1dx is it all hype or the camera we have been waiting for?

[aeturnum]

It seems pretty clear that Canon was reacting to Nikon's announcement, but I think it makes a lot of sense from their perspective. The announcement isn't about generating sales, so much as reassuring people who use Canon's pro cameras that a new model is coming. The last flagship camera model was released in 2007, which was a long time ago in terms of technology. The announcement reassures pro photographers that a new model is coming soon and lets them know where Canon is going in terms of features.

[Mt Spokane Photography]

It seems pretty clear that Canon was reacting to Nikon's announcement.

Reacting to WHAT announcement?  The one Nikon made a couple of months later??

The Nikon and Canon bodies will be available within a few weeks of each other, this is not a long time as was noted.

Since neither is available yet, we only have approximate availability dates to go by, and either or both might slide.

[neuroanatomist]

Have you intentionally passed on the 1D4 because of the ISO performance?

Not really. More that I wasn't keen on the APS-H compromise, lack of UWA, etc.  APS-C is best when focal length-limited, FF is best when not. APS-H is very good for both, but best for neither.

It seems, from what I can gather, that the 1D4 doesn't have quite as good ISO performance as the 5DII. Is that your impression as well?

Definitely not mine! The 1D4 is comfortable about 1 stop more than the 5DII

Is that based on testing, or an impression?  For ISO noise, DxOMark ranks the 5DII a little less than 1/2-stop better than the 1DIV. I haven't tested that, but they rank the 5DII a little less than 1.33-stops better than the 7D - and that aligns well with my empirical testing.  The 1DIV clearly surpasses the 7D for ISO, but I think you're among the few who believe it bests the 5DII.

[cpsico]

Have you intentionally passed on the 1D4 because of the ISO performance?

Not really. More that I wasn't keen on the APS-H compromise, lack of UWA, etc.  APS-C is best when focal length-limited, FF is best when not. APS-H is very good for both, but best for neither.

It seems, from what I can gather, that the 1D4 doesn't have quite as good ISO performance as the 5DII. Is that your impression as well?

Definitely not mine! The 1D4 is comfortable about 1 stop more than the 5DII

Is that based on testing, or an impression?  For ISO noise, DxOMark ranks the 5DII a little less than 1/2-stop better than the 1DIV. I haven't tested that, but they rank the 5DII a little less than 1.33-stops better than the 7D - and that aligns well with my empirical testing.  The 1DIV clearly surpasses the 7D for ISO, but I think you're among the few who believe it bests the 5DII.

I love my 5D mkII I have only seen high iOS samples of the 1 d mkIV but it's clear the 5d has better color but the mark IV seems not to band when really pushed. The 5d has a little more shadow noise at low iSO's than even my lowly 1d mkIII with a tad bit more chroma noise, but when it comes to richness of color the 5d markII is really great and with careful post processing high iSO's are wonderful up 3200, provided you have a proper exposure.

[ejenner]

Hype.  Unless they doubled the quantum efficiency of the sensor and found a way of packing more electrons into a smaller space than previously possible and reducing the gap between photosites without getting leakage.

It will all look amazing for the first few months, then someone will find out how they are getting such good ISO50000 images and we'll find the catch.

Maybe loosing DR at ISO 100-200, maybe NR on the RAW files, who knows.

No I think the DR and IQ will be another incremental improvement and everyone will rave about the fps and maybe AF for a while, then it will just become another good camera, a bit better than previous models.

[briansquibb]

Have you intentionally passed on the 1D4 because of the ISO performance?

Not really. More that I wasn't keen on the APS-H compromise, lack of UWA, etc.  APS-C is best when focal length-limited, FF is best when not. APS-H is very good for both, but best for neither.

It seems, from what I can gather, that the 1D4 doesn't have quite as good ISO performance as the 5DII. Is that your impression as well?

Definitely not mine! The 1D4 is comfortable about 1 stop more than the 5DII

Is that based on testing, or an impression?  For ISO noise, DxOMark ranks the 5DII a little less than 1/2-stop better than the 1DIV. I haven't tested that, but they rank the 5DII a little less than 1.33-stops better than the 7D - and that aligns well with my empirical testing.  The 1DIV clearly surpasses the 7D for ISO, but I think you're among the few who believe it bests the 5DII.

I love my 5D mkII I have only seen high iOS samples of the 1 d mkIV but it's clear the 5d has better color but the mark IV seems not to band when really pushed. The 5d has a little more shadow noise at low iSO's than even my lowly 1d mkIII with a tad bit more chroma noise, but when it comes to richness of color the 5d markII is really great and with careful post processing high iSO's are wonderful up 3200, provided you have a proper exposure.

I have often shot at iso 12800 with the 1D4 and got more usable images than the 5DII at iso6400. I am not so worried about lab tests - I am told that the the 1D4 has noise issues at iso400 - but these are not intrusive on A3 prints - same up to iso 3200 with just dome noise visible at iso 6400.

I am not too worried about the technical side - just the quality of the picture as seen by my eyes and my clients' eyes

[Viggo]

From my personal experience the 5d2 is superior to the mk4 at lower than 400 iso, but at 2500 and up, the mkIV is much better, at least it has noise that is more easily removable with Lr. And better looking noise.

Remember that the mk4 is better at half stops , 160, 320, 640 and so on, whilst the 5d is better at full stops.

[pwp]

Is it missing anything?  For me, the big missing feature is enough MP for an APS-C 'crop mode' with 12 MP or more.  Accordingly, I'll be keeping my 7D for birds/wildlife.

Neuro - I think you and I are looking for the same thing. I have a 7D for sports and wildlife and a 5DII for everything else.

When both you guys get your 1DX will you really be reaching for your 7D when shooting action?
If the AF and tracking of the 1DX works as advertised, this will be the action body of choice.
The 7D will of course have it's days when you need f/8 AF.

Paul Wright

[willrobb]

I am not too worried about the technical side - just the quality of the picture as seen by my eyes and my clients' eyes

Absolutely. As long as the camera delivers in the medium you need it for and you and your clients are happy that's all we can ask for.

[acoll123]

Is it missing anything?  For me, the big missing feature is enough MP for an APS-C 'crop mode' with 12 MP or more.  Accordingly, I'll be keeping my 7D for birds/wildlife.

Neuro - I think you and I are looking for the same thing. I have a 7D for sports and wildlife and a 5DII for everything else.

When both you guys get your 1DX will you really be reaching for your 7D when shooting action?
If the AF and tracking of the 1DX works as advertised, this will be the action body of choice.
The 7D will of course have it's days when you need f/8 AF.

Paul Wright

I will need to sell both my 7D and 5DII to get the 1DX so I am counting on it to have at least (preferably better) the autofocus capabilities of the 7D and at least (preferably better) the IQ (at 3200 or so) of the 5DII. I shoot as a hobby (most of the time) so I am not too worried about having a backup body. Too give you an example, I shot my daughter's basketball game yesterday and put my 70-200 IS II on the 5DII and shot at ISO 3200 / 2.8 / 1/500th and put my 50 1.2 on the 7D and shot at ISO 1600 / 1.8 / 1/500th. Here are two sample shots, 1 each from the 5DII and 7D set-ups. Can you guess which is which with looking at the EXIF data?

[neuroanatomist]

When both you guys get your 1DX will you really be reaching for your 7D when shooting action?
If the AF and tracking of the 1DX works as advertised, this will be the action body of choice.
The 7D will of course have it's days when you need f/8 AF.

General action, no. But I'll reach for my 7D when I know I'm going to be focal length-limited, i.e. when I'd be shooting at 400mm on the 7D and still need to crop a bit.  If the 1D X had f/8 AF, I'd be tempted to use 400mm f/5.6 with a 1.4x TC (probably with the prime vs. my 100-400mm) - at least, I'd try it. But practically speaking, I'm going to need want the 500mm f/4L IS II and 1.4x III on the 1D X before I consider abandoning APS-C.

BTW, the 7D doesn't AF at f/8 either - only pre-1D X 1-series bodies have that capability.

[pwp]

When both you guys get your 1DX will you really be reaching for your 7D when shooting action?
If the AF and tracking of the 1DX works as advertised, this will be the action body of choice.
The 7D will of course have it's days when you need f/8 AF.

BTW, the 7D doesn't AF at f/8 either - only pre-1D X 1-series bodies have that capability.

Gasp! This may be the trigger for wildlife shooters to rush the remaining 1D4 bodies.

Paul Wright

[cpsico]

When both you guys get your 1DX will you really be reaching for your 7D when shooting action?
If the AF and tracking of the 1DX works as advertised, this will be the action body of choice.
The 7D will of course have it's days when you need f/8 AF.

BTW, the 7D doesn't AF at f/8 either - only pre-1D X 1-series bodies have that capability.

Gasp! This may be the trigger for wildlife shooters to rush the remaining 1D4 bodies.

Paul Wright

I wonder if the exclusion of f8 is in part to sell big lenses that have come out?

[AG]

Could also mean that Canon might start looking at lower f stops on their lenses. Say f2.8 as a base, not f4 like is the current standard.

[Axilrod]

Could also mean that Canon might start looking at lower f stops on their lenses. Say f2.8 as a base, not f4 like is the current standard.

Highly unlikely, the larger the aperture the more expensive the lens.  Every lens would need more glass, they would be larger and much more costly.  I mean something like a 600mm or 800mm f/2.8 would be insanely big and would probably require refinancing your house to buy it.  There would be no such thing as a reasonably priced zoom if they were all f/2.8.