Upgrade Guide
Canon EOS 500D→Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The EOS 5D Mark II improves across 3 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most EOS 500D owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the EOS 5D Mark II
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Resolution21MP vs 15MP (+6MP)
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Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
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Battery life~850 shots (CIPA) vs ~400 shots (CIPA)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | EOS 500D | EOS 5D Mark II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +0.5 | ||
| Street | -0.6 | ||
| Travel | +0.1 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +1.5 | ||
| Documentary | +1.6 | ||
| Sports & Action | +0.7 | ||
| Landscape | +1.6 | ||
| Wildlife | +0.7 | ||
| Casual | -0.4 | ||
| Food | +0.3 | ||
| Macro | +0.1 | ||
| Architecture | +1.0 | ||
| Astrophotography | +1.5 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | EOS 500D | EOS 5D Mark II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £57 | £128 | |
| Released | 2009 | 2008 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 15.1MP APS-C CMOS | 21.1MP full-frame CMOS | |
| Resolution | 15MP | 21MP | ↑ |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/20, 720p/30 | Full HD 1080p/30 | |
| Autofocus | 9-point phase-detect (centre cross-type) via viewfinder; contrast AF with face detection in live view | 9-point phase-detect (+6 assist points) via viewfinder; contrast AF with face detection in live view | |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | |
| Burst Rate | 3.4fps | 3.9fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~400 shots (CIPA) | ~850 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 530g (with battery) | 890g (with battery) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentamirror, 95% coverage, 0.87x | Optical pentaprism, 98% coverage, 0.71x | |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 920k dots | 3.0" fixed LCD, 920k dots | |
| Mount | Canon EF / EF-S | Canon EF | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Single CompactFlash slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See EOS 500D and EOS 5D Mark II next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the EOS 5D Mark II against your specific genres — not just specs.
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