1DX - The Workhorse?

[RGomezPhotos]

So I was reading the rumor on Canon's roadmap for 2013 and got me to thinking...  Is the 1DX really Canon's workhorse?

I'm a beginning fashion and beauty photographer that is working to get bigger and higher profile jobs.  I currently have a 5D Mark II which has served me quite well for many things in this arena.  However it's not as great an all-arounder that I would like for my non-fashion jobs which helps circulate my name and get me some additional income.

The 5D Mark III is a great camera.  But the lack of a user-replaceable focus-screen and no pro body is a downside.  It's fast enough and the AF is more than adequate.  But not sure if it's something I would be happy with for 4 or more years.  Which is what I expect from a pro camera.

The 1DX is what I want except that it doesn't have the higher MP of the 5D series.  Well, I was a little disappointed when it didn't have built-in WiFi...  But overall, it's pretty darn nice.  The way I look at it, as long as I have the appropriate lens, it can pretty much handle anything I throw at it.  Which would allow me to take more jobs that I know technical limitations won't be an issue.

However, I'm a little concerned about the 18MP.  For publication in large format magazines, I think 18MP would still be fine.  For fashion and beauty, is there a big advantage to go with 22MP?  The only step-up I see would be Medium Format which I don't see a need for at least a couple of years.  How much of an advantage would that be over a 1DX/5D3 in the fashion/beauty markets?

[RMC33]

18 MP should be sufficient for just about anything you do. If it will be blown up be sure to frame it as such. I shoot skiing and snowboarding (with a little fashion mixed in for local pubs) and have never had an issue with the 18mp out of my 7D being "too small". 22.1 in my 5D3 works great... love the camera and with a grip it feels solid as can be.

[Meh]

1DX... overall, it's pretty darn nice.

Yep, pretty darn nice.

[bdunbar79]

Yes, it's a workhorse.  I can pull more shadow and highlight detail recovery with my 1DX than I can with my 5D Mark III as well.

[RLPhoto]

So I was reading the rumor on Canon's roadmap for 2013 and got me to thinking...  Is the 1DX really Canon's workhorse?

I'm a beginning fashion and beauty photographer that is working to get bigger and higher profile jobs.  I currently have a 5D Mark II which has served me quite well for many things in this arena.  However it's not as great an all-arounder that I would like for my non-fashion jobs which helps circulate my name and get me some additional income.

The 5D Mark III is a great camera.  But the lack of a user-replaceable focus-screen and no pro body is a downside.  It's fast enough and the AF is more than adequate.  But not sure if it's something I would be happy with for 4 or more years.  Which is what I expect from a pro camera.

The 1DX is what I want except that it doesn't have the higher MP of the 5D series.  Well, I was a little disappointed when it didn't have built-in WiFi...  But overall, it's pretty darn nice.  The way I look at it, as long as I have the appropriate lens, it can pretty much handle anything I throw at it.  Which would allow me to take more jobs that I know technical limitations won't be an issue.

However, I'm a little concerned about the 18MP.  For publication in large format magazines, I think 18MP would still be fine.  For fashion and beauty, is there a big advantage to go with 22MP?  The only step-up I see would be Medium Format which I don't see a need for at least a couple of years.  How much of an advantage would that be over a 1DX/5D3 in the fashion/beauty markets?

Keep your MK2 just in-case you need those extra MP but the 1Dx will be a tank for years of service and abuse.

As for the MK3, I jumped from 5Dc+EG-s precise screen to 5D3 standard screen and miss the old focus screen. The AF though, makes up for it 10 fold. I will probably not outgrow my MK3's anytime soon.

[jrista]

The 5D Mark III is a great camera.  But the lack of a user-replaceable focus-screen and no pro body is a downside.  It's fast enough and the AF is more than adequate.  But not sure if it's something I would be happy with for 4 or more years.  Which is what I expect from a pro camera.

Do you really need the replaceable focus screen? If you are using AF, why would you need a manual focus assist screen? I mean, I can't imagine using a split prism or katzeye with a high-end 61pt AF system...the alternate focus screen would just get in the way.

[charlesa]

Having the 1DX for the past 9 months I can tell you it is one beast eating anything you throw at it.

[RGomezPhotos]

The 5D Mark III is a great camera.  But the lack of a user-replaceable focus-screen and no pro body is a downside.  It's fast enough and the AF is more than adequate.  But not sure if it's something I would be happy with for 4 or more years.  Which is what I expect from a pro camera.

Do you really need the replaceable focus screen? If you are using AF, why would you need a manual focus assist screen? I mean, I can't imagine using a split prism or katzeye with a high-end 61pt AF system...the alternate focus screen would just get in the way.

Yes. I largely use Zeiss lenses for fashion work. But for events, the 70-200mm will make the 1Dx a killer combination. So swapping out the focus screen when necessary would be awesome. I still hate them for not building in WiFi....

[M.ST]

I like the 1D X for sports and action, but I miss the image quality and megapixels from the 1Ds Mark III.

If Canon is not able to put this year a 1D Xs on the market and Nikon put the D4X (prototypes are in the field for testing) on the market, than the D4X will be the workhorse for fashion and portrait photographers.

First test shows, that the D4X (or whatever named) have all that I expected from a 1Ds Mark III replacement that Canon don´t put on the market until today.

[Sporgon]

@Jrista, I also use the "manual" focus screen on 5Ds. It gives brighter viewfinder on lenses faster than 2.8, and also provides better DoF view. Downside is it also gives a true view of f4 lenses, ie darker view.

There's no split finder or micro prism aids on the 5D manual screen.

I suspect the 6D only has interchangeable screens as it uses parts directly from the 5D mk2

[RGomezPhotos]

The Nikon D4X looks to be the perfect for me.  But rumored cameras usually are. :-)

[caruser]

I just went from the 5D2 to a 1DX. Once you stop fretting over the 3MP difference you'll be a happy camper (until something with more MPs from Canon arrives, perhaps even longer). I'd say the overall image quality is definitely not worse.

[pedro]

So I was reading the rumor on Canon's roadmap for 2013 and got me to thinking...  Is the 1DX really Canon's workhorse?

I'm a beginning fashion and beauty photographer that is working to get bigger and higher profile jobs.  I currently have a 5D Mark II which has served me quite well for many things in this arena.  However it's not as great an all-arounder that I would like for my non-fashion jobs which helps circulate my name and get me some additional income.

The 5D Mark III is a great camera.  But the lack of a user-replaceable focus-screen and no pro body is a downside.  It's fast enough and the AF is more than adequate.  But not sure if it's something I would be happy with for 4 or more years.  Which is what I expect from a pro camera.

The 1DX is what I want except that it doesn't have the higher MP of the 5D series.  Well, I was a little disappointed when it didn't have built-in WiFi...  But overall, it's pretty darn nice.  The way I look at it, as long as I have the appropriate lens, it can pretty much handle anything I throw at it.  Which would allow me to take more jobs that I know technical limitations won't be an issue.

However, I'm a little concerned about the 18MP.  For publication in large format magazines, I think 18MP would still be fine.  For fashion and beauty, is there a big advantage to go with 22MP?  The only step-up I see would be Medium Format which I don't see a need for at least a couple of years.  How much of an advantage would that be over a 1DX/5D3 in the fashion/beauty markets?

You don't have to be concerned. An 8 MP nighscape shot by my 30D was blown up and put on the aluminium body of 20 ton transporter in Switzerland...So no problem with 18 MP either.

[bdunbar79]

The overall IQ of the 1DX is better than the 5D2 or 5D3.  Just blow highlights or bring up shadow detail recovery and you'll quickly see what I mean.  It's actually quite a bit better and I can push files farther than either camera.

[charlesa]

The overall IQ of the 1DX is better than the 5D2 or 5D3.  Just blow highlights or bring up shadow detail recovery and you'll quickly see what I mean.  It's actually quite a bit better and I can push files farther than either camera.

How does it compare with 1Ds III files if I may ask bdunbar, if you had experience with this other body?