The Digital Picture review of the 1D X

Neilyb wrote in post #14803475
Canon also said they could not put professional AF in a 5D (when the mkII was released) because there was not enough space....

Sounds like they are good at talking fluent rubbish.

Lowner wrote in post #14803529
Sounds like they are good at talking fluent rubbish.

Wait for Photokina. I expect an announcement from Canon. They won't let Nikon announce a new camera without answering.

Canon said they couldn't fit in the 40D sensor in the housing of the 5D, and they wanted to keep about the same size for the 5D Mark II.

They could fit the 40D sensor into that camera, and then the 50D etc., but these cameras have smaller mirror boxes.

Now when they've designed a new sensor, and a new camera body again (the 5D Mark III), it could of course very well be that they've learned a bit or two since their previous attempt. Or perhaps the 5D Mark III is a tad larger where it needs to be?

apersson850 wrote in post #14803569
Canon said they couldn't fit in the 40D sensor in the housing of the 5D, and they wanted to keep about the same size for the 5D Mark II.

They could fit the 40D sensor into that camera, and then the 50D etc., but these cameras have smaller mirror boxes.

Now when they've designed a new sensor, and a new camera body again (the 5D Mark III), it could of course very well be that they've learned a bit or two since their previous attempt. Or perhaps the 5D Mark III is a tad larger where it needs to be?

The 5D2 body is not the same as the 5D body. Canon obviously had the opportunity to size the autofocus sensor area appropriately if that's what they wanted to do.

The autofocus mechanism in the 5D2 is there strictly by Canon's own choice, nothing more. It is purely intentional on their part. Their claim that the 5D2's body wasn't large enough to accomodate a better autofocus system might have been true in a factual sort of way, but that fact (if indeed it is a fact at all -- they could be simply lying for all we know) is entirely beside the point. The totality of circumstances make it nothing more than an attempt on their part to avoid answering the question of why they didn't put a better autofocus system into the 5D2.


Regardless, all that is now quite clearly rectified in the 5D3.

The change from the 5D to 5D3 isn't even all that significant. It is 3.5mm taller and 1.5mm deeper than the 5Dc (the 5D2 grew a tiny bit from the 5Dc), with a weight gain of less than 2oz. Does this allow for a better AF over the 5D and 5D3, or was this to house more electronics for dual cards, larger PCBs, etc?

Only somebody at Canon knows, and they'll probably not tell.

The only thing I've heard was that Canon, at some press conference, claimed that the reason for not implementing the all cross-type AF sensor from the 40D into the 5D Mark II was that it would have required them to make the body of the 5D Mark II even larger, and they didn't want to do that.

I have of course no idea about whether this was something they dreamed up, since they thought it sounded better than saying "We thought that if you want both full frame and good AF, you have to cough up for a 1Ds Mark III", or if it really was true, at least at some point in time.

Nevertheless, as said above, somebody have now prioritized differently, and those getting a 5D Mark III should be happy for that.

Lowner wrote in post #14799203
... If this is truly intended as Canons only top of the line camera for us landscapists, then lets see the evidence compared to Nikons latest and maybe even the medium format bodies ... No, it still seems to me that the 1Dx is the new 1D and Canon are simply dumping the 1Ds users.

Within class comparisons are valued.
To compare FFDSLR w/ MFDSLR is clash for a MFDSLR want-a-be who know not MF.

Dump like **** Happens !!

Im betin that this 1Dx is going to be a short lived update meaning 3 yrs tops or Canon will introduce a new body with Higher MP count to beat up on the Nikon 800......They will get the shadow situation under control like Nikon has and either update the 1Dx and put the new technology in a new body.

What I find strange is that Canon were the market leaders with the early 1Ds models, no one else came close. Now all of a sudden they have ditched that whole market sector and claim they will never return to it.

I have handled the 1Dx and it is a mighty fine camera, but it is not and never will be a replacement for the 1Ds4 which normally we might be expecting any day now. Very odd.

You can thank Nikon for Canon's implementation of their best AF into the 5 series. Period.

Canon's very specific separation of tools for purposes allowed for segregation of lines and easily steering consumers based on their needs. If their needs overlap then Canon forces them into a new market (i.e: you want your full frame cake and AF frosting? You need the 1Ds series or two prosumer cameras)

It worked for them for quite some time. The 5D2 really scarred the sales of the 1Ds3 as it was. Can you imagine what it would have done if they both had the same AF system? I'd venture to say that Nikon forced Canon to completely rethink their marketing. Had Canon come out with a 1Ds4, how dismal would the sales be with the 5D3 and it's advanced AF? OTOH, where would the 5D3 be if the AF was only marginally improved to allow a new 1Ds to be superior? I think Canon's hand was called and the whole 1Ds strategy had to be rethought (hence the 1Dx). Unfortunately for them, the D800 went the way of Canon's other option had they retained a 1Ds (high MP) and they would be have been hosed anyway if they made that jump while Nikon offered the D800 for half the price. It's not inconceivable that something like this was in the works until they got wind of Nikon's project. JMO, of course.

^Randy the sales of the 1Ds III might have been scarred in sales but, the AF made it the reliable body to get the shot over the 5D 2. I even tried a 5D 2 and the AF really sucked. Not to mention the noise banding was horrible.

umphotography wrote in post #14804324
Im betin that this 1Dx is going to be a short lived update meaning 3 yrs tops or Canon will introduce a new body with Higher MP count to beat up on the Nikon 800......They will get the shadow situation under control like Nikon has and either update the 1Dx and put the new technology in a new body.

All Canon has to do is simply replace those guys at the engineering dept.

One thing's for certain: if Canon releases a "3D" high MP camera, it will *not* be in the $8K range retail like a 1Ds4 would likely have been... not by any stretch with the D800 in the Nikon camp... even if it's in a pro style body like the rumors claim. In fact, even if Canon releases a high MP camera, it may be a tall order to match the performance of the Nikon/Sony sensor... and they'll get shelled if it's not. You can bet there's a whole department in the engineering trenches of Canon not getting much sleep right now!

Lowner wrote in post #14804340
What I find strange is that Canon were the market leaders with the early 1Ds models, no one else came close. Now all of a sudden they have ditched that whole market sector and claim they will never return to it. I have handled the 1Dx and it is a mighty fine camera, but it is not and never will be a replacement for the 1Ds4 which normally we might be expecting any day now. Very odd.

As we already know, the 18MP sensor technology seems to have become a commodity; even entry-level DSLRs are offering this resolution. At some point, Canon will have no choice, but to offer a 40MP camera to studio and landsacape photographers. For 1DX wedding and sports photographers, its novelty of high FPS and ISO will wear off as soon as amateurs start flashing and flaunting their 36MP Nikon cameras in events...

yalemba wrote in post #14810011
For 1DX wedding and sports photographers, its novelty of high FPS and ISO will wear off as soon as amateurs start flashing and flaunting their 36MP Nikon cameras in events...

Wait, did you just say that high FPS is a novelty for sports photographers?
I might just be reading it wrong.

PS kudos for correct spelling of possessive "its"