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In season 2, episode 21 of The Office (US edition) which aired on the May 4, 2006, there is seemingly a first-gen 5D by Canon.

Here is my edit of every scene that includes it.

What is the camera? What about the speedlite and the lens with red hoop? Is it really an expensive L series lens or they simply borrowed one from a cinema camera that uses CN-E? What about the other lens?

The interface uses Windows 3.1 monochrome style zoom bars and icons so maybe it can be used as a tip for identification.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Its not a great question with a interesting camera but the show is the best sitcom where comedy isnt the laugh track but the situation itself so I think it deserves its question. \$\endgroup\$
    – Delta Oscar Uniform
    Commented Jul 28, 2019 at 12:25
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    \$\begingroup\$ I don't think this is off topic but I'm struggling to find why this is interesting. What would you do with this information? It's not like it's iconic to the show, is it? \$\endgroup\$
    – mattdm
    Commented Jul 28, 2019 at 16:49
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    \$\begingroup\$ @DeltaOscarUniform I've still got a 20D I can take a picture of, if online photos don't do ya. The size of the LCD over time is...well, amazing. \$\endgroup\$
    – OnBreak.
    Commented Jul 28, 2019 at 18:16
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    \$\begingroup\$ Updated answer with lens. The flash I’m not so sure of right off the bat. That’ll take me some research \$\endgroup\$
    – OnBreak.
    Commented Jul 28, 2019 at 18:29
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    \$\begingroup\$ hey maybe not the typical question for the forum, buy you gotta admit it was interesting...show of hands for how many looked at the video and did some research.... \$\endgroup\$
    – cmason
    Commented Jul 29, 2019 at 19:04

2 Answers 2

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There are at least two different camera bodies in your sequence of scenes.

  • The one(s) in the first and last parts seem(s) to be an EOS 20D. There are enough noticeable differences to eliminate the 10D and 30D.
  • The one shown at 0:31 and again at 0:43 is not a 20D nor any other Canon digital body produced by May of 2006. It is also not any Minolta, Pentax, Olympus, Panasonic, Fuji, nor Nikon digital SLR body that I can find released by May 2006. (Sony did not release the first α body until later in 2006). The appearance of the zoom scale on the LCD in Live View indicates it is probably a "bridge" type camera with a non-interchangeable zoom lens. By 0:49 in what appears to be the same scene as at 0:43, what looks like our 20D is back.

enter image description here
Back of Canon EOS 20D

There are also at least two different lenses in the montage:

  • The lens shown at 0:06 and 0:014 is not an "L" series lens as a gold ring is visible near the front of the barrel. It looks to be an EF 50mm f/1.4 USM, EF 20mm f/2.8 USM, EF 28mm f/1.8 USM, EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM, EF 100mm f/2 USM, or EF 85mm f/1.8 USM (the last two are not likely due to how close the camera is to the subjects) with an aftermarket rubber lens hood attached via the filter threads. All of these lenses are very similar in size and appearance.
  • The lens in the later sequences appears to be an EF 24-70mm f/2.8L

What about the speedlite and the lens with red hoop?

The external flash pictured near the end of the montage is not a Canon EOS flash.

Is it really an expensive L series lens or they simply borrowed one from an cinema camera that uses CN-E?

CN-E lenses would not mount on an EF camera body.

There is seemingly an first gen 5D by Canon.

None of the 5-series bodies, including the original EOS 5D, have pop-up flashes.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Second point points to time travel... I also have just checked the wiki page for that episode and it says this (I gotta be honest I am surprised) The camera the photographer uses is a Canon 20D with an EF 20mm f/2.8 USM. During the group shot, he used an EF 24-105mm f/4L USM IS. Also, during the shoot for the ID cards, he used the built-in flash, but with the group picture, he had an external flash. The photographer is Scott Adsit who we have more recently seen as Pete Hornberger in another NBC show 30 Rock...... time for a fan mail I gueas \$\endgroup\$
    – Delta Oscar Uniform
    Commented Jul 28, 2019 at 22:49
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    \$\begingroup\$ @DeltaOscarUniform The EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM has additional red lettering spelling out "Ultrasonic" past the minimum focus distance on the barrel just past the focal lengths. The red "Ultrasonic" lettering is not seen your footage. \$\endgroup\$
    – Michael C
    Commented Jul 28, 2019 at 23:03
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The power button and rear wheel looks iconically Canon but the pop up flash means this isn’t a pro body, ruling out the 5D. It looks to me like the prosumer range, XXD (20D/30D If this was 2006).

The lens appears to be the 24-70 f/2.8L. Images below.

enter image description here

enter image description here

enter image description here

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