1. Canon EOS 5D Mark II: Thinking Outside of the Box

Whether you subscribe to the “my camera is just a tool” theory, or belong to the “an exquisite camera adds new capabilities to my shooting arsenal” camp, picking up a new Canon EOS 5D Mark II is a special experience. Those who simply wield tools will find this camera as comforting as an old friend, a solid piece of fine machinery ready and able to do their bidding as part of the creative process.

Other photographers see the low-light capabilities (up to ISO 25,600), the 3.9 frames-per-second continuous shooting, anvil-like ruggedness, and ultra-high 21-megapixel full-frame resolution of the 5D Mark II, and gain a sense of empowerment. Here is a camera with fewer limitations and more capabilities for exercising renewed creative vision. In either case, using less mawkish terms, the 5D Mark II is one of the coolest cameras Canon has ever offered. Whether you’re upgrading from another brand, from another Canon model (like the 50D), or (O brave one!) your 5D Mark II is your first digital camera and/or SLR, welcome to the club.