Canon’s 21.1-Mpixel EOS 5D Mk II dSLR with 1080p HD Video: Burn (those bits) Baby, Burn

G: Minolta (now Sony), Pentax, and Olympus are three vendors who have implemented image stabilization (IS) in their dSLR bodies. Contax even did it with a film camera, a really neat trick. The trick is conceptually simple. Mount the image sensor on an XY table and then slide the table around to compensate for camera movement. It works. The reason Canon didn't do this was because it had several camera bodies in the EOS series back in the film days so adding IS to the lenses automatically added the feature no matter which body you owned. If you were starting now from scratch, it might well make more sense to put the stabilization in the body. Want to read more? Try www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/image_stabilization.html

Regarding the comment about IS in the body. I am not sure if this is even possible. The lens relative to the body of the camera in an SLR is much heavier. It might be impossible to stabilize the body without stabilizing the lens. Just my two cents, I'm no expert though.

Dave, I completely understand your objection. You feel that the addition of video positions the 5D Mark II down with the "toy" compact cameras. However, the addition of a microphone, an A/D, and a mike input jack probably raises the factory cost on this $2700 camera body by two bucks. What does Canon get from adding video to this high-end, full-frame dSLR? For one thing, it gets thousands of salivating professional wedding photographers who are already lusting for this camera because they know they'll instantly be able to make more money from their gigs. You can get 10 compact cameras for the price of a 5D Mark II camera body. This camera doesn't compete or even mingle with the toy cameras. It's entered a new niche: a high-resolution still/video image-capturing engine with interchangeable lenses from a top-of-the-line optics manufacturer.

I have a problem with the "more, more, more" attitude. I'll probably still buy a 5D mark ii down the road, but the video feature is really a turn off for me. It's a still camera and that's what I expect it to be. I'm an Electrical Engineer by trait and certainly understand the fact that once you add live-view it's a quick step to the video feature. So I don't dislike the video feature because I think it added any real manufacturing costs, or R+D for that matter. I was basically ok with the idea until I read it had an internal microphone. I just don't want a microphone in my still camera. I hope canon does not add this to all of their top level cameras. I hate when products become "bloated" and start getting into areas that they shouldn't be in. The video idea seems like a great addition to a point and shoot, but not for a professional grade still camera.

Gordon McGregor, thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. I've been surprised at the negative comments I've seen about the 5D Mark II's video abilities. Many shooters (or perhaps it's just a few really noisy ones) seem to think that the video abilities somehow diminish this 21-Mpixel camera. Say what? You get more, more, more. Be happy, don't worry. That's what I say to them.

I've been shooting with a 1DII for years and am really excited to pick up a 5DII. The video feature is really interesting to me, as a still photographer who dabbles a bit with putting together sequences at 8.5fps. There are a lot of photo journalists and newspapers that are moving towards integrating more video into their work, it seems like a natural progression, for something that is still in the form factor of a still camera, to have some video capabilities. From this video, at blog vincentlaforet com ( I can't post the link in this comment box) It gives Canon's high end gear a run for its money for low light performance. Interesting times.

I almost plunk down 8K for 1Ds Mark III last week. I am glad that waiting two more months I will get as good as a camera for almost a third less. Thanks Canon! I'll spend that dough I save toward the 85mm 1.2L lens. Please have holiday rebate program and I'll get another wide angle lens with it.

Each technology costs research, development, design and test. If they do the IS in camera for you, are you willing to pay the additional cost ? Also, you have to look at Canon''s point of view, they lot of lenses that have IS built in. Now you expect them to do in camera IS, doesn''t that sound to stupid to them ? Think...a little harder. and just don''t take things for granted. You''re lucky you were born this time. Just imagine what your life will be, or any idea what the camera is if you were born let say 1000 yrs ago.

RAWShooter: Many like-minded people have bemoaned the addition of video to a high-end dSLR like the 5D. They think that somehow, this feature has boosted the cost of the camera and they don't want to pay for a feature that they don't want to use. There are two issues here in my mind. The first is use. I can easily envision some types of pro shooters, particularly those who shoot weddings and X sports like skateboarding and BMX, that will be thrilled to use the 5D Mark II's video while shooting stills. The second issue is cost. Once you've put live video in place as a focusing aid, you get video by doing not much more than recording the live-view image. Again, not everyone wanted live view in the first place, but some people do. For example, as a macro shooter, I'd like to have live view because I can't always get my eye to the viewfinder in a macro shot. Ditto some car shooters who have posted comments on the Strobist Flickr group (highly recommended). As for your other suggestion, I agree that having image stabilization (IS) in the camera certainly reduces the overall cost of IS. On the other hand, I've seen Canon improve in-lens IS several times and I get the benefit of those improvements each time I buy a suitably equipped lens, so I can't say Canon's approach is clearly wrong. Just my opinion.

This is strange. I personally think the 5D camera (with it's full frame sensor) is targeted more for the professional and pro-sumer crowd. Not the casual shooters/tourists that want to shoot photos and videos in the same device. Instead of video, I would love to see Canon move the I.S. (Image Stabilization) technology into the camera, instead of putting it in the lens. It gets pretty expensive fast buying multiple IS lenses (L-series). If the IS is built-in the camera, then no matter what lens you use, you get this capability. My daughter's little Canon point-n-shoot camera has this I.S. feature built-in... while my big hunking SLR does not. I predict the next feature Nikon and Canon will add to these cameras will be MP3 players and a headphone output jack. So you can be listening to tunes while shooting photos. :) .... and yes, I want one of these new 5Ds!

Tom: Sorry, I can't comment on the processor(s) used in the DIGIC 4. Canon has not released any details.

Must be an ARM7 processor inside that DIGIC 4.