Many saw the EOS 5D as a revolution similar to Canon's original D30 or Nikon's D1. These were cameras that opened a new stratum of digital photography to the masses. Previously, the only full-frame cameras were expensive environmentally sealed professional flagships, but with the EOS 5D, consumers could buy a high-resolution, full-frame, mid-market body. The EOS 5D Mark II has an act to follow. For $2,700, the EOS 5D upgrade brings a much improved imaging pipeline starting with the higher-resolution (21MP), more efficient sensor to the 14-bit Digic 4 processor. The obvious comparisons for the EOS 5D is to Canon's other full-frame camera, its flagship EOS 1Ds. Both of these cameras will be found most at home in controlled environments, with relatively low burst rates (3.9fps for the 5D Mark 2) and calibrated ISO sensitivities (1600, although the 5DM2 will push to 25600).
The EOS 5D Mark II has received Canon's now-standard dust-cleaning system not present in the original EOS 5D. The EOS 5D Mark II is not the first digital SLR to support video—the Nikon D90 was—but it does so with much better spec. Unlike the 24fps 720p of the D90, the EOS 5D Mark II takes 30fps of 1080p (1920x1080) and supports external microphones making it possible that the video mode might actually be usefully used in certain situations.