Canon EOS 5D

This is the best affordable camera you can find, irregardless full-frame or not. Low light capability is awesome with noise very well controlled and suppressed. Photos taken @ H (3200) is good enough to use directly without the need to enhance further.

Grip on this camera could have been slightly larger but its still good without vertical grip. However, I would choose to have vertical grip if budget and weight were no an issue when packing my full gear out.

The viewfinder is the best (mainly because its Fullframe)... or at least, sense of nostalgia - Reminds you how bright viewfinder can be. Its bright, and clear.

Color dynamics and sharpness is exception for a 3 yr old guy. It can still probably beat the 50D despite of a slower 2nd Gen Digic processor and sensor technology.

AF speed is just awesome compared to the 40D & 50D. Probably that's the extra price to pay for to get additional 6-invisible assist AF point. I get virtually 95% sharp pictures using the center AF point while using AF Servo. Its something I can't live without.

However, the frame speed is slightly slow consider I've been using a Rebel XT/350D with similar frame speed. It could have been faster when it 1st designed. But then now there's a choice of 5DMk2 that comes with close to 4fps. It helps to capture crucial moments better.

The multiselection joy stick could give a little more feel esp that I set it to AF selection function. Some times I just don't get a sense of getting my AF point to the diagonal corner points. But it surely is better than scrolling thru each point using the AF Selection button.

Having to use the 350D/Rebel XT for slightly more than 3 yrs, I only have 2 incidents of dust problem. But the 5D is like many said, dust collector. I had this only for 1 week, I had dust on the sensor. Seemingly the opening is so big that smaller speck of dust could sneak in so easily during lens change or what. (even tho this camera when bought is 95% clean and mint feel)

Overall, this is a great camera with awesome image quality and performance with just a slight hint of weakness.

Bright viewfinder
Fast & accurate AF
Good color dynamics
Noise control and suppression @ high ISO (3200)
Good overall grip
Almost solid feel

Multi-selection joystick is numb
Additional weight for vertical grip (bad if you carry 2 bodies in gears)
Slightly slow Frame speed
Easy to pick up dust (even for the most careful user)

40D
10D

I own a EOS1 Mark II, wich I bought before the 5D was availble. Still a very fine camera, I wanted a good second camera. This year I bought the 40D, also a very fine camera, but I hate the crop factor of it. Nothing seems to fit and I simply refuse to buy EF-S lenses. The 5D always appeals to me, for the FF. But bying a three years old digital camera? In a impuls I just went out and bought it, maybe the last person to buy it. I own it so shortly that I can not really tell the quality in comparison with more modern models, but it seems to be very fine.

FF, every lens and zoom seems to fall in place. The 24-105 for example is so wide, even in comparison with the 1.3 factor Mark II. That's the main reasing to buy it.
Increadeble clear and big viewfinder, a big joy.
Nice size, the grip not so nice as the bigger EOS1. That's the price you pay.
Much simpler menu then the EOS 1, not so good as the 40D, wich is simple more modern.
C mode, wich can be nice.

Three years old.
No 2 sec selftimer, I miss that very much.
No indication of iso in the viewfinder
No dust removal.

10D (not using it anymore)
Eos 1 Mark II
40D

The Canon 5D is my second Canon DSLR. Having purchased a used Canon Rebel 6mp as the first. The 6mp is great for 8x10 prints, but I wanted a camera for 16x20 or larger. I have really enjoyed both of these cameras. I carry the 5D into the backcountry of Idaho strapped around my neck or in my back pack. So far its held up very well to all the bouncing around its been subjected to. The original purchase was a package deal including the 24-105mm Canon zoom lens with lens stabilizer. I use this lens almost exclusively. I've taken over 3000 pics so far with no problems. The 2G memory card allows over 300 shots in JPEG. The battery will hold up easily through an entire card shooting. Batteries and cards are the same for the 5D and the Rebel. Thousands of options are available in the 5D to cover every possible shooting situation. The software included with the package is a very easy and quick way to make simple editing adjustments. To see some of these images please visit my website at www.backcountryphoto.net.

Uses hundreds of Canon lenses.
Thousands of settings for any situation.
Able to hold a focus point, move the camera and take the shot.
Quick and easy editing software.
Easy to clean.

Relatively heavy.
Needs frequent cleaning.
Recommend purchasing how to DVD

Many firm type cameras including Minolta and Pentax SLR's
HP and Nikon fixed lens Digitals

Not needed yet

This was the DSLR that i had always had my eye on, but at the time made the step from film to digital, this camer was still in the 3,000 price range. so, at the time I went for the Rebel XTi that had just come out. The XTI was a very good camera for the money, but it still did not feel right to me. small in size, cropped sensor (smaller than 35mm film) and very small and dim veiwfinder.
I finally purchased the 5D went it came down to nearly 2000.00 It was like a breathe of fresh air. the camera is large, but not a monstrosity so it has a good substantial feel to it and yet does not kill your arms by carrying it around all day. The full frame sensor not only gives me great image quality but works very well in low light conditions. My lenses are now back to their intended sizes. It is a pleasure to have my wide angles again without having to purchase fisheye lens just to give me a wide angle. The viewfinder is large and easy to see through and this camera also has available different screens that can be placed in the viewfinder to make focusing even easier depending on your specific applications. i find that the screen that is in the camera is adequate for me, but i am considering trying another that is supposed to work even better when manually focusing often.
The controls are arranged in a logical and easy to use manner with many different user specified options available in the vast array of custom Functions settings. The only problem here as with all Canon cameras that I know of is the Mirror Lock-up option is also buried in the Custom functions. It would make more sense to have that option as a separate button that could be turned on and off without having to go into the menus.
The ISO range is 100-1600 but can be expanded to 50-3200. I have used 3200 and was very happy with the quality of the images. there was definetly noise but the noise was very fine and yet the images still retained alot of great tonal range and sharpness. There doe not seem to be much color noise in shadow areas which is very good. I would not hesitate to use ISO 3200 when i needed the extra speed. I have not used ISO 50 but I read something on Canons website that stated ISO 50 will not actually achieve any better image quality than ISO 100, but will actually hurt the dynamic Range in the light areas. So, basically ISO 50 would be for when you absolutley needed a slower shutter speed and there was no other option in achieviing it.
The Canon 5D does not have a built in flash, nor does it have a dust removal system built in. the body is very strong and built well but is not a "pro" body and does not have very good weather sealing. i guess some of these things that would be a drawback are there to help keep the cost down of this full frame sensor camera. Still and yet, a very good build with a shutter that is rated at 100,000 shots. This is a very good shutter indeed.
I would not recommend this camera for someone who is shooting Sports most of the time as the FPS is relatively slow (3FPS) It is however an excellent camera for Fine Art, Landscape, Portrait, Night photography, and I had pretty good success with it for a Dance Theater Performance shooting at 1600 and 3200 ISO.

Good build and size, good price for a quality camera with a Full Frame Sensor, comfortable and easy to use, excellent image quality at practically all ISO, good low light performance

No dust removal system built in (although i have not had much of a problem with dust and have not needed to clean the sensor yet) no built in flash.

Canon elan 7 film 35mm SLR, Canon Rebel Xti DSLR

None needed yet

After using film for 0ver 30 years I took the plunge and bought a 20D and have enjoyed it for several years but felt that it was lacking since it wasn't a full frame. I bought the 5D and found out that I was right. the 5D is fabulous. I get to use my wide angle lenses as they were intended and the 12.8MP is far and away better in image quality to the 20D and I have made many 24 x 36 images from the images from it. Now however I can crop and still print those same sizes. I would recommend either camer to others as they are both excellent but if you can afford the FF camera by all means go for it. You won't be disappointed

Well built, Full Frame sensor, Excellent resolution and with the L series lenses poster size images from cropped photos.

None. It just works as it is made to.

Many medium format and 35MM cameras for over 35 years.

Never had a problem with any Canon product!