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Top Canon EOS-1D Mark III Camera Reviews
Luminous Landscape has a professional
review of the
Canon EOS-1D Mark III and said: "My quick summery is that
the 1Ds MKIII is Canon's best camera yet for anyone that doesn't
specifically need higher frame rates for sports or similar
subjects. The camera has excellent image quality, much improved
features and user interface, a much superior battery system,
faster frame rate, etc."
Imaging Resource reviewed the
Canon EOS-1D Mark III and said: "the images from the 1D Mark
III are beautiful. Though we usually roll our eyes when
companies list ridiculously high ISO ratings, we were pleasantly
surprised by how good the Mark III's ISO 6,400 images are."
CNET wrote a review on the
Canon EOS-1D Mark III and said: "Images shot with the Canon
EOS 1D Mark III can be absolutely stunning. Colors look
extremely accurate"
Canon EOS-1D Mark III News Release Summary:
The Legendary Canon EOS System Evolves To Meet The Demanding
Needs Of Imaging Professionals With the Release of The World's
Fastest Digital SLR*, EF 16-35 mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens and
Speedlite 580EX II Flash
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., February 21, 2007 – Canon, the worldwide
market leader in digital cameras, celebrates the 20th
anniversary of its top-selling EOS single lens reflex camera
system by announcing the EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR, the
world's fastest digital SLR camera. At 10 frames per second, the
10.1 megapixel EOS-1D Mark III digital SLR can fire huge
motor-driven bursts of 110 Large JPEGs or 30 RAW files because
it employs the new Dual DIGIC III image processor engine,
providing enough computational horsepower to do parallel
processing at a rate unmatched by any other digital SLR. The
all-new 10.1 megapixel, APS-H size CMOS sensor which is designed
and manufactured by Canon, is the most light-sensitive and
innovative sensor that Canon has developed to date. It features
a new microlens array and a more efficient pixel structure for
ultra-low noise, resulting in exceptional image quality and an
amazing ISO range of 100 to 3200 with extensions to ISO 50 and a
highly usable ISO 6400. Furthermore, Canon today unveils several
new accessories, including the EF-16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Lens and
the Speedlite 580EX II Flash.
Scheduled for initial U.S. shipments in Spring, the estimated
selling price of the EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR will be similar
to that of its predecessor, the EOS-1D Mark II N Digital SLR.
This makes the new camera a stunning bargain and a "must have"
for most pro shooters on the basis of features, performance,
reliability, ease of use and compatibility with the powerful
Canon EOS system.
"The new EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR is an essential tool for
professional sports photographers and photojournalists because
of its exceptional speed and durability and it will attract a
broad range of other professional and advanced amateur
photographers because of its superior image quality and improved
low-light performance," said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice
president and general manager of the Consumer Imaging Group at
Canon U.S.A. Inc. "In designing the EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR,
Canon responded to the requests of its many professional
customers by adding new features that cater to their demanding
needs. But at the same time, we have once again raised the bar
for digital SLR cameras by introducing new technologies that
only Canon can offer with the legendary EOS System."
See the Whole Picture with a Live View LCD
One of the landmark functions of the EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR
is the introduction of a Live View shooting mode, tweaked to
meet the needs of professional shooters. Photographers who use
point-and-shoot digital cameras are familiar with looking at the
LCD screen on the back of the camera to compose their images.
Normally, a single lens reflex cannot do this because the mirror
that lets you look through the lens is in the way. With the
EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR, a photographer has several options
in addition to conventional SLR through-the-lens viewing. If the
camera is going to be close at hand, the new Live View shooting
mode lets the user focus and compose on the extra-large 3.0-inch
LCD screen and magnify the image 5x or 10x, to achieve the
optimal focus. If a user is going to be several feet away from
the camera, in a studio, for example, the camera can be
connected to a computer with a USB 2.0 high-speed cable. New
software included with the camera, EOS Utility 2.0, lets you
view what the camera is seeing in real time and control its
operation. If a professional photographer is going to be far
away from the camera, say, on the other side of a racetrack or
stadium, or if the camera is hidden or buried someplace
inaccessible, the EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR can be operated
wirelessly with the assistance of the new WFT- E2A Wireless File
Transmitter. This allows users to view images directly off the
camera's sensor in virtually real time with the ability to
adjust many camera settings on the fly. As a side benefit, Live
View shooting mode helps to reduce vibration by lifting the
reflex mirror out of the optical path well in advance of the
exposure, improving image quality at slow shutter speeds.
The EOS Integrated Cleaning System
Another first for a professional digital SLR of this caliber is
a complete dust management solution, called the EOS Integrated
Cleaning System. The new CMOS image sensor is designed with a
lightweight infrared absorption glass cover that vibrates for
3.5 seconds when the camera is turned on or off. This brief
delay can be cancelled immediately upon startup if desired,
simply by pressing the shutter button. In fact, the sensor is
sealed around its edges to help keep dust out. The shutter,
newly upgraded to 300,000 cycle durability, generates less dust;
it fires three times during the process so dust is shaken off
the shutter curtains, too. This cleaning system uses very little
battery power and can also be turned off in the custom function
menu, if the user chooses to do so. The second part of the
anti-dust system is a software solution that records the
location of any spots that may remain on the sensor as Dust
Delete Data and this information is appended to the image file.
In the Digital Photo Professional 3.0 software application
included with the EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR, the spots are
erased automatically.
Advanced Autofocus Technology
The brand-new autofocus system in the EOS-1D Mark III Digital
SLR represents a complete reconsideration of professional AF.
Like previous EOS 1-Series Canon cameras, the EOS-1D Mark III
Digital SLR has 45 AF points, but unlike its predecessors, 19 of
them, rather than seven, are of the high-precision cross-type
configuration. In addition to the center point, the new array
allows the other points to be divided into groups of nine inner
and nine outer focusing points plus a center point, which makes
picking an individual focusing point much faster and easier than
going through all 45, as in the past. During manual AF point
selection, the AF point area is expandable. At the request of
sports and wildlife photographers, a new micro-adjustment
feature allows for very fine changes in the AF point of focus
for each lens type in use, along with the addition of adjustable
focus-tracking sensitivity as another sophisticated new AF
feature. In addition to the AF sensor itself, other new
components in the AF system include the reconfigured concave
submirror and the secondary image formation lens, both products
of Canon's vast expertise in optical engineering. Last but not
least, the low-light sensitivity of the new AF sensor has been
doubled to EV-1 for superior performance compared to earlier EOS
digital SLRs.
Twice as Smart With Dual DIGIC III Image Processors
To cope with the voluminous signal processing required by the
EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR's 10.1 megapixel resolution and top
continuous shooting speed of 10 fps, Dual DIGIC III imaging
engines are incorporated for parallel signal processing. The
DIGIC III image processor replaces the DIGIC II and assists in
rendering very fine image detail and natural color reproduction
with 50% less shadow noise than previous EOS digital SLRs. The
CMOS sensor reads out to the dual DIGIC III processors
simultaneously in eight channels. By having two processors
handle the workload, image processing is now approximately 1.5x
faster; Compact Flash(tm) access speed is now 1.3x faster and SD
card access is now 2x faster. The EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR is
compatible with the new high-capacity SDHC format memory card.
The extra power of dual DIGIC III processors has also allowed
analog-to-digital conversion to improve from 12 to 14 bits per
channel, meaning that tonal gradation for RAW images is now
divided into 16,384 separate levels per channel rather than
4,096. The difference can be seen in the superb prints and
magazine spreads the EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR makes, as well
as, in its freedom from defects such as moir‚.
The Canon Proprietary CMOS Sensor
The all new, 10.1 megapixel CMOS sensor is designed and
manufactured by Canon using semiconductor manufacturing
equipment that is designed and manufactured by Canon, allowing
synergies that are unique in all of photography. The sensor is
APS-H size, 28.1 by 18.7mm, significantly larger than the much
more commonly found APS-C, usually about 23.5 by 15.5mm. The
lens magnification factor is 1.3x, rather than 1.5x or 1.6x. The
increased sensor size means that each pixel can be larger for a
given resolution. The pixels of the EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR
are 7.2 microns square. A sensor with 10 megapixels in APS-C
size would have pixels less than 6 microns square, smaller and
therefore receiving less light, requiring more amplification and
producing more noise. The comparison is even more favorable to
the EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR because Canon's intense
involvement with sensor technology has enabled it to increase
the proportion of each pixel that is sensitive to light, called
the fill factor, so its pixels are not only bigger, but they are
also more receptive to light. Yet another improvement comes from
the revised microlens array that collects light for the sensor.
The new unit has smaller gaps between the tiny lenses, meaning
more light is gathered and less is lost. All of this helps to
explain the sensational low-light performance of the EOS-1D Mark
III Digital SLR and the terrific quality of images shot at ISO
3200 and 6400.
Focus On New and Advanced Professional Features
The EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR has several new features that
make it much more reassuring and confidence inspiring. Highlight
tone priority extends the dynamic range of highlights by about
one stop and improves gradation within highlight areas. Safety
shift lets the camera automatically change the shutter speed,
the aperture or even the ISO speed, according to the
photographer's choice, even if the light level changes out of
the range that the settings on the camera can normally handle,
thus avoiding unhappy surprises. In-camera noise reduction for
high ISO images and silent drive mode reduce a different kind of
noise: the sound of the camera shutter in a quiet place.
The EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR is the product of a "reset to
zero" design process; absolutely everything was re-evaluated.
The result is a new and exceptionally easy to use set of
controls. The 1D Mark III Digital SLR uses a Main Dial, a Quick
Control Dial, a Multi-controller, a SET button and several other
buttons to select and set various functions. In addition, the
ISO speed button, AF Start (AF-ON) button, Picture Style button,
and Memory selection/Image size/White balance function button
have been newly added to make camera operation faster and easier
than previous models. This system follows the logic of the EOS
family of cameras. You use the Quick Control Dial to make the
selection and press the SET button. When you press a button, it
remains active for a while so you can let it go and then turn a
dial to set something. You use the Quick Control Dial or the
Main Dial to select any of the 19 cross-type AF points.
Answering the requests of many current EOS system users,
information displays have also been improved. For example, both
the ISO speed and the metering pattern in use are now visible at
all times, not only on the top LCD data panel, but in the
viewfinder as well.
The EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR's power supply is yet another
valuable new feature: The camera now uses a new LC-E4
Lithium-ion battery pack instead of the previous NP-E3
Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) type. As a result, the weight of
the 1D Mark III Digital SLR with the battery and memory cards
installed is approximately 8 oz. lighter than the EOS-1D Mark II
N Digital SLR when comparably equipped, and estimated shooting
capacity has significantly improved from 1200 shots for the 1D
Mark II N Digital SLR to approximately 2200 shots for the EOS-1D
Mark III Digital SLR under normal shooting conditions.
Additionally, new technology makes it possible for the EOS-1D
Mark III Digital SLR to display battery charge levels in 1%
increments.
The Custom Functions and Personal Functions of previous EOS
models have been merged to create an easier to manage set of 57
Custom Functions arranged in four groups according to categories
such as exposure and autofocus. Up to six frequently used menu
options and Custom Functions can be registered in a new
user-friendly feature, called "My Menu." Up to 10 sets of camera
settings can now be saved to one recording medium and moved from
one camera to another. Up to five Personal white balance
settings and five custom white balance data items can now be
registered.
Major advances have also been made in recording, storage, and
playback. For example, in addition to the RAW and JPEG options
found in previous EOS Digital SLRs, the EOS-1D Mark III Digital
SLR now offers the "sRAW" recording format. "sRAW" has all the
flexibility of standard RAW data recording, but at one quarter
the resolution and approximately half the file size of
conventional RAW images. Another breakthrough option is the
ability to record to external USB storage devices connected to
the camera via the optional WFT-E2A Wireless Transmitter (see
below for more information on the WFT-E2A). Yet another new
option is automatic switching of recording media; when the
current recording medium becomes full, the camera switches to
another automatically and continues recording without
interruption. With separate recording, a captured image can be
recorded in varying sizes on different media. Each recording
medium can be set to record a specific image size (L, M1, M2, S,
RAW, sRAW) for each shot. With recording of identical images,
the same image is recorded to all recording media. This is also
possible with RAW+JPEG and sRAW+JPEG. Any image stored in a
memory card or external media can be copied to another installed
or connected recording medium.
With the EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR, if the card slot cover is
opened during the writing operation, an alarm sounds and a
warning message appears on the screen to indicate that writing
is in progress. The card writing continues even if the slot
cover is opened. Also, if you set the power switch to the "off"
position during the card writing process, a message appears on
the screen to indicate that writing is in progress. After the
writing is completed, the power turns off.
EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Lens:
A new EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Lens succeeds the versatile
EF16-35mm f/2.8L USM Lens as a high-performance L-series
wide-angle zoom lens, specifically designed for improved
peripheral image quality. Compatible with all EOS SLRs past and
present, it uses three high-precision aspherical lens elements
and two Ultra Low Dispersion (UD) lens elements to minimize
lateral chromatic aberration and to produce superb image quality
with excellent resolution and contrast. New coatings minimize
ghosting and flare. It is an internal focus design, so the front
element does not rotate during focusing and zooming, a
convenience for users of circular polarizer filters. The lens is
also fully gasketed and sealed for dust and moisture resistance,
and it features an electronic diaphragm with circular blades for
natural-looking background blur effects.
Speedlite 580EX II Flash
The popular Speedlite 580EX Flash is being replaced by the new
Speedlite 580EX II Flash, which features a host of improvements,
including a metal hot shoe with an improved locking mechanism
for added durability, an external metering sensor for non-TTL
automatic flash exposure control and a PC socket for use with
non-dedicated slave triggers. Fully compatible with all EOS SLRs,
the new Speedlite 580EX II is gasketed for dust and moisture
resistance, making it possible for users of EOS-1 class digital
SLRs and many L-series EF lenses to use flash safely when
shooting in dusty or wet environments.
Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E2A
The new accessory dedicated Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E2A
allows wireless transfer and backup, as well as remote control
of the camera in Live View mode. The new transmitter is much
smaller and lighter than its predecessor and more affordable as
well. The WFT-E2A has many useful capabilities besides wireless
transmission of digital photos. In addition to supporting the
EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR's Remote Live View functions, it can
also be connected to various Hi-Speed USB 2.0 external storage
devices such as high-capacity hard drives or convenient flash
drives with much larger storage capacity than the memory cards
in the camera, for instant backup as images are captured. Whats
more, the WFT-E2A can be connected to portable GPS devices to
record GPS information (longitude, latitude, altitude, UTC)
which is added to file metadata and displayed on the camera's
LCD screen below the histogram.
Original Data Security Kit OSK-E3
The newly developed Original Data Security Kit OSK-E3 enables
independent verification of the authenticity of image data and
metadata (including GPS data). Additionally, the OSK-E3 Data
Verification Kit features optional data encryption of EOS-1D
Mark III Digital SLR files upon capture to prevent modification
of image data or unauthorized interception of images during
wireless transmission.
Improved Software
The EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR will be supplied with the latest
versions of Canon's powerful software applications, including
Digital Photo Professional 3.0 and EOS Utility 2.0, which now
support the camera's Remote Live View and Dust Delete Data
functions, as well as incorporating a broad range of additional
improvements designed to improve image quality and speed up
workflow. Also included are new versions of ZoomBrowser EX and
ImageBrowser for easy browsing, viewing, printing and archiving
with compatible computer operating systems, including Microsoft
Windows Vista, Windows XP, as well as Mac OS X.
Canon will display and demonstrate the EOS-1D Mark III Digital
SLR and its new accessories March 8 - 11 at the PMA trade show
in Las Vegas.
About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and
industrial imaging solutions. The company is listed as one of
Fortune's Most Admired Companies in America and is on the
BusinessWeek list of "Top 100 Brands." Its parent company Canon
Inc. (NYSE:CAJ) is a top patent holder of technology, ranking
third overall in the U.S. in 2006†, with global revenues of
$34.9 billion. For more information, visit www.usa.canon.com.
Canon
EOS-1D Mark III Best Prices (When Available)
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