Canon Releases EOS-1D Mark III

[Matt Molnar]

Press Release (http://www.usa.canon.com/templatedata/pressrelease/20070221_1dmark3.html):

TWENTY YEARS OF THE CANON EOS SYSTEM LEADS TO THIS MOMENT: CANON RELEASES THE EOS-1D MARK III DIGITAL SLR
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." Click for More w/pics... (http://www.usa.canon.com/templatedata/pressrelease/20070221_1dmark3.html)

Neato!

Some Features:
-10.1 megapixels
-Live LCD viewfinder
-Self cleaning sensor
-New autofocus system
-DUAL Digic III processors
-New CMOS sensor
-10 frames per second, bursts of up to 110 JPEGs or 30 RAWs at a time
-Price will be around the same as the Mark II N when it came out
-Ships this spring

[PhilDernerJr]

10 frames per second, bursts of up to 110 JPEGs or 30 RAWs at a time

Uh, WHAT?

[jran225]

Me. Want. That camera. :D

Greets,
-Omar S.

[nwafan20]

Awesome, but why only 10.1 MP?

[moose135]

Awesome, but why only 10.1 MP?

How many do you need? Don't get sucked in by the marketing hype - it's not all about the number of megapixels, there is a lot more that impacts the quality of your photos.

[SengaB]

So how much does this camera cost?
I should be in the market sometime within 2007 as Its time to upgrade from my 10D.
One of the main reaons I have been holding back has been sensor cleaning techology.
Senga

[Matt Molnar]

They say it will have a "similar selling price" to the previous version, the Mark II N. MSRP on the Mark II N is $3,999, B&H sells it for $3,397.

[Matt Molnar]

Awesome, but why only 10.1 MP?

How many do you need? Don't get sucked in by the marketing hype - it's not all about the number of megapixels, there is a lot more that impacts the quality of your photos.

Megapixels do matter somewhat when it comes to printing.

[SengaB]

$3,397...hm thats more than I am willing to pay for a body. I am in the Cannon 10, 20, 30 clan range :)
That all I need
Senga

[nwafan20]

Well, this summer Canon is supposed to come out with a new 30D-type camera (40D?), so you might want to wait.

Like stated, when printing large prints, MP do count, a lot! They went from 20MP on a previous version to 10.1MP, that's a pretty steep drop!

[Matt Molnar]

Yeah, the 40D should be coming out later this year. The new 1D was announced yesterday (along with several consumer-oriented models) in the run-up to a big camera trade show. Some rumor-ish sites speculated that the 40D would be announced in time for this show also, but since it hasn't been, I'm guessing they're probably saving it for the Christmas season.

[nwafan20]

By consumer-oriented models do you mean P+S or other DSLR's?

[Matt Molnar]

Another model they announced that I think is really cool is the PowerShot TX1 (http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/21/canons-compact-tx1-captures-7-1-megapixel-stills-and-hd-video/). It's a compact 7.1MP point-and-shoot that also shoots 720p HD video, and it's only $500. It only crams about 13 mins of AVI-format HD onto a 4GB card so it's not that practical yet, but the price is pretty impressive, and as cards get bigger and cheaper it'll be more usable.

[Matt Molnar]

By consumer-oriented models do you mean P+S or other DSLR's?

P&S — ELPHs and PowerShots. The Mark III was the only new DSLR.

[pgengler]

Some rumor-ish sites speculated that the 40D would be announced in time for this show also, but since it hasn't been, I'm guessing they're probably saving it for the Christmas season.

Some people are speculating that Canon will announce a 40D ahead of the CeBIT show (which is a week or two after PMA, the photo show the 1DIII was announced ahead of).

If Canon keeps to its release cycles for the xxD series, though (18 months), there won't be a 40D until the fall. Lots of people were expecting one to be announced now, though, as plenty of people feel that the 30D wasn't really much of an upgrade over the 20D and isn't really competitive with Nikon's offerings in the same price range.

Personally, I hope a 40D comes out sooner rather than later. I want to upgrade from my 300D to a newer, better camera and I'd love for a 40D to come out and have the used market be flooded with used 30Ds.

[moose135]

Personally, I hope a 40D comes out sooner rather than later. I want to upgrade from my 300D to a newer, better camera and I'd love for a 40D to come out and have the used market be flooded with used 30Ds.

Having made the upgrade from the 300D to the 30D a few months ago, let me say you won't be disappointed with that upgrade!

[whakojacko]

its crazy, too bad I wont be getting one. There is actually a TON of new functionality in it, like ability to do on-camera focusing adjustments for individual lenses to correct forward/back focusing. Adds weather sealed flash with the new 580ex II. Li-on batteries (about time). It can act as a usb host, so you can attach usb cards and such for photo stoare and transfer purposes. With the optional wifi module, one can remotely view and compose shots, etc. Shutter is now rated for 300k clicks, etc. It justs goes on. What a crazy feature list

[madcatimages]

"Live LCD viewfinder"

Just like a Point-and-shoot!

I dont like that one bit, its an SLR!

:D

[whakojacko]

"Live LCD viewfinder"

Just like a Point-and-shoot!

I dont like that one bit, its an SLR!

:D
its manual focus only, not really meant for most types of photography

[VikHathi]

"Live LCD viewfinder"

Just like a Point-and-shoot!

I dont like that one bit, its an SLR!


its manual focus only, not really meant for most types of photography


According to the CANON site - it has 45-pt AF, I doubt Canon would come out with a non-AF SLR.

The Live LCD viewfinder is a convenience attribute, (when you have to set the cam on the ground, per se) again one has the viewfinder in which all EOS-1D models offer 100% framing. I speculate Canon wants to market this cam primarily at sport journalists and the reason Canon made this SLR 10.1MP as opposed to say 16+ MP is that in order to accomodate the 10 fps, and large burst rate buffer they had to minimize the resolution/file size of each image. Most Sports Photog's dont need to print out poster sized prints, but rather enough for the average page. But then again, shouldnt that be something for the photographer to decide, perhaps if they wanted to trade off to get higher res and less fps? Maybe someone knows the accurate answer to this...

[njgtr82]

email i received from canon today
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i281/njgtr82/eos1.jpg

[pgengler]

its manual focus only, not really meant for most types of photography

According to the CANON site - it has 45-pt AF, I doubt Canon would come out with a non-AF SLR.

The Live LCD viewfinder is a convenience attribute, (when you have to set the cam on the ground, per se) again one has the viewfinder in which all EOS-1D models offer 100% framing.

What happens is, when you use the live LCD preview, you can't autofocus (this is because the AF sensors need the mirror down, but it flips up for the preview). Autofocus would work when you're not using that feature.

The lack of AF in the live LCD mode has some people wondering just how useful it's going to be. The camera is, in part, a photojournalists camera, and the live preview can be useful for shooting above the heads of crowds (so you can check that your aim is close), but without autofocus in that mode, it seems less useful.

[pgengler]

I speculate Canon wants to market this cam primarily at sport journalists and the reason Canon made this SLR 10.1MP as opposed to say 16+ MP is that in order to accomodate the 10 fps, and large burst rate buffer they had to minimize the resolution/file size of each image. Most Sports Photog's dont need to print out poster sized prints, but rather enough for the average page. But then again, shouldnt that be something for the photographer to decide, perhaps if they wanted to trade off to get higher res and less fps? Maybe someone knows the accurate answer to this...

The reason I think that they didn't go to 16+ MP is because they couldn't make a sensor that dense without a whole lot of noise, especially at higher ISOs (and part of the features of the new camera is that it's less noisy at high ISOs). There'll probably be a new 1Ds by the end of the year, with more MP because of the full-frame sensor (the 1D has an APS-H, 1.3x crop sensor).

[madcatimages]

its manual focus only, not really meant for most types of photography

According to the CANON site - it has 45-pt AF, I doubt Canon would come out with a non-AF SLR.

The Live LCD viewfinder is a convenience attribute, (when you have to set the cam on the ground, per se) again one has the viewfinder in which all EOS-1D models offer 100% framing.

What happens is, when you use the live LCD preview, you can't autofocus (this is because the AF sensors need the mirror down, but it flips up for the preview). Autofocus would work when you're not using that feature.

The lack of AF in the live LCD mode has some people wondering just how useful it's going to be. The camera is, in part, a photojournalists camera, and the live preview can be useful for shooting above the heads of crowds (so you can check that your aim is close), but without autofocus in that mode, it seems less useful.

Ok I see now. I guess that would be good when your trying to get pics over peoples heads.

[SCOTYDEMCO]

I have heard alot of talk about a 40D but nothing that I believe yet. I heard about the new MarkIII, but not too much but rumors about a 40D. I am waiting for it as well. My luck when I buy the 30D they will release the 40D.

[Matt Molnar]

Engadget.com (http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/21/canon-eos-40d-rumors-abound/) posted something from another site last week about someone having found 40D specs allegedly accidentally posted on the Canon Europe site and then quickly removed, but there was no way to verify it. If the specs that were revealed are the real deal (10.1MP, DIGIC II, 5fps burst, dust cleaning), the 40D will be only a slight improvement of the 30D, which wasn't a whole lot different from the 20D.

[SCOTYDEMCO]

Thanks for the info Gotham. 10.1 mp with the sensor cleaning is good for me. Not to mention the 5fps for us aviation photogs compared to my 3fps on the rebelXT. Let's hope the rumors are correct.

[Matt Molnar]

An upgrade to the DIGIC III processor would be nice.

[nwafan20]

But if they upgraded to the Digic III, it would compete to heavily with the EOS 1D Mark 3.

[Matt Molnar]

The Mark III has TWO of them though. I guess you're right, though, it would still be a major upgrade. The 5D is probably due for a refresh also, I'd imagine it will get a single DIGIC III.

[nwafan20]

That would make sense and create quite a good lineup:

Canon Digital Rebel XTi Single Digic II
Canon 40D: single Digic II but stronger image quality and full frame
Canon (5D replacement): single Digic III
Canon Eos 1D Mark III: dual Digic III


That covers all levels of experience, good lineup!

[Matt Molnar]

The 40D unverified specs said it wouldn't be full frame.

[nwafan20]

Hmm, that sort of stinks, what are they looking at? 1.3 or 1.6?

[Derf]

Hmm, that sort of stinks.......
for who? NOT US!

[PHL Approach]

Hmm, that sort of stinks, what are they looking at? 1.3 or 1.6?

I SURE HOPE the 40D isn't a full FRAME! Full Frame = good for any other photographer except aviation!

[pgengler]

Hmm, that sort of stinks, what are they looking at? 1.3 or 1.6?

I SURE HOPE the 40D isn't a full FRAME! Full Frame = good for any other photographer except aviation!

Not just aviation photographers, but lots of wildlife photographers (people who spend a lot on big lenses) like the crop.

[Matt Molnar]

You'd think they'd go out of their way to make their cams full frame to encourage us to buy bigger lenses. :)

[SCOTYDEMCO]

They will have to drop the 500, and 600 primes down then. :D I hope the 40D isn't a full frame. I highly doubt it will be, otherwise you can sell you 100-400 on ebay and start saving for a monster lense. Start doing some shoulder workouts too.

[nwafan20]

Well, usually full frame produces a better image quality, but I can understand that for us crop is better.

[PHL Approach]

Well, usually full frame produces a better image quality

I wouldn't say that. Who likes vignetting?