Canon EOS 5D

The successor to Canon's EOS 5D digital single lens reflex (SLR) camera is finally out, it's Canon EOS 5D Mark II. A 21 megapixel 'full-frame' camera, the Mark II can record high-def video as well.

A full-frame camera is capable of delivering the full range of a SLR lens, such that a 24-to-105 mm lens actually delivers a 24 mm wide-angle view. The ability is useful to photographers who want to shoot scenes like landscapes.

The video option gives a 1920x1080 resolution at 30 frames per second for up to 12 minutes of continuous recording. Output is MPEG-4 with CD-grade audio and it records sound in stereo. Since the SLR flips up to record video, users aren't able to lock the focus, but live view has three different focus modes: quick, contrast and detection.

This is the third full frame camera to be launched in recent weeks. The other two are Nikon D700, a 12.1 megapixel model and Sony Alpha DSLR-A900, a 24.6 megapixel camera. For SLR lovers, the full frame versions now offer a meaningful upgrade.