Product reviewsCanon EOS 5D 12.8MP Digital SLR Camera - Black

Best Full Frame Camera For The Money

This is my second used Canon 5D, it is in very good condition, worth paying a bit more for it. The first one I bought was nowhere the same condition as this one, yet I’ve had it a few years. It has to be the cheapest way to get into full frame photography. It is known to create film like images, quite unique really. When coupled up with a good quality Canon L Len’s or good quality rated third party lenses, you get great image quality for the price.
They feel great in the hand, built like a tank and has a rather nice shutter sound when you take a picture.
When this one dies, if it does, I’ll probably get another, they are that good.
They make a good back up camera if you are a pro. There are Pros out there that still use this Camera as their main body, that says a lot for it.
The person I bought this from only sold it because they wanted it for sports photography and it was not quick enough tracking fast action shots. I use mine for stills only, so it’s perfect.
There are loads of YouTube videos on this camera by pros, it’s worth the time looking at them, you will learn a lot and see just how good it is.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: yog285

Canon eos 5D review

Good camera, but very dated now!
Entry level full frame at a reasonable price.
If you can get one cheap buy it, but I wish I had waited till I could afford the mark two version.
Does much of what amateur photographers like me want, but after using the Canon 60D there seems a lot of functions less on the 5D.
My advice would be to go for the 60D unless you must have full frame!Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: victor19470

A Joy To Own

I had a 5d mk111 previously and then I damaged my shoulder and the weight of the camera was just too much to carry and I sold it, I then bought a Panasonic Lumix LX100 which is the Leica made by panasonic, which is small and light, now the trouble with both of these cameras is the amount of menus and sub menus and with the LX100 I found that if I change one setting it can have a great effect on the working of other programes, so then my shoulder recovered and I bought an old 5D mk1, it is a joy of simplicity so easy to use very few menus and takes great pictures, it is very comparable with the LX100 in that they are both around 12 thousand mega pixels, the difference being that when I take landscape shots the LX100 is very noisy but the D5 is so much cleaner. If you want ease of use the 5D is great, I just miss the live view a little bit.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: vic999tor

A good choice for first-time full frame photographers

The 5d mark 1 or classic as it's otherwise known, is now a little bit long in the tooth when compared to modern day equivalents. It's 12.8mp sensor is not as big as its successors, it does not have video mode, or live view, nor does it have extensive ISO range. So for those who have already experienced full frame and looking to expand further, this might not fit the bill.

However, for first time full frame photographers, like myself who's expanded up from a Canon 600d, its a different story. The prices for early 5D's are now more than reasonable and despite its age will still give terrific image quality with minimum editing. I've had my 5d classic for less than a month and have saw the real potential of moving to full frame. Plus it still has solid build quality, a great base for using good quality lenses and a wealth of online forums of people who have used this popular dslr. If you're, like me, looking to move into full frame photography for the first time, don't dismiss this model down to its age. You can still make potential with the 5d classic Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: carmarthencameras

The best DSLR I have ever owned

Less than £500 for a full-frame professional DSLR? That’s right! What a fantastic piece of kit, it may be only 12.8MP but that doesn’t affect how beautiful the images that this camera produces are. Lots of people have said it - and I agree - that this camera has a certain magic that Canon failed to replicate in the subsequent line of 5Ds. It has a certain film-esque feel to the photographs and they require little post processing to get the most out of them. And this machine is a tank - drop it and it’ll be fine. It’s nearly 15 years old and it still competed with the likes of modern DSLRs - it may not have the fancy tech of the 5D IV but it certainly makes you think about your shots - and if you think, then you get better. And if you get better, your photos get better.

The Canon 5D “Classic” is by far the most magnificent camera I have ever owned.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: bernie041

'Beautiful images'

I have owned the 5d original now for about 3 years. I remember looking at particularly striking images taken in one of the 'landscape photographer of the year' books and each time i noticed they were taken by the original 5d, so I bought one and paired it with a 24-105ml lens. The more i use it the more i love the quality of the images. One of the first things that really struck me was just how true it was to the colours in nature, Really subtle tones and shades that I had never noticed before from a camera. Now the screen on the back isn't wonderful, but trust me, the images on your computer screen will bring a smile to your face. It's chunky, but a lovely camera to hold and use. It's no frills, but I like that. Taking the time to set the exposure, thinking about the image. To me, the way photography is, at its most rewarding. It has a great shutter noise, nothing like my smooth, beautifully made Nikon d300s, which is also a great camera, but overall i think i prefer the 5d. It's now 2017 and I know there are so many incredible cameras out there, but if like me, you like cameras for taking great pictures and not about bells and whistles, something a bit more organic, then you'll love this camera. As you see the results time and again, you'll begin to think of it as an old friend, a bit like one of your old cars that you really loved. But please, do look out for the incredible subtelty of tones and colours this wonderful camera can produce. I wish you many years of happy shooting! thank you Canon! Peter ShawRead full review...

Verified purchase: No

5d classic

Coming from a 400d crop the 5d is a lot bigger and heavier and is very brick like but I like it. The LCD screen is a lot better then people say and I can't see a problem with the AF . only thing I don't like is I can't see the iso on the screen at the same time as the aperture and shutter speed. Image quality is better but its subtle. pictures have a bit more depth and just have a more pleasing look but that could be in my head as I have fantasized about this camera for many years. Next month I'm getting a 85mm 1.8 so I'm hoping that combo will wow me. Have had some lovelly shots with the nifty fifty though .Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: rawdealsukdon

Great full frame digital camera

If you are looking for a Canon digital body that can deliver high quality pictures, the 5D Mk 1 is hard to beat. With its full frame sensor and a decent lens on the front, you will be able to produce professional standard images. There are many available these days as people trade up to the feature packed Mk2, but if you dont need HD video and 21 Meg images, grab yourself a bargain. Only downside from my point of view is the lack of built in flash, but you can get a EX flash pretty cheaply too, so not big deal. All in all, a great camera!Read full review...

Canon EOS5D Mk.1, a Professional Camera at an Affordable Price

This was the first of a series of 5D's and so, as you would expect, not quite as refined as the later models. Having said that though, it produces a very good image. Just occasionally the AF will hunt but mostly the focus is accurate even in poor lighting, and that is with an f3.5 lens.It is somewhat easier to use than later models owing to the fact that the menu is simpler. The one thing that caught me out ( I didn't get a manual) was that the power switch needs to be turned on all the way so that the aperture can be changed with the main dial.The build quality is excellent (heavy) and I suspect that it will serve me well for a good few years. All things considered I am very happy with this camera.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: dacdac_72

Still superb quality

the Canon 5D is more than 10 years old but still cuts it as a great stills camera. If you just want great photos from a fully featured DSLR you really cannot go wrong. A good condition used body costs the same as a point and shoot. Add a 50mm Canon lens and get some great shallow depth of field photos.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: john100_8

The original must have full frame DSLR, oozes quality Beware the shutter count

Just love at first sight when you handle it

When Buying a Used model of this camera it may be a high shutter count professionals camera or a pristine camera owned by an well heeled amateur photographer.
You cannot check until you have bought it.
The shutter count can only be read by a canon dealer. Canon specify this must not be written down or the exact shutter count given, this is to avoid Canon getting involved over the exact count of a camera sold after the count had been read.
Canon quote shutter durability of 120,000 actuations some cameras in good operating conditions (stable temperature and humidity) have reached 400,000 to 600,000.
None of the 5D cameras I have seen on ebay have this important information.
My local Canon Service Centre made no charge to tell me my shutter count is in the region of 22,000, they also identified the mirror fixing modification had not been done on my camera, Canon had offered a free service for this until to a few months ago it has now cost me £20 as the previous owner had not had it done.

The 5D mk1 has now acquired a modern classic status sometime being called a 5Dc.
It has the advantage of a full frame sensor with larger photo sensor elements giving a smoother images than a comparable APSC or 4/3rds sensors. The full frame makes good use of older wide angle lenses. I use an excellent 28-70mm zoom from the days of film EOS cameras. I have a 17mm super wide-angle which would be a basic wide angle on a smaller sensor camera.
The sensor has only 12 MegaPixel this may not seem as impressive as more recent models but the current micro 4/3rds cameras make do with 16 MP and are not regarded as the poor relations of the DSLR world, it all comes down to the sensors. I get excellent A3 prints of full frame images and can get away with A3 sized prints of cropped image when suitably enhanced before printing. You need to frame you image before you shoot rather than grab and crop after the shot. I find this encourages me to compose my images before I shoot.

I like the heavy weight of the 5D it nicely balances my heavy 300mm F4L but remains nicely balanced with my 50mm F1.8 EF standard lens for walk about photography. Some people do find the 5D to heavy for them.
When you press the shutter the 5D is much louder than a modern compact camera, I find its part of the character of the 5D . This goes with the overall solid feel of the 5D that is made of cast magnesium and polycarbonate rather than the light weight modern plastic models in Canon's consumer range.
If you have large hands its a lovely thing to hold if your hands are more petite it may be just to big for you.

The 5D was aimed at the professional market so there is no built in flash to break off, still true of the later 5D2 etc.
The rear screen is small are cannot be used to take pictures at arms length like a compact camera. You can use it to check focus and composition of the images you have taken but its not always reliable on exposure, you need to check the image histogram.

If you are moving from a consumer camera there is a learning curve to get the best of the 5D you will need the manual.
They were designed to for professional use and cost between £2000 and £3000 new 10 years ago.Read full review...