We are human and we have the capacity to remember something, especially in our past. Sometimes we can’t remember the details, the people, the place, and even the feeling when we are in that moment. I realize that and I don’t want those mistakes are happen to me, so I decided to get a camera to document all the things with photos or video, and hope I or other people can remember the memory in our present time. I did research about what kind of camera is recommended to buy, and my research ended up with the classic DSLR from Canon, the EOS 5D Mark II. I call it a classic because it was an old camera released in 2008 and a lot of people still use it, people also say that this camera has a space in their hearts. But before this camera, there was a Canon 5D and Canon 1D released first. After I used it for about three months, maybe I knew the reason why people love this camera, even still there was a bad issue with this camera.
The body of EOS 5D Mark II is made with a highly rigid magnesium alloy, painted with a solid black except for the Canon logo. When I grabbed the camera, it felt like I grabbed my own hand, it was so comfortable, and the weight of the camera little bit heavier for me, but that made it easy to stabilize.
The 3.0″ VGA LCD monitor with ‘Clear View’, can be viewed at 170° angle, so this display on the camera is very helpful, also there is a View Finder in the middle top of the camera that can make me see clearly when the LCD can’t help. In addition, to help the photographer with the settings there are small LCD panel display located on the top of the right camera to see the settings are camera uses.
Around the 3.0” VGA LCD, there are a lot of buttons such as the AF (Auto Focus) button, AF Point Selection button, ISO button, Multi Control button, Live view button, Menu button, Picture style button, Info button, Erase button, Quick sift ON/OF Control Dial, Set button, and Quick Control Dial. And then in the front of the camera, there are still more buttons such as Mode Dial, Lens release button, Depth of field review, Shutter button, Main Dial, LCD panel illumination button, ISO compensation button, AF Drive selection button, and White Balance selection button.
From the left side of the camera covered by rubber, there is all the terminal connection to the camera. From the right side of the camera in the handle grip, there are cover cards sold to enter the CF card. The cover is also on the front and under the camera. The front cover is used to cover the sensor of the camera because is sold just the body only or without a lens. The cover under the camera is used to cover the battery sold. Basically, this camera build is like a tank, heavy, solid, and comfortable to grab.
After knowing the physical specification of EOS 5D Mark II, there is also technological specification inside the camera. From the censor of the camera, a 35 mm Full-Frame CMOS sensor with a 21-megapixel quality image. The ISO (International Organization of Standardization) setting range is about 100-6400, Collaborate with DIGIC 4 image processor.
The camera can continue shooting in 3.9 frames per second, combined with Highlight tone priority, Auto lighting optimizer, High ISO reduction, and Lens peripheral illumination correction. To support focus, this camera has a high precision of 9 AF (Auto Focus) points and 6 Assist AF points. Can help to make the image look better.
The image can be selected to be JPEG or RAW, depending on our needs. Besides taking photos, EOS 5D Mark II also supports taking video, possibly recording video in Full HD (High Definition) with 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, video at 30 FPS (Frames Per Second). Support UDMA CF (Compact Flash), combined with 1800 mAh battery capacity to support more high mobility. And then, the durability from the water of this tank camera is about 3 minutes 10 mm rain.
In my point of view, this camera EOS 5D Mark II has advantages and disadvantages because is always to be like that. The first advantage of this camera, 5D Mark II has a Full-Frame sensor which means a high-level camera, At the present time a camera like that can cost very expensive. From the picture result, this camera has a beautiful result even without editing at all.
The body of the camera, the camera has a nice shape grip, maybe the camera is bigger so it’s quite comfortable to grab. And then, the lens of this camera is also cheaper than the newest lens. After all of that now we go to the disadvantages of this camera, 5D Mark II is an old camera so the technology in the camera is old school for this era and has to give effort when using it.
The memory card, this camera still uses a CF (Compact Flash) card because this card is cost more expensive than an SD Card and we just can plug the CF card with the adapter. The weight issue, most people who like compact cameras may not like heavy cameras and this camera is enough heavy. After advantages, disadvantages, and my own experience. The EOS 5D Mark II in my point of view is worth buying, because there is a different experience when using it, I can’t tell what exactly it is but you have to try it by yourself, and sometimes the feel when using something is more memorable rather than using something because there is better one.
By: Fajar Nur Rohim
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