Did You Own This Classic Camera?

With specifications and features that look quite pedestrian by today’s standards, the Canon 5D Classic might not seem like it deserves much attention nowadays, but it was a revolutionary camera for its time and well worth a second look in 2022. This fun video takes a look at the famous camera and gives 10 reasons why it was such an important body.

Coming to you from Robin Wong, this neat video takes a look at the Canon 5D Classic. Originally released in October 2005, the 5D Classic is almost two decades old now, but it was one of the most important consumer cameras in history. At a time when serious digital photography was still in its infancy, the 5D Classic was the first full frame DSLR in a standard configuration (without a built-in grip), and at $3,299, it was quite affordable compared to other options. It brought with it a 12.8-megapixel sensor, ISO range of 100-1,600, 9 autofocus points (plus 6 assist points), and a continuous burst rate of up to 3 fps. Though those specs might not seem like much today, to have those in a consumer camera with a full frame sensor was pretty incredible, and a lot of careers were built with the 5D Classic. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Wong. 

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

Log in or register to post comments
7 Comments

Alex Cooke wrote,

"Originally released in October 2005 ... at $3,299, it was quite affordable compared to other options."

I waited until 2008 and bought mine brand new from B&H for $1,700. I love how rapidly new camera prices dropped back in that era.

I just wish that the Canon R5 or R3 prices would drop 50% three years after initial release. Then I could actually afford to stay semi-current.

As it is, I am using 5-10 year old technology because new camera models are holding their value for far too long. I only buy used gear now, but even the used prices are highly prohibitive. Low income photographers such as myself are simply being priced out of the ability to stay semi-current.

Had two and still have them somewhere.

I still have mine, and use it every so often

I was a Nikon shooter and I loved my D90... Until the 5D came out.

I bought my EOS 5D in April 2006, pretty soon after it came on the market. I am a hobby photographer, but I was waiting for a DSLR with > 10 MPixels. It cost me JPY 308,000 which was about U$2,600. My previous camera was the EOS 620 purchased in 1988, which was the first EOS on the market (it was JPY80,000 then). The 5D was in many ways perfect, ergonomic, very functional, solid, and always reliable on all my trips in the mountains, on safaris etc. The battery life was very good. I took my first digital photos with it, and they still look very good even by today’s standards. It was a camera only for still photography but that was just as good. Some of my first photos were shot in JPEG as I hadn’t understood the RAW format yet!
Beginning of 2014 I sold the 5D for about U$400 when I upgraded to a 6D which I’m still using for street photography. It is less sturdy but just as reliable as the 5D.
I have the EOS R5 now which is great but too complicated in many ways. I wish it was as straight forward to use as the 5D was.

Lioness in Madikwe, Mother and Child in Kruger, The perfect Dram, Yatsugadake

I still own the EOS 5 - the analog predecessor...

I bought my 5D in 2013 months after my first DSLR a VERY heavily used EOS-1Ds decided to bite the dust after two years or so and I had a gig to get ready for. It was heavily used and about two generations behind what was available at the time, but it was what I could afford and it became my workhorse camera as long as I would continue trying to shoot gigs. I'd eventually replace it with an EOS 6D Mark II and swear off doing photography for money, but that 5D still works and if I were just learning right now, I'd be even more excited to pick one up.