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.
Canon's brand-new EOS-1Ds Mark III
(Credit: Canon)Canon has released new firmware, version 1.0.6, for the EOS-1Ds Mark III, the company's $8,000 21.1-megapixel flagship SLR camera.
The update "improves the reliability of communication with some CompactFlash cards" and "fixes a phenomenon involving color cast and vertical lines appearing in images," the company said on the firmware download Web site.
(Via Digital Photography Review.)
Cameras have always been marvels of miniaturization, but with the switch to digital technology, engineers have had to squeeze electronics and computers into camera bodies already filled with mechanical and optical components.
Most folks only see the outsides of cameras, but the insides can be works of engineering art, too. Canon's latest SLRs, the $8,000 EOS-1Ds Mark III and $1,300 EOS 40D, are a good case in point.
Here are some of the views I found most interesting. ... Read more
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
(Credit: Canon USA)Though most of its thunder has already been stolen by the Canon EOS-1D Mark III, studio photographers have been awaiting the announcement of its high-res, full-frame sibling, the EOS-1Ds Mark III. Coming in November for about the same price as the 1Ds Mark II--$7,999--the replacement model is faster and higher resolution than the old, with the body and technology enhancements of the Mark III generation.
| 1Ds Mark II | 1Ds Mark III | 1D Mark III | |
| Resolution | 16.7 megapixels | 21.1 megapixels | 10.1 megapixels |
| Continuous shooting | 4fps 32 JPEG/11 raw | 5fps 56 JPEG/12 raw | 10fps 110 JPEG/30 raw |
| Crop factor/focal length multiplier | 1.0X | 1.0X | 1.3X |
| Viewfinder | 100 percent coverage 0.70X magnification | 100 percent coverage 0.75X magnification | 100 percent coverage 0.76X magnification |
| Autofocus | 45 points with 7 cross type | 45 points with 19 cross type | 45 points with 19 cross type |
The 1Ds Mark III incorporates many of the goodies from the 1D Mark III including the new cleaning system, 14-bit analog-to-digital conversion, dual Digic III image processors, 300,000-cycle rated shutter, flexible dual card slot operation, and so on.
Needless to say, we're quite looking forward to getting this one in our mitts.
On Sale Now: $6,099.95 - $9,999.00
View the latest prices for Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
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