Sara: I really love this camera. However, I must admit I wasn't quite as impressed with it as I thought I would be. I shot a wedding last weekend and wanted some backup equipment. I normally shoot with a 7D, so I decided to use the 5D Mark II as my primary camera. I was shooting group shots around noon (something I couldn't control). I set up my shot and used some fill light for the harsh shadows. When I reviewed my image on the LCD screen, it looked extremely contrasty. However, when I reviewed the image using the histogram, it wasn't quite as bad as it looked, so I decided to trust the histogram. I confirmed that the images were not nearly so bad when I downloaded them to my computer. Aside from a slightly slow autofocus, All the other functions of the camera worked great as I anticipated. It was just that LCD screen that I was a little disappointed with. It's possible I could have adjusted the settings, but I didn't have time to dig around in the menus.

Carolyn: I had been leaning toward purchasing the 7d before I rented both that and the 5d. I ended up purchasing the 5d because I fell in love with the full frame view. This made all my lenses so much more useful to me. Of course, with the 24-70mm lense I had to get used to a little distortion on portraits if I do not pay attention. I jumped from a 20d to a 5d, which was a big adjustment at first, but quick. The controls were intuitive. I read a lot about this camera being bulky, but the camera itsself is not too heavy, until you add on the lenses. I feel like it is a lot lighter and compact than some of its counter parts. I also had read reviews that the 9 point auto focus was an issue, which is why I originally favored the 7d. But, after doing two weddings with each, I felt the 5d was actually a lot quicker to respond in low light situations and gave a more crisp shot on the photos i used auto focus for. I am very happy with the battery life of the 5d. I can go through a whole day event without the battery dying out on me. And, it does not take long to charge a back up either once it is dead. One of my favorite parts are the auto presets. Especially during wedding shots, I can be taking a big group shot with all my settings set for a good scenery/group shot and if the bride and groom do something cute, I can zoom in on them and just flip to a preset I have set up for outdoor portraits and still get the good shot without having to ask them to "do it again" I do not use the video very often, and when I do, it is not for professional work. It is nice video, the mic actually pics up better quality if it is close enough (and on a tripod) then some external mics I have tried. The only issue is auto focus does not work in video mode. So, if you are zooming in and out, make sure to pay attention to your focus. Love this camera. I have been using it for a year now, and would not change my desicion.

Sean: The Canon 5d Mark II is a wonderful DSLR that has set the HDSLR fad on fire. Its stills are beyond amazing and its video is on the big screen. If you want great looking footage for the web or more. Rent this!