Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Canon ups the ante with its 8-megapixel EOS-1D Mark II, the fastest-shooting digital SLR on the market. Made for magazine photographers covering news and sports, the Mark II also works well for portrait shooters who want a versatile, small-format digital camera. The Mark II replaces the EOS-1D--which was already at the top of its class--and makes improvements across the board.

As a contributing photographer for Sports Illustrated magazine, I have been using the Mark II for a few months and am very impressed with its feature set, design, customization ability, and image quality. If you need evidence that it's in a league by itself, consider that SI replaced all of its EOS-1D bodies with Mark IIs.

Editor's note: We have changed the rating in this review to reflect recent changes in our rating scale. Click here to find out more.

The body design of the Canon EOS-1D Mark II is very similar to that of its predecessor, the EOS-1D. At 3.4 pounds without a lens, the Mark II has a perfect weight for professional use and fits comfortably in my hand, although it might be heavy for some. A solid camera, it's weatherproofed and sealed from water, dust, and dirt.

One nice touch is that the rubber doors covering the ports swing around but don't come off, which means you won't lose them. Canon also made a small but important improvement in the release tab that opens the memory card door. Anyone who has ever shot with the EOS-1D in the snow knows how difficult it was to change out CompactFlash cards with gloves on. On the Mark II, the tab protrudes a little bit, making it much easier to open.