With a wicked 8.5 frames per second, this is a sports/action/photojournalists dream camera. If you need the speed this is the one. Aimed squarely at sports shooters and photojournalists, Canon has done it. If you are looking for more of a portrait/art/wedding camera get the Canon 5D.

Canon has three digital cameras for $2,500+. The 1DS Mark II, the 1D Mark IIN and the relatively new 5D. I chose Canon over Nikon (which I've shot most of my photographic life) because of Canon's more impressive suite of lenses. Here's the decision process I went through. As with most products, it comes down to how you'll use it. All of them have tradeoffs.

1. Megapixels. More pixels - with a few caveats - translates into an image that can be enlarged (and cropped more tightly)with less deterioration. The 1DS is the market leader at 16.7MP, the 5D comes in at 12.7MP and the 1D at 8.2MP. If you're a commercial art or magazine photographer the 1DS probably makes sense. If you're a wedding photographer, the 5D is probably the sweet spot. In practice, however, the difference in pixels between these cameras will not make an appreciable difference for most people. At 8.2MP, you can make an 11x17 print at 200 pixels/inch without any enlargement beyond the camera's native resolution. Up to that size, you certainly won't see much difference in prints from the three cameras. That said, the higher megapixels of the other cameras gives you more extreme cropping lattitude.

2. Full frame. The 1DS and 5D are full frame - that means the sensor in the camera will capture the view of the scene that you're accustomed to seeing with your 35 mm film camera. The 1D and most digital cameras have what is called a field of view crop factor (FOVCF). For the 1D, it's 1.3X. What that means is that both the viewfinder and the image sensor don't capture everying the lens is "seeing" - it crops the view in a little tighter. The result: your lenses are effectively 1.3X longer. A 70 mm lens becomes a 91 mm lens and so on. Because the camera is effectively "cropping" the edges of the image that the lens produces, it also tends to eliminate the softness or vignetting that appears at the edges of some lenses. Whatever camera you use, what you see in the viewfinder is still what you get, and it doesn't affect the pixel resolution of the image. My 300 mm lens with a 1.4X extender and a 1.3X FOVCF is effectively a 546 mm lens - getting into birding territory. (If you're switching from film to digital, some of your lenses may may no longer fit your needs with the FOCVF. Your 35 mm lens is no longer really a wide angle at 45 mm.)

3. Durability. This was most important to me, though it may not be for someone who doesn't shoot in extreme conditions or expects to replace their camera in two years. Both the 1Ds and 1D sport complete metal bodies, sealed against the weather with a shutter that will last at least 200,000 cycles. The 5D - a very solid camera - is designed for 100,000, is not weather sealed and has more plastic components.

4. Weight/size. What a solid, metal body giveth in durability it taketh away in weight. For those who prefer a camera with heft, these have it. For many people, this is a big drawback. The 1DS and 1D are 43 oz., or almost three pounds for just the body, without the big battery. Add the battery and you're at 54 oz. The 5D is just 29 oz. and 31 oz. with battery. The 1DS and 1D, with built-in vertical grips, are also more than 2 inches taller. If you're looking for something less obtrusive and easier to carry around, the 5D is it.

5. Speed. There's a reason the 1D is the camera of choice for photojournalists, sports and many bird photographers. It shoots at a smooth 8.5 frames per second, compared to 4 fps for the 1DS and 3 fps for the 5D. For most day-to-day uses, 3 fps is more than adequate. From using both, I'd say the 1D autofocuses a bit faster, too. The 1D has 45 autofocus points, compared to nine for the 5D.

6. Price. Give or take a hundred here or there, the 1DS is about $7,200; the 1D about $3,900; and the 5D about $3,000. Price will determine whether you get the 1DS or not. If you can afford it, go for it. Otherwise, other features - or the possiblity of buying more lenses instead of more camera - will make your decision.

What did I decide? First, I looked at how I'd use the camera: photojournalism, travel and wildlife photography. The higher FPS was not as important to me as durability and autofocus speed, so either the 1D or 1DS would do. In the end, I decided I'd rather spend the money on lenses that would not be obsolete with the next new and improved camera. (I bought the 300 f/2.8 IS for close to the difference in price.)

So, I went with the 1D Mark IIN. If my camera was generating some good cash flow or my wife didn't need a new car, I'd probably have gone with the 1DS. I'm VERY happing with the decision and the camera.

For most people and most uses - general portrait, landscape and travel photography - the 5D is probably the way to go. (Or perhaps the next greatest camera that Canon will announce later this year.)

Very solid camera, but a bit heavy. Good battery life. It is a very professional camera.

The Canon 1D Mk IIN is the bomb. I opted for this camera over the cheaper and higher megapixel camera, the 5D. It is rare that you need more than 8M pixels and the sharpness and speed of this camera is nothing short of amazing especially when comparing to my other digital slr, the Canon 20D. This is a camera that I will enjoy for many years

This is an excellent camera! I purchased mine in Feb. '06 and have used it continually for 2+ months before I decided to write this review. First, I am an avid amateur photographer, and I wondered if this camera would be worth the expense, for a non-pro. I've found that I do not regret this purchase in any way. I researched it for several months and even bought the Digital Rebel XT first, thinking I'd rather not spend so much for a camera (I like the Rebel XT and it is a fun back up camera)....and I was confused as to which camera to choose. Most official reviewers either did not review it, because there was not "much" difference btw. it and the ID Mark II or simply said that if you wanted to shoot sports or fast action, then the 1D Mark II N was the way to go. I don't shoot those...I'm a wedding/portrait person. However, I do also shoot landscapes and fast moving animals as well and wanted the weather proofing and speed that comes with the Mark II N. So choosing between the 5 D, the (at the time) upcoming 30D and the 1D Mark II N was very difficult.

One pro review site said that the Mark II N was a needless upgrade to the Mark II. I found that an odd remark because Canon changed almost everything that they didn't like in the Mark II. You can record both in RAW and JPEG at the same time, on different cards. A 2.5" LCD that can be magnified from any point, to check the sharpness, there is a definite absence of noise in shadowed areas and you do not have to pair this with an L lense to get excellent photos. Aside from my L lenses, I use the 50mm 1.4, the 70-300 DO and the 85mm 1.8 with excellent image quality across the board.

I am a small woman and found that the camera's weight takes some time to get used to. However, the camera itself is so fast that it compensated any camera shake I might have had, due to the weight, by it's speed. And, now that I am used to it, I hardly notice it.

The multitude of control buttons can be confusing, but if you are used to the 1D Mark II, it's not a difficult switch. If you are used to the Rebel XT, keep the manual handy for your first few times out.

Whether you shoot in JPEG or RAW, the photos manipulate well in photoshop and you don't lose any quality (in my opinion) for not having the 12 megapixels of the 5D (which was 1 of only 2 reasons why I considered the 5D). Large enlargments (16x20) print up quite excellently and again, you have the speed to NEVER miss a shot. I've found that in shooting portraits with difficult to shoot subjects (children, pets, someone who DOESN'T want to sit for a portrait but his wife is making him...), SPEED does matter and often it's saved me from a failed shoot!

The 1.3x FOV crop factor (vs. the full frame 5D) is definitely a factor to be weighed. Frankly, I use the 17-40L and get excellent landscape photos. As wide (at 22mm) as I could ever wish, and not get "fish-eye". So, I don't find the crop factor to be a personal issue but it was something I had to take into consideration in my choice. While it limits my 24-70L and my 24-105L to only 31.2mm at wide angle, it gives my 70-300 DO IS that "just enough" extra zoom boost (to 390mm) that I don't have to buy yet another expensive lens.

I've been trying to think of the negatives of this camera, in order to give a balanced review. As I said, initially the weight was an issue as well as learning the controls. Both were quickly overcome. The cost is definitely a factor, but especially for anyone who does this for a living, it is definitely worth the $. I like everything about this camera (and I've gone through several others to get here). When I don't have it with me, and find myself with my A620 (my "in the purse" emergency camera) I get so frustrated that the A620 won't do anything even close to what I've now come to expect as the standard for all cameras. So I guess that's the one downside, because it's a large SLR, I don't carry it absolutely (though almost!) everywhere. However, overall, unless you want to pay close to $7K for the Ds and the extra megapixels, I don't believe there's a better camera on the market. I realize that while this review doesn't cover all the technical specs (you can get that on either cnet.com or the-digital-picture.com) I hope it helps someone like me who had a really difficult time making the ultimate decision.

This camera is simply amazing! I started out with a Canon G2, and then a Canon G6, and then a Canon 20D, and now this Canon 1D Mark II N. I debated and researched for 3 months between the 1DS Mark II, 5D, and 30D. My decision was primarily narrowed down to the 5D and this 1D Mark II N. Yes, I wish this camera was a full-frame and also shared the 12.8 MP like the 5D, but you know what? It practically killed me trying to weigh the pros and cons and finally I made my decision to go with this one and I'm 110% glad that I did.

For me, this camera is definitely THE ONE to get because the 45 point Focusing, 8.5 fps, and the 1D Pro Body/Interface/Menu/Layout, etc is what really makes this camera worth it and the deciding factor. Trust me, if you don't know how seriously fast the 8.5 fps really is, you need to go out to your camera store and try it out before you decide. Because of this 8.5fps alone, I'm actually able to capture a lot of shots that I normally get lucky getting with my 20D. And with a 5D at 3fps, I just said forget it...No way. I'm not even a professional taking pictures for a living. This is just purely a fun hobby for me and stepping up from a 20D to this camera is out of this world. With the phenomenal auto focusing, additional metering, it's like I'm now playing with a Bentley (with the 1D MK2 N) coming from a Mercedes C230 Hatchback (The cheapest Mercedes that people buy just because it's a Mercedes name and they don't want to spend any more money on a real Mercedes). This camera and the photos truly almost help me take pictures like a pro.

Also, I don't shoot action pictures all the time, and I do love portrait photography, and landscapes and printing and blowing up large sized pictures. But even with the 1.3 crop factor, there is still a HUGE improved difference going from a 1.6 crop and you won't have vignetting problems with some lenses that you'll have on a 5D. With this 1D MK2 N, you can still take wonderful wedding photography, landscapes, etc. As much as I'd like to have 12.8MP like the 5D, 8MP is really all that we need these days unless you're going to blow up and print photos that are larger than 8X10's or around there. Unless you're printing extremely large posters and whatnot, you can pretty much do everything with this camera that the 5D can. The resolution and MP is definitely enough. Plus, it's also invaluable to know that you have the 8.5 fps available and ready to use if you need to and you can also tone it down and use a slower fps if you need to. The extra bonuses with this camera which I look at as a secondary positive, are the weather seals, pro-build high quality construction body, easy to use and navigate menu system, you can see the iso information in the viewfinder as well as the lcd screen at all times, dual memory card capability, you can shoot on 2 memory cards at the same time as one for backup or use 2 separate cards independently, built-in battery grip (you don't have to shell out extra for this), longer battery life than the other cameras, best customization and most options that you can set to your liking, more than the 5D or the 20D or 30D. I could go on and on but definitely get this camera if you can afford it. Otherwise, the 5D is also a great choice too if you need to save the money, and all you do is take landscape pictures all day long, or never will have a use for fast action or have a need to capture quick moments, and don't want the fast and most accurate focusing system that's great for ai servo.

This what i discovered when i've used my brand new 1D markIIN
Well, I have to say that I am truly impressed with this camera. A friend of mine got his about a month ago, so I have played with it a little bit, but since I got mine on thursday, I have really gotten to explore the many features and performance differences beween this camera and the 20D that I upgraded from.
Having used a few original 1D cameras, a 1D mark II, the 20D with battery grip and a 5D, the size and weight of this camera really doesnt bother me (I have heard so many people complain about the size and weight before...) I actually really like the feel of the 1D mark II N. There is only a slight difference between the original 1D Mark II's feel and the N, but if you hold them side by side you notice it.
The autofocus is absolutely stunning. Having used a 20D for a year and a half, I had forgotten how nice it is to have those 45 highly sensitive autofocus points! As soon as you pick up this camera and hold that shutter button half way down, you realize why this is the #1 choice of many of the best photojournalists.
The body construction is the highest quality I have ever seen in a camera, but of course is very similar, if not identical to the other 1D series cameras. Compared to the 20D and 5D though, this thing just feels solid.
Another stunning feature is, of course, the speed at which the 1D Mark II N can capture images... 8.5 frames per second! Just as the 1D and 1D Mark II have done for the past few years, this camera holds its own to all other cameras in its class, with 22 frame raw bursts at 8.5 frames per second. I hardly ever shoot jpeg, but i did test it and found the 48 frame buffer to be quite impressive. Packing two 2 gig Sandisk Ultra II cards (a CF and an SD) I have the capacity for about 450 total shots.
The screen, of course, is fantastic, and blows any Nikon camera's menu and image review quality out of the water.
The 1.3x crop factor is certainly an improvement over the 20D's 1.6x, and the bigger sensor definitely yields better image quality in low light due to the lower signal-to-noise ratio. Overall, color reproduction, metering, exposure and sharpness are all much better than the 20D.
since i love wildlife photography I have been able to get 75% more caption information than I ever did with my pervious cameras
The camera performs great in the studio, and images are beautiful, as would be expected. I have yet to make any photographic prints from this camera, but I'm sure they will look stunning.

Shall I go over all the features? No need.
This camera will work anytime anywhere. It amazes me constantly. I'll be blunt. Any other camera (sorry) is garbage compared to the 1D.

From being at the zoo and having to take an unexpected photo which is possibly due to its lighting fast startup and focus, to being on a boat in the harbor of San Francisco in the pouring rain while others run and hide with their cameras, to grabbing a 400mm night shot in Vegas with exceptional clarity thanks to low noise at high ISO and image stabilization - the 1D destroys any other camera.

I bought the camera based on weather proof, speed and sturdiness reasons. I have no complaint on the speed and the autofocus capability. Even though the picture quality looks no different from 30d, I feel that the camera delivers much better auto-focus effect and the speed. In an ideal enviornment, you will not find the edge of 1d mark ii N. HOwever, 1d mark ii N shines when the low light, quick focus, good battery duarbility are required.

The thing bothers me about the camera is not the size and the weight. It is the sensor dust. Why will a weather proof camera collects dust no differently from 30d? After 1000 pictures, the senor dust showed up. I thought the sand, dust should be avoided since the camera is "weather proof" - against water, sand, dust. Why is there dust so pravellently accumulating? If there is no dust or the dust can be easily removed from the sensor, I will give it 5.

I have to say that the Mark III for $1000 to $2000 more may not offer that much for the money. I have had the 1D Mark II N for a year and have truly enjoyed the flexibility of this PRO camera. To date, after 1000's of pics taken, I still have no sensor dust.

Other than the 1Ds Mark II and its 16 MP, this camera can to everything a pro or pro-amateur photographer will need.

It's truly a beauty and certainly fast enough to get any shot necessary.