Canon EOS 1D Mark II N

The EOS 1D Mark II N is a professional DSLR that Canon released in 2005. It pairs an APS-H sensor with the EF mount, so it takes Canon's EF lenses.

It suits photographers who want a fast stills camera above everything else. The 8.5 fps maximum burst rate and optical pentaprism viewfinder are its working strengths, while video and live view are absent from the package entirely.

Carrying it is a commitment: the body weighs 1565 g and measures 156 x 158 x 80 mm. It is a camera for planned shoots rather than casual carry.

The Optics score of 46 is modest, and the camera sits in the bottom 18% of cameras in our database for Optics. Much of that comes down to the 8.2 megapixel resolution and a maximum ISO of 1600.

Those numbers undersell its strengths with fast subjects. It can shoot at up to 8.5 frames per second, offers a top shutter speed of 1/8000s and focuses through 45 autofocus points. The Digic II processor handles the camera's processing.

Low light is where the limits bite. With the ISO ceiling at 1600 and no in-body stabilisation to reduce camera shake, evening and indoor work leans on steady technique, wide apertures or a solid support.

Framing happens through an optical pentaprism viewfinder, which gives a direct, real-time view of the subject. For a camera whose main talent is fast action, that style of viewing fits the job.

The EOS 1D Mark II N does not record video of any kind. It captures still images only, so clips, motion work and anything destined for a video edit will need another device. Movie recording is not part of this camera's feature set.

There is no built-in timelapse mode either. Anyone wanting to build a sequence from stills would have to trigger the frames themselves and assemble them afterwards. The fast burst rate is another stills tool, delivering quick runs of frames rather than footage.

The rear screen offers no help for motion work. With no live view, it cannot preview a scene before capture, and the fixed LCD offers no angle flexibility for filming. Composition happens through the optical pentaprism viewfinder, in keeping with a camera built around stills.

The features score of 17 is limited, and the camera earns it. Almost every convenience feature a modern buyer expects is absent, leaving a basic but workable set of controls.

The rear screen is a fixed 2.5-inch LCD with 230,000 dots and no touch input. Without live view it is for reviewing images and navigating menus only, so composition happens entirely through the viewfinder.

Lighting comes from external flash units, which the camera supports; there is no built-in flash. There is also no weather sealing, so it deserves care in rain and dust.

Wireless connectivity is absent: there is no Wi-Fi, no Bluetooth and no GPS. Images cannot leave the camera over a wireless link, and nothing on the body records where photos were taken. Wireless transfer and location tagging must come from elsewhere.

Storage and battery is this camera's strongest area, with a score of 79. The dual card slots and the battery rating account for most of that.

Two slots are fitted: one for SD cards and one for CompactFlash Type I or II. That flexibility is useful if you already own cards of either type, and you can carry both formats in one body.

The NP-E3 battery carries a 1200-shot rating, a healthy figure for long assignments. That figure comes without stated test conditions, so treat it as a nominal rating rather than a promise of real-world endurance. There is no USB charging, so carrying a spare battery is sensible for event work.