Canon EOS-1Ds Mark IV: the rumors begin
After only a year on the market, talk starts about an update to Canon's flagship dSLR.
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.
