Canon EOS 5D Mark II

The basics

The EOS 5D from Canon comes with an intriguing set of features, essential for both studio and all-terrain photographers. The EOS 5D's body is sturdy and resistant to water and dust, and hides a 24x36mm CMOS sensor with 21.1 megapixels, producing images with resolutions of 3744x5616 pixels.

The good

The 5D’s new 21million pixel chip reveals more unnecessary detail than the National Enquirer, and will probably be just as popular with paparazzi. A handy thumb wheel lets you browse through the 5D’s bewilderingly complex list of options on the camera’s luscious three-inch screen. But there are plenty of helpful features too, like a Lighting Optimiser that turns underexposed snaps into bright images, and a face detection system to rescue backlit portraits. And if that price tag looks high, remember that the ultra-tough 5D is a 1080p Full HD camcorder, too.

The bad

Huge image sizes mean huge memory cards – and sluggish burst shooting: the 5D rattles along at a modest 3.9 frames per second. And while the movie mode delivers stunning images, the 5D’s video autofocusing isn’t as rock-solid reliable as a purpose-built camcorder.

The bottom line

When are you ever going to need more than 21MP of resolution or better than a 1080p camcorder? The 5D promises to be not just the last camera you ever need to buy, but the last camcorder, too.