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Canon 1Ds Mark III Predictions
By admin | June 9, 2007
The recent introduction of the Canon 1D Mark III serves as a cheat-sheet for what Canon will be changing in their new 1Ds Mark III. Many of the innovations that have been developed for the 1D Mk III will be moved over to the 1Ds to make Cannon’s R&D investment worthwhile.
A few features that can be expected in the new Canon 1Ds Mark III:
- Full frame sensor - 24mm x 36mm
- Resolution - between 16.4 Mp and 26.5 Mp. The answer to how many megapixels the Mark III will provide depends on the pixel density of the sensor, which we don’t know yet. If it matches the pixel density of the fantastic performing new 1D MkIII (135 pixels/mm), the sensor will deliver 16.4 Mp. This would be a great performing camera, but marketing needs will force the camera to better the Mark II output. If Canon goes with the pixel density of the new Rebel 400d (175 pixels/mm), the sensor will deliver 26.5 Mp. I think this jump will be a bit high and that the noise produced will be too high. A new sensor will probably be developed especially for this camera - I will guess at 150 pixels/mm, which leads to around 19.5 Mp.
- Dual DIGIC III processors with 14 bit A/D conversion.
- Max frame rate of 5 fps.
- Lighter weight body due mainly to a new lithium-ion battery.
- “Live View” feature as introduced with the 1D Mark III - Allows viewing your composition through the back display with the loss of auto-focus.
- Much needed enlarged LCD monitor - sized at 3″.
- Custom back-focus adjustments that allows the user to test and compensate the back-focus for specific lenses and have these settings saved to memory.
- Adoption of the vibrating sensor cleaning system that was introduced with the Digital Rebel XTi.
The 1Ds Mark II was introduced in October of 2005. I would expect the replacement Mark III to be introduced late fall for a 24 month product cycle. 24 months is a bit long to bring out a replacement, but the reduced competition as Canon dominates the professional market leads to a slower product cycle.
Price will be no lower than $7,000 USD, and probably higher to begin with.
As I see it, the advantages that will be had from using the 1Ds Mark III over other cameras from Canon:
- Robust and professional build quality when compared to the 4oD and the 5D.
- Ability to use wider angle perspectives when compared to the 1D series.
- This camera will
probablyhave the best image quality of any Canon digital SLR yet.
The Mark III does come with a few disadvantages when comparing with the rest of the line:
- Robust and professional build quality - yes I know I just listed it as a plus, but it is not a discreet camera and this hampers its use as a candid or street photography machine. The weight and size do make traveling with it a major pain over the 5D.
- Cost - there is no denying that the cost of this camera puts it well out of range for all but the richest hobbyist and professionals that have the fee structures to quickly cover the cost.
- Speed - something has to give as far as performance, and I don’t think the 1Ds will manage more than 5 fps, putting it well behind the 10 fps of the 1D MkIII.
Even if I can’t manage to obtain the 1Ds Mark III for myself, I still eagerly await the introduction knowing that many of the technologies will soon be trickling down to the consumer level in years to come.
Topics: Canon |