Canon 5D Classic compared to 5D Mk2

The Canon 5D Classic and the 5D Mark II are both legendary in their own right, but they serve slightly different philosophies of image-making.

Here’s a breakdown of how they compare:

Sensor & Image Quality

• 5D Classic: 12.8MP full-frame CMOS sensor with large 8.2µm pixels. It delivers beautifully smooth tonal transitions and a filmic rendering, especially in skin tones and shadows.

• 5D Mark II: 21.1MP full-frame CMOS sensor with smaller 6.4µm pixels. Offers more resolution and dynamic range, with improved low-light performance and enhanced detail retention.

ISO & Low-Light

• Classic: Native ISO tops out at 1600 (expandable to 3200), with a lovely grain structure but limited flexibility in dim conditions.

• Mark II: Native ISO up to 6400 (expandable to 25,600), making it far more versatile for low-light documentary work2.

Video Capability

• Classic: No video.

• Mark II: Introduced full HD 1080p video to the 5D line—revolutionary at the time and still usable for storytelling with a cinematic look.

Build & Ergonomics

• Both share a similar magnesium alloy body and layout, but the Mark II has a slightly improved grip and a higher-resolution 3" LCD (920k dots vs. 230k on the Classic).

Color & Feel

• Many photographers still swear by the Classic’s colour rendering, especially for portraits and black-and-white conversions. It has a certain “soul” that’s hard to quantify.

• The Mark II is more clinical but flexible, better for post-processing latitude and larger prints.