CanonEOS 5D Mark II Full Frame DSLR Camera (Body Only) (Old Model)

The Canon 5D Mark II is far and away the single BEST camera on the market right now. $2500 might seem like a steep price for only a camera body, but the camera itself is worth its weight in gold and if you are serious about photography this is the only way to go.The 21.1 megapixel full frame sensor produces shockingly gorgeous images and perfect mural prints. Fine artists take note! This camera is the best digital alternative to 4x5 film. When paired with a premium piece of glass, there is little this camera can't do. The resolution is gorgeous and I have made prints at 40x50" that are absolutely flawless.Another significant benefit of this camera over comparable models is its performance in low-light conditions. You can make perfect images at an ISO of 3200 that look just as good as images at an ISO of 2000. This is great for shooting live music events (what I use it for) in dark clubs or bars. Noise is not noticeable in properly exposed images until you hit as high as 6400 and even then it is reasonable.The only major flaw of the 5D II is the auto-focus. Sometimes it works perfectly and sometimes it seems to be possessed by the devil. I can't make any rhyme or reason out of it, but the beauty of digital is that if you miss one image, you can take another right afterwards and fix your mistakes (the exception is live event or photojournalism, of course). Some people have had no problems with auto-focus, though, so this flaw might be case-by-case. It's just something to be aware of, if you purchase, and I recommend testing this feature out shortly after you take the camera out of the box.This camera doesn't have a huge frames-per-second rate, though, at only four. If you are very much into sports or performance photography, this could be a downfall. For the average user this won't make a huge difference, but it is something to consider when making the purchase. If you need a higher frames per second rate, I would suggest taking a look at the Canon 7D (although it is a crop-sensor camera).I use this camera paired with the Canon 24-70 f/2.8 L as a walk around lens and I am consistently able to produce clear, sharp images, even in low light.This, however, is not a beginner's camera. If you are not familiar with the various camera settings and are not a fan of reading the manual, you'd be better off starting with a consumer-level DSLR before graduating to this body. I started off with a Canon XTi and then moved on to a Canon 50D before I bought the 5D II. There is so much you can do with this body in terms of exposure, but its best to learn how all the functions and features work properly otherwise it will be easy to be overwhelmed.All in all I think this camera is truly the best option out there in terms of quality and possibilities.

I was coming from a T1i, which I purchased back in 2009 and sold it to buy a T3i. Nonetheless, I longed for the 5D Mark II forever and finally convinced my wife to justify the purchase. (I told her it helps me take better pictures, but who doesn't?) My wife reluctantly agreed and we took a deep plunge to purchase this with the 24-105mm f/4 L IS lens kit. Shipping from Amazon was fast as usual and upon opening the box, I felt the golden glow around the new device. Immediately I attached the lens and took a few test shots. Upon looking through the viewfinder, I noticed a very big difference. The viewfinder was large and bright as the viewfinder from the T1i or the T3i even didn't come close. Shutter noise sounds much subdued (and better) when compared to the T1i and T3i. I will not go in to technical details as the other reviewers have done that.The construction is solid and I felt right at home with the controls. Although I am used to the directional buttons on the right side of the LCD display on the Rebel series, I felt right at home with the Quick Dial and joystick. The ON/OFF/L switch takes some getting used to as the Rebel series has the on-off lever right next to the Main Settings Dial. The screen is the same as the Rebel T1i as so it seems. The metal construction blows the Rebels out of the water. Lack of a pop up flash is a con, but I really didn't use the pop up flash on the Rebels anyway so it really doesn't bother me.The main things I love about this camera is the amazing build quality, full frame, large and bright viewfinder and the pictures the L lens takes. The camera is nice and large and is perfect for my big hands. The most amazing feature is the amazing image quality. The image quality has blown me away and this camera can do amazing things like shoot in low light, produce amazing bokeh even with the f/4 and the IS helps to reduce camera shake. The top LCD is SO convenient as I have been using Rebels without it. However, the most satisfying aspect of owning this camera is that people around you notice it and ask you about it. Either way, you purchased this camera to take great pictures and be envied!Believe me, I probably read all the reviews before I pulled the trigger and debated for months before finally deciding to take the plunge. I was torn between the 7D and the 5D Mark II for a very long time and I decided to go with the 5D Mark II because of the Full Frame although the 7D was MUCH newer and contained newer technology. For the type of photography I do, the 5D was perfect for me as I didn't have a need for a 19point AF system or a need for a blazing continuous speed shooting. What decidedly got me to get the 5D Mark II was Kai W's review on Digital Rev TV and boy am I glad I did.PROS:+Amazing build quality/construction+Image quality+High ISO capability+Full Frame+Comes with L lens!+It's a 5D Mark II! What's there not to like?CONS:-Price (but all the features make this camera a worthwhile purchase)I have bought the BG-E6 Battery Grip, Extra LP-E6 Battery Pack, B+W Haze MC Filter 77mm and a EF 70-200mm IS f/2.8 II L (will have a review for that soon) to compliment the Mark II. I haven't regretted purchasing the 5D Mark II for a bit. Now if the 5D Mark III comes out, then it is a different story.