Canon EOS-1D X Mark III Summary

Michael Clark

Now we see through a glass, darkly...
Apr 5, 2016
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@Michael Clark

This was just some background for those not as familiar with the difference between how AF works in mirrored vs mirrorless cameras. (I'm just posting because I saw your "haha" icon and I wasn't sure if my original post came off as trying to be funny?) I think it's an important distinction for those that are interested in Eye AF to know that it only works in Live View, and not through the OVF.

The new OVF PDAF and metering sensors, unlike older PDAF and metering sensors, are effectively CMOS imaging sensors, giving OVF the same capabilities as sensor based focusing, other than accounting for the differences in resolution.
 
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Travel_Photographer

Travel, Landscape, Architecture
Aug 30, 2019
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The new OVF PDAF and metering sensors, unlike older PDAF and metering sensors, are effectively CMOS imaging sensors, giving OVF the same capabilities as sensor based focusing, other than accounting for the differences in resolution.

That statement, to the casual reader, makes it sound like you will get relatively equal focus performance, functionality and frame coverage in OVF vs Live View. I would not agree with that statement.
 
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Michael Clark

Now we see through a glass, darkly...
Apr 5, 2016
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That statement, to the casual reader, makes is sound like you will get relatively equal focus performance, functionality and frame coverage in OVF vs Live View. I would not agree with that statement.

And I would not agree with your statement, both in terms of the way it characterizes what I said as well as the way it characterizes the performance of the 1D X Mark III vs. the EOS R.

The differences are getting much narrower to the point of no longer being A or b, but rather a or a'.

The 1D X Mark III does not use a line sensor for the OVF based PDAF system. It uses a small CMOS sensor. This is a first for Canon. No previous EOS DSLR has used such an OVF based PDAF sensor, so your previous experience of Canon EOS DSLRs does not apply to the 1D X Mark III. Have you read what those who used pre-production versions of the 1D X Mark III are saying about it? They say it is just as accurate as Dual Pixel CMOS AF while being just as fast as previous OVF based PDAF implementations.
 
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Travel_Photographer

Travel, Landscape, Architecture
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And I would not agree with your statement. The differences are getting much narrower to the point of no longer being A or b, but rather a or a'. The 1D X Mark III does not use a line sensor for the OVF based PDAF system. It uses a small CMOS sensor. This is a first for Canon. No previous EOS DSLR has used such an OVF based PDAF sensor, so your previous experience of Canon EOS DSLRs does not apply to the 1D X Mark III. Have you read what those who used pre-production versions of the 1D X Mark III are saying about it? They say it is just as accurate as Dual Pixel CMOS AF while being just as fast as previous OVF based PDAF implementations..

I'm not saying the new OVF based PDAF is not excellent and a leap forward compared to previous generations. I'm actually pleased to see the new head and face tracking via OVF.

My original post was in response to some other commenters who seemed unclear as to the distinction between AF via OVF and via Live View.

Most importantly for me, eye AF in the R series has been absolutely game-changing, and I appreciate that I can do it through the EVF. Perhaps for a large majority of the target market for this 1D camera, having eye AF through the viewfinder is not important. For me not having it is a dealbreaker. So I thought it was worth mentioning for the sake of those following along who may not have understood that. When shooting portraits of moving subjects at F1.8 or wider with tiny DoF, eye AF is positively amazing. I wish it could be done through the viewfinder of the new 1D, but it cannot.

In general, from Canon:

"Dual Pixel CMOS AF covers a much broader area, with up to 100% (vertical) x 90% (horizontal) possible with most current Canon EF lenses. Servo AF can follow-focus on challenging moving subjects, or lock focus One Shot AF. The same AF Area options as in viewfinder shooting are available, with the addition of a horizontal Large Zone AF setting. Set the AF Method to Face Detect + Tracking, and the same powerful Subject Tracking capabilities as in viewfinder shooting are possible. That includes the same innovative Head Detection technology as with viewfinder shooting (to put focus upon heads, when faces are obscured, or turned away), and adds Eye Detect AF. As a method for virtually silent still shooting, 20 FPS speed, or AF covering nearly the entire image area, Live View on the 1D X Mark III is a tool professionals can turn to."

Those to me are welcome, significant features of the new 1D series that are available, which is fantastic, but only in Live View.
 
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The A9 II can only do 10fps with its mechanical shutter, the 1DX III can do 16fps mechanical shutter and 20fps mechanical in live view. The 1DX III will shoot over 1k RAW photos before it hits its buffer, the a9 II can only do 300. The 1DX III can also do 5.5k 60p RAW 12 bit video and 4Kp60 video at 4:2:2 10-bit in Log, the A9 II can’t do any of that. Shall I continue? This thing wipes the floor with the a9 II lol. Thanks for playing, buh bye now.

A picture tells a thousands words ......:sneaky: , have you tried taking photos in live view holding a brick 2 feet from your nose :)
1578941382838.png
 
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Nelu

1-DX Mark III, EOS R5, EOS R
CR Pro
A picture tells a thousands words ......:sneaky: , have you tried taking photos in live view holding a brick 2 feet from your nose :)
View attachment 188227
...and add a super-tele lens to that and try to do BIF using the back LCD display; good luck with that!
So much for the super-duper Canon 1DX ergonomics in this case...
 
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Jul 21, 2010
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True, they can be reprogrammed. But by default that's what they do.
The 1D X doesn’t quite have a dedicated focus mode selection button, the AF-Drive button does both AF mode and drive speed. However, the 90D has a truly dedicated AF mode button, and has AI Focus AF. So, your rationale that a dedicated AF mode selection button obviates AI Focus AF doesn’t make much sense.
 
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I am Very disappointed again after waiting for over a year to find out with the price tag of £6500 on the 1dx3 in the uk taking out of the hands of a lot of people
Me to Been waiting a long time for a new decent crop camera to come out and with the 7d3 being shelved then the news. of the 1dx3 I thought that I would move on to the full frame and waited for the release of the 1dx3 I was disappointed ? I think the pricing is very high and mostly Pro shooters that get Paid for their work will use it ? and cut a lot of the amateur hobbyist out of the game ?
 
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