
Review Summary
2010-01-22T19:00:00
Just an incredible camera. Picked mine up on [...]. In Mint condition and saved a lot.No regrets
BigDaddyDog
2009-08-16T21:00:00
[$] Was fine till about a month ago - it started to shoot blanks - everything sounds fine when taking the picture, only turns out to be blanks (picture file has no data but a black screen, probably malfunction of the shutter/aperture). Had similar problem with my old Canon EOS 630 film camera, was able to fix it myself easily. But with this digital camera, I don't know if I can do the same. This camera is way better than my 40D except 3 things:1. Excrusiatingly slow processing speed - making shooting anything moves really painful, in RAW format that is. JPEG is better of course. 40D is lightling fast in comparison.2. No buildin flash, which really can be handy for quick fill in shots under strong sunlight.3. No live view - a handy cap for quick macro shots.The price for the refurbished 5D is outstanding but mines starts to have problem only after 1 short year, without abuse and drop of any kind. This worries me. I also bought several refurbished Canon lenses and have no problem so far. Buy if you dare :)
YUNMING C.
2009-04-19T21:00:00
2 weeks in Hawaii and over 500 shutter actuations. The 5D performed flawlessly. It went everywhere with me. I love it.
Trailrider_77
2009-03-30T21:00:00
Great camera very good image quality. Not the blistering burst rate of some of the other D family but a far more superior processor. At 13mp plenty for all your print needs unless you are shooting billboards. If you can justify the cost buy one and I would expect the prices to come down now that the mark II is out.
classic I.
2009-03-29T21:00:00
Love this camera, like new, couple of small marks on the body but otherwise, you can't tell it's refurbished and at a great price.
PAUL S.
2009-03-20T21:00:00
Thanks Adorama for great opportunity to have a choice between new and refurbished camera. No problems with body - it looks like new one. No one of friends of my could recognize that it's refurbished camera. Only sticker on the bottom panel shows it :) I've strongly recommended to friends of my to buy it. I've no illusions - 5d MarkII is better but it costs $1200 more expensive that this one. In future it will be my second camera - i'd like to buy 1Ds Mark III because sometimes i hate very long delay between pressing "Shoot" and making the first picture.
Oleg B.
2009-03-05T19:00:00
This was such a great investment! I've been renting the 5D for weddings I shoot throughout the year but saw the price for the refurbs and had to take a chance. I'm glad I did. The camera basically looks like a new camera when it arrives. New strap, old manual and old camera/charger. I'd definitely get the camera again and will get it from Adorama when I need a 2nd 5D body.
Accolade
2009-03-05T19:00:00
I own a Canon 30D for 3 years before jumping to the full frame sensor camera- the Canon 5D. The Canon 30D work great and fast. I decided to move up to the full sensor camera because I am asked often to take wedding pictures. I am glad I did, the full frame sensor has more pixels and I get more detail from the images. On the Canon 5D, images come out sharper esp. printing to big poster size. The Canon 5D seem quieter during the shooting. I noticed the 5D raw images process a little bit faster to the memory card. So far, I am happy to use the Canon 5D as my primary camera and use the Canon 30D as my backup camera.
Flooder
2009-03-05T19:00:00
This is my second 5D, I hesitated getting a 5D MkII but when you can get a reconditioned 5D [$] the choice is easy. No doubt the MkII is better - faster - everything, but the 5D MkI does amazing pictures as it is, and I prefer having 2 identical bodies to avoid confusion and second-guessing. No doubt I will switch to the MK II in a year or two, but for now the 5D is all I need.
PHILIP N.
2009-03-04T19:00:00
At half of the price of 5D mark II, this is a great deal indeed. Wish it had the more recent features such as dust cleaning and live-view (for macro). Coming from 40D, everything is familiar except the FOV of the full frame. Wide angles are fantastic, but I do miss the longer reach of the lenses I am getting used to on the cropped sensor. The view finder is bigger and brighter, but not by much. The high ISO IQ is better than on 40D, but not by much either. I got the Sigma 12-24 with this 5D, just blows away the 10-20 and 11-16 lenses on 40D! One thing I must add is that buying refurb stuff from Adorama has been great for me so far. Got an 24-105 and this 5D, both refurb, both as good as new, literally, at 3/4 price or less. Wish Adorama has more variety of refurb items...Thanks Adorama! [...]
yc
2009-02-19T19:00:00
Adorama got it going, great deals for 35 years. Bought my first Nikon in 1977. this 5D is full frame and more pixels then you need. Gota get the grip, make the camera balance out perfect.
JCJ
2009-02-05T19:00:00
There is no question about the 5D being the right camera at the right price for the job. For me it was a replacement for the Canon 20D, which has served me well. What I found with the 5D was a huge difference is image quality and clarity of my portrait and landscape shots. I love the camera
DANIEL B.
2007-05-13T21:00:00
This camera is lightweight (until you add the battery grip), comfortable in your hand, and very adapt to wedding photographing. The ability to shift white balance settings, use a custom registered list of camera settings, and the film mimic profiles make this a great on the go wedding camera. It also has the unbeatable image quality of a full frame sensor. No lens conversion factor! It renders skin tones well and appears to have better dynamic range than any aps-c sized digital camera I have ever used. If your looking for good quality and don't want to spend the [$] for the 1ds mk 11 look no further.
Diamond P.
2007-05-02T21:00:00
Alright already -- we know its a great camera by the previous 60+ reviewers, so heres what I wish it had if I wrote a letter to Mr. Canon himself:- Can we see an ultrasonic dust removal system like the Rebel Xti ? Probablly in the works as we speak.- I know some pros turn their noses up at a built-in flash, but its no fun carrying this around all day w/a speedlite flash protruding from the top either.- No weather-sealing ? How about me trading in that "Print" button on the camera body no one uses and giving me some seals ?- Tough time with accurate focusing in low-light situations w/o an external flash. Other than the above, what more can you ask for. Most everyone who owns that thing loves it.
SERGIO R.
2007-04-13T21:00:00
A great camera for the money. I would like it to be a faster and better sealed but then again, it's not $[...]. I use it everyday with a problem so far.
CrystalVue
2007-04-09T21:00:00
I've spent over a week with my Canon 5D now....it's not a steep learning curve in getting used to all its features. The most important exposure and focus controls are all at your fingertips. And I love how you can have lots of manual control: even setting up your own custom exposure and color temp settings. This is my forray into digital: before, I just had my old Canon AE-1 from high school and college photo classes. There was no reason to upgrade to film based EOS system with the simple and tough AE-1. With the full sized digital sensor, I knew that this would be the digital camera that could better it!
Dave
2007-03-31T21:00:00
With the 70-200 2.8f IS lense it is a bit Heavy, but it takes great photos. I'm able to extend the ASA to 3200 for great indoor action shots with no flash. The outdoor Track & Soccer season is about to begin, I can't wait. Great Camera, with lots of options.
A P.
2007-03-27T21:00:00
Great camera and at 12.8 megapixels is excellent for enlargements. Big LCD panel is nice, easy to use. Only negative is it does not have it's own built in flash (and professional cameras can include this!) which is nice for fill and so on.
the W.
2007-03-25T21:00:00
I bought this camera for my wife who uses it professionally. The 30D just could not hold a candle to the noise handling or skin-tone rendering of the 5D. There are, however, things I would have liked to see with this camera. Weather sealing for a $[...] camera should have been a no-brainer. I also think that Canon should get creative and include radio transmitters in their high-end bodies to trigger flash units remotely. (That isnt a flaw of the camera...just thought I would throw that out there, as it's hard to find many flaws with this camera). With that said...there is not much out there that can compete with the image quality that this camera can produce.
SHAWN W.
2007-03-25T21:00:00
The reason to buy a 5D is for its smooth tonality and color rendition, very much like med. format images. Resolution is very fine too. Available light photographers will love this camera! I hate PP, I prefer to shoot perfect JPEGs in the camera. No need to clean up 5D JPEGs for noise, color, Hurray! Nothing else up to this price level comes close, NOTHING! I say this after owning Nikons for 39 years and having owned no less than 3 Nikon DLRs.
RAH
2007-03-04T19:00:00
all this camera in a light package and priced right to boot.
outdoorsman A.
2007-02-18T19:00:00
Resolution is top notch, color saturation is very good, camera is fast and easy to use. I found dust spects in the view finder of all cameras sent to me (3), luckily they do not appear on the image. Focusing is better than the 10D, but still has some trouble in low light situations.
MICHAEL B.
2007-02-16T19:00:00
Great camera!!! We use this mostly for on-site portrait sessions, and have had unbelievable results. Do not put cheap glass on this camera, you will not see what it can really do.
center-of-the-universe
2007-02-14T19:00:00
This is probably the best full frame digital camera on the market today for the price. Quality product and easy to use. This camera is a great compliment to the EOS 1D I use for my sports/action photography.
Ed
2007-02-13T19:00:00
There is a 'smoothness' to the images that this camera produces that rivals (or beats) the results I got with my 645. The files are big enough for all of my uses, but not so big that they pose storage or workflow issues. The camera body has a feel that is really solid (compared to the 20D and 30D) and the controls are obvious and ergonomic (like the other Canon DSLRs). For some reason the focusing screen and viewfinder seem especially susceptible to dust... and the sensor is also very attractive to dust... moreso than any other DSLRs I've used. All in all, a really amazing camera. If Canon included the anti-dust mechanisms (like the Rebel has) to this camera it would be flawless.
ANDREW M.
2007-02-13T19:00:00
Exceeds expectations. Full frame sensor makes all my lenses (which are still compatible) just like my days of using film. Color reproduction is fantastic. The camera is complicated (easier if you've had a Canon SLR digital before). Like Photoshop, I first master the basics then add new skills.
LesIsMore
2007-02-12T19:00:00
Camera is small to hold for large hands. Need to get a battery grip for more stable handling especially with heavy lens.
RONALD R.
2007-02-12T19:00:00
Have used this camera for several months now and it performs flawlessly. Sensitivity on colors is better then the 1DS Mark II. 2.5 inch back screen is bright and good for most quick reviews. Little or no noise even up to 800 ISO and it is FULL frame which is great for those wide shots. Now that the Contax N series glass can be adapted to Canon EOS there may be no better landscape camera unless you want to pop for an H3.
ContaxMan
2007-02-12T19:00:00
This camera exceeded all my expectations. The resolution is superb, I love the way it renders colors, the speed of response and generally the feel and substance of its balance in my hands. I bought the battery grip accessory so that bulks it up some more, adds to the weight and looks very professional
metallic1
2007-02-12T19:00:00
Love everything about this camera except when changing lenses it seems to suck in loads of dust into the center, getting on the sensor and in the view finder, much more than in the Canon 20d.
hotmas
Accidents happen where life happens. Protect your favorite Adorama products and purchase a protection plan to stay covered from accidental damage, mechanical or electrical failure, and more.
If we can’t fix it, we’ll replace it at no additional cost.
Protect your product from drops, spills, and more.
Enjoy your gear without fear. We have you covered!
When regular use of your product over time results in mechanical or electrical failure.
We will never charge you a deductible after the purchase of a plan.
Our claims process is simple & easy and our customer service team is happy to help.
Adorama Protect powered by Extend is available for purchase to customers in the United States. Not available for purchase Internationally or in U.S. Territories.
Browse our FAQ
Digital, single-lens reflex, AF/AE camera
Type I or II CF card *Compatible with Microdrive and 2GB and larger CF cards
35.8 x 23.9mm
Canon EF lenses (except EF-S lenses) Canon EF mount
High-sensitivity, high-resolution, large single-plate CMOS sensor
Approx. 12.80 megapixels
Approx. 13.30 megapixels
3:2
RGB primary color filter
Low-pass filter Located in front of the image sensor, non-removable
Design rule for Camera File System 2.0
Image type JPEG, RAW (12bit) Folder setting Folder creation/selection enabled
File numbering Consecutive numbering, auto reset, manual reset
Picture Style Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, User Defined 1, 2, 3
(1) Large/Fine: Approx. 4.6MB (4368 x 2912 pixels) (2) Large/Normal: Approx. 2.3MB (4368 x 2912 pixels) (3) Medium/Fine: Approx. 2.7MB (3168 x 2112 pixels) (4) Medium/Normal: Approx. 1.4MB (3168 x 2112 pixels) (5) Small/Fine: Approx. 2.0MB (2496 x 1664 pixels) (6) Small/Normal: Approx. 1.0MB (2496 x 1664 pixels) (7) RAW: Approx. 12.9MB (4368 x 2912 pixels) * Exact file sizes depend on the subject, ISO speed, Picture Style, etc.
N/A
N/A
Eye-level pentaprism
Coverage Vertical/Horizontal approx. 96% Magnification 0.71x (-1 diopter with 50mm lens at infinity) Eyepoint 20 mm
Built-in dioptric adjustment -3.0 - +1.0 diopter Focusing screen Interchangeable (two types optional), Ee-A (Precision Matte) focusing screen provided
Mirror Quick-return half mirror (Transmission:reflection ratio of 40:60, no mirror cut-off with EF600mm f/4 or shorter lenses)
AF information (AF points, focus confirmation light), exposure information (shutter speed, aperture value, AE lock, exposure level, spot metering circle, exposure warning), flash information (flash ready, high-speed sync, FE lock, flash exposure compensation), white balance correction, maximum burst, CF card information
TFT color liquid-crystal monitor
2.5 in
Brightness adjustment Five levels provided
Pixels Approx. 230,000
Coverage 100% with respect to the effective pixels
Enabled with depth-of-field preview button
15
Image display format: Single image, shooting information, 9-image index, magnified view (Approx. 1.5x - 10x), autoplay, image rotation, and Jump (by 10 or 100 images, by date, by folder)
Highlight warning: In the shooting information mode, any overexposed highlight areas with no image information will blink.
Histogram Brightness: RGB
AF point display: Enabled
Protect Single images can be erase-protected or not.
Erase One image or all images in the CF card can be erased (except protected images).
TTL-CT-SIR with a CMOS sensor (TTL secondary image registration, phase detection)
AF points 9 plus 6 Assist AF points Metering range EV -0.5 - 18 (at 20°C/68°F, ISO 100)
One-Shot AF, AI Servo AF, AI Focus AF, Manual focusing (MF)
AF point selection Auto, manual
Selected AF point display Superimposed in viewfinder and indicated on LCD panel
AF-assist beam Emitted by the dedicated external Speedlite
35-zone TTL full aperture metering
Evaluative metering (linkable to any AF point)
Partial metering (approx. 8% of viewfinder at center)
Spot metering (approx. 3.5% of viewfinder at center)
Center-weighted Average Metering
EV 1-20 (at 20°C/68°F with EF50mm f/1.4 lens, ISO 100)
Full auto, program AE (shiftable), shutter-priority AE, aperture-priority AE, manual exposure, E-TTL II autoflash
Equivalent to ISO 100-1600 (in 1/3-stop increments), ISO speed can be expanded to ISO 50 and 3200.Full auto: ISO 100-400 set automatically
Manual: +/-2 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments (can be combined with AEB) AEB: +/-2 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments
AE lock Auto: Applied in One-Shot AF mode with evaluative metering when focus isachieved Manual: By AE lock button in all metering modes ..Shutter
Auto, daylight, shade, cloudy, tungsten light, white fluorescent light, flash, custom, color temperature setting
Auto white balance with the imaging sensor
Color temperature compensation White balance correction: +/-9 stops in full-stop increments
White balance bracketing: +/-3 stops in full-stop increments * Blue/amber bias or magenta/green bias possible
Color temperature information transmission: Provided
EOS-dedicated Speedlite: E-TTL II autoflash with EX-series Speedlite
Flash exposure: compensation +/-2 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments.
Provided
FE lock: Provided
Zooming to match lens focal length: Provided
Single, continuous, and Self-timer (10 sec.)
Max. 3 shots per sec.
JPEG (Large/Fine): Approx. 60, RAW: Approx. 17 * With a Canon 512MB CF card. * Varies depending on the subject, ISO speed, Picture Style, CF card, etc.
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (Print/PTP, PC connection selectable)
NTSC/PAL
One Battery Pack BP-511A, BP-514, BP-511, or BP-512. * AC power can also be supplied with the DC Coupler. * With Battery Grip BG-E4, size-AA batteries can be used.
Battery life At 20°C / 68°F: Approx. 800 shots At 0°C / 32°F: Approx. 400 shots * The above figures apply when a fully-charged Battery Pack BP-511A is used.
Battery check Automatic
Power saving Provided. Power turns off after 1, 2, 4, 8, 15, or 30 min.
152 x 113 x 75 mm / 6.0 x 4.4 x 3.0 in.
Approx. 810g / 28.6 oz. (body only)
0°C - 40°C / 32°F - 104°F
85% or less
Great Camera
By wimmervan
I have the camera a couple of weeks now and shot a lot of pictures with it. This camera with a couple of "L" lenses can't be beat. The color & sharpness quality is great. The controls are easy to use and understand. And most of all it is a full frame camera (35mm). Even at 800 ISO is has very little noise. The only drawback I find is the price and you have to take care to keep the sensor clean. I also have the 350D and it has the same problem, you have to keep the sensor clean, which is n...
View full Review
Durable, Precise, Crisp
By Sean W.
This camera is great! I have been shooting with it since January and it has never ceased to amaze me how spectacular of a camera it is for the price. It does me well for portraits, weddings and event photojournalism. This is not a beginner's camera though, as you will find the controls and settings to be a little tricky if you do not know what you are doing. Overall, though, this camera is amazing!
Combining the high-end specifications of the EOS-1 Line and the operational easeof the EOS 20D model, the Canon EOS 5D digital SLR is a premium digital SLR designed for a wide range of photographers. Boasting a 12.8 megapixel, 35mm full-size image sensor in a magnesium alloy body weighing just 28.6 ounces (810 grams), the EOS 5D digital SLR is a petite but powerful imaging machine.
The camera features a Canon-designed & manufactured CMOS image sensor. At 12.8 megapixels, there is enough resolution for a double-page spread in a magazine, a large print of the bride & groom, facial detail in group shots or a landscape of impressive dimensions. The sensor's 35.8 x 23.9mm size means that each pixel can be a generous 8.2mm, resulting in exceptionally low shadow noise, & increases the light-sensitive area of each pixel & improves dynamic range as well.
The full-size sensor maximizes performance of the world's largest selection of autofocus lenses. Even wide-angle lenses have the same look & feel they have with conventional SLR cameras, preserving their optical signatures. The addition of the DIGIC II image processor, provides detailed & natural color reproduction & fast image processing, including an incredible burst performance of 60 Large/Fine JPEGs or 17 RAW images at 3 fps. It also enhances start-up time bringing it down to a lightning fast 0.2 seconds.
A new feature called Picture Styles combines processing parameters & color matrix settings into easy settings designed to obtain the desired effect, almost like choosing a type of film to obtain a specific result, to avoid confusion of digital effects on the image. The Canon EOS 5D digital SLR has a new 9 point AF system with 6 Supplemental AF points, a new AF algorithm & a new AF circuitry.
The new AF system improves subject detection & focusing precision at the center, the most frequently used area, & significantly enhances subject tracking performance. The EOS 5D digital SLR has a newly developed, high-speed & highly durable shutter unit that was designed to meet the demanding requirements of a full-frame sensor in a relatively compact body.
The EOS 5D digital SLR has a solid, substantial & organic feel along with its compact dimensions & relatively light weight. The EOS 5D model has a 2.5" polysilicon TFT LCD monitor with approximately 230,000 pixels. At 170 degrees, it has an exceptionally wide viewing angle. Brightness on the monitor is also adjustable in 5 levels & the screen's backlight feature uses six LED modules.
The EOS 5D DSLR has a bevy of other high-end features including the same ISO range as the 1Ds Mark II ISO 100-1600 in 1/3-step increments & ISO speed extended at L:50, H:3200. Also included on the camera is ultra-precise white balance with 9 types of white balance settings, white balance bracketing, & white balance correction, enhanced 35-zone exposure metering, & spot metering in approximately 3.5 percent of the viewfinder area.
Join VIP PRO
2 Day Delivery on thousands of items!
Request a Callback
Chat one-on-one with an expert
Sell or Trade your Gear
Get started in 3 easy steps