This release was much anticipated for Canon. A lot of rumors floating around about it for quite a while. But I don’t think anybody expected this. First, some notable new features:

-21 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor

-ISO expansion range of 50-25,600

-Highlight tone priority, auto lighting optimizer, lens vignetting correction

-2 size RAW files (RAW and SRAW1)

-Huge 3” HD preview screen

-Live-view with 3 modes of auto-focus

-Optional vertical grip with WiFi (wireless) tethering capability

This is all good stuff and very interesting that these features are now being offered on a DSLR. But nothing revolutionary. Well, here it is. The final, amazing feature: the ability to capture up to 12 minutes of full 1080p HD video capture! 

WHAT?!?!?! Motion picture capture on a DSLR? Of course we’ve seen this in some form or another on point-and-shoot cameras, but nothing like this. Full HD capture using any lens in Canon’s vast arsenal, switchable to SD format to capture 24 minutes, and full audio support: built-in mic and speaker, mic-in socket and audio-out over AV preview. Please, I implore you, take the time to watch the first film ever made with the 5D MkII, “Reverie” by Vincent Laforet (www.laforetvisuals.com):

Now that is revolutionary. The movie was shot with many different lenses but Vincent also noted in a posting that there was NO postproduction work (color correction) done to the movie... essentially what you just saw came straight out of the camera. And, oh yeah, the thing is only $2,700! Wow.

So if Canon can now do this with a Digital SLR, what does that mean for filmmakers now only using boring fixed lens cameras that can’t capture stills? This opens up so many new doors for photographers being able to add video capture on-the-fly to anything they are shooting. Multimedia has been on the rise over the past couple years in photography, and now with the ability to shoot video with ease, photographers can produce some amazing pieces of work. I will be so bold to even say that with this small piece of hardware, I think we’re leaving the filmmakers in the dust. Ultimately we have just expanded what we have to offer as artists. Is there going to be an uprising among filmmakers? A rebellion? I foresee there being a major response by the hardware-making companies to come up with something revolutionary for filmmakers too. Don’t worry guys, we will try not to take all your work.