5. Using The Canon EOS 5D

I own a Canon 1D Mark II. It's the older version of the Mark II. The latest version is the Mark II N. I love my Mark II, but no matter how many times I use it, I struggle to recall which set of multiple buttons I have to push to access sub menus, review and enlarge images and change various camera settings. My Digital XT is about the simplest of Canon's digital SLRs to use. To change ISO, auto focus, white balance and exposure meter options I just push the correct button and I'm ready to set the appropriate parameter. I've customized the Digital XT's set button to display images. That takes care of most of the things I regularly do with the camera. Setting a slew of other less frequently used parameters is also one button push away.

For ease of use, the 5D falls somewhere between the Digital XT and the 1D Mark II. Its controls are closer to those of the 20D and 30D than any of Canon's other digital SLRs. All it takes is one button to call up menus, view exposure and other information about images and the images themselves. Deleting images is also easy, just press the trash can while viewing an image and use the wheel on the camera's to delete just the image or all images on your memory card.

Many settings on the 5D such as those for ISO, exposure meter parameters and white balance are done using the LCD on top of the camera and require pressing a button, releasing it and then rotating one of the camera's two wheels, the one on the back I just mentioned and one on the top front. After you select the correct option with a wheel, you have to press and release the button again to return the LCD to its normal status. I found all of this easy to use and easy to remember, easier than with my 1D Mark II.

Notice the 5D's very large 2.5" LCD display. It's nice, but the display is unusable in bright to moderately bright sunlight. A good hood over the large LCD should help make it more useful in sunlight. Also notice that the big old LCD takes up so much real estate that there is no room for the rear informational LCD panel found on other Canon digital cameras, even the Digital Rebel XT.