5D's for Everyone!

And by 5D, I mean the original, Mark I. The release of the Canon 5D Mark II has put a ton of used 5D's out on the market, ready to be grabbed up by aspiring photographers. It is pretty incredible that a full-frame DSLR can be had for a little over $1100 (and dropping).

I bought my 5D new in the summer of 2006 just before my trip to Australia. It proved to be a truly excellent travel camera. There's just no way I could have covered so much ground in Sydney and the Blue Mountains lugging my huge 1D Mark II. It's just the right size for a small camera bag or backpack with a couple lenses (the 17-40/4 and 70-200/2.8 at the time). The charger and batteries weren't a burden either, which is a real consideration when traveling with a digital camera. Have you seen the charger for the 1D?

I was considering buying a 5D Mark II when it first came out, mainly for it's HD video feature and 14-bit color depth. Since then, I've started to lean more toward film as a real option for color depth and resolution, keeping the original 5D as my general camera. I'm also expecting the second generation of video-enabled DSLR's to bring some great improvements.

So before you blow your dough on a 5D Mark II, consider the original 5D as a real option; it still rocks. Instead, spend that money on some sweet glass that you can use for many (more) years to come.

Other 5D Mark I links:

• Panomoto (he also uses a G9 as a backup)
• Luminous Landscape Field Report
• Flying With Fish on the 5D
• Ken Rockwell on the 5D
• The Naked Run Travel Blog (he appears to use a 5D for all his amazing travel photography)