Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark IIICanon EOS-1Ds Mark III ReviewAugust 2008, Simon Joinson
The EOS-1Ds Mark III is the seventh Canon professional EOS-1D series digital SLR, although only the third of the s suffix sub-category which indicates a full frame sensor. Three years since the last EOS-1Ds, the Mark II, the Mark III pushes digital SLR resolution over the twenty megapixel barrier with specifically twenty-one-point-one million pixels (5616 x 3744) on its 36 x 24 mm (full 35 mm frame) sensor. Canon also claims to have increased the light gathering efficiency of the sensor by reducing the amount of (wasted) space between micro lenses, hence despite the resolution increase the Mark III still provides sensitivity up to ISO 3200 (with boost enabled). As well as increasing resolution Canon has pushed continuous shooting up a step with five frames per second over the Mark IIs four frames per second. This means that at full speed the two DIGIC III image processors are dealing with an impressive 185 MB/sec. Other improvements include the larger screen, Live View, a fourteen-bit A/D converter and fourteen-bit RAW files, UDMA Compact Flash support (up to 45 MB/sec) and a whole range of features (such as dual storage slots and Picture Styles) inherited from the EOS-1D Mark III. From a build, function and usability point of view the EOS-1Ds Mark III is identical to the EOS-1D Mark III apart from the full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor, (naturally) larger viewfinder and UDMA support for Compact Flash cards.Model line history The EOS-1Ds Mark III represents a 26% increase in resolution over the EOS-1Ds Mark II which in turn represented a 50% increase in resolution over the original EOS-1Ds.| EOS-1D | Sep 2001 | 4.2 mp | 1.3x crop | 8.0 fps, 21 frames | 2.0" |
| EOS-1Ds | Sep 2002 | 11.1 mp | Full frame | 3.0 fps, 10 frames | 2.0" |
| EOS-1D Mark II | Jan 2004 | 8.2 mp | 1.3x crop | 8.3 fps, 40 frames | 2.0" |
| EOS-1Ds Mark II | Sep 2004 | 16.7 mp | Full frame | 4.0 fps, 32 images | 2.0" |
| EOS-1D Mark II N | Aug 2005 | 8.2 mp | 1.3x crop | 8.3 fps, 48 images | 2.5" |
| EOS-1D Mark III | Feb 2007 | 10.1 mp | 1.3x crop | 10.0 fps, 110 images | 3.0" (Live view) |
| EOS-1Ds Mark III | Aug 2007 | 21.1 mp | Full frame | 5.0 fps, 56 images | 3.0" (Live view) |
| • 21.1 million effective pixels• 6.4 µm pixel pitch | • 16.7 million effective pixels• 7.2 µm pixel pitch |
| Dual DIGIC III | DIGIC II |
| 14-bit | 12-bit |
| 5616 x 3744 4992 x 3328 4080 x 2720 2784 x 1856 | • 4992 x 3328• 3600 x 2400• 3072 x 2048• 2496 x 1664 |
| • CR2 format, 14-bit• RAW full resolution•sRAW (5.2 MP) | • CR2 format, 12-bit• RAW full resolution |
| High speed vibration of filter | None |
| • 45-point TTL CMOS sensor• 19 cross-type for F2.8 orfaster lens | • 45-point TTL CMOS sensor• 7 cross-type for F4 orfaster lens |
| Yes | No |
| 63-zone linked to AF points | 21-zone linked to AF points |
| 300,000 exposure durability | 200,000 exposure durability |
| Optional High ISO | No option |
| Up to five personal WB presets | Up to three personal WB presets |
| • Picture Styles (six default, three user)• Sharpness: 0 to 7• Contrast: -4 to +4• Saturation: -4 to +4• Colortone: -4 to +4• B&W filter: N, Ye, Or, R, G• B&W tone: N, S, B,P, G | • Color matrix (five default, two user)• Sharpness: 0 to 5• Contrast: -2 to +2• Saturation: -2 to +2• Colortone: -2 to +2 |
| • 100% frame coverage• Magnification: 0.76x• Eyepoint: 20 mm | • 100% frame coverage• Magnification: 0.70x• Eyepoint: 20 mm |
| Yes | No |
| • 3.0" TFT LCD• 230,000 pixels• 7 brightness levels | • 2.0" TFT LCD• 230,000 pixels• 5 brightness levels |
| Yes | No |
| Exposure line at top in single image view | No exposure in single image view |
| Yes (quieter release) | No |
| • 5.0 / 3.0 fps• Up to 56 JPEG Large/Fine images | • 5.0 fps• Up to 32 JPEG Large/Fine images |
| • On (recorded and LCD display)• On (recorded only)• Off | • On• Off |
| Up to six menu options can be customize | No |
| 18 | 15 |
| 57 | 20 |
| Yes (with 580 EX II) | No |
| • Compact Flash slot (UDMA support)• SD card slot (SDHC support)• USB drives via WFT-E2/E2A | • Compact Flash slot• SD card slot |
| • USB 2.0 Hi-Speed | • USB 1.1• Firewire IEEE 1394 |
| Lithium-Ion LP-E4 rechargeable battery | Ni-MH NP-E3 rechargeable battery |
| 150 x 160 x 80 mm (6.1 x 6.2 x 3.1 in) | 156 x 158 x 80 mm (6.1 x 6.2 x 3.1 in) |
| • No battery: 1.2 kg (2.6 lb)• With battery: 1.4 kg (3.1 lb) | • No battery: 1.2 kg (2.6 lb)• With battery: 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) |
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Foreword / notes
1. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Introduction 2. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Specifications 3. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Body & Design 4. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Body & Design 5. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Body & Design 6. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Operation & Controls 7. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Operation & Controls 8. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Operation & Controls 9. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Displays 10. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Displays 11. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Menus 12. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Menus 13. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Performance 14. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Features 15. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Features 16. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Features 17. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Features 18. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Software & Raw 19. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Photographic tests (Noise) 20. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Photographic tests (Noise) 21. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Photographic tests (DR) 22. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Vignetting/Shading 23. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Photographic tests 24. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Compared to 25. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Compared to (JPEG) 26. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Compared to (JPEG) 27. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Compared to (JPEG) 28. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Compared to (RAW) 29. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Compared to (RAW) 30. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Compared to (RAW) 31. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Compared to (Resolution) 32. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Conclusion 33. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Samples
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Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III