Canon EOS 5D

Introduced in 2005, this is a Canon full-frame digital SLR whose 12.7-megapixel CMOS sensor gives your lenses their intended field of view with no crop.

It suits people who shoot at a considered pace: landscapes, portraits, travel and documentary work. Framing happens through the optical pentaprism viewfinder, since the rear screen offers no live view.

The body weighs 895 grams and is weather sealed, and the Canon EF mount accepts EF lenses you may already own. It records stills only, with no video modes.

Optically, the EOS 5D's appeal rests on its full-frame CMOS sensor. Resolution is sufficient for prints and moderate cropping, and with no crop factor a 24mm lens behaves like a 24mm lens. Wide-angle work and shallow depth of field are where the format pays off.

The optics score of 46 is modest, and the camera sits in the bottom 18% of our database for optics. The shooting limits explain why. Sensitivity runs from ISO 100 to 1600, which covers daylight and shade but asks for a tripod or very steady hands once the light drops.

Autofocus offers nine points, and the maximum burst rate is three frames per second. That pace suits portraits, landscapes and static subjects better than fast action.

Two further details shape daily use. The 1/8000s top shutter speed helps when you want wide apertures in bright conditions, and with no in-body stabilisation, slower handheld speeds rest on your technique, a support or a stabilised lens.

The Canon EOS 5D does not record video. There are no movie modes to configure, no frame rates or resolutions to weigh up and no clip-length questions to consider, because motion capture is simply absent from the camera's feature set.

There is no built-in timelapse function either. The camera cannot produce interval sequences on its own, so anyone wanting time-lapse footage or any kind of moving image will need other equipment.

Composition happens exclusively through the optical viewfinder, since the rear screen offers no electronic preview of a scene before or during capture. This is a camera built around still photography, and everything else on this page concerns exactly that subject.

Handling is traditional, and the feature set is limited, scoring 30 in this section. There's no live view, no touchscreen and no tilting mechanism on the 2.5-inch, 230,000-dot screen. It serves for reviewing images and navigating menus, while actual framing happens through the viewfinder. Checking focus precisely on a display this size takes patience.

There's no built-in flash, so dim interiors mean raising the ISO or fitting a flash in the hot shoe, which the camera supports.

Weather sealing helps protect the body against dust and moisture, though it isn't waterproofing. Wi-Fi is also listed in the specification for this camera.

Storage is a single Compact Flash slot, taking Type I or Type II cards, and the section score of 24 reflects that basic setup. There's no second slot, so a spare card in the bag is simple insurance for a long shoot.

The BP-511A battery is rated for 400 shots. That covers a typical outing, though real-world habits, cold conditions and frequent screen checks can drain it faster, so a second battery makes sense on heavy days.

There's no USB charging, so a laptop cable won't revive a drained battery. Pack charged spares for any long days spent away from power.