessories. But there are other options, and its your choice. 

An impressive camera, designed with the enthusiast in mind, the Canon 60D features a CMOS APS-C 18 mp sensor and DIGIC 4 Image Processor for finer detail and excellent color reproduction.

A capacity to shoot at 5.3 frames per second, with the continuous shooting mode selected, will allow you to record up to 58 large (fine) jpegs or 16 RAW files.

 

The camera's ISO range of ISO 100-6400 is expandable to ISO 12800.

Live View and integrated sensor cleaning are included as is 9 point all cross type AF points. 

More and more emphasis these days is being place on video. This camera features an improved EOS HD Video mode with manual exposure control and expanded recording possibilities including the following:

• full HD 1920 x 1080p at 24, 25 or 30 frames per second allowing for the recording of up to 22 mins of video at 330MB per minute
• 1280 x 720p at 50 or 60 frames per second
• 720 x 480p at 50 or 60 frames per second
• 640 x 480p at 50 or 60 frames per second allowing for the recording of up to 46 mins of video at 165MB per minute

A new multi-mode dial enables users to navigate menus and enter settings easier than before.

A potentially useful addition, included for the first time on a Canon EOS camera, is a vary-angle 3.0 inch Clear View LCD screen. With a resolution of 1,040,000 pixels this screen will allow for easier viewing when photographing from relatively low or high angles to the subject. You can now photograph over the top of crowds (i.e., rallies, protests) and find a more comfortable position when photographing very small subject matter (i.e., flowers).

An improved viewfinder, HDMI output for viewing images on a HDTV and a number of in-camera creative options and filters provide numerous alternatives for image making and display. 

An extended Exposure Compensation range, up to +/-5 stops in manual exposure or +/- 3 stops in Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEV) will make life a lot easier for folks working in High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography. 

Accepting SD, SDHC and SDXC cards, which are physically smaller than their Compact Flash (CF) counterparts is a sign of the industry's likely intention to move towards this standard of memory card.

The 60D's plastic resin chassis weighs in (body only) at just 755 grams. This makes for a light, easy to handle camera, albeit with less protection than some of Canon's more highly spec cameras.

The Canon 60D can be purchased in a variety of ways, with or without lens. The kit selected here includes an 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 IS lens, a very popular option in the consumer market. When you take into account the sensors 1.6x crop factor the resulting effective focal length of that lens is actually 29mm-320mm. That covers you for a range of general-purpose wide-angle, portrait and sports photography.

However, as good as that sounds, it's also worthwhile picking up a standard 50mm f1.8 lens (effectively an 80mm on this camera) which is a great focal length for portraits and, due to its wider maximum aperture (f1.8), will allow you to photograph under significantly lower light levels than would be the case with the 18-200mm kit lens. Indoor portraits, sunrise and sunset photography is now possible, without flash. What's more the lens is usually on around $120.