How to Test a Canon 5D

The Canon 5D is a professional-level DSLR camera. DSLR, which stands for digital single-lens reflex, cameras are used most often by professionals to create high-quality images. To test the photo quality of the 5D, simply place it in several situations and inspect the resulting image for its ability to recreate the subject's actual appearance. Three qualities determine a camera's ability the most: noise, image detail and continuous shooting speed. Rating these three dimensions can give you a solid idea of the camera's limitations.

• 1

  Turn on the camera and rotate the shooting dial to rounded rectangle icon, which is the full automatic mode.

• 2

  Place the camera in a dark environment, such as a street corner and take a photo. Upload the image to your computer and view it at actual size. Look for the amount of "noise" in the image, which will appear as blue, green or red splotches. The fewer there are, the better the image quality.

• 3

  Place the camera in a bright environment, such as normal daylight, and take a photo of a detailed landscape. Once again, transfer the image to your computer and view it at actual size. Look at how "crisp" each detail is compared to its appearance in real life. The less the amount of blur, the better.

• 4

  Press the "DRIVE-ISO" button and rotate the dial on top of the camera until the continuous shooting icon, which looks like several frames, appears on the LCD display. Press and hold the shutter button until it stops taking pictures. The more pictures it takes and the shorter the time between each photo, the higher quality the drive mode.