Canon EOS 5D Body only Digital Camera

This is my second 5D body, bought to replace a 40D once I realised just what a quantum leap the full-frame sensor is over the crop sensor of the 40D - even though the 40D is a more modern design. I use one body with a 24-105 f4L, and the other with my 100-400 L which is primarily for aviation shots. I thought that the loss of the 1.6 crop factor would make a difference there, but it didn't. Nor has the fact that the 40D can do 6.5 fps compared to the 5D's 3 fps burst rate.

Image quality is superb, and that combined with the ability to use the full wide-angle capability of the 24-105 really does bring a smile to my face. I have a 17-40 f4L which was needed with the 40D, but is hardly ever used now because 24mm is quite wide enough for most purposes. My camera bag is now a much lighter affair - just 2 bodies and 2 lenses. The second body is bit more than a luxury of course, but being able to switch instantly from the 24-105 to the 100-400 without having to change lenses is fabulous.

High-ISO images are an eye-opener even after the supposedly good performance of the 40D in this area (I was never impressed with the 40D much above ISO400 though). Even ISO3200 produces surprisingly acceptable pictures, especially with noise-reduction software. This means that the lack of a pop-up flash isn't so much of a problem - the 580EX MkII flashgun is a far better solution should flash be needed anyway.

Vignetting can be an issue at full aperture, but is easily dealt with in Canon's DPP3 software if you use RAW, which I am besotted with now I've discovered the benefits (especially for under- or overexposed shots).

I find that a lot more of my photographs are 'keepers', especially when the subject is an aircraft in flight. This was a big surprise when I compared the 5D to the 40D using the 100-400 - I expected the 40D to outperform the 5D, but it didn't.

I am sure that the 5D Mk2 is an all-round improvement, but from what I've been told the image quality of the old 5D isn't very far behind the Mk2. The 5D is still a very capable camera indeed, and I'm hoping that my pair will give me good service for many years before I'll feel the need to upgrade.

I have no hesitation in thoroughly recommending the 5D to anyone considering a move to full-frame digital photography!