What surprises does Canon still have in store for the EOS-1D X Mark III?

[NorskHest]

Most of you in here comment and write like you will buy this camera or that it is in your price range and let’s be real you won’t be getting it. There is as little company called Arri and they time and time again have proven the fewer and better pixels are better compared to lots of pixels and shitty ones at that. The 1 series needs better iso, sensitivity and tracking af. If your image is blurry or noisy and doesn't have much shadow detail then what is point of alllllllll those pixels. Canon has shown little innovation in terms of sensor tech when compared to Arri, Sony , red and so on, let’s hope this camera is the technological paradigm shift for them

 

[H. Jones]

And I wonder if any newspaper or magazines even REALY print at 300dpi.
300dpi is a term which is widely named "necessary for print" but I doubt that many newspapers print that resolution. It requites good printer and also very good paper...

Every single photo I send the newspaper I work with ends up at 200 DPI.

The files they request are specifically only 10 inches at 200 dpi, or 2000 pixels on the long end max. That's legitimately two megapixels.

The 20 megapixels of the 1DX2 are perfectly big enough for anything we do already, and they're "small" enough to make shooting 15,000 photos for one event not a disaster for storage, since we keep and archive legitimately every single raw image we've ever shot.

 

[tron]

No.

There are still 1DS MkIII holdouts that want, like or need the 1 series but also want and need more than the 20 odd MP they have had since 2007. I bought the 1DS MkIII when it was the only way to get that resolution, I refused to go backwards on resolution to the 1DX but really had to get new cameras after 10 years use so got the 1DX MkII's. I'd welcome any resolution increase in the 1 series and would pay very dearly for a high resolution 1 series with limited (comparatively) fps as the technological tradeoff for that higher resolution.

But I do admit that I and my kind are in a small minority, unfortunately.

Are you in a minority? I wonder! Maybe but it is a good wish. I use 5DsR for birding. That way I have the high pixel density of a 7DII and the 2.56X (1.6*1.6) image area of 7DII so as to be more flexible in BIF shots. The slightly better quality at lower to mid ISOs helps too. A 1 series body would add a capability to drive fast the big white teles (even with a teleconverter), big buffer space and more than 5 fps. I guess it would be a win. In addition as a full frame it would be a perfect landscape camera.

 

[crazyrunner33]

Why is a generalist shooting/interested in a camera like this? The cost, size/weight, low resolution/high speed combo seems like the worst of all worlds for such a person - by necessity, by design. If video is the focus, there are better cameras for the configured system price. I just don't get it.

Some of us generalists need to deliver photos and produced videos of the same event and in multiple aspect ratios. I work for a large organization and I'm our primary photographer, most of the times there's only one slot for a event and I need to shoot the video for it as well. This was the case yesterday. Our A camera would be amazing to bring, but I need to be light and efficient. I had this exact scenario yesterday.

Yesterday's event required photos of the entire event(around 40 edited photos) and a 2 minute IG story video. This required shooting vertical video and interviews since the EOS R can't shoot a decent full frame 4K. In the future we want full frameshoot horizontal(for YouTube, Twitter, historic archive and crop for a full HD vertical video on IG Story and likely TikTok in the near future.

I'm hoping this 1D comes out soon(or any full frame 4K Canon) so I can stick with the Canon camp.

 

[unfocused]

Every single photo I send the newspaper I work with ends up at 200 DPI.

The files they request are specifically only 10 inches at 200 dpi, or 2000 pixels on the long end max. That's legitimately two megapixels.

The 20 megapixels of the 1DX2 are perfectly big enough for anything we do already, and they're "small" enough to make shooting 15,000 photos for one event not a disaster for storage, since we keep and archive legitimately every single raw image we've ever shot.

That's all well and good for the dying newspaper industry, but that's hardly the only use of the 1Dx II. As I've explained too many times, there are lots of other professional users out there with different needs.

My needs require maximum flexibility because the images I shoot can end up being used in any number of ways from the web to billboards. Sports shooting almost always requires cropping and often it is radical cropping because the action is unpredictable and I can only be one place at a time. A further complicating factor is that if you shoot for web use, almost everything has to be horizontal, even if the action demands vertical. That also means shooting loose and cropping those shots later for other uses.

A shot that's used on the web might also be needed for high quality print (yes, at 300 dpi) and that same shot may be cropped by the designer and used vertically. Some shots will end up as large prints on the walls of the campus. Others may show up on a billboard. All of the shaving off of pixels adds up and I'll take any increase I can get.

I'm really getting tired of people on this forum who tell others what they need.

 

[unfocused]

...But I do admit that I and my kind are in a small minority, unfortunately.

I don't think you are. In fact, as I look over the comments on this thread, it seems like the majority of people (there are a few exceptions) who actually own and use the 1Dx are expressing disappointment in the prospect of no increase in resolution. There is also a vocal group of non-1Dx users (several seem to be self-appointed experts on every topic) who illustrate their ignorance by telling us what we need.

 

[hazydave]

Yes, but the 1D doesn't take photo's in 16:9 format. It is a photo camera first, video camera second.

Other 6K or 5.9K "hybrid" cameras are using the whole sensor for 6K and require an anamorphic lens for 16:9 or other wide formats. Yeah, sort of a cheat, but the point would be that it can shoot full sensor video.

 

[unfocused]

In a rare moment of self-reflection, I realize it's kind of pointless to discuss a non-rumor that is really nothing more than clickbait designed to keep readers engaged while offering absolutely no reliable information. Good on Craig. He knows how to generate traffic and revenue, even when there is nothing to report. Perhaps my New Year's resolution will be to ignore these threads until something actually hits the CR3 level.

 

[stevelee]

I get a little tired of this trope that only people who don't know what they are doing complain about the autofocus.

The fact is, many if not most sports shooters still default to single point or single point expanded because virtually none of the other settings do well at locking on a subject when shooting sports. That shows right there that there is room for improvement.

I'm not a sports photographer, but using single point or the like sounds to me more like choosing the right mode for the job rather than evidence of deficiency in other modes. Of course improvements will always be welcome when considering an upgrade.

 

[Sporgon]

Blah, waiting to see what the high resolution R brings, I just don't see any excitement in the 1DX MkIII for stills shooters, so far the most interesting thing has been illuminated buttons, big whoop (not)!

It's true that the 5DS does produce a sharper image from live view shooting most of the time, even compared with mirror lock up in viewfinder mode, so in a way a mirrorless high res camera makes sense. However personally I would have preferred the option of Live View for mirrorless shooting and an OVF when I want it ! I think my 5DSs will be with me for a long time to come.

 

[unfocused]

I'm not a sports photographer, but using single point or the like sounds to me more like choosing the right mode for the job rather than evidence of deficiency in other modes. Of course improvements will always be welcome when considering an upgrade.

It's the right mode because the state of Canon's autofocus technology makes all the other modes the wrong choice. And, it's a little bit sad that with all the much-touted improvements in autofocus over the years, a significant segment of users are still relying on the simplest and oldest autofocus mode. If the other modes aren't really useful, why do we have them?

You can see glimpses in other focus modes and in the eye tracking of the EOS R (which is still less than perfect) of what could be. Some reviewers say that Sony and Nikon have better tracking. I've not used them, so I don't know. But I do know that there is room for improvement. Based on Canon's development announcement, they agree.

 

[tron]

I do something crazy with my 5DsR and 7DMkII cameras when I try to shoot BIF. I use all points. The way I do it is to assign that together with a high shutter (1/2500 or 1/3200) and f/4 aperture to gether with some other values regarding tracking parameters to a button via the custom options. So when I take some pictures with lower speed, probably using 1 point (with 4 as an assist) and I realize there is a bird flying I use that button and try to see it through the viewfinder. I have no time to change settings so this helps a lot. I have failures but I have hits too. I can try the 1 point but it will be difficult in case of fast birds (almost all of them are). Maybe zone AF would help. I remember back a few years I had used zone AF successully with my 5D3 and 100-400 II lens shooting seagulls at rather close distances.

 

[serhatakbal]

While almost all brands work with Atomos products, Canon insists on staying away from this medium..

 

[GoldWing]

And I wonder if any newspaper or magazines even REALY print at 300dpi.
300dpi is a term which is widely named "necessary for print" but I doubt that many newspapers print that resolution. It requites good printer and also very good paper...

The fashion magazines I've worked with do. The high gloss Hi-end do

 

[privatebydesign]

It's true that the 5DS does produce a sharper image from live view shooting most of the time, even compared with mirror lock up in viewfinder mode, so in a way a mirrorless high res camera makes sense. However personally I would have preferred the option of Live View for mirrorless shooting and an OVF when I want it ! I think my 5DSs will be with me for a long time to come.

Indeed, and if the high resolution R doesn't light a spark I will be getting one of the new old stock 5DS/r's for a song just to get that resolution when I need it.

 

[peters]

The fashion magazines I've worked with do. The high gloss Hi-end do

Hm jeah, but most newspapers are probably far away from 300dpi =)

 

[peters]

While almost all brands work with Atomos products, Canon insists on staying away from this medium..

Hm with internal Canon RAW I dont see that much need for an Atomos recorder with ProRes RAW.
Though it certainly will work fine as an external mointor and as a recorder for proxy files (and even good ProRes files). I am certain they wont dismiss 4k hdmi output again (a big shortcoming of the 1DX II in my opinion. Especialy since the codec options on the 1DX II are quite limited and note for every workflow ideal since MJPG is pretty large.)

 

[unfocused]

Hm jeah, but most newspapers are probably far away from 300dpi =)

If you are trying to make a point, I can't figure out what it is. Are you suggesting that Canon should be making cameras to accommodate the dying newspaper industry?

 

[motofotog]

The less we expect more happy we will be when it’s launched.

 

[twoheadedboy]

Some of us generalists need to deliver photos and produced videos of the same event and in multiple aspect ratios. I work for a large organization and I'm our primary photographer, most of the times there's only one slot for a event and I need to shoot the video for it as well. This was the case yesterday. Our A camera would be amazing to bring, but I need to be light and efficient. I had this exact scenario yesterday.

Yesterday's event required photos of the entire event(around 40 edited photos) and a 2 minute IG story video. This required shooting vertical video and interviews since the EOS R can't shoot a decent full frame 4K. In the future we want full frameshoot horizontal(for YouTube, Twitter, historic archive and crop for a full HD vertical video on IG Story and likely TikTok in the near future.

I'm hoping this 1D comes out soon(or any full frame 4K Canon) so I can stick with the Canon camp.

I mentioned video but I really meant the stills part. I can't imagine carrying a 1DX for anything but sports. You mention the EOS R being insufficient but not the 5D MK IV.