Canon 5D Mark II PDF User Manual
Did you lose or misplace the instruction manual that came with your Canon EOS 5D Mark II? It happens all too easily, but fortunately Canon makes a soft copy available that you can browse through online, print out, or download (see the pdf file below). It is certainly good practice to carefully familiarize oneself with the many different functionalities and options that the 5D Mark II offers, and the official user manual is without doubt an authoritative and comprehensive source of respective information.
That said, the instruction booklet can be a dry read, so that a dedicated camera guide book from a professional photographer that illustrates the camera's core functions in a real life photography context can be a very helpful complement. Yes, getting one of these camera guides (see here at amazon) would involve an additional expense, but if that book helps to exploit the camera's potential to the full, the (small) additional investment may well be worth it.
Also, you might want to check out the video tutorial on the Canon EOS 5D Mark II below.

In any case, the 5D Mark II is an advanced imaging tool, whose many features merit serious attention. This DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera was officially introduced on September 17th, 2008, which means that, as of today, the camera is 5482 days old (young?). The camera has meanwhile been discontinued and was succeeded by the Canon 5D Mark III as a replacement in the same line of cameras.
Canon's instruction manual for the 5D Mark II
The camera's instruction manual is 260 pages long. The pdf version is embedded below. As you browse through, you will hopefully find the information you are looking for. You can also print out a hard copy by right clicking on the manual and then choosing the respective menu option. For convenience, a summary of the key specs of the 5D Mark II is included towards the bottom of this webpage.
Don't forget to bookmark this page for future reference (Ctrl-Shift-D on a Windows PC; Cmd-Shift-D on a Mac). Happy browsing!
Click on the button below to download the pdf version of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II manual to your computer. The file will open in a new browser window.
If you prefer to read the user guide in another language, please check the respective availability on Canon's support site. That site also provides complementary online resources, such as information on the compatibility of various camera accessories or the availability of firmware updates that are not necessarily comprehensively covered in the instruction manual.
Printed, hardcopy versions of the Canon 5D Mark II manual can sometimes be found online. You can check the availability on amazon and ebay via the buttons below.
Video tutorial for the Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Perhaps instead of reading through a manual or operations guide, you might prefer to better familiarize yourself with your 5D Mark II by watching a video tutorial. It can notably help to quickly get to know the key functions and to set up your camera according to your particular preferences and needs.
Once again, the Canon 5D Mark II is a sophisticated imaging tool and not exploiting its capabilities to the full would be a pity. Hence, taking the time to study online information material or to read through a well-written camera guide book is highly recommended to make the most of your purchase.
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Canon 5D Mark II FAQ
Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the 5D Mark II.
What technology is the imaging sensor in the Canon 5D Mark II based on?
The camera has a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor at its core.
Which image processing chip is used in the Canon 5D Mark II to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?
Canon equipped the 5D Mark II with the DIGIC 4 image processor.
What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Canon 5D Mark II?
The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 50-25600.
What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Canon EOS 5D Mark II?
Canon mentions a shutter rating of 150 000 actuations for the 5D Mark II. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the 5D Mark II over, say, three years, one would have to take about 150 pictures each and every day.
How do I find the shutter count on my Canon 5D Mark II?
Canon embeds the number of shutter actuations in the camera firmware. You can check the number of shots that your 5D Mark II has taken up to now by using a third-party app, as described on the Canon 5D Mark II shutter count page.
What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Canon 5D Mark II for flash photography?
The 5D Mark II's flash sync speed is 1/200 sec.
Which battery does the Canon 5D Mark II use?
The camera gets its power from the LP-E6 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.
Is there a vertical grip available for the Canon 5D Mark II?
Yes, Canon offers the BG-E6 as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.
Further reading
How does the 5D Mark II stack up against available alternatives? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just use the search menu below. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon 5D Mark II vs Canon 90D
- Canon 5D Mark II vs Nikon D70
- Canon 5D Mark II vs Olympus E-PM1
- Canon 5D Mark II vs Panasonic GH3
- Canon 5D Mark II vs Sony A5100
- Canon 5D Mark II vs Sony NEX-5T
- Canon 850D vs Sony A9 II
- Canon G7 X Mark II vs Sony A9 II
- Canon M200 vs Sony A9 II
- Leica X Vario vs Sony A9 II
- Sigma fp vs Sony A9 II
- Sony A5000 vs Sony A9 II
Core camera specifications
Here is a list of the main features and technical characteristics of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II.
Camera Model | Canon 5D Mark II | |
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | |
Camera Lens | Canon EF mount lenses | |
Launch Date | September 2008 | |
Launch Price | USD 3 499 | |
Sensor Specs | ||
---|---|---|
Sensor Technology | CMOS | |
Sensor Format | Full Frame Sensor | |
Sensor Size | 36.0 x 24.0 mm | |
Sensor Area | 864 mm2 | |
Sensor Diagonal | 43.3 mm | |
Crop Factor | 1.0x | |
Sensor Resolution | 21 Megapixels | |
Image Resolution | 5 616 x 3 744 pixels | |
Pixel Pitch | 6.41 μm | |
Pixel Density | 2.43 MP/cm2 | |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | |
Movie Capability | 1080/30p Video | |
ISO Setting | 100 - 6 400 ISO | |
ISO Boost | 50 - 25 600 ISO | |
Image Processor | DIGIC 4 | |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 79 | |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 23.7 | |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 11.9 | |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 1815 | |
Screen Specs | ||
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | |
Viewfinder Field of View | 98% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.71x | |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
LCD Size | 3.0 inch | |
LCD Resolution | 920k dots | |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | |
Touch Input | No touchscreen | |
Shooting Specs | ||
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000s | |
Continuous Shooting | 3.9 shutter flaps/s | |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 150 000 actuations | |
Silent Shooting | no E-Shutter | |
Time Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | |
Storage Medium | CF cards | |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | |
Connectivity Specs | ||
External Flash | Hotshoe | |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | |
HDMI Port | mini HDMI | |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | |
Body Specs | ||
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | |
Battery Type | LP-E6 power pack | |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 850 shots per charge | |
Body Dimensions |
152 x 114 x 75 mm (6.0 x 4.5 x 3.0 in) |
|
Camera Weight | 850 g (30.0 oz) |
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