Intermediate- and experienced-level photographers looking for a digital camera that provides a near-professional look, feel, and results will appreciate the Canon EOS 5D SLR model. This digital camera carries a hefty price tag, but its performance and image quality are outstanding and far beyond what you'll find with consumer-level models.

One item concerning the EOS 5D must be mentioned up front: Most merchants don't sell this digital camera with a lens, external flash unit, or a memory card. You'll have to purchase these items as add-on accessories. Of course, if you're already spending more than $3,000 on a digital camera, spending a few hundred additional dollars might not be a serious concern.

Experienced photographers will appreciate the EOS 5D's flexibility, thanks to the large number of Canon EF lenses it can use. The EOS 5D definitely has the look and feel of a traditional 35mm camera. It's so close to a film camera, that it might fool some people -- at least until they see the EOS 5D's 2.5-inch LCD screen, that is. The EOS 5D screen is easy to see from almost any angle (up to 170 degrees) or in almost any lighting condition.

The EOS 5D can shoot at a resolution of 12.8 megapixels, allowing for professional quality prints of 20 by 30 inches and larger. Obviously, most photographers won't need that much resolution when shooting. However, you can use the large resolution to crop images without losing any image quality or sharpness. Not surprisingly, this digital camera's image quality is outstanding, regardless of the lighting situation. The EOS 5D's autofocus unit works extremely well and fast.

In fact, the EOS 5D's response times are faster in every category than nearly all other digital cameras. After pressing the power button, you can shoot your first photo in less than a second. Shutter lag is not noticeable at a fraction of a second. And the unit's shot-to-shot time is less than half a second, too. The EOS 5D offers several continuous-shot modes.

Although the Canon EOS 5D is far larger than today's popular ultra-thin digital cameras, it ranks as one of the smallest and lightest digital SLR cameras available. It won't come close to fitting in your pocket, but the EOS 5D's smaller size is definitely noticeable for photographers who are experienced with digital SLR cameras.


Pros: Outstanding image quality, outstanding response times, LCD screen is one of the best available
Cons: High price, list of necessary add-ons is long and can be expensive

Warranty
1 year