I was quite shocked that my 5D arrived in late September instead of mid October. But happy!

It doesn't shoot as fast as my 20D does, but the full frame sensor makes a tremendous difference. I can take wide pictures! I miss the effective telephoto effect on my longer lenses, but with cropping I still get some of that back.

The viewfinder is large and bright. And with a 24mm focal length I get a lot of wideness out of it. The LCD is gigantic, and looks just like the 20D. I can hold the camera at arms length and still read the menus just fine.

After the 20D and its machinegun shutter, the 5D feels a little slow. It even sounds slow when it takes a picture.

Right now the cr2 files don't seem to work well in photoshop, but that should be resolved in a matter of days I hope. The cr2 files are huge. About 12 to 14 MB per image. Buy several large flash cards, and a laptop with a big hard drive!

The images are bigger, but the pixels are still larger in the 5D over the 20D/300D, and so much sharper. They certainly looks sharper to me.

All in all, it seems like a better, albeit slower, version of the 20D. It doesn't take EF-S lenses, but the only one I had came on my 300D, and I sold it with the 300D. According to the canon technical specs it has improved software from the 1 series cameras inside it.

This is a great camera and brings Canon's top of the range Pro line a bit closer to amateurs. In fact, it's good enough for professional use and I know of several pros using the 5d (in addition to myself). There are 3 main advantages to the 5d:

Image quality - comparable to even to the top of the line 1dsMKII, the image quality of of the 5d is beautiful and pro level.

Large LCD Screen - the screen is much larger than on previous cameras, including the 1dsMKII. It's very 'photographic' and is even suitable to show clients right after the shot. While it's not that bright, it's quite nice and usable.

Form Factor - it has a smaller form factor than the higher pro cameras and is not very heavy. This is a plus in my book. Even if you are a pro, you don't want to necessarily look like one all the time. If you do want to look like one, you can add the optional battery grip.

I would recommend this camera to anyone. I can think of zero complaints for the pro or advanced amateur photographer.

Cameras usefulness is highly dependent on how it will be used. I am a photojournalism student finishing up college and making the switch from film to digital. I spent a week shooting with it and it surpassed my checklist of requirements to turn digital. It is relatively small, quite, light, unobtrusive, easy to work with all day. The image quality is impeccable, vibrant, no grain (at 3200 you notice it some but it is what 400 used to look like), easy control the cast and contrast. Easy and intuitive to control on manual, the auto settings worked pretty well, I left it on auto white balance the whole time. High quality, fast lenses, to go with it. The 3fps never seemed too slow. A truly professional grade digital full-frame, affordable camera. Now I just need to save up and buy a laptop that can work with the files faster.

This is a great camera and brings Canon's top of the range Pro line a bit closer to amateurs. In fact, it's good enough for professional use and I know of several pros using the 5d (in addition to myself). There are 4 main advantages to the 5d:

Full frame - there is no more 1.6x or 1.3x crop factor to deal with. A 50mm lens gives the same field of view as a 50mm lens on a film camera. The focal length labelled on the lens is what the body captures.

Image quality - although not as many megapixels, the 5D is comparable to even to the top of the line 1dsMKII with regards to image quality. In fact, the 5D performs even better at high ISO speed ratings 800 and above than the more than double cost 1dsMKII.

Large LCD Screen - the screen is much larger than on previous cameras, including the 1dsMKII. It's very 'photographic' and while it's not that bright when outdoors in the sunlight, it's quite nice and usable still.

Form Factor - it has a smaller form factor than the higher pro cameras and is not very heavy. This is a plus in my book. Even if you are a pro, you don't want to necessarily look like one all the time. If you do want to look like one, you can add the optional battery grip.

I would recommend this camera to anyone. I can think of zero complaints for the pro or advanced amateur photographer.

I don't usually write reviews but I was fortunate enough to be in a position to purchase this camera as soon as it's available and their aren't that many user reviews out yet so I'll add mine:

This camera is a fantastic pro machine. It makes me wonder if Canon et al will eventually offer their top of the line 1Ds etc. in the same form factor (ie: without the depth). It's light and the image quality is as good as everyone says it is.

I particularly wanted to add some negative comments to balance out everyone's positive ravings(!) which is usual with new tech gear. And 4 stars too.

There are mentions of the screen being too glary in sunlight. Be warned, it's almost unusable. Even if you shade it with your hand. I guess making the screen more viewable from any angle menas that it also reflects light from more angles... On the plus side, it has encouraged me to use the screen less to check my shots. If you know what you're doing (and you should if you're spending money like this) and you spot meter on good sources, then you should learn to trust your instincts. Yes there are always times you need to check the screen and I sometimes find myself excusing myself to walk over to the shade. That's good too - it can slow a professional shoot down!

The other thing that irks me is the lack of dust seals. Read up on charged sensors and you'll learn that they make your camera a vaccuum - very hard to clean too. Bearing in mind that most users will likely afford Canon's 'L' series lenses (that ARE dust, moisture sealed) I wonder why Canon left this out of the camera. It's a pain. Nikon's new budget D200 DOES have seals. At 10mp and only $1700-1900 I would have gone with Nikon in a heartbeat - if I hadn't already invested thousands in Canon lenses!!!

That's it really - it's a little slow (shutter speed) but if you want a faster camera get the 1DII (or again the Nikon). And it's expensive(!). It has however, TRANSFORMED the way I shoot by focusing so DAMN FAST in even low light. Which is why I bought it in the first place. Happy shooting.

I am a professional user who has been using a Canon EOS-1Ds as my main camera for two years (so much so that I actually sold all my well-loved Hasselblad equipment that I couldn't bear to see gathering dust any longer...). I bought the EOS-5D as a "back-up" to the 1Ds but have been using it as my #1 camera due to it's superior file size and truer color rendition. I shoot with Macbeth Color Checkers and have found the 5D's color to be truer throughout the range than the more expensive (though older technology) 1Ds. That, along with the huge, bright preview screen, push it to the #1 category in my book (at least, until the EOS-2 comes out this fall).

A note to those that wonder...I didn't get a EOS-1Ds Mark II, because for $8000, I didn't feel it represented a big enough leap over the 1Ds (that I had already spent $8000. on...)

I switched from the Nikon D70s to the 5D (I'm a 38-yr Nikon "system" photographer, work in all the big museums, MoMA, etc., and dearly love photography). Canon is the better camera, no doubt. But Canon people (as my dealer warned me) have no concerns for the customer whatsoever!!!!!

I'm actually thinking about returning to Nikon just to get away from Canon "support" ...they'll neither stand behind you or their equipment. This may become very, very important some day. And you'll find yourself left out in the cold.

Good camera, bad people.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED - AVOID!!!

I gave this camera just 4 stars largely to merely contrary. I have a D60 already. I like how the camera handles, the shutter sound is pretty groovy, but really irrelevant. The larger field of view in viewfinder and larger LCD screen are quite nice, shockingly so at times. I do not print poster size images so the larger file sizes are almost annoying. 12.8 megapixels, as others have written elsewhere, does not double resolution from a 6 mp camera. It is noticable but not amazingly so. Bragging rights seem the strongest plus here for me. One disapointment is the histogram. I seemed to be getting overexposed images in some situations. The histogram on the camera itself looked great, but on screen, the highlights were blown out and the Photoshop histogram indicated this clearly. I makes you want to hold your histogram "edges" in closer to the center. My D60 did not have this problem. Otherwise, quite happy. I just did a shoot of a cross country ski race with the 70-300 IS lens. Really superb results. Now back to plant macro shots

Although the camera is a bit pricey at just over $3000, it is a full-frame 35mm sensored camera, and more then $4500 cheaper than the highest price full-frame CMOS sensored camera which is the Canon EOS 1DS Mark II (selling for around $7500 USD). Start up is speedy, focus with a USM lens is extremely fast and saving large images to even a standard CF card is miles ahead in speed as opposed to my first camera, a Nikon 5700 (which I don't recommend anyone buy). Lots of versatility built into the camera and great pictures come out of it.Feature-rich camera, well built and a delight to use. The one I just bought is a company camera, but I'll probably buy another one for my personal use. Lots of good lenses available, but the best ones are not cheap. Buy the camera from a reputable seller like Amazon. Stay away from shady characters like Express Camera and other NY area retailers who originally price the camera low just to hook you into buying overpriced gray market lenses. At first they say the have the camera in stock and as soon as you reject their junk lenses, they then say the cameras are on back-order and won't be able to ship for 10-12 weeks. And then for no real reason given, just cancel your order. I'd never hesitate to buy from Amazon.com.

This 5D is extremely fast in transmitting data to the Compact Flash card. I had no idea as to whether I should purchase a 40x, 80x or 133x card. I wrote to Canon's Customer Service and got a reply back the same day (I recount this to counter the negative report on Canon's Customer Service above, but that person's request may have been different.)

Canon replied that they do not reveal how fast their 5D can transmit data to the Compact Flash card, saying it only matters if you are in the continuous shooting mode and then you don't need the fastest card. At the time of my writing, the fastest card is the 133x (AKA 20MB per second).

So my interpretation of this is that an 80x is probably all you need, even if you do continuous shooting.

On the difficulty in viewing the LCD screen in bright sunlight, check out the FlipUp(tm) LCD caps -- they make one for the Canon 5D.

Great camera, but don't buy it here if you want a warranty or a rebate. You see, Amazon is now selling grey market items. When I got mine I noticed the international warranty. Canon's web site states "Rebate only for USA Warranty camera". When I contacted Amazon about it, they sent me a nice form letter stating that they deal with lots of company's and lots of rebates, and if I had a problem to contact Canon. Nice "Customer Service"! They sold a grey market item without disclosure and advertised a false rebate. So...buyer beware!

I purchased this camera a little over a month ago. I have since sold it, and switched to using Nikon. I can no longer support Canon, and this saddens me, for I grew up using Canon since I was 8 years old. Here is why I gave this camera 2 stars:

- Full frame censor: I thought this was a good thing? It is, and it isn't. Simply put, even Canon's "L" lenses won't provide even light illumination on the censor. Vignetting is a serious problem for the 5D. Like to shoot wide open, say at f/2.8? Think again, because you'll wind up with soft and dark corners every time. Canon's own media rep Chuck Westfall discussed this problem rather briefly in the June 06 issue of PCPhoto magazine. If you won't sharp results with a full frame, you need to stop down, a lot. Swing and a miss for portrait shooters looking to shoot wide open.
- Speed: 3 frames per second? Are you kidding me? This simply is not adequate for sports and action photographers. Many DSLR's offer 5 to 8 frames per second, so why 3?
- Build: This thing doesn't feel any different than the Digital Rebel. For this price, it should feel solid and beefy. The camera isn't even weather sealed like its big brother the Canon 1Ds Mark II. The build isn't terrible, but it certainly isn't impressive.
- Features: Where are they? The most needed features are buried deep in a menu. Don't worry though; Canon has included a "Direct Print" button on the camera. I couldn't believe this, what, is this thing a point and shoot suddenly? There are about 100 more important functions this button could have represented. If this is Canon's way of offering "a feature rich camera" as stated on their initial press release, then I am at a loss of what to say.
- Performance: Color rendition is terrible. There is a noticeable cyan cast to most images. Auto focus is quick, but inaccurate. Only 65% or so of my images showed critical focus, which Canon told me was, "acceptable." This was the same result from many a lens.

The list goes on, but I'm getting a little depressed listing all these faults. Is there anything good about this camera? Certainly.

- Resolution: The 12 MPs is amazing. Image quality, in terms of resolution is stunning. Micro contrast and sharpness is second only to the big Mark II. You will not be disappointed if you are buying this camera for every last pixel.
- Noise performance: There is none, almost. Shooting at ISO 1600 or 3200 is no problem with this camera. Noise levels at ISO 3200 look like that of a Nikon at ISO 400-800. This is a huge advantage of Canon's Full frame CMOS chip, as well as the resolution listed above.
- Wide angle: There is no crop factor with a full frame censor. This might appeal to film users who want to maintain their lenses true focal length, or to those who shoot at or below the 28mm range. It doesn't mean you'll be impressed with the performance of your wide angle lenses on this camera, but that 15mm fisheye will stay a 15mm.

This camera is a hit or miss depending on who you are, and what type of photography you do. I've noticed landscape and macro photographers seem to love this camera, and for good reason. They tend to shoot smaller apertures, focus accuracy isn't a problem, and neither is frame rate. Portrait photographers can go either way, but probably won't like it that much; poor color and light fall-off at large apertures are two very serious stumbling blocks. As for the wildlife and sports photographers, that's a big no (most likely). Slow frame rate, poor focus abilities, mediocre build, and the lack of the crop factor (your 500mm isn't an 800mm any more like it was on the 20D) will surely disappoint most of these shooters.

In my final thoughts, if you are thinking of an upgrade from a 20D or a rebel, the answer is probably no, unless you shoot exclusively landscapes, or macro, or you need the resolution for larger prints. If you are buying your first digital SLR, than definitely no. This camera is simply not user friendly. If you are considering it because it's a "full frame," think again. Canon has an excellent marketing campaign, but for every advantage of full frame, there is a disadvantage as well. Don't let my review stop you though, go and decide for yourself. The camera might suit your needs perfectly, but I feel for the overall market and majority of users, this camera missed the mark, and thus my low rating. Canon's got some homework to do, and they better do it fast.

Image quality and build quality are very good in the 5D, but there are some possible shortcomings.

For families with multiple users at different stages on the learning curve, the 5D lacks the easy "Pic" modes found on many other EOS cameras. Additionally, the lack of a built-in flash means you'll need a bulkier, heavier flash unit.

For action photographers, the 3 fps are a bit poor, especially compared to Canon's own 30D (5 fps).

Additionally, the full size sensor will perform best with newer lenses. In particular, older wide-angle zoom lenses will suffer. Optics still play a critical roll in today's cameras, and Ferrari's run best on premium.

The 5D is a tremendous tool used properly. This is a very strong camera for studio or landscape photographers, where image quality is everything.

i just bought the camera the other day; what an improvement to my 10D;
working in the RAW format just blows my mind; like everything else you should
upgrade to the "better lenses" (L) to live up to the quality of the camera;
i have never had so much fun; just stick to buying your camera from Amazon
not from the guys in NY...

Just got the 5D..traded in my 20D...the 5D is a more solid camera with a full frame sensor...pictures are great and it is easy to use if you are familiar with the Canon system...a little pricey, but worth it!! You'll use it for years!

I switched from the Digital Rebel XT. Since I already had L-glass lenses, I didn't run into problems with the 5D "exposing" cheaper lenses. The 17-40mm really shines on the full sensor! The burst rate is simply astonishing. Missing flash doesn't bother me, heck it's a $3000 camera, I don't expect a built-in flash. I have the Speedlite 580EX, which of course is wonderful in itself. I also have the battery grip which I recommend, as well as the RS-80N3 cable release. Image quality is superb overall - the 5D REALLY shines in high ISO numbers - more so than even the 1D from what I've read. Even at 1600 there's hardly any noise. It allows you to take great, crisp photos in low light where other cameras would require a flash.

The camera also is quite light while being very sturdy at the same time. The 3 fps might bother some, but I prefer the incredible burst numbers.

While the 5D may be less expensive than the so-called professional grade, the camera is more oriented toward the Pro end than the 20D (or 30D) with fewer of dial settings but more capability. Others have covered some other areas, so I'll try to avoid repetition.

The full frame makes a great deal of difference to me. I like to print large images and I like to use L or other higher end Canon lenses (with a couple of knockoffs). There's no tradeoff in weight of consequence or compactness. The truth is that I prefer the recent glass that isn't computed for the smaller sensor.

I liked the 20D, a lot, and most of my gear carries over to the 5D. I now have three cameras that take the same card and battery. The 5D if anything feels and looks more rugged that the 20D while being very compact.

But the pictures? Great. The 20D was and is a first rate camera at 8.2 and its ability to use all Canon lenses, plus the EF-S for the smaller digital image.

One person cited slowness over the 20D. I won't disagree with that, but it isn't a big deal to me. I typically use the drive for bracketing on the fly, but almost never for anything just to do a fast sequence, e.g. sports. I've owned motorr drives going back to my days as a pro in the 60s and 70s and they have their uses. Esssential sometimes.But they are like autofocus. On occasion, you need to be manual. Whenever possible, I prefer to single shot or on occasion, a three shot burst. I find there's less chance of missing what I'm shooting.

The "Decisive Moment" too often falls between the frames on motor driving. But that's to everyone's taste. I really am impressed with the camera and having tried it, look forward to a trip with it, with the trusty 20D as the second.

THE CON:
I've own this now for 6 months, i shoot weddings & portraits. I did alot of tests, especially the picture modes.
Well don't waste your time with these, their all bad, with the
exception of the landscape. You'll just end up using the Standard
mode for best all arround shooting. The venetting does accure arround the edges, mostly in low light.
Worst of all is the color ballance or White ballance in Auto mode. For what ever reason it has a hard time. My D60 out performs it here big time, not sure why. So you may have to shoot
a grey card to get your White ballance more accurate.

THE PROS:
Quality of the pic is excellent, color saturation is awsome.
Blow up of 2'x3' was excellent detail, no noise.
I've found the focus of mine to be real good, no problems here.
Ease of use after learning curve becomes easy, just read the manuel.

CONCLUSION:
I would buy again except for that AWB problem. Now i have owned both the D60 and the 10D and neither seemed to have this problem as bad. I use this mode when doing weddings because I'm always on the move and go from one differn't light sorce to another inbetween shots (Tungsten to Daylight).
I still think Canon is the best and will alway buy their products.

If you've been considering a digital full frame camera (and who hasn't?) this is the one that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Now that Kodak is out of the picture, your choices are the EOS 5D or the 1DS Mark II, which costs more than twice as much.

You do have to give up a few things, such as a super-fast frame rate for continuous shooting, but the 5D has the resolution you need for top-quality images, and the ability to get true wide angle perspectives from your EF lenses. I happened to shoot this camera at a concert side-by-side with a vendor "N" camera, both under available light with 85mm f/1.8 lenses at a range of ISOs. I found some shots I liked from the other camera, shot at ISO 400, and comparable shots from the 5D which, to my surprise, turned out to be exposed at ISO 3200. The 5D absolutely lives up to its low noise reputation. But don't take my word for it, try one out for yourself.

After 3 decades as a Nikon 35mm film 'loyalist', a co-worker let me test drive his Canon 5D, Canon EF 16-35mm f2.8L USM and SanDisk Extreme III 2 GB card.

Viewing the images on his LCD computer screen helped me decide to sell almost everything Nikon (I kept their SB-800 flash for wireless slave setups) and switch to the established DSLR leader, Canon. Finally, no more heavy and bulky Nikon F5 and having to pay and wait for film processing! No more scanning negatives for hours each night!

I've owned the 5D, Canon EF 17-40mm f4L USM, Canon EF 70-200mm f4L USM with tripod collar and Canon Speedlite 580EX for about 3 months and have taken over a thousand RAW and large JPEG images in ISO's ranging from 50 to 3200. (Note: I've also added a backup Canon Digital Rebel XT black body for the 70-200)

The 5D's image quality stunned every person I have given 4" x 6" and 8.5" x11" colour and monochrome images to. Credit must be given to Canon's Digital Photo Professional (DPP) RAW processing software, Canon's i9900 bubblejet printer, Canon paper and Canon ink. I rarely have to use Adobe Photoshop CS2 anymore because of DPP's quick-to-use tools.

The above 5D and any one of the lenses with flash fits nicely into a Tamrac Velocity 7 bag. The larger Velocity 9 bag will fit the entire 2 body with lenses and flash kit.

The only negative about the camera is the closed compact flash card gate moves slightly along it's hinge giving the body a less than solid feel. The Digital Rebel XT does not have this issue and therefore feels more solid. (Note: presently pricing has been established at around $950 for the yet-to-be released Canon Digital Rebel XTi body in Canada)

A built-in flash would have been nice but not absolutely necessary. Unlike the superb Nikon SB-800, Canon's 580EX is a bit chunky but does it's job wonderfully.

The low noise images at ISO's above 800 can easily be removed with DPP or Photoshop. Photoshop goes a step further by removing colour artefacts which desaturates the image. Meaning saturation would have to be increased after noise removal.

Bottom line: If you believe that it costs Canon more to manufacturer a full-frame CMOS image sensor and don't mind spending several months salary on the 5D, go for it! Also, choose your lenses carefully. Canon L lenses go well with the 5D.

After 3 decades as a Nikon 35mm film 'loyalist', a co-worker let me test drive his Canon 5D, Canon EF 16-35mm f2.8L USM and SanDisk Extreme III 2 GB card.

Viewing the images on his LCD computer screen helped me decide to sell almost everything Nikon (I kept their SB-800 flash for wireless slave setups) and switch to the established DSLR leader, Canon. Finally, no more heavy and bulky Nikon F5 and having to pay and wait for film processing! No more scanning negatives for hours each night!

I've owned the 5D, Canon EF 17-40mm f4L USM, Canon EF 70-200mm f4L USM with tripod collar and Canon Speedlite 580EX for about 3 months and have taken over a thousand RAW and large JPEG images in ISO's ranging from 50 to 3200. (Note: 4 weeks ago, a backup Canon Digital Rebel XT black body was added for the 70-200.)

The 5D's image quality stunned every person I have given 4" x 6" and 8.5" x11" colour and monochrome images to. Credit must be given to Canon's Digital Photo Professional (DPP) RAW processing software, Canon's i9900 bubblejet printer, Canon paper and Canon ink. I rarely have to use Adobe Photoshop CS2 anymore because of DPP's quick-to-use tools.

The above 5D and any one of the lenses with flash fits nicely into a Tamrac Velocity 7 bag. The larger Velocity 9 bag will fit the entire 2 body with lenses and flash kit.

The only negative about the camera is the closed compact flash card gate moves slightly along it's hinge giving the body a less than solid feel. The Digital Rebel XT does not have this issue and therefore feels more solid.

A built-in flash would have been nice but not absolutely necessary. Unlike the superb Nikon SB-800, Canon's 580EX is a bit chunky but does it's job wonderfully.

The low noise images at ISO's above 800 can easily be removed with DPP or Photoshop. Photoshop goes a step further by removing colour artefacts which lowers the saturation of the image. Meaning saturation would have to be increased after noise removal.

Bottom line: If you believe that it costs Canon more to manufacturer a full-frame CMOS image sensor and don't mind spending several months salary on the 5D, go for it! Also, choose your lenses carefully. Canon L lenses go well with the 5D.

This is an excellent camera. I upgraded from the EOS 20D which was also a great camera. I upgraded for a couple of reasons. The first was the Full Frame sensor. The EOS 20D has a 1.6X crop factor which effects your lenses overall focal length. On the EOS 5D you get the true focal length of your attached lens. Just like film SLR cameras. Awesome! The one problem I've noticed with the Full Frame sensor on the EOS 5D is it is huge. When you are changing lenses this sensor picks up every little piece of dust, dirt and fibers like a vacuum. I'm constantly cleaning the sensor with a blower. I also had to bring it to a Canon service center. Just to remove some of the dust off the sensor that my blower could not remove. The Canon service center was very far from my home. (Very annoying). I never experienced this problem with the EOS 20D. But, the images you get from the full frame sensor are far superior to the smaller sensor on the EOS 20D.
The other reason I upgraded was the larger LCD. The 2.5' LCD screen is a nice plus. The images look bright and sharp.
Overall I love this camera. Build, features and image quality are excellent!!!

This camera is amazing. I have been a canon user for many years, upgrading as I go. I can not think right now of a camera they could come out with to make me want to upgrade from the 5D. This will certainly be my camera for some time to come.

This is my first and very expensive entry into digit SLR photography.
I have used canon point and shoot digital camera previously.

I was avoiding DSLR's because I used to rarely use my EOS film SLR.
The convienience of a point and shoot from that experience was overwhelming.
Unfortunately so are it's limitations.

So back I came, and the only choice though expensive was the EOS 5d for it's full frame sensor! The pain was reduced by the double rebates.

Wow! This is a revelation! Beautifull images, lot of control.

I did notice that the AF was not as fast as my old Elan IIE.

I was also disappointed that for the price there was a lack of weather sealing. I am not happy with canon for this, but I really appreciate them for making a full frame sensor in a difficult marketable slot as far as their line up was concerned.

This camera also needs prime or L lenses, because the sensor will reveal the inadequacies of inferior lenses. This add's to the cost.

This is an exceptional photographic tool that I hope to use to improve my skill as I explore all it's capabilities!

Amazon's aggressive marketing tacticts now include shipping you goods when you called them to cancel it. I will never buy from Amazon again. I bought over 100 items over 5 years. I purchased the camera on a 1 day delivery plan. They then just ship 4-5 day completely insensitive to a photographer's needs. I cancelled order 2 days before it ships, they say sorry we cannot cancel. 2 days??? come-on. I guess the $3000 just creates nice interest.
The end for me and amazon, I do not like this kind of "aggressive marketing".

Good advice, Rather buy direct from B&H Photo, pay double if you like, but you will get what you pay for there, not aggressive marketing and shoving of a product down your throat at their terms.
I am truly annoyed. Run, hide.

I have owned the Canon 10D but could never get used to the "cropped" view from the limited sensor. I barely used that camera over 3 yrs of ownership, preferring to shoot with my film Nikon. With the 5D, the full field of view is back. The "sweep" one feel in framing a picture through this camera is just marvelous. The images (with "L" lenses) are just stupendous. Arguably better than film. This is the first camera less than $6000.00 to be every bit as good as film. I highly recommend it if you are a serious amatuer or professional photographer.

The 5D is worth it, and then some. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat. Visually it performs better than anything else I've seen. I'm VERY attached to 35mm and this camera either matches film (beautiful tones; sumptuous shadow detail) or outperforms film by a margin (flexibility, detail, the utter lack of noise at high ISO settings).

I completely disagree with the assertion elsewhere that vignetting is inevitable. I shoot wide open almost all the time because I dislike flash. You'll find me indoors in the dark Seattle winter with the aperture wide and the ISO cranked to 800. The low noise/high resolution sensor is perfect for this. It out performs my 30D by a huge margin under such conditions.

Build quality? There's probably a grain of truth there. I hear the Nikons are better sealed, but the 5D feels neither cheap nor shoddy.

I use both the cheapy 50mm/f1.8 and the expensive 24-70 f2.8L series. They only time I've seen any vignetting is when shooting at 24mm under bright sunlight; f4.0 to f8; I see some light roll-off in the corners as noted by M.Ryley, but none of the softness that he mentions. This phenomenon is simply not there at all with longer focal lengths.

As for speed - maybe I have faster CF cards since I bought them recently, but this hasn't been an issue for me at all. However, I do prefer to use my faster 30D for sporting events where speed is of the essence.

I'm a semi-pro; I've been taking picture for over 20 years. I asked 5 full time professionals and a few gifted amateurs to recommend a camera before I made this purchase. Every one of them recommended the 5D - citing image quality. It gives probably three-quarters of the performance of the 1D at only one third of the price.

I recommend this camera.

I've had my 5D for nearly a year and have used it in a wide variety of conditions. It took about five or six months for me to really get to know the camera. Now that it and I understand each other, I'm extremely satisfied with the images it produces. The controls are logical and well placed, once you get used to them.

The 5D's dynamic range is also outstanding. Many of the images it produces beckon for photoshop light balancing work, but a little tweaking routinely brings out the fine gradations of color and tone that exist in the shadows and bright areas of an image.

Image sharpness is also outstanding. It provides plenty of detail for the 13X19 print size my home printer can produce. You'll want good glass for this camera, so be prepared for ongoing investments in Canon L glass if you buy one. The L glass helps you squeeze everything you can out of that wonderful sensor.

Low light performance is also outstanding. I shot some Xmas program pictures in a church last week from a distance of 50 feet at ISO 800 using no flash. There was faint (and manageable) noise in the shadows, but the spotlighted performers in the foreground were crisp and clear.

I miss having an in-camera flash, but the camera almost weighs too much for my taste as it is. I shot a wedding and reception some months ago, with a 24-105 zoom lens and external flash on the camera all evening, and learned a lot about how much the camera really weighs. As far as weather seals go, it went everywhere with me on a cool, drizzly three-day backpacking trip and handled the trip without a hitch. The fine gradations of f-stop, ISO, and shutter speed the 5D offers allows for great control over the camera.

The auto white balancing is not perfect. Images taken under indoor lighting without flash often have color casts to them. In most instances, however, you can successfully correct the colors with post processing.

Apart from the minor reservations I've stated, I'm thoroughly satisfied with my 5D. It will be my cherished, primary workhorse for a long, long time.

Who ever thought that people want cameras with APS, or smaller sized sensors? The lens magnification fact is extremely bothersome, and Digital-only lenses? If you are an avid film shooter, and want to switch to digital, or use a digital camera as a part of your workflow, this is THE camera to get, assuming of course you are willing to make an investment. Canon Double Rebate promotion does not hurt either. This camera has everything you would expect from a professional tool, and more. It has a bright viewfinder, thanks to a larger mirror. The focusing screen is good for general shooting, and different screens are available for specific uses. All functions are easily accessible, and most common functions are attached to hard buttons. The shutter is smooth, focusing is quick. Overall, this is an excellent camera, I just wish it was cheaper. But, you get what you pay for. I highly recommend this camera for landscape and panorama shooters, where a full frame sensor is essential.

This is one of the greatest things ever in my opinion for both professional, and amateur photographer. Af least, it was for year 2006.

And I am very happy to tell everyone that many of my current works for magazine are actually using this wonderful camera.

There are several distinct advantage using this camera in the professional environment.

1. They are affordable full size sensor camera. Output quality will meets most of requirement given by the client.

2. Battery is interchangeable with 20/30D, so it is ideal candidate for 2 camera configuration with 20D/30D.

3. As far as Portrait photography are concern, it is currently one of the best in image quality and compared to the 1DS's older design sensor, when situation is ideal, it sometimes create superior result.

4. Very low ISO noise, it is really useful for anyone who frequently shoot for low available light situation. ISO800 was useable even for the magazine purpose.

5. Relatively lower shutter noise compared to the 20/30D that are helpful for some of noise sensitive shoot.

6. Availability of third party add on are actually important to me when I looked for camera. 5D is very good with availability and compatibility or such 3rd party equipment. And I am very happy to use many of 3rd party products with 5D.
1DS, due to the its form, has major difficulty with some of affordable 3rd party tool, most notably bellows system.

7. Weight is considerably less compared to the 1DS series and it is still full sensor size camera.

8. DOF of full size sensor camera thus great Bokeh can be archived if used with great lens.

9. Ability to shoot AdobeRGB color space RAW format

10. Fairly easy to find additional equipment at the local camera store, when you are on the road (I think
that is very important)

There are some disadvantage for this camera

1. It is 12.8M pixel despite the fact it is full sensor (or Leica format) size and it is 4M pixel smaller than 1DS MKII. And there are few occasion, it will not be enough for the given assignment(You really need to consider type of work you do)

2. It does have lower burst rate compared to 1D MKII or 20/30D that is not exactly ideal for the performance art, sports events, or outdoor bird photography.
Due to that fact, I normally bring my 20D with me, so if I need decent burst rate, I will rely upon my 20D instead.

3.It is not weather sealed, thus, you really cannot take it out when weather is not exactly ideal without shortening camera's life. So, it is not ideal camera for field photographer who shoot at challenging environment.

4. It is still expensive for the amateur and, it is still expensive for the professional photographer with rather low fee structure.

5. 9 point sensor is more than enough for the most of people. It is however, not for the some of professional who requires quick focus and shoot. It is bit frustrating to work with its AF, if you are used to with 45 point sensor of 1D/1DS series.

Big screen for review- easy to use -Big file

We use this camera only for professional work. We can't even dream a better camera than this for this budget.
Only problem we have is that the camera is so good it shows of the defects when we use a cheap lens!

I waited for this camera for a long time before I took the plunge into Digital SLRs.
I love to use wide angle lenses and hated to lose part of the image on it's predecessors.
I have been very surprised at how good the images are, better than any film camera film combination I have ever owned.
I have also been somewhat depressed by the appearance of sensor dust and would see this as the major operational problem Canon needs to address.
I am not convinced by self-cleaning cameras, they need to remove the dust not shake it somewhere else in the body. We need easy clean sensors or reasonably priced accessories to do the job. Not the rip-offs we are being offered now.

Here are the basics that I considered and have found out from about 9 months of ownership. Keep in mind opinions on photography equipment varies greatly by the user and the what the equipment is used for so while I think the 5D is near-perfect, others might not.

While the positives and negatives seem even in number, the positives FAR outweigh the negatives. I have no regrets about my purchase.

Positives
+Full frame sensor: allows me to acheive true wide angle photographs with no crop factor
+Image size: I have had a number of large (20"x30") prints made and the results are the quality is flawless
+Ability to shoot in RAW: While the files are huge (12MB+ each) the information and options this format provides has really expanded my technical and creative abilities.
+Build quality: While I haven't tried the true Canon Pro series (1 series), the 5D is pleasantly sturdy and feels solid in my hands. I can see how some might find it too heavy, especially with an L series lens.

Negatives-
-Lens requirements: Because of the full frame sensor, the 5D brings out the best (and worst) out of the corners and edges of your lenses. You will be able to tell a lesser quality lens more easily on the 5D than a cropped sensor lens. The obvious negative is that better lenses like the L-series are generally much more expensive ($600+)
-No flash: Not a big deal to me but I've noticed that people are surprised when they see the 5D has no flash. This doesn't matter that much since built in flashes are rarely that useful in many situations.
-Dust in sensor: Make sure you get a good sensor cleaning kit shortly after getting the 5D. There are steps you can take to minimize dust like changing lenses rarely and always indoors but you will need to clean the sensor every few months depending on use. To test if you need to clean (on any DSLR), put the camera on a tripod or flat surface, point it at a white wall , focus, and shoot with a long exposure and small aperture (5+ seconds and f/16 or smaller). If there is any junk on your sensor you should see it.

The camera is amazing but to bad the one i received from amazon was defective. I tried to get them to do an exchange but they said they could not replace the item. So i had to return it and wait a month for my refund and purchase it from a local dealer in the meantime for $300 more.

Having used the 20D 30D and now the 5D I can not tell you how much better it is.
The resolution and saturation of the full frame sensor just leaves the 1.6 frame 20/30D in the shade.
The camera is almost identical smaller framed brothers so making the change to the 5D is easy.
The only thing you will notice is the speed.
The 5D is slower than the 20D and 30D so if you are looking for 8fps then you will have to go the next step.

Oh and the battery grip is also a must if you are gong to be away from a power point for long periods of time.
I'm on location in Bangladesh right now so have to carry backup battery's.

As a photographer, I am not actually good enough to shoot with film (a painful, but true confession); however, because of the shortcomings of digital cameras, for what I like to do (late night, low light stuff - with a lot of black and not much light!) I have cycled through endless film approaches, in hopes of capturing that perfect moody image...

Then, to overcome the problems of small negative film, I have cycled through medium format film approaches (Bronica ETRS, SQ-Ai, Hasselblad)...

In both of the above cases, it leads to the inevitable coming home with the proof sheet and thinking, "dang, that sure seemed more interesting at the time"...

Well, this camera has changed all of that! I don't generally shoot any pictures of people, but circumstances led to my first use of this camera being for studio shooting some portraits with a friend's borrowed studio lighting... I shot a few folks and then went back to my computer and downloaded the images from the card... when I viewed them at "actual pixels", I honestly gasped... these images looked like when you go up to one of those awful (if you're my age) 8x mirrors and get the shocking glimpse of every pore, hair and flaw of your face... this was the sharpest, cleanest (shot at ISO 100), best white balanced, best contrast, AND MOST CONVENIENT photos that I have ever taken - with ANY previous approach...

Astounded, but still not 100% onboard, I took the thing out into the night... I am doing a portfolio on night diners and was truly 100% satisfied with the out-of-the-camera results of my first shoot... but when I put a series of varying exposures into Image Stacker and POW - another gasp moment! Noise FREE... black, black, BLACK blacks... and so tack sharp and detailed as to look almost unreal...

I sold my Hasselblad, XPan - selling my Bronica SQ-Ai... through with film...

Gathered some great lenses with the film camera money... this came with the amazing 24-105mm... since have purchased the even more amazing 70-200mm / 2.8, the 17-40mm, the 100mm macro, the 100-400mm and the TS-E 45mm. Truly incredible works of art! The 100-400 and the TS-E fall a bit behind on sharpness, but the others are just breathtaking!

Now, my wife has purchased a Rebel XTi (temporary, while she awaits a higher resolution update to the 30D - Telephoto sports stuff is her love, so the reduced sensor size works to her advantage), so she can have access to all of my lenses... so now, we'll be selling her well equipped Olympus E500 kit, as it has gathered dust since the Canons came into the house...

For me, the 5D is truly the perfect camera... I get to immediately see that my tack sharp, perfectly exposed, perfectly color balanced photos are boring and get to move the tripod over a bit and work it until I capture what my mind thought was there... So for me, the saying around the house is "F is for FILM and F is for FRUSTRATION"... I can finally let it go (exept I have my eye on a 4x5 view camera that holds some promise - of course, I should give one of those Calumet full movement bellows on the 5D before I venture back into film!)...

Okay, I have to go shoot some pictures... you should grab one of these and do the same... I can't imagine any way in which you could be disappointed!

This Camera is excellent for the Prosumer. The full frame is a big plus, looking through the viewfinder on this camera compared to a APS-C size is a big difference. The picture quality is excellent, and it has a great tolerance for noise at high ISO speeds.

I would definitely recommend this camera.

This camera is superior in almost every way. I quibble a bit about the location of some of the controls. For example, the on/off switch is not in a great location, Nikon has a better location for this on its cameras. This type of complaint aside, which is entirely subjective in nature, You can't find anything better.

As a wedding photographer I love the Canon 20D, nice and light and at a good price I can afford six of them. But, recently I started shooting for a local magazine and felt I needed a better camera. The full frame feature is the number one reason for this purchase. I found that I missed getting the full effect of my lenses such as the 28-70mm, 15mm and my recent purchase of the 85mm. The magnification was just too much. I've used the camera at all of my weddings this year and am very pleased in the look and ease of operation of this camera. I'm not a chimper but the larger screen helps a fella with bifocals see quickly and accurately what I am capturing. I'm still learning how to get the most out of the newer features and will take my time and not change what I do too quickly.

Sweet slr. Fast, crisp images. Complex configs available, but easy to just pick up n shoot if you have any slr experience.

Only thing I'd do different is to look for the xx-300mm zoom lens instead of the 28-105mm. It'll serve more scenarios than it's shorter cousin, and it's an 'L' class lens, so you can expect stellar results.

I just bought a 5D. I have the 30D and XT. The color with this camera is head and shoulders above the others. I love what the full frame gives you for landscapes as well.

It's as easy to use as the 30D and easier than the XT (due to the selection wheel).

Fabulous camera.

If you want (what's need got to do with it?) a DSLR with full frame, hi rez, pro-quality with pro features, then scoop up one of these incredible camera 5D bodies. I have owned and used most of the Nikon pro film bodies, and the Coolpix 5700, D100, D1X, D200 (now my wife owns a D40) and thanks the the March 07 rebate program, I switched to Canon after a 43-year relationship with Nikon. Dollar for dollar and pound for pound, the Nikon D200 is, in many comparisons, just about as good as the 5D. I would recommend you give this full frame body a test experience and.... well, a word of caution.... if you get your hands on a new 5D you will find yourself hooked. Line and sinker too. On a budget - get the D200 or if you are a Canon guy, a Rebel XT. Got a little spare loot and photo experience, this 5D is THE absolute. Enjoy.

This camera is a dream to work with in almost every way imaginable! The pictures are consistently amazing and true to what I intended to shoot; right down to exposure, color, etc. A feat seemingly more and more difficult on some of the newer canon models (XTi for one).

The big downside for me, which I found more of an oversight in design than anything, is the large amount of dust accumulation in both the view finder, and on the sensor itself. Even after thorough sensor cleaning with the Eclipse and Sensor Swabs (9 to be exact...ouch that's nearly $50), you will never quite have a clean shot above f/16. This is, combined with the dust in my view finder (which is a shame because it is a beautifully bright view finder) my largest complaint.

I know that all Dslr's eventually need a sensor cleaning, but the 5D excessively so. Be prepared to pony up both the gusto to clean yourself and the added expense. In contrast, on my 1 series Dslr a single pass cleaning lasts me months (5-6) with flawless shots stopped down to f/22.
I know, I know, use Photoshop for the spots right? Well I do and good luck should one of them appear in an area you cannot clone because you need the detail (I find this more so in macro shooting only).

But in short, I do love this camera. I would much prefert to rate it 4.5/5. It is with me 99% of the time I am not at home. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a top notch FF sensor, even with is dusty flaws.

This camera is a piece of art in itself. The quality of the build is well designed for any level photographer. Only qualm I have about it is that it isn't weather sealed, which it should be for the price. The size if great if you have large hands and the weight should help steady your shots.

The image quality is incredible, but you NEED TO HAVE 'L' quality glass. Otherwise, don't get this full frame camera because you won't see what this camera can really do.

Overall, as long as you know what you're doing with it, then it's just a pleasure to shoot with. Especially knowing the kind of shots you will get at the end of the day. Next stop is the Mark III.

I've been shooting professionally since the 70's and most of my work has been in the still life arena. My personal interests have always been more in the area of portraits, landscapes and street shooting (Cartier-Bresson is one of my icons). View cameras and mid-format were my mainstay until I had to start using digital and I came in early, buying the then new Kodak DCS-560 which was the EOS 1N converted to digital and providing state of the art at that time (6.2 MP), for the humble sum of $25,000. Yes, that's right.

I used it as a studio camera and got decent results, pleasing most clients. In later years I rented the latest top runners for jobs as needed and the last one I used in this way was the Mark II. It was great to shoot with and I was able to produce 30x40 tack sharp portrait posters for the client with no trouble, using the RAW files it produced.

So why all this yaddayadda you might ask? Only to establish a) I have a base of experience which may be of some value and b) I am probably pretty fussy about my equipment.

With this being said I bought the 5D because I believed it would give me what I needed (and wanted). I could have bought the Mark III, but I was looking for a camera to do what the 5D does and didn't require the extra features of the Mark III, most of which are really much more technical than even most professional photographers could ever really utilize. I was concerned with what I consider "reality." The DCS-560 is the same general size, shape and weight as the Mark III. I know what it's like to carry that around the world. What would the Mark III offer me that I must have that the D5 wouldn't? Better image quality? Not really. Truth is that the D5 image quality is extraordinary and I can't think of a single purpose I will ever encounter where the supposed "improvement" of the MIII would be needed or, really, even apparent. If I were doing some really technical shot which required a feature of the MIII which the D5 lacks, I'll rent one. My opinion is it will never happen.

What about build quality? I like the fact that the MIII is weather proofed and it would be reassuring, certainly, if the D5 were as well. Again, truth is I take very good care of my equipment and always treat it with respect. I don't see myself exposing my D5 to harm by moisture (I can use a camera glove if I need to shoot in a downpour, not a very common occurrence I wouldn't think). Otherwise, the D5 is solidly built, feels very sturdy, and will not succumb to uselessness if exposed to marginal weather conditions, as long as I remain aware enough to just take proper care while using it. It's not hard to do. A journalist or someone who needs to shoot a lot in really serious weather would need to have a MIII. I don't. And that leaves burst speeds. I don't shoot sports and when I need to catch a moment in people shots where I'm looking for a particular expression, for example, the 5D speed works just fine. At a certain point, a higher burst speed is really overkill.

All cameras have strengths and weaknesses. To my thinking, the D5's strengths are apparent: superb image quality (be sure to use the best optics. L series lenses, the 100 macro and a few others work for me), excellent build quality and finish, the best ergonomics I have ever found in a camera (shared by the EOS series as a whole) and a really great price. Compared to that $25,000 DCS I bought so many years ago (yes, the technology has advanced and the prices have come down) and even to the MIII, the price is a bargain. The only "weakness" would have to be the lack of extra insurance of a weather proofing construction.

So my experience with this camera has been excellent. I just love it. It satisfies all my requirements and I don't feel that I am compromising any of them, simply because a higher priced and more feature filled model exists. The results I have been getting amaze me. Detail, lack of noise, color saturation and tonality, ease of operation, relative size and weight, battery life, ease of quickly changing modes and shooting parameters, the feel of it in my hands, all speak well to me. Right now it's my favorite camera. I like it so much, and it does so much of what I actually want and need, I don't think I'll be looking to replace it for quite a while. If you can embrace reality and not get sucked into hype (what you don't need), you will love it too. Highly recommended!

I don't have to say much, the experts have already said it all. Canon is king and you won't be disappointed with this camera. They've left no stone unturned. I'd like to get my hands on a 1D and compare the differences, but I have to say, for my needs, this meets the bill.

I'm a Designer/Art Director and use this camera for everything from art for print and web to shooting finished pieces for my portfolio. Also used it to shoot a wedding and was quite happy.

One point, if you spend the dough on this camera, expect to also spend it on accessories.

I own a Canon EOS 1Ds, 11.1 mp camera and it is without a doubt a fine piece of equipment but a bit on the heavy side for an old man like me. It is a superlative studio camera but in the field a lot to handle. I also own a Canon G7 12.1 MP camera and it surpasses expectations so much so that I use it as a backup. Now I am the proud owner of a 5D and it's unbelieveable! It's simple to operate and (without the battery grip) is light enough to carry all day without hurting yourself. It's the best yet in a long line of great products.

I first started out in DSLR's with a Canon Xt or 350D for the numerical crowd out there. Then recently upgraded to a Canon 5D.

The usual good-bad review.

First the good.

Resolution is far better than the Xt, obviously. Blowing up photos to poster size is no problem with the 5D. Even cropping at 100% still shows the detail in the photo (Warning: Zooming in at 100% of a photo to test its 'sharpness' is not wise. How many times do you take a developed photo and hold it close to your face to achieve 100% crop? Probably never.)

The controls are effective in the fact that I didnt accidently change a setting like I did many times with the Xt. And the scroll wheel is a fantastic feature to use, everything from scrolling through picture to scrolling through settings, it is very very effective.

Full frame.
Ahhh yes one of the reasons I upgraded. I had heard so much about this, and at first thought to myself it wouldnt be all that fantastic. WAS I EVER WRONG! Full frame (heard many times) is a dream. The coverage you get is astonishing when compared to a 1.6 camera body.
Perfect for landscape/cityscape photography. If you upgrade to a 5D you will immediately notice this. Also, if youre wondering if you should or shouldnt upgrade to a FF, my advice would to be just go for it.

ISO handling.
Another reason I upgraded. I shot my first wedding with the Xt and even though it performed like a champ, the one thing it was lacking was the ISo handling. Very grainy at 1600. The 5D is arguably the best at ISO handling. When exposed correctly (which is with any camera), the noise associated with high ISO numbers is hardly noticable.

Design.
Nice size and weight. Another plus going from the Xt to the 5D.

Viewfinder.
I have to watch my language when describing this, it is that amazing.
I am truely astonished by this thing. It is like nothing I have ever seen. Looking through it pleases my eye. Very bright, very large...no way there can be a complaint on the viewfinder. A extremely large noticable feature when compared to the Xt.

Now for the bad. Although I dont consider these "bad" as apposed to 'different'

A 50mm lens is exactly that, 50mm. With 1.6x crop cameras a 50mm would be equivalent to a 80mm on a FF camera. Some call it 'added reach' when refering to 1.6x crop cameras. If you are into sports or anything that requires as much zoom as possible this will hinder that added appearant "reach".

FPS.
The frame rate is 3fps which is the same as the Xt. For my style of shooting FPS is not a must have feature. If it is for you then dont get this camera.You will only get frustrated.

Conclusion.

An ugrade that I dont regret one bit. The FF is a true dream. The high ISO handling will come in extremely handy for my upcoming wedding. The size of it is perfect, although I will eventually get the battery grip.
Controls are nicely done. Canon really did a fantastic job on this. I would highly recommend this camera to anyone wanting to upgrade from a 10D, 20D, 30D, XT, or XTi. The only body that can better this is the 1D series.

Get it, you wont be sorry.

I bought this camera after using the EOS Rebel 2000 Film camera for 7 years. I bought it because of its Full frame sensor.

The camera is very sharp at all ISOs upto 800.

The camera is great for most lighting conditions with default settings. It needs some experimentation for dealing with difficult lighting conditions (high contrast outdoor and indoor).

50 years from now if you go to the Smithsonian Museum you'll find the Canon 5D on display. It is the first pro-sumer level DSLR that has a full sized frame sensor. If you don't know why that's important - you have no business buying this camera. If you do, then you already know why this camera is so special.

The build is top notch. Solid feel, well laid out controls, wide selection of accessories, everything you could want in a top of the line camera. I honestly can't think of anything I would have done differently. Some of the professional reviews mention little picky things that they would change, but for me this camera is perfect.