Canon's press material for the EOS 5D states that it 'defines (a) new D-SLR category', while we're not typically too concerned with marketing talk this particular statement is clearly pretty accurate. The EOS 5D is unlike any previous digital SLR in that it combines a full-frame (35 mm sized) high resolution sensor (12.8 megapixels) with a relatively compact body (slightly larger than the EOS 20D, although in your hand it feels noticeably 'chunkier'). The EOS 5D is aimed to slot in between the EOS 20D and the EOS-1D professional digital SLR's, an important difference when compared to the latter is that the EOS 5D doesn't have any environmental seals. While Canon don't specifically refer to the EOS 5D as a 'professional' digital SLR it will have obvious appeal to professionals who want a high quality digital SLR in a body lighter than the EOS-1D. It will also no doubt appeal to current EOS 20D owners (although lets hope they've not bought too many EF-S lenses...)
Body material
Magnesium alloy
Sensor
• 35.8 x 23.9 mm CMOS sensor * • Full 35 mm size frame * • RGB Color Filter Array • Built-in fixed low-pass filter • 13.3 million total pixels * • 12.8 million effective pixels * • 3:2 aspect ratio
Image processor
DIGIC II
Image sizes
• 4368 x 2912 (L; 12.7 MP) * • 3168 x 2112 (M; 6.7 MP) * • 2496 x 1664 (S; 4.2 MP) *
File formats
• RAW (.CR2; 12-bit) • JPEG (EXIF 2.21) - Fine / Normal • RAW + JPEG (separate files)
File sizes
• RAW: approx. 12.9 MB • Large / Fine: approx. 4.6 MB • Large / Normal: approx. 2.3 MB • Medium / Fine: approx. 2.7 MB • Medium / Normal: approx. 1.4 MB • Small / Fine: approx. 2.0 MB • Small / Normal: approx. 1.0 MB
Color space
• sRGB • Adobe RGB
Lenses
• Canon EF lens mount (does not support EF-S lenses) * • No field of view crop (1.0x) *
Focusing
• 9-point TTL • 6 "Invisible Assist AF points" * • CMOS sensor • AF working range: -0.5 to 18 EV (at 20°C, ISO 100) *
Focus modes
• AI Focus AF • One shot AF • AI Servo AF • Manual focus
AF point selection
• Auto • Manual • Home position
AF assist
No *
Metering
• TTL 35 zone SPC • Metering range: 1.0 to 20 EV (at 20°C, ISO 100, 50 mm F1.4)
Metering modes
• Evaluative 35 zone • Partial (8% at center*) • Spot metering (3.5% at center) * • Center-weighted average • Metering range: 1 - 20 EV (at 20°C, ISO 100)
AE lock
• Auto: One Shot AF with evaluative metering • Manual: AE lock button
AE bracketing
• +/- 2.0 EV • 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments
Exposure compen.
• +/-2.0 EV • 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments
Sensitivity *
• Auto (ISO 100 - 400) • ISO 50 (Enhanced L) * • ISO 100 • ISO 125 • ISO 160 • ISO 200 • ISO 250 • ISO 320 • ISO 400 • ISO 500 • ISO 640 • ISO 800 • ISO 1000 • ISO 1250 • ISO 1600 • ISO 3200 (Enhanced H)
• Off • On (histogram via INFO button) • 2 / 4 / 8 sec / Hold
Histogram
• Luminance • RGB *
Flash
• No built-in flash unit * • E-TTL II auto flash / metered manual • Flash compensation +/-2.0 EV in 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments • X-Sync: 1/200 sec * • Hot-shoe & PC Terminal
• On (playback uses orientation data in file header) • Off
Playback mode
• Single image • Single image with info (inc. histogram) • Magnified view (1.5 - 10x in 15 steps, browsable) • 9 image index • Image rotation • Jump (by 10 or 100 images, by date, by folder *)
Custom functions
21 custom functions with 57 settings *
Menu languages
• English • German • French • Dutch • Danish • Finnish • Italian • Norwegian • Swedish • Spanish • Simplified Chinese • Japanese • Traditional Chinese • Korean • Russian
Firmware
User upgradable
Portrait grip
Via BG-E4 battery grip (optional) *
Wireless
Via WFT-E1 (optional)
Connectivity
• USB 2.0 Hi-Speed • Video out • N3 type wired remote control • PC Sync flash terminal
Storage
• Compact Flash Type I or II • Microdrive supported • Support for cards over 2 GB (FAT32) • No CF card supplied