Canon has officially released the specifications of its much anticipated EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR camera ahead of the Photokina conference.

The key features are:

· 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor with 21.1 megapixels
· Live View movies in Full High Definition
· Live View shooting (AF mode: Quick, Live, Live Face Detection)
· DiG!C 4 Image Processor
· ISO speed range 100-6400 (expandable to 50-25600) (Canon first)
· 3.9 frames per second (fps) with continuous shooting up to 78 shots in a single burst
· Newly designed, high-performance viewfinder (viewfinder coverage 98%)
· 3-inch, fine detail LCD monitor (920,000 dots, VGA)

The announcement of the EOS 5D Mark II follows a raft of new cameras from archrival Nikon, whose D3, D300 and D90 models have been making headlines for their improved low-light performance. The D90, in particular, claimed the 'industry first' of being able to record high-definition video in 720p.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark II is expected to be available before the year is out.