Canon EOS 1D MkIII Preview

The Canon EOS 1D Mk III is perhaps the most technologically advanced Digital SLR available today. This isn't based on just one feature - such as the ability to capture at 10 frames/second - but rather on a whole host of features which are improvements on the Canon EOS-1D Mark II N (review)

The EOS 1D MKIII is aimed at the professional photographer who needs to record fast action in all types of conditions. The shutter is rated for 300,000 cycles (more than any other EOS SLR), the camera is weathersealed (as are many EOS "L" Series lenses and the new 580EX II speedlite), the buffer can store over 100 large jpg files and with the ability to capture at ISO 6400, the EOS 1D Mk III can continue taking pictures when lesser cameras have given up and gone home!

Those who value the number of pixels above all else might be surprised to learn that the sensor in the EOS 1D MkIII is "only" 10MP, no more than a Digital Rebel XTi. However the number of pixels isn't everything. The 1D MkIII pixels are larger and have lower noise levels. The sensor has a better microlens assembly and captures light more efficiently. Dual Digic processors extract the data via a 14-bit A/D converter, compared to a 12-bit A/D in other other EOS DSLRs. The sensor is 28.1mm x 18.7mm and has a 1.3x multiplier factor, midway between the size of the APS-C sensor found in Canon's Digital Rebel series and the full-frame sensor of the Canon EOS 5D, $2099 (review). Though the pixel size of the 1D MkIII is smaller than that of the 1D MKII N, the actual area of the photodiodes is the same due to optimized fabrication techniques, meaning there is no loss of sensitivity.

The reason that the 1D MkIII doesn't use a full frame sensor is probably because the 1.3x sensors (also known as APS-H format) are the largest sensors that can be imaged in one pass using cutting edge semiconductor manufacturing technology. This gives them a significant cost advantage over full frame sensors.

The EOS 1D MkIII is the first Canon DSLR that allows "live preview" of the image on the LCD screen (or a remote monitor). Live preview only works, however, with the mirror locked up, autofocus disabled, and metering set to evaluative mode. By enlarging a section of the preview on the LCD, accurate manual focus is possible.

The camera may be ordered from Amazon.com, $4060.

Major Features of the Canon EOS 1D Mk III

• World's fastest AF DSLR with approximately 10 fps continuous operation in One-Shot AF or AI Servo AF
• Maximum burst (JPEG Large, compression level 8) approximately 110 shots; RAW, approximately 30 shots (based on Canon's testing standards)
• Dual DIGIC III Image Processors
• ISO 100-3200 with ISO speed extension, L = 50, H = 6400
• 14-bit A/D conversion for fine gradation
• Live View in camera and remote, wired and wireless
• New 45-point Area AF sensor with 19 high-precision, cross-type points (f/2.8 compatible), 26 standard-precision Assist AF points
• AF micro-adjustment (fine adjustment of AF point of focus)
• New 10.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, APS-H size
• Improved microlens array and pixel fill factor plus optimized photodiode structure to increase light-reception efficiency
• Professional EOS Integrated Cleaning System with Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit, Dust Delete Data acquisition
• RAW, sRAW (new Small RAW), RAW+JPEG, sRAW+JPEG, JPEG+JPEG simultaneous recording
• Increased shutter durability of approximately 300,000 cycles
• Large and bright 3.0-inch LCD monitor with 230,000 pixels and wide viewing angle
• Selectable noise reduction for high ISO images, 50% less shadow noise for all images
• Selectable Highlight Tone Priority
• High-speed shutter with 1/8000 sec. maximum speed and high-speed X-sync at 1/300 sec. with EX Speedlites
• Compatible with SDHC (SD High-Capacity) memory cards as well as high capacity CF cards
• High-magnification, wide-coverage viewfinder and improved focusing screen with 100% finder coverage
• 63-zone metering sensor for more stable exposure control with ambient light and flash
• High-capacity, lightweight and compact lithium-ion battery with estimated battery life display
• ISO speed and metering pattern always displayed in viewfinder and on top LCD data panel
• Maintains water resistance with new 580EX II Speedlite

The Canon Japan Web site has a number of full sized sample images from the EOS 1d MkIII available for download.

Canon's Press Release

The EOS-1D Mark III features an all-new Canon 10.1 megapixel APS-H size CMOS sensor with an expanded sensitivity range of ISO 50–6400. 14-bit A/D conversion means fine gradation and a significant drop in digital and shadow noise.

To combat against stray dust that enters the camera and adheres to the image sensor during a lens change, the 1D Mark III features Canon-designed Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit. The IR-cut filter cleans itself automatically with ultrasonic vibrations, removing dust from the sensor assembly

Dust that has been missed by the Integrated Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit can also be erased with software included in Digital Photo Professional (DPP) Version 3.0. The 1D Mark III's imaging sensor is able to single out the dust particles on its surface, then plots out their location coordinates within the image. This data is transmitted along with the image, whether JPEG or RAW, and can be either manually or automatically erased in Canon's DPP version 3.0. This added software option ensures the cleanest possible image, perfect for printing or archiving.

With a maximum continuous shooting speed of approximately 10 frames-per-second, for up to 110 shots, the EOS-1D Mark III is the world's fastest digital SLR. Bursts are first recorded to the camera's internal memory to ensure maximum speed and then transferred to memory cards for storage. The number of shots remaining during a burst is displayed on the right side of the viewfinder.

The EOS-1D Mark III raises the bar for AF performance. It uses an extraordinary 45-point high-density area AF system that provides not only the industry's largest continuous AF coverage area, but also the greatest range of control over focusing point selection. The focusing point can be selected automatically by the camera (based on high-speed microcomputer analysis of image content), or users can manually select any of 19 high precision, cross-type AF points which can be complemented by 26 additional Assist Points for pin sharp accuracy, instantaneously.

A processing unit devoted solely to focusing the 1D Mark III uses advanced algorithms that ensure the fastest, most accurate AF performance under the widest variety of conditions, with processing up to 3 times faster and a full stop darker than on the EOS-1D Mark II N. The One-Shot AF mode is ideal for more static subjects. The camera rapidly selects the optimum focusing point and the subject is instantly brought into focus even if it is off-center. The AI Servo AF mode is excellent for moving subjects. Aided by a highly "intelligent" predictive focusing algorithm, it precisely tracks subject movement, even at speeds of up to 10 fps. Even with erratic or rapid subject movement, the photographer can shoot continuously, concentrating solely on image composition.

The largest LCD monitor ever in an SLR with interchangeable lenses (as of February, 2007), the 3.0-inch LCD monitor on the EOS-1D Mark III contains another: a Live View option, where the photographer can compose and shoot directly from the LCD monitor. Achieved via a menu setting (by raising the SLR camera's mirror) and perfect for a number of applications, Live View enables the photographer to zoom in and navigate the composition at 5x or 10x normal size, while enabling critical manual focus and allowing more attention to detail. Users can even choose a grid overlay, perfect for architectural photography.

In response to requests from professional users, the new EOS-1D Mark III is more rugged, yet lighter than its predecessor. Able to withstand shooting in the roughest conditions, the 1D Mark III is clad in a magnesium alloy shell, chassis and top panel, providing impressive strength without excessive weight. All of the 1D Mark III controls and external cover seams are sealed from water and dust. Even the perimeter of the 1D Mark III's hot-shoe is ribbed for water resistance, enabling flash photography with Canon's new Speedlite 580EX II. Other new features include an improved shutter, durability tested to 300,000 exposures, powerful new metering, a new control interface that mirrors the design of other popular EOS Digital SLR cameras and a 100% coverage viewfinder with a larger pentaprism for higher magnification, plus a number of optional focusing screens. Canon is also introducing a new, lightweight lithium-ion battery system that provides feedback on the LCD monitor, including number of shots taken on a charge, percentage of battery power remaining and whether the battery should be reconditioned with the charger. With the new battery installed, the EOS-1D Mark III body is about 1/2 pound (approx. 225g) lighter than the EOS-1D Mark II N body.

Full Specifications

Type	Digital AF/AE SLR
Recording Medium	CF Card Type I and II, SD/SDHC Memory Card (1 slot each), and/or External media (USB v.2.0 hard drive, via optional Canon WFT-E2A transmitter)
Image Format	1.11 x 0.74 in./28.1 x 18.7mm (APS-H size sensor)
Compatible Lenses	Canon EF, TS-E, and MP-E lenses (except EF-S lenses)
Lens Mount	Canon EF mount
Lens Multiplier	1.3x
Image Sensor
Type	High-sensitivity, high-resolution, single-plate, CMOS sensor
Pixels	Approx. 10.10 megapixels
Total Pixels	Approx. 10.70 megapixels
Aspect Ratio	3:2 (Horizontal:Vertical)
Color Filter System	RGB primary color filters
Low-pass Filter	Fixed position in front of the CMOS sensor
Recording System
Recording Format	DCF 2.0 (Exif 2.21): JPEG, RAW and RAW+JPEG simultaneous recording possible. Multiple options for recording images on two memory cards, and onto compatible external USB hard drives (via optional Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E2A)
Image Format	JPEG, RAW (Canon .CR2)
File Size	(1) JPEG/Large: Approx. 10.1MB (3,888 x 2,592) (2) JPEG/Medium 1: Approx. 8.0MB (3,456 x 2,304) (3) JPEG/Medium 2: Approx. 5.3MB (2,816 x 1,880) (4) JPEG/Small: Approx. 2.5MB (1,936 x 1,288) (5) RAW: Approx. 10.1MB (3,888 x 2,592) (6) sRAW: Approx. 2.5MB (1,936 x 1,288)
Folders	Can be manually created by user, and freely selected for subsequent images.
File Numbering	(1) Continuous numbering (2) Auto reset (3) Manual reset (the image numbering is reset to 0001, a new folder is created automatically)
Color Space	Selectable between sRGB and Adobe RGB
Interface	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, mini-B port. NTSC/PAL for video output
White Balance
Settings	Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten Light, White Fluorescent Light, Flash, five Custom WB settings (1–5), user-set Color Temperature (2,500~10,000K), five Personal White Balance PC-1 to PC-5 (Total 10 WB types)
Auto White Balance	Auto white balance, taken from imaging sensor
Color Temperature Compensation	White balance bracketing: Three consecutive images, Up to +/- 3 levels in 1-stop increments White balance correction: blue/amber bias and/or magenta/green bias +/- 9 levels; manually set by user When blue/amber bias and magenta/green bias set with White balance correction, white balance bracketing cannot be set together during white balance correction
Viewfinder
Type	Eye-level SLR with fixed pentaprism
Coverage	Approx. 100% horizontally and vertically
Magnification	0.76x (-1 dpt with 50mm lens at infinity)
Eyepoint	Approx. 20mm
Dioptric Adjustment Correction	-3.0 to +1.0 diopter
Mirror	Quick-return half mirror (Transmission: reflection ratio of 37:63)
Viewfinder Information	AF (AF points, focus confirmation light), Exposure (metering mode, spot metering area, shutter speed, aperture, manual exposure, AE lock, ISO speed, exposure level, exposure compensation, exposure warning), Flash (flash ready, high-speed sync, FE lock, flash exposure level), Image (JPEG recording, RAW recording, shots remaining, white balance correction, memory card information), Battery check
Depth-of-Field Preview	Enabled with depth-of-field preview button; possible in Live View mode
Eyepiece Shutter	Built-in
Autofocus
Type	TTL-AREA-SIR AF-dedicated CMOS sensor
AF Points	19 cross-type AF points (plus 26 Assist AF points)
AF Working Range	EV -1 ~18 (ISO 100 at 73°F/23°C)
Focusing Modes	Autofocus (One-Shot AF, Predictive AI Servo AF), Manual Focus (MF)
AF Point Selection	Automatic selection; Manual AF point selection: 19 AF points, Inner 9 AF points (C.Fn III-9-1), Outer 9 AF points (C.Fn III-9-2)
Selected AF Point Display	Superimposed in viewfinder and on LCD panel
AF-assist Beam	None. Emitted by EX-series Speedlite or optional ST-E2 Speedlite Transmitter
Exposure Control
Metering Modes	63-zone TTL full aperture metering (1) Evaluative metering (linked to all AF points) (2) Partial metering (approx. 13.5% of screen, at center) (3) Spot metering (approx. 3.8% of screen) Center spot metering AF point-linked spot metering Multi-spot metering (max. 8 spot metering entries) (4) Centerweighted average metering
Metering Range	EV 0-20 (ISO 100 at 73°F/23°C with EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens, ISO 100)
Exposure Control Systems	Program AE (shiftable), Shutter speed-priority AE, Aperture-priority AE, E-TTL II program AE (Evaluative flash metering, Averaged flash metering), Manual
ISO Speed Range	Equivalent to ISO 100-3200 (in 1/3-stop or whole stop increments), ISO speed can be expanded to ISO 50 and 6400 (via C.Fn I-3)* *Standard Output Sensitivity. Recommended Exposure Index.
Exposure Compensation	Exposure Compensation (user-set): +/-3 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments. Auto Bracketing (AEB): 3 shots, up to +/- 3 stops, in 1/3 or 1/2 stop increments, in all exposure modes. Can be changed via C.Fn I-6 to 2, 5, or 7 shots. Bracketing order can be changed via C.Fn I-5.
AE Lock	Auto: Applied in One-Shot AF mode with evaluative metering when focus is achieved Manual (user-set): By AE lock button in all metering modes
Shutter
Type	Vertical-travel, mechanical, focal-plane shutter with all speeds electronically controlled
Shutter Speeds	1/8000 to 30 sec. (1/3-stop increments), X-sync at 1/300 sec. (with EOS Speedlites; 1/250 maximum with other shoe-mount flashes, and up to 1/60 with studio strobes)
Shutter Release	Soft-touch electromagnetic release
Self-timer	10 sec. delay, 2 sec. delay
Remote Control	Canon N3 type terminal
External Speedlite
EOS External Flash or Dedicated Speedlites	E-TTL II autoflash with all EX Series Speedlites
PC Terminal	Provided; accepts third-party flash units with sync line voltages up to 250V maximum
Drive System
Drive Modes	Single, silent, high-speed continuous (approx. 10 fps), low-speed continuous (approx. 3 fps), 10- or 2-sec. self-timer
Continuous Shooting Speed	Approx. 10 fps (at a shutter speed of 1/500 sec. or faster in all recording modes); fastest speed can be lowered if desired via C.Fn III-15
Max. Burst During Continuous Shooting	JPEG: approx. 110 frames (Large/Fine, at standard level 8 compression setting) RAW: approx. 30 frames RAW+JPEG: approx. 22 frames (Large/Fine)
LCD Monitor
Type	TFT color, liquid-crystal monitor
Screen Monitor size	3.0 in.
Pixels	Approx. 230,000 pixels
Coverage	Approx. 100%
Brightness Control	7 levels provided
Playback
Image Display Format	Single image, 4-image index, 9-image index, Jump, Magnified zoom (approx. 1.5x to 10x), Histogram, Auto rotate, Rotate Live view: view image before shooting on LCD monitor; live histogram and live simulation of exposure level possible with C.Fn IV-16-1
Highlight Alert	In the single image display and (INFO) display, over-exposed highlight areas will blink
Image Protection and Erase
Protection	Single image, all images in a folder, or all images in the memory card can be protected or cancel the image protection
Erase	Single image, all images in a folder, all images in the memory card or check-marked images can be erased or unprotected.
Direct Printing from the Camera	Possible with compatible PictBridge-enabled printers
Compatible Printers	CP and SELPHY Compact Photo Printers, PIXMA Photo Printers and PictBridge compatible printers (via USB Interface Cable IFC-200U, included with camera kit)
Settings	Print quantity, style (image, paper size, paper type, printing effects, layout, date, file number), trimming
New Features
Dust Delete Feature	Via built-in microphone at rear of camera body; activated by pressing recording button on camera. Sound file attached to image file on memory card.
Picture Style	WAV
Recording Time	Max. 30 sec. per recording
Menus
Menu Categories	(1) Shooting (2) Playback (3) Setup, (4) Custom function/My Menu
LCD Monitor Language	18 (English, German, French, Dutch, Danish, Portuguese, Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Spanish, Greek, Russian, Polish, Simplified/Traditional Chinese, Korean, Japanese)
Power Source
Battery	One dedicated lithium-ion battery LP-E4 AC power can be supplied via the AC Adapter Kit ACK-E4
Number of Shots	At 68°F/20°C: Approx. 2000 At 32°F/0°C: Approx. 1700 The above figures apply when a fully-charged Battery Pack LP-E4 is used
Battery Check	Automatic
Power Saving	Provided. Power turns off after 1, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30 min.
Back-up Battery	One CR2025 lithium battery
Dimensions and Weight
Dimensions (W x H x D)	6.1 x 6.2 x 3.1 in./156 x 156.6 x 79.9mm
Weight	40.7 oz./1,155g
Operating Environment
Operating Temperature Range	32-113°F/0-45°C
Operating Humidity Range	85% or less

Readers' Comments

Add a comment

Me Xman , April 06, 2007; 08:36 P.M.

Very nice preview. It's one awesome camera.

Tom Moore , April 08, 2007; 10:11 A.M.

I had been holding out for the 5D replacement but I needed a new camera yesterday so since that never came (and may not come for a while) it looks like the 1Diii is going to fit the bill. While I had really hoped for $3999 I think I have the funds saved for $4499 and I can't wait...

siamak jafari , April 12, 2007; 04:47 A.M.

thanks for your informative preview,regards-siamak

Asher . , April 14, 2007; 06:53 P.M.

B&H, not Amazon

Again with pushing Amazon? Does PN get a cut of every item purchased via an Amazon link??? Pretty cheezy...

By far the best mail order photography supplier is B&H Photo: huge selection, iron-clad reputation, great prices, super fast shipping, and the best customer service I've ever experienced.

Amazon... not so much- trying to be everything to everyone has negatively impacted their customer service.

Arash khoshghadam , April 15, 2007; 03:25 A.M.

Very interesting review, Bob. Great like always. I just have one question. What can the benefit of live preview be?

Peter Mounier , April 15, 2007; 11:50 A.M.

canon review

I was looking at the sample images, and when the shot of the glacier opened (sample #5), the first thing I noticed was the purple fringing on the left side around the peak. Also, the left side doesn't seem to be all that sharp. The center is tack sharp. If that's the fault of the camera, I'm not impressed. If it's the photographers fault, he/she should have omitted that shot because it's not a very good sample image. Anyone care to comment?

Peter

Mariusz Pawłowski , April 16, 2007; 02:19 A.M.

Is it possible to buy this camera in China republic? Maybe know sombody price and place? I will go to China next month.

Mariusz Pawłowski , April 16, 2007; 02:20 A.M.

Is it possible to buy this camera in China republic? Maybe know sombody price and place? I will go to China next month.

Paul Marbs , April 16, 2007; 11:48 A.M.

"What can the benefit of live preview be?" I can think of a few ways to use it. You could have the histogram showing and monkey around with exposure on the fly. Used in the studio lighting could be adjusted to gain the perfect exposure and highlight/shadow areas if using hot lights. Sounds useful if plenty of time and a tripod is used unless there is some quick mechanism to enable/disable mirror lockup. MF on screen zoom could benefit some folks also. Does it auto go to DOF Preview mode when in live preview??

Charles Conner , April 16, 2007; 01:24 P.M.

In response to:

>Asher ., April 14, 2007; 06:53 P.M.

>B&H, not Amazon >Again with pushing Amazon? Does PN get a cut of every item purchased >via an Amazon link??? Pretty cheezy...

>By far the best mail order photography supplier is B&H Photo: huge >selection, iron-clad reputation, great prices, super fast shipping, >and the best customer service I've ever experienced.

>Amazon... not so much- trying to be everything to everyone has >negatively impacted their customer service.

I think Photo.net has been pretty open about the fact that they do get support from sponsors when items are purchased via click throughs on the site. This makes it possible for many people (including myself) to use the site at no cost.

Just my 2cents...

Charles.

Tony Brown , April 16, 2007; 08:51 P.M.

In several reviews the APS-H sensor has been described as the largest that can be imaged in a single pass during semiconductor manufacturing. This puzzles me because CMOS wafers up to 9 inch diameter can be manufactured and obviously one has many APS-H sensors on a single wafer. I'm a semiconductor engineer (retired) and I'd appreciate an explanation. Thanks, Tony.

Sam Thompson , April 17, 2007; 03:59 A.M.

"I think Photo.net has been pretty open about the fact that they do get support from sponsors when items are purchased via click throughs on the site. This makes it possible for many people (including myself) to use the site at no cost."

But you can't even order this camera from Amazon yet. Seems pretty useless to link to a product that isn't even for sale yet.

John watt , April 17, 2007; 10:27 A.M.

To enter the Amazon conversation. Amazon probably has a per-click advertising deal with Photo.net. Every time we click on the link photo.net gets a penny or two. If you prefer B and H then use them. People use Amazon because it is like Wal-Mart. People are basically lazy and want everything at one spot and don't mind getting screwed, by price or quality, if it is easier for them. I personally think it is great that we got the people at Amazon to help pay for the website even though most of us wouldn't even consider dealing with them for photo equipment.

Bryan Andersen , April 19, 2007; 05:03 A.M.

In several reviews the APS-H sensor has been described as the largest that can be imaged in a single pass during semiconductor manufacturing. This puzzles me because CMOS wafers up to 9 inch diameter can be manufactured and obviously one has many APS-H sensors on a single wafer. I'm a semiconductor engineer (retired) and I'd appreciate an explanation. Thanks, Tony.

Wafers are nolonger imaged as one photo lithography shot covering the whole wafer. They do chip sized shots now. This partly due to the size of the wafer getting so large but it is also related to the scale of the features. With very tiny features you have much less leeway for the imaging light at the edges being out of parallel with the imaging light at the middle of the chip. The solution was to go to imaging one chip at a time and moving the wafer under the projector. Machining had also progressed to where they could make XY motion stages that moved in sub micron increments. Somewhere around here I have a .01 micron XY stage out of a FAB. It was cast off as it doesn't have the needed resolution for today's circuit fab techniques. They now have stages that are accurate to the nano meter.

I'm also surprised Canon hasn't made a larger projector for photo lithography of chips. As I see it they ahould now be able to make one that would do a full 35mm sensor in one pass. The only reason I can see it not being done is ecconomics. It would be a one off or extremely low volume machine. Imaging chips would be it's only use.

Adrian Lowe , April 20, 2007; 05:57 A.M.

I've just spent a couple of hours with a pre-production Mk111.

The first thing that litterally hit me was the lack of bulk, and it would be true to say that the camera body is even lighter than a 5D! In fact I was not the first to ask the Canon rep if there was indeed a battery installed.Silly me. I am completely smitten by this camera for use as a working tool, true the Pixel count may not be as large as the 1DS, but the Digic3 processors will (apparently) more than make up for the deficit. The images taken from the camera that were on show, demonstrated a massive degree of detail and quality.

Shan't say any more, suffice to say that I have one on order, for the end of May....nuff said.

Roni Benjamin , April 21, 2007; 05:05 P.M.

Price: $4,499.00

SKU # ICA1DM3 Mfr. Part # 1888B002

http://www.adorama.com/ICA1DM3.html?searchinfo=Canon%20EOS%201D%20Mark%20III%20DSLR%20Camera%20%28Body%20Only%29&item_no=3

Chris Combs , April 23, 2007; 03:32 P.M.

This is a press release, not a review.

Chris Combs , April 23, 2007; 03:33 P.M.

I see that it's a "Preview" on this page, but it's linked off the front page as a "review."

Arash Hazeghi , April 29, 2007; 05:57 P.M.

True, but Image sensors (CCD or CMOS) still have relatively large pixel pitch (~1um for compact digicams and several um for large SLR chips)so they do not need to use extended Ultra DUV steppers used for state of the art memory and logic devices for CMOS imagers or CCDs. So I'm not sure why it wouldn't be possible to expose a full frame sensor in one pass. I don't think the embeded electronics are anything smaller than 0.3~0.4 um process...

james r , May 07, 2007; 04:27 A.M.

Color me confused:

Fastest shutter on the block, combined with real time tethered/lcd: What's this thing geared to - action/sports, or controlled studio?

Looking forward to a FF/real-time/high density image machine

And please consider eschewing the habit of presenting preview articles as full-fledged reviews; it only serves to lessen your deserved credibility

cheers

John Burnham , May 12, 2007; 05:10 A.M.

What ever happened to Canon using the 50/1.4 in its samples for these new sensors/cameras (is the 35 supposed to be its equiv) ??? Would that lens be too revealing of a sensors shortcomings?

...it does look like a pretty nice camera, but when is the 1D mIV arriving? (hah!)

Alton Marsh , May 13, 2007; 11:02 A.M.

Live preview sure sounds great, doesn't it? Think again. You lose autofocus. You must manually focus according to the British Canon site video. I have a 20D for serious stuff, but my S3 can autofocus while showing a live preview.

The live preview screen does not fold out, meaning that a camera this serious is always expected to be used at eye level like an amateur might use it. We need SLRs to get the fold out twist-and-turn screen for low angle or over the head shots.

Nick Wilson , May 13, 2007; 10:43 P.M.

Review? No, just advertorial.

I am sure Bob et al. are tired of hearing about photo.net's 'Canon-bias', but it is a little sport to others.

Like live preview and dust removal are now great, but were largely dismissed when Olympus introduced them.

Or the 'small sensor' of this camera...suddenly, a 35mm size sensor isn't that great after all! (Possibly because of the 'problem' Canon has with wide angles.)

Not that Canon don't make great cameras, of course...just don't expect a fair review on photo.net.

Jim Carmellini , May 15, 2007; 08:44 P.M.

I'm no pro but the camera is advertised as "weather sealed" and "water resistant". Why then is the "operating range" in the specs: "32F-113F and less than 85% humidity????" What happens if I'm taking pics at a ski resort or in a pool or at a sporting event in a drizzel???

Ken Dunn , May 17, 2007; 08:52 A.M.

All cameras have these temperature range specs, mostly for the batteries I imagine, but we all know they will work in a much wider range.

Matt Snider , May 17, 2007; 08:57 P.M.

Has anyone heard anything about the rumor that the M-3 will be delayed due to Canon having technical problems with the calibration features of it?

Peter Quaedvlieg , May 18, 2007; 12:59 P.M.

>> New Features Dust Delete Feature Via built-in microphone at rear of camera body; activated by pressing recording button on camera. Sound file attached to image file on memory card. << ???

Peter Quaedvlieg , May 18, 2007; 01:00 P.M.

>> New Features Dust Delete Feature Via built-in microphone at rear of camera body; activated by pressing recording button on camera. Sound file attached to image file on memory card. << ????? Cheers

erwin bosman , May 23, 2007; 01:53 P.M.

Deliveries start :

http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/content_page.asp?cid=7-8739-8982

erwin

Ilkka Nissila , May 25, 2007; 07:41 P.M.

Not all cameras, just most digital cameras.

Film cameras don't have this kind of a restriction.

Greg Moss , May 26, 2007; 12:37 P.M.

Mine's here.

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00LHl1

Arthur Yeo , May 28, 2007; 10:53 P.M.

I wonder how the 100% crop compares to the D2X(s) with High-ISO-NR turned on. I just tried it with ISO H1 (i.e. 1600) and it looks pretty good to me. But, then, RobG is saying that it looks good at ISO 6400 for the MkIII. I guess someone will tell us if that's true or not next month.

Matt Pearson , June 16, 2007; 02:11 A.M.

Not to pitch for another site, but Ken Rockwell has a sample image up taken at ISO 6400... all I can say is, "Wow." The NR is a little over-done, but it's definitely above and beyond. It's almost enough to curse my investment in Nikon glass :)

siamak jafari , June 19, 2007; 01:38 A.M.

dear friends i have gone through all comments on this page ,one thing i never found and answered is the color quality of my 30 D camera compare to nikon and sony ,the picture is not as saturated and sharp as the other mentioned cameras,has canon improved this matter with mark 3?i need for your kind guid specially from mr atkins. thanks and regards-siamak photo.net/photos/siamakjafari

Arthur Yeo , June 19, 2007; 10:59 A.M.

From the images I have seen so far, it is quite dependent on the configuration setting used at the time the image is captured. Personally, I noticed that the ones shot with PictureStyle=portrait seemed a little too low contrast for my taste: they almost appeared quite dull but I have to say the skin is nicely processed.

Karoly Guba , July 01, 2007; 12:15 P.M.

I have tried Mark III a couple of days ago. It's really a fantastic model! I took some pictures about the motor racing. I was amazed by the pictures. They're crystal clear. You can see every little moment of the motion. This camera is the best choice for taking pictures about motion. There are some interesting descriptions about this model at EOS 1D Mark III. But maybe the best place for this camera is the Canon's BeBit webpage. You can find there many picture samples!

Gunnar Diestel , July 13, 2007; 10:36 A.M.

Hi Karoly, I've visited that webpage, infoborder.com, before, and they just seem to copy canon's press releases and specs. not terribly much 'interesting information' that you couldn't get anywhere else. I wish somebody got a Mk III for a proper review soon.

Landrum Kelly , July 24, 2007; 10:55 A.M.

<<I was looking at the sample images, and when the shot of the glacier opened (sample #5), the first thing I noticed was the purple fringing on the left side around the peak. Also, the left side doesn't seem to be all that sharp. The center is tack sharp. If that's the fault of the camera, I'm not impressed. If it's the photographers fault, he/she should have omitted that shot because it's not a very good sample image. Anyone care to comment?>> --Peter Mounier

There is no fringing around the mountain peak. If you are talking about the peaks of ice, the light to the left of the peaks of ice is blue, not purple. What you are seeing is not purple fringing. Light coming through glacial ice will come out blue. Check out "glacial ice" on Wikipedia or some other souce.

As for lack of sharpness at the extremes, this is not unusual with a wide angle lens that is shot wide open. In any case, if there were a problem there, it would be with the lens, not the camera which is the subject of the preview. One thing about the better sensors is that they will show the limitations of lenses. That does not mean that something is wrong with the sensor. It means that the lens is not of sufficient quality to match the quality of the sensor.

--Lannie

Landrum Kelly , July 24, 2007; 11:55 A.M.

segment of sample #5

Make that "glacier cave" rather than "glacier ice." Click here.

Light bouncing off glacial ice will be white, but if it has to pass through the ice, then it will show as blue.

Peter, if you will look at sample image #5 again, you will see that portions of the glacier look white and others look blue. They will only look blue in those portions (or even fragments) where light is coming through the glacial ice, as shown in this segment of the sample of the photo in question.

Look at the tiny piece floating in the foreground. There is blue where light is coming through it, and white where it is bouncing off it.

The point of all this is that there is no evidence here of purple fringing. I am sorry to have belabored the point, but I think that it is an important one.

--Lannie

Rick Min , August 09, 2007; 01:18 P.M.

DON'T BUY IT-FOCUSING ISSUE!

READ THIS1: http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=7-8740-9068-9072

it so happens my coworker is going through this problem and trying to have Canon fix it. their repair response is VERY VERY POOR.

Jonathan Rutherford , August 12, 2007; 11:33 P.M.

I can confirm this focus issue. I just purchased my 1D MarkIII, and did some shooting of some skateboarders in action. I was totally surprised to find most of my photographs out of focus! I just spent close to 5k, and it doesn't even focus as well as my 20D?!?!?!

Canon has released a firmware update, v.1.10, which should fix this focus issue, but according to Rob G, it doesn't. I will head out tomorrow and test this new update for myself.

Frankly, I'm shocked that Canon did not pick this up and fix it before they released the camera. As an exclusive Canon shooter, I really feel let down. Canon better get their A@* in gear and get a real fix for this...

Jon R

Vadim Chiline , August 27, 2007; 02:36 P.M.

There's a reported firmware 1.11 out there that appears (early reports) has made fixes that the big autofocusing issue. Slated to be released in early September.