I'm a hobbyist photographer. I do not make a living from my pictures. I started collecting lenses and playing with SLRs when I started working full-time after college. My first DSLR was the Canon 350D/Rebel xT (also reviewed on epinions), and I have since moved on to the 5D. As I am not a professional experienced with many cameras, this review will probably be most helpful to consumers like me.



Selling points - In which I explain why I bought the 5D
My main reason for me upgrading from 350D to 5D (and skipping the 30D) was the full-frame sensor. I could not accept knowing that I am not seeing the full image created by my lens on the cheaper DSLRs. This is especially significant for me because I enjoy working with wide and medium telephoto lenses. On the 350D, my 24mm lens produced images that were nothing special. On the full-frame 5D, one could easily see the dramatic effects expected from a wide-angle lens.

The viewfinder is large and beautiful, making it easy to compose your shot and evaluate focus. I had problems judging focus quality on my 350D without doing test and review shots. The LCD display is 2.5" wide, same as that on the 400D and 30D, making image review easy.

The 5D body is compact (compared to the 1D), which makes it easier to store in a pack or carry for long hikes. My hands are smaller than most, so using the 5D is a change for me over the more comfortable 350D.

The frame buffer (internal memory storing images between the shutter and movement to compact flash) is quite large, allowing more than 9 successive JPEG images to be shot.

Spot metering (available on the 30D) is useful to ensure that the subject of the shot is exposed correctly. This reduces my dependency on exposure bracketing which I had to use regularly with the 350D.


Gripes - In which I point out the shortcomings of the 5D
The 5D body is not weather-sealed, which is disappointing for the price. The weather sealing may be 1Ds' main upsell feature.

The 5D can only shoot 3 frames-per-second in burst mode. This is likely not good enough for action photographers. This is also a hard sell against the 30D which is cheaper, yet has a faster burst mode (5 frames per second).

Button placement on the 5D leaves a little to be desired. The three top-buttons for selecting ISO, metering, and exposure compensation are hard for me to distinguish without removing my eye from the viewfinder and looking. There are two wheels used to adjust parameters such as f-stop and shutter speed. Determining which parameter is assigned to each wheel is unintuitive at first, and requires some training.

For self-photographers - A note on the wireless remote

The wireless remote for the 5D is significantly more expensive and less portable than that of the 350D. The 5D remote is larger than that of the 350D, and does not attach to the neck strap. However, the 5D remote uses RF signals which can easily cover 100 feet, unlike the IR signal on the 350D which could barely cover 10 feet for me. Paired with a tripod, this is nice for taking pictures of yourself and your companions without entrusting the final image to a stranger.



Conclusion

Other than the full-frame sensor, most consumers would not notice or appreciate any feature difference between the 5D and the 30D. If you enjoy telephoto photography or can simply deal with a cropped image sensor, I would recommend the 30D. If you enjoy wide angles or medium telephoto work (and have no qualms about dropping another thousand dollars for a hobby), you will be more than happy with the 5D. Those who simply desire full-frame DSLR, and do not need the weather sealing feature of the 1Ds will also enjoy the 5D.

Recommended:
Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 2200