Canon EOS 5D
Manufacturer: Canon Type: Camera (DSLR, full-frame) Year introduced: 2005 Resolution: 12.8 megapixels
Overview
The Canon EOS 5D was the first affordable full-frame DSLR, announced in August 2005 ([1]). While Canon’s EOS 1Ds and 1Ds Mark II had previously offered full-frame sensors, their professional price points limited adoption. The 5D brought 12.8-megapixel full-frame imaging to a much broader market, and its announcement triggered an immediate “housing race” among underwater housing manufacturers.
The full-frame sensor was particularly significant for underwater photography because it restored the full field of view of wide-angle and fisheye lenses that had been cropped by APS-C sensors — a persistent frustration for UW photographers who relied on ultra-wide coverage. This made the 5D enormously appealing to the community.
Ikelite won the housing race, delivering the first production Canon 5D housing in time for a review by William Heaton in December 2005 ([2]). Nexus was also planning a 5D housing alongside their 1Ds Mark II housing ([3]).
The 5D’s impact extended beyond its immediate generation — it established the precedent that full-frame sensors would eventually become the standard for serious underwater photography, shifting the industry away from the crop-sensor compromises that had defined the early digital era.
Housings
- Ikelite Canon 5D — First production housing for the 5D. Reviewed by William Heaton in December 2005. ([4])
- Nexus 5D — Announced alongside the 1Ds Mark II housing, prototype shown late 2005. ([5])
Reviews & Discussion
- [6] — William Heaton’s review of the first production 5D housing
Timeline
- 2005-08: Canon announces the EOS 5D — first affordable full-frame DSLR at 12.8MP ([7])
- 2005-10: Nexus announces 5D housing plans ([8])
- 2005-12: Ikelite delivers first production 5D housing; reviewed by William Heaton ([9])
References
Sources
- Wetpixel article, Aug 22, 2005: Canon 5d Announced ↩
- Wetpixel article, Dec 8, 2005: Ikelite Canon 5d Housing Review ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 13, 2005: Nexus Eos 1dsmkii Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Dec 8, 2005: Ikelite Canon 5d Housing Review ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 13, 2005: Nexus Eos 1dsmkii Housing ↩
- Ikelite Canon 5D Housing Review (article) ↩
- Wetpixel article, Aug 22, 2005: Canon 5d Announced ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 13, 2005: Nexus Eos 1dsmkii Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Dec 8, 2005: Ikelite Canon 5d Housing Review ↩
- Canon 5D Announced (article) ↩
- Nexus EOS-1DsMkII Housing (article) ↩
- Ikelite Canon 5D Housing Review (article) ↩