David Busch’s Canon EOS 5D Mark II Guide to Digital SLR Photography Reviews

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1. 

   Doty / October 15, 2010

   Review by Doty for David Busch’s Canon EOS 5D Mark II Guide to Digital SLR Photography
   Rating:
   I’ve had my 5D Mark II for several months, and have been waiting for this book for almost that long. When I finally got it, I spent a full day reading it and now, finally, have had all of my questions about the camera answered in a clear and concise style. I was pleased that Busch’s book covered both the simple stuff and the more advanced tips and techniques that a typical user of the 5D Mark II like myself would appreciate. Everything is easy to find, and it was well organized. A camera this good really needed a book this good.

   There were a lot of things in the book I could use immediately. I’ve had two 580EX II speedlites for some time, but never was able to set them up for wireless operation quickly. Now I can. I also found the information that helped me achieve better autofocus when shooting my son’s high school football games. Many of the more obscure C. Fn. settings finally make sense. There are several chapters in this book that are worth the cover price all by themselves. This is a reference guide and a course in better photography all in one book.

   I did find a couple typos, but they would be obvious to any owner of this camera (a reference to a built-in flash, and a label pointing to the wrong area of the lens), and they are all amply documented on the author’s errata page link shown in the book. I must say that a minor goof or two doesn’t detract from the absolute wealth of solid information available from no other book. I highly recommend this to any EOS 5D Mark II user.

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2. 

   Travis Ireland / October 15, 2010

   Review by Travis Ireland for David Busch’s Canon EOS 5D Mark II Guide to Digital SLR Photography
   Rating:
   Since thumbing through the author’s superb book on the 7D at a local book store, I’ve been looking forward to this guide to my EOS 5D Mk II, as I found the pocket sized books about this camera from other publishers to be less than satisfactory. This one totally exceeded my expectations, and was well worth the wait. At 474 pages, this one covers an advanced camera from every angle. It not only explains how to use each feature, but is loaded with advice on when to use particular settings, and how to apply them to many situations to take better pictures. It’s not simply a re-hash of the Canon manual, like the other books I wasted my money on.

   Even the organization of this book is very different. Although there is the traditional “quick start” section, the author then explains how to use some of the more difficult features of the camera, with the extensive reference material on selecting settings tucked away later in the book. That’s particularly helpful for the typical buyer of this camera, who might want to learn how to improve their use of the 5D Mk II’s capabilities before looking at the different settings.

   There are 13 chapters divided into four sections.

   Section 1 is a useful introduction with Chapter 1 on setting up your camera; Chapter 2 a Quick Start that shows you how to choose Shooting, Metering, and Focus Modes; and Chapter 3, a roadmap with large illustrations showing every dial, button, and control, and descriptions of what they do. Advanced users can skip this whole section. Those who are new to the 5D Mk II will find it much more helpful than the less detailed equivalent sections found in other books.

   Section 2 is “Beyond the Basics,” and includes information you won’t find elsewhere. Chapter 4 explains exposure, bracketing, and HDR. Chapter 5 is exclusively about autofocus. If you have wondered how autofocus works, the difference between phase detection and contrast detection, and the importance of cross-type focus sensors, you’ll find well illustrated explanations here, along a lens tuneup chart you can use to fine tune the focus your your lenses. Chapter 7 includes the best explanation I’ve seen of Live View and Movie Making.

   Section 3 is “Advanced Tools.” Herein are two full chapters totaling nearly 100 pages that explain how to customize the performance and operation of your camera with the Shooting, Playback, Set-Up, and Custom Functions menus. Unlike the Canon manual, each option is explained, so you’ll know when to use it and why. Chapter 9 is an exhaustive look at using Canon lenses, with evaluations of each one. Two chapters deal with light and electronic flash, including one that finally explains how to use the 5D Mk II for wireless flash.

   Section 4, “Enhancing Your Experience” has two chapters about choosing and working with software, and troubleshooting common firmware, memory card, and dirty sensor problems.

   I’m so glad this book goes far beyond what we’re usually given in a camera guide, and have already learned some useful tricks that have helped me take better pictures with my EOS 5D Mark II.

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3. 

   Jackie / October 15, 2010

   Review by Jackie for David Busch’s Canon EOS 5D Mark II Guide to Digital SLR Photography
   Rating:
   This book is an incredible resource. When I first got my 5D Mark II I bought and read two other books from others and they were more like manuals. They explained all the buttons and functions, but little else. So, I thought I’d give David’s mammoth book a chance and I’m glad I did. He too explains the buttons and functions but more importantly, he gives you his suggestions and reasons on why you’d want to use each feature as well as how the various menu options work with each other in specific shooting situations.

   Thie book is not just a simple re-write of the Canon manual. That’s my major complaint about most of the other books I’ve seen. This one goes deep into the workings of the camera. Busch even identifies various features which he feels are not in your best interest to use, and gives his reasons why he feels that way. The 5D Mark II is a great camera that needs a great user guide to explain how to get the most from its capabilities. This is that guide.
   

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4. 

   Image Print Reviews / October 15, 2010

   Review by Image Print Reviews for David Busch’s Canon EOS 5D Mark II Guide to Digital SLR Photography
   Rating:
   We’ve read all the other 5D Mark II books from cover to cover, and this one is undoubtedly the most comprehensive, most accurate, and most useful of all of them. Busch covers the camera in much more detail and depth, providing his usual blend of the basics — found in similar form in all his guides — with a detailed look at how to use each and every feature, and why. As we’ve said in our other reviews of the author’s books, “David Busch’s Canon EOS 5D Mark II Guide to Digital SLR Photography,” at nearly 500 pages, has at least twice as much useful information as any of the compact guidebooks, as befits this advanced camera — Canon’s most affordable pro model.

   While old familiar topics are explored, there are two revamped chapters just on lighting, which includes one chapter that — finally — explains how to use the 5D Mark II’s wireless flash capabilities. The chapter that explains the finer points of autofocus are worth the cost of the book alone.

   Quite simply, this book, like his other guides, doesn’t fit in the cookie-cutter mold of the other books on the shelves. Those typically re-hash the material you find in the booklet stuffed in the box with the camera, providing slightly longer and easier-to-understand explanations of the basic controls and menu settings, plus add some generic photography advice. That’s a viable approach, but not particularly satisfying for someone who really wants to master a new camera like the Canon 5D Mark II.

   Busch recognizes that each camera is unique, and although the explanations of basic concepts like exposure, shutter speeds, and apertures are similar across all models in all his books, the Canon 5D Mark II deserves detailed coverage. There’s a “Getting Started” chapter which provides the kind of checklist you wish you had when you bought your first digital SLR. Then comes a Quick Start chapter that leads you through the essential features of the camera, with just the basics and none of the mind-numbing detail, allowing you to immediately go out and shoot your best pictures, ever. The third chapter is a “roadmap” guide that carefully explains each of the controls on the camera.

   Next, in a welcome departure from the organization of other guidebooks, Busch leaves the discussion of detailed menus and setup options for later in the book. Instead, he gives you three “Beyond the Basics” chapters devoted to Understanding Exposure, Mastering the Mysteries of Autofocus, and Advanced Shooting,Live View, and Movie-Making. Each of these are detailed tutorials on using the camera’s sophisticated features. The tip-filled movie-making section (which really deserves a book of its own)was nevertheless excellent, too, and appropriate given the 5D Mark II’s full HD capabilities.

   The author does devote several long chapters to explaining every menu option and, more importantly, why you should use each setting. Most other guides just list the menu item choices, and don’t give you detailed examples of when to use a particular setting. The other books simply don’t have room for this kind of depth.

   We’ve gone over every page of this book, and find it to be the most complete, definitive guide to the Canon EOS 5D Mark II on the market.
   

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5. 

   Gus Wanner / October 15, 2010

   Review by Gus Wanner for David Busch’s Canon EOS 5D Mark II Guide to Digital SLR Photography
   Rating:
   This guide is the best currently available for the Canon 5dMkII. I would rate it at 5 stars but for the fact that there are numerous (and sometimes obvious) errors which should have been caught in the final proof reading of the book prior to printing. As an example: On Page 58 is a beautiful color picture of the Canon 24-105mm zoom lens typically supplied with the 5dMkII as a kit. However, the Focus ring is labeled Zoom ring and the Zoom ring is labeled Focus ring! This is a pretty obvious error and should have been caught before printing. There also are references elsewhere in the book to built-in flash capabilities which the Canon 5dMkII does not have.

   The discussion of Flash in Chapters 9 and 10 is somewhat sketchy – buy N.K. Guy’s excellent book “Mastering Canon EOS Flash Photography” if you need more info on this subject. Another example of proof-reading problems: On Page 304 in the discussion of a black band on a flash picture taken with a shutter speed greater than 1/200 of a second is the sentence: “Sharp-eyed readers will wonder why the black band is at the bottom of the frame rather than at the bottom, where the second curtain begins its journey”. This sentence should read: “…rather than at the top, where the second curtain begins its journey”.

   Notwithstanding the above comments, this book is still worth purchasing – it provides more information and is far better organized than the Canon 5dMkII instruction manual!

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