Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II Review
canon EOS 1Ds Mark II 16.7MP digital SLR camera (Body Only)
As an update to the tremendously popular EOS-1Ds, the new EOS-1Ds Mark II is a must have for those seeking to capture huge, beautiful images, fast. With an all new, full frame 16.7 megapixel CMOS image sensor, combined with canon’s blazing DIGIC-II Image Processor, the EOS-1Ds Mark II captures up to 32 consecutive shots at speeds up to 4 frames-per-second, and has dramatically decreased startup and card-writing times in comparison to the EOS-1Ds. These improvements are complemented by canon’s renowned build quality for reliability in even the most rugged conditions.
Compatibility with over 50 EF Lenses, in addition to the entire line of EOS accessories, including the new Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E1 accessory easily makes the EOS-1Ds Mark II the most remarkable combination of resolution and speed in the history of digital SLRs. Exposure Control Modes - Program AE (shiftable), Shutter-priority AE, Aperture-priority AE, E-TTL II autoflash, Manual, Flash metered manual Shutter - 1/8000 to 30 sec. (1/3-stop increments), bulb, X-sync at 1/250 sec 2-Inch LCD Screen Prints to CP Direct, Bubble Jet Direct, and PictBridge compatible printers.
Voice annotation recorded with the built-in microphone is attached to the image (up to 30 seconds; can be extended) Flash - E-TTL II autoflash with optional EX-series Speedlite Single and Continuous 4 fps exposure modes Battery - One Rechargeable NiMH Pack NP-E3 / Capacity - At 68 Degrees F - Approx. 1200 / At 32 Degrees F - Approx. 800 Unit Dimensions (W x H x D) - 6.1 x 6.2 x 3.1 in. / 156 x 157.6 x 79.9mm / 42.9 oz. / 1215g (Body only); Battery - 11.8 oz. / 335g.
canon EOS 1Ds Mark II Features:
- 16.7 MP full frame CMOS sensor
- 4 fps
- 32 frame continuous shooting
- DPP RAW processing software
- DIGIC II
- E-TTL II flash system
- Wide ISO speed range
- Weather resistant magnesium body
- Dual performance memory card slots
- LCD with 230k pixels
16.7 Megapixel, Full Frame CMOS Sensor
canon’s newly developed 16.7 megapixel CMOS sensor captures more pixels faster, for no-compromise high-resolution photography. With a recorded image size of 4992×3328 pixels and low noise levels comparable to the EOS-1D Mark II, the EOS-1Ds Mark II can create images large enough for almost any purpose, whether on location or in the studio. With ISO ratings of 50-3200, there’s almost nowhere this sensor won’t perform. As with its predecessor, the EOS-1Ds Mark II’s sensor is full frame, meaning no focal-length conversion-factor lenses will have the same angle of view as they would on a 35mm camera.
With RAW plus four JPEG file sizes available, from 16.7 megapixels down to 4.2 megapixels, the EOS-1Ds MARK II can be adjusted to conserve space on memory cards if large images are not the priority of the shoot.
canon EOS 1Ds Mark II Deatils:
- Type: 16.7-megapixel digital AF/AE SLR
- Sensor: High-sensitivity, high-resolution, 36×24 millimeter single-plate CMOS; 16.7 million effective pixels
- Total pixels: Approximately 17.2 megapixels
- Aspect ratio: 3:2
- Color filter system: RGB primary color filter
- Low-pass filter: Located in front of the image sensor, non-removable
- Image format: 36×24 millimeters
- Compatible lenses: canon EF lenses (except EF-S lenses)
- Lens mount: canon EF mount
- Lens focal length conversion factor: Approximately 1.0 times
- Processor: DIGIC II
- Sensitivity: ISO 100-1600; boost: ISO 50 (L), ISO 3200 (H)
- Color matrix: 4x sRGB, Adobe RGB, 2x user configurable
- Contrast: Tone curve, 5-level contrast control
- Sharpness: Level
- Continuous: Maximum: approximately 4.0 frames per second
- Image sizes: 4992×3328, 3600×2400, 3072×2048, 2496×1664
- Image format: JPEG, RAW (12-bit)
- Recording format: JPEG and RAW, RAW+JPEG simultaneous recording provided. Backup image recording enabled (same image recordable on CF card and SD memory card standards, MMC standards)
- File size: L (Large): approximately 5.5MB (4992×3328); M1 (Medium1): approximately 3.2MB (3600×2400); M1 (Medium2): approximately 2.6MB (3072×2048); S (Small): approximately 1.9MB (2946×1664); RAW: approximately 14.6MB (4992×3328); JPEG quality: can be set from 1 (minimum quality, maximum compression) to 10 (maximum quality, minimum compression)
- Folders: Folder creation/selection enabled
- File numbering: Consecutive numbering, Auto reset, Manual reset
- Color space: 5 standard types plus 2 types that can be registered with custom color matrix
- Image-processing parameters: Standard parameters plus up to three custom processing parameters can be set
- Interface: IEEE1394 for personal computers; USB for direct printing; Video output (NTSC/PAL)
- White balance settings: Auto, daylight, shade, cloudy, tungsten light, fluorescent light, flash, custom, color temperature setting, custom white balance (total 10 settings)
- Auto white balance: Auto white balance with the image sensor
- Color temperature compensation: White-balance bracketing: +/-3 stops in full-stop increments; white-balance correction: +/-9 stops in full-stop increments (blue/amber bias or magenta/green bias possible)
- Buffer size: JPEG: 32 frames; RAW: 11 frames
- Flash: E-TTL II
- Storage: Type I or II Compact Flash, Secure digital (dual-writing capable)
- digital connection: IEEE 1394 (FireWire); USB 1.1
- LCD monitor: 2.0-inch TFT, 230,000 pixels
- Viewfinder type: SLR-type, fixed eye-level pentaprism
- Coverage: Approximately 100% vertically and horizontally with respect to the effective pixels
- Magnification: 0.70x (-1 dpt with 50mm lens at infinity)
- Eyepoint: 20 millimeters
- Dioptric adjustment correction: -3.0 - +1.0 diopter
- Focusing screen: Interchangeable (9 types); standard focusing screen: Ec-CIII
- Mirror: Quick-return half mirror (transmission: reflection ratio of 37:63, no mirror cut-off with EF 1200mm f5.6 or shorter lens)
- Viewfinder information: AF information (AF points, focus confirmation light), exposure information (shutter speed, aperture, manual exposure, spot metering circle, ISO speed, exposure level, exposure warning), flash information (flash ready, FP flash, FE lock, flash exposure level), white-balance correction, JPEG recording, number of remaining shots, memory card information
- Depth-of-field preview: Enabled with depth-of-field preview button (with Speedlite 580EX, 550EX, 420EX, MR-14EX, or MT-24EX, pressing the depth-of-field preview button fires a modeling flash)
- Eyepiece shutter: Built in
- Autofocus type: TTL-AREA-SIR with AF-dedicated CMOS Sensor
- AF points: 45 AF points (area AF), 8×15 millimeters (vertical x horizontal)
- AF working range: EV 0-18 (at ISO 100 at 20 degrees C/68 degrees F)
- Focusing modes: One-Shot AF (ONE SHOT); AI Servo AF (AI SERVO); Manual Focusing (MF)
- AF point selection: Automatic selection, manual selection, home position (switch to registered AF point)
- Selected AF point display: Superimposed in viewfinder and indicated on LCD screen
- AF-assist beam: Emitted by the dedicated Speedlite
- Metering modes: 21-zone TTL full aperture metering: evaluative metering (linkable to any AF point); partial metering (approximately 8.5% of viewfinder at center); spot metering/center spot metering (approximately 2.4% of viewfinder at center), AF point-linked spot metering (approximately 2.4% of screen), multi-spot metering (maximum 8 spot-metering entries); center-weighted averaged metering
- Metering range: EV 0-20 (at 20 degrees C/68 degrees F with 50-millimeter f1.4 lens, ISO 100)
- Exposure control systems: Program AE (shiftable), shutter-priority AE, aperture-priority AE, E-TTL II autoflash, manual, flash metered manual
- ISO speed range: Equivalent to ISO 100-1600 (in 1/3-stop increments), ISO speed can be expanded to ISO 50 and 3200 via menu selection
- Exposure compensation: AEB: +/-3 stops in 1/3-stop increments; bracketing methods: 1. shutter speed or aperture 2. ISO speed manual: +/-3 stops in 1/3-stop (1 & 2), or 1/2 stop (1) increments (AEB can not be used in combination with 1 and 2)
- AE lock: Auto: applied in One-Shot AF mode with evaluative metering when focus is achieved; manual: by AE lock button in all metering modes
- Shutter type: Electronically-controlled focal-plane shutter
- Shutter speeds: 1/8000 to 30 seconds (1/3-stop increments), bulb, X-sync at 1/250 seconds
- Shutter release: Soft-touch electromagnetic release
- Self-timer: 10 second or 2 second delay
- Remote control: Remote control with N3 type terminal
- EOS external flash or dedicated Speedlites: E-TTL II autoflash with EX-series Speedlite
- PC Terminal: Provided
- Drive modes: Single, continuous (approximately 4 frames per second), self-timer (10 seconds)
- Continuous shooting speed: Approximately 4 frames per second (at 1/250 second or faster for all recording quality settings)
- Maximum burst during continuous shooting: JPEG: approximately 32 shots (Large, JPEG
; RAW: approximately 11 shots - Display type: TFT color liquid-crystal monitor
- Monitor screen size: 2.0 inches
- Pixels: Approximately 230,000
- Coverage: 100% with respect to the effective pixels
- Brightness control: 100% with respect to the effective pixels
- Image display format: Single image, single image (INFO.), 4-image index, 9-image index, magnified zoom, manual/automatic rotation
- Highlight alert: In the single image and single image (INFO.) formats, the white portions which do not contain image information with blink
- Image protection: Erase protection of one image, all images in a folder, or all images in the memory card can be applied or cancelled
- Image erase: One image, all images in a folder, or all images in the memory card can be erased (except protected images)
- Direct printing from the camera: Enabled
- Compatible printers: CP Direct, Bubble Jet Direct, and PictBridge-compatible printers
- Settings: Printable images: JPEG images (Print ordering enabled with DPOF version 1.1)
- Sound recording methods: The voice annotation recorded with the built-in microphone is attached to the image
- File format: 8 kHz sampling, 8-bit/sample WAV
- Recording time: Maximum 30 seconds per recording (the audio recording for one image can be extended to over 30 seconds)
- Menu categories: Shooting menu, playback menu, set-up menu
- LCD monitor language: 12 languages (English, German, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Spanish, simplified Chinese, and Japanese)
- Playback zoom: Yes, up to 10x
- Power source: 1 Ni-MH pack NP-E3; AC power can be supplied via the AC adapter and DC coupler
- Number of shots: At 20 degrees C/68 degrees F: approximately 1200; at 0 degrees C/32 degrees F: approximately 800; the above figures apply when a fully-charged Ni-MH Pack NP-E3 is used
- Battery check: Automatic
- Power saving: Provided; power turns off after 1, 2, 4, 8, 15, or 30 minutes of non-operation
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 6.1 by 6.2 by 3.1 inches/156 by 157.6 by 79.9 millimeters
- Weight: 42.9 ounces/1215 grams (body only; battery: 11.8 ounces/335 grams)
- Operating temperature range: 0-45 degrees C/32-113 degrees F
- Operating humidity range: 85% or less
Customer Review: comaprison to a 1ds (Mark I)
It seems unfair to compare this camera to a 10D (or 20D or 30D), either favorably or unfavorably. These instruments are good in their own right, but hardly are in the same league as the 1DS Mark II. I have used all three of the xxD’s, and an original 1ds body as well. It occurs to me that the folks who are interested in shelling out over 5 grand for a camera already have an idea about what they want, and that some of them are asking if they should trade in their 1ds body for a mark ii. It is to them that I am adressing this review. The remarks, I think will help those who have less experience with the line. Bear with me for the technical jargon and the emphais on Mark I vs II comparison. I want to help the buyer to decide if there really is a reason to spend this kind of money.
First, regarding resolution: you probably won’t be able to tell the difference between Mark I and Mark II unless you are doing studio work. An 8×10 image is virtually indistinguishable. Most of us shoot in .jpg mode, and we don’t mess with RAW. If you are doing a 17×20 wedding portrait and are working with uncompressed files, the Mark II is superior. I do outdoor work, so 11.6 megapixels is plenty. Finallyl, the quality of the glass makes a big difference (much more than the sensor resolution), so if you are a little strapped for cash, buy a 5D and spend the difference on “L” series lenses, or a used 1DS (Mark I).
Second: Ergonomics. I like the histogram on the Mark II better than the older camera, and appreciate the improved burst performance, and storage times. Small but significant differences. The battery life is way better, and I like that. I can get 700 frames out of a charge in the Mark II and only 200 from the Mark II. Thank you, canon. Maybe in the next iteration they will do something with the black brick of a charger. I can only hope.
Third: Sensor noise. Most ofthe high-end cameras are CMOS now, and each time we look at a new generation of pictures we are wowed by the decrease in sensor noise at high ISO’s. I remember that the we praised the Mark I for the low noise up to ASA 400. For the uninitiated, sensor noise is the random firing of a sensor due to quantum effects, and manifests as sparkle or random changes in pixel color. It is more prominent in low light and high ASA. The Mark I is great up to ASA 400, good up to 800 and needs some digital filtering at 1200. The Mark II is really good up to ASA 1600, and with a Photoshop filter is good to 3200. If you shoot in low light, the Mark II is for you.
Fourth: Color balance. I always loved the warm, saturated pictures that the Mark I gives, so don’t get me wrong - better color rendition is not a reason to sell it for a new model. The Mark II, though, improves on it and gives beautiful color saturation with some improvement in the range of highligts. digital photo buffs will know what I mean: if you take a picture with broad highlights, like a sky, the foreground objecst will be underexposed. and the highlights clear. Set the exposrue to the foreground, and the sky will be a burnt-out white. The Mark II has improved this much, but it still needs some work by canon. For now, it helps to have taken a large number of pictures to get an idea as to how to set the exposure.
Fifth: Accuracy of the exposure. The Mark I had an annoying tendancy to overexpose by about a stop. I got used to turning down the exposure 1-2 stops, exposing on the highlights, and using Photoshop to correct the exposure. The Mark II is more accurate, and the Manual exposure is close to the metered exposure.
Sixth: The FF/1.6 business. I really don’t see any reason that a 30D is a better camera because a 50mm lens gives an image analagous an 85mm lens in a full frame camera. Be advised, though, that lens evaluations depend on this distinction. Edge performance and flair may be more obvious on a full frame instrument. Both the 1DS and the 1DS Mark II tend to challenge lenses more because they work the full range of the lens from side to side and through the apertures. My 35-135 IS canon lens gave great pictures on the 10D, but looks washed out on both of the 1Ds’s. Before giving the 1DS Mark II a bum rap for less than perfect pictures, ask what lens was used.
Seventh: Price. Presently, a non-grey-market 1DS Mark II sells for around $6899 from reputable dealers. A used Mark I is around half that. I would take a half star away from canon for the pounding my pocketbook is taking, but I understand that a Mark I was just about the same price when it was released. The price gradient presently would be tolerable for those shooting in low light, or for RAW studio work. Personally, I would buy a Mark I over a 5D for the improved construction.
Finally, some general remarks. I would have liked to compare this fine camera to the comparable nikon. Unfortunately, I cannot, because all my glass is canon, and I have no money left for a mult-thousand buck purchase of a nikon. Maybe someone else would write a review.
My only beefs with canon have to do with sensor dust, that seems to appear by spontaneous generation, and the steep learning curve that I had with my first use. (Plan on a night or two reading the manual) I guess I can forgive them for not putting a flash in it. Add a couple of hundred to the price for the purchase of a 580EX. canon service has been terrific. If you have the bucks, quit complaining about the price and get one if you are a serious photographer. Look at the images in dpreview.com (and the long, thoughtful review there), and at fredmiranda.com - they will leave you breathless. This is a serious instrument for serious photographers and far be it from me to give it less than 5 stars for my petty complaints.
Customer Review: makes disposables obsolete!
Ive gotten used to the disposable kodaks i got from the checkout isle at walmart. The problem with those, though, is that they run out of pictures pretty quick. The last straw was when we ran out of film at the family reunion just as cousin billy was about to show us how to catch a lizard with a rubber band and a twinky. At that point I knew I needed an upgrade.
I ordered the canon EOS-1Ds Mark II the next day, for […] The feature that first caught my attention was the powerful zoom. Now when I take a family picture, I like to step back about a mile or two, then zoom in and snap that high-resolution masterpeice. My wife always complains that i zoom too close into the big pores on her nose, to which i respond by suggesting she use clean and clear pore cleansing strips (watch for her upcoming review of those soon).
Another useful feature of this camera is the continuous shooting mode. This is where the camera automatically takes pictures in rapid succession, about 5 per second. The other day I set the camera on the dresser, turned on the macarena, and got wild. I then took the individual pictures and strung them together into an animated flipbook. Now watching myself do the macarena is a mere flip of the book away. Man i can dance.
To summarize, you will have a lot of fun with this cam like i did. Definitely worth the […] ! But remember, there is a […] that comes with it; so make sure you fill in the item number clearly on the […] card, and make sure you stay within the space alloted on the form otherwise the […] wont go through.
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