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?

 

[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.

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

Good question. The 1Ds3 is still better overall to about, say, ISO 400, with no editing of the photo. However, once you edit, for example start post-processing, the 1DX file is much, much more flexible.

 

[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?

Good question. The 1Ds3 is still better overall to about, say, ISO 400, with no editing of the photo. However, once you edit, for example start post-processing, the 1DX file is much, much more flexible.

But for landscape, architecture or long exposure work, always in the ISO 50-100 range... it is still a formidable camera, no?

 

[bdunbar79]

I don't think you will tell any real-life difference between the two in those ISO ranges honestly.

 

[charlesa]

I don't think you will tell any real-life difference between the two in those ISO ranges honestly.

Thank you, was doubting the purchase of a 1Ds III as a backup body there for a moment!

 

[RS2021]

I think for your purposes 1DX may not provide much more than 5D3 (and cost ~$3000 more).

I own both bodies, and hands down 1DX is a better camera all things factored in... although the 5D3 is no slouch; but whether the 1DX is a necessity for you in a studio setting is rather questionable.

You will find the 1DX sensor more forgiving, you can push/pull subpar exposures more than any of Canon's other contemporary sensors. 1DX trumps the rest of the line up in lowlight, sports, and wild life photography...you don't appear to fit any of those categories in first blush. In which case, 5D3 will offer you ~3 MP more without too many compromises and at significant financial savings.

Though exceptions always apply, and not mutually exclusive, here is a rather simple test to apply ...

If your actual lens usage on a day-to-day basis is overwhelmingly with 85L II, 50L, 35L, 24L, 14L, or fast standard zooms in this range then 5D3 may be an adequate fit, perhaps even a marginally better fit given the added ~3 MP's.

If you mostly use the 100+mm fast primes and super teles (in real use, not I have a 70-200mm f/2.8 II that everyone and their aunt has, and therefore I am a sports photographer logic ) then you will love the 1DX.

Just my 2 cents.