14 DAY TRIAL // Although many expected a more substantial lineup, Canon only announced today the new EOS-1D Mark III, touted as the "world's fastest digital SLR camera" and that's not just marketing talk.
The new DSLR boasts a 10.1MP CMOS sensor in APS-H format, an ISO range with values between 100 and 3200 (extendable to 50 and 6400) and ? a breathtaking 10 frames per second continuous speed in bursts of 110 JPEGs or 30 RAWs. This makes the Mark III the absolute king of speed over all digital single lens reflex cameras.
This resolution and speed are facilitated by the dual DIGIC III processors that simultaneously receive in eight channels. Canon says that by having two processors handle the workload, image processing is now approximately 1.5x faster, Compact Flash access speed is now 1.3x faster and SD card access is now 2x faster.
Additionally, the extra horsepower has allowed analog-to-digital conversion to improve from 12 to 14 bits per channel, meaning that tonal gradation for RAW images is now divided into 16,384 separate levels per channel rather than 4,096.
As expected, the new model also features the EOS Integrated Cleaning System, originally introduced in the EOS 400D.
The big surprise is the introduction of a Live View shooting mode, only available to Olympus and Panasonic DSLR owners. This new addition lets users focus and compose on the impressive 3.0-inch LCD screen and magnify the image to achieve the optimal focus. What's more, if the camera is connected to the computer via USB, the EOS Utility 2.0 allows the photographer to view what the camera is seeing in real time and to control its operation.
It's worth noticing that Canon's Live View shooting mode functions on a different basis than the Olympus/Panasonic one, the EOS-1D Mark III lifting the mirror prior to exposing. This works a little bit like mirror lock-up, thus reducing the vibrations caused by the mirror's flapping.
Another use of the Live View mode is with the assistance of the new WFT- E2A Wireless File Transmitter, which allows photographers to view images directly off the camera's sensor in virtually real time with the ability to adjust many camera settings on the fly.
Canon has also upgraded the autofocus system, which has the same 45 points, but with 19 of them being high-precision cross-type. Moreover, the company's engineers have made other improvements, the most important being the new micro-adjustment feature that allows for very fine changes in the AF point of focus for each lens type in use, along with the addition of adjustable focus-tracking sensitivity.
The company also announced today the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, the Speedlite 580EX II, the Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E2 and the Original Data Security Kit OSK-E3.
Canon appreciates the availability date for this year's spring, but be prepared to have a $4,000 hole in the pocket, because that's the price they're asking for the new body.
