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October 7, 2008 9:22 AM PDT

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark IV: the rumors begin

by Lori Grunin

Mark III ready for replacement?

After just about a year on the market, the rumors have started about a replacement for Canon's flagship EOS-1Ds dSLR. The blog trail, which seems to have started in a forum at photofans.cn but which I read on Photography Bay, speculates that the specifications will include the current sensor, but two Digic 4 processors which will enable a bump to ISO 12,800 and a burst rate of 6.8fps, HD video capture, and a jump to a 69-point AF system.

Though Canon Rumors gives this scuttlebutt its second-lowest credibility rating--"From a 4-legged animal"--as a possible feature set it makes some sense. Here's how the current model stacks up against its newest sibling, the 5D Mark II:

  Canon EOS 5D Mark II Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
Price (body) $2,699 $7,999
Sensor 21.1 megapixel CMOS 21.1 megapixel CMOS
A/D conversion 14 bit 14 bit
ISO sensitivity (expanded) ISO 25,600 ISO 3200
AF system 15-pt AF
6 center AF assist points; 3 center f2.8 and wider
45-point AF
19 cross-type points; 26 Assist AF points
Continuous shooting
frames best quality JPEG/full-size raw
3.9fps
unlimited/14 (with UDMA card)
5fps
56/12
Viewfinder 98% coverage
magnification n/a
interchangeable focusing screen
100% coverage
0.76x magnification
interchangeable focusing screen
Shutter durability 150,000 cycles 300,000 cycles

Clearly, the newer 5D Mark II outspecs its older, much more expensive brother in a way that makes the Mark IV inevitable sooner than the typical 18-month product cycle might support. And though the specs may be someone's wish list rather than the reality, it's a pretty sensible wish list. (I'd throw in a built-in wireless flash controller, though.)

But whether it's truth, lies or wishful thinking, you can bet we'll be hearing about it ad nauseam for the next 3 to 6 months.

Senior Editor Lori Grunin has been covering digital imaging for two decades, but her memory's kind of sketchy on the details. You can hear about it every week on Indecent Exposure, the podcast she co-hosts with Matt Fitzgerald.
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Add a Comment (Log in or register) (4 Comments)
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by optika_hawaii October 27, 2008 1:40 AM PDT
I predict...Mark IV 1Ds

35 Megapixel, Full-Frame Sensor
Dual Digic V Processors
16-bit Color Processing
16 GB Hard Drive
4GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M Graphics Card
3 Slots for memory cards
7 Frames Per Second in full RAW and Large JPEG formats
4" LCD @ 1,500,000 pixel
65-point Autofocus
USB-Firewire-Ethernet-HDMI Ports
AUTO MODE OPTIONS: Portrait, Landscape, Stitching, Speed Motion, Sunset

$7999.00
Reply to this comment
by vwfoto April 1, 2009 10:08 AM PDT
Yes, yes please I wish your predict is come
Yes I want one
by mulderd November 26, 2008 2:45 PM PST
Mmmm, I think it will be slightly different.

- Full frame, definitely.
- GPS
- Wifi
- Same battery as Mark III
- Authenticity module
- Prepared for 3D shooting with several DIGIC V processors
- Prepared for 3D shooting, mount for 3D lenses
- Let go of the Ds, just EOS 1D-M(ulti-animal)
- Cradle for the several interfaces such as HDMI
- Separate USB v3 interface
- Parallel CF, SD and internal flash of 32Gb
- 18-bits color depth
- ISO 25-50000 spotless
- HD 1080p video possibilities WITH AF
- internal stabilization of the sensor and on the lenses, so always perfectly balanced
- over pressure in the body, so dust never can enter the body
- 14 frames/second in RAW or JPEG, 60s continuously

SRP: ? 5500
Reply to this comment
by vwfoto April 1, 2009 10:11 AM PDT
That's the things why we need gps, even wide or big LCD or even video feature
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