Canon EOS 5D MkII

[caption id="attachment_86" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Canon EOS 5D MkII"] 

[/caption]

Canon recently announced the upcoming release of there new digital SLR, the 5D Mark 2.

This sounds like an amazing camera, it has 21.1MP sensor, a 3" LCD screen with live view and an ISO that goes up to 25600. It also has another feature something Nikon recently announced on there D90, HD Video. I had initial thought recording video on an SLR would be a bad thing, by adding to many features you take away from what the camera is supposed to do but after seeing the results I have changed my mind.

Vincent Laforet has released a video for a mock trailer shot entirely using a Canon 5D, he had access to an early version of the camera so the video was ready for the release of the camera. The quality of the footage and the shots that were captured are amazing, and the best thing about having a camera like this is that you can easily and cheaply change lenses. I don't know how much a comparable HD camcorder and lenses would be but I would expect them to cost a lot, probably more than the camera.

The one thing that is stopping me running out and buying this camera (apart from the fact it hasn't been released yet) is the cost, the body is going to cost $2700 which will probably translate to £1500 in the UK, if you want to get a lens with it the kit will costs about £1800+.

Whilst this is a huge amount of money, especially for a student with photography being just one of many hobbies I am really tempted to get it. Perhaps I should invest in a decent lens for my current camera the now very old Canon 300D.

For an in depth review of the camera check out Thomas Hawk's site.

Update: I have just read that the UK price for the body will be £2,300, and £3,049 for the kit; this is a ridiculous US to UK conversion and puts the camera completely out of my price range. I can only hope that it doesn't stay at this price or I get a very well paid job.