Here are the buttons illuminating on the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III

[Canon Rumors]

One of the great new features of the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III is the backlit buttons, it has been a feature that has been a long time coming for Canon’s flagship professional body.

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[CarlMillerPhoto]

So...not all the buttons are backlit? Seems only half are based on that video.

 

[Canon Rumors]

So...not all the buttons are backlit? Seems only half are based on that video.

Gotta save something for the EOS-1D X Mark IV

 

[mavvy]

This isn't pro feature related to the art of photographing so they should bring it to all their new cameras, maybe except entry level (because of costs?) but at least xxD and higher.

 

[BeenThere]

Nice feature but slow to arrive. I have been using a small red beam flashlight for night photography when looking at buttons. This would be useful for me.

 

[Ozarker]

This isn't pro feature related to the art of photographing so they should bring it to all their new cameras, maybe except entry level (because of costs?) but at least xxD and higher.

20 fps isn't related to "art" either.

 

[Chaitanya]

Nice feature but slow to arrive. I have been using a small red beam flashlight for night photography when looking at buttons. This would be useful for me.

True, Olympus had backlit buttons on their entry level DSLR E-620 nearly a decade back. Even I end up using a headlamp(since I dont shoot landscapes/Astro I can get away with normal white led to setup camera for camera trap) while working in dark.

 

[brad-man]

Gotta save something for the EOS-1D R

There. Fixed that for you...

 

[wtlloyd]

It's almost as if Canon wanted to discourage Prosumers from buying this camera. I hope they do have a Pro body R close by in the wings. After the shutter-spatter issues with the 1DXII, I think deep pocket Prosumers would look closely before leaping this time.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

The illuminated buttons on my Nikon weren't much of a help for me. They were ok, but mostly to advertise as a feature. Maybe Canon's will be better??

 

[YuengLinger]

Transcendent.

 

[Malm]

Mmmh, is that the main new feature? That sounds a little bit boring ..
Can I dim that light for astro work? My first job with every new Canon body is to put black duck-tape on the red lights as they are extrem bright when doing night/astro photography. Until now I've used luminescent tape to make the most important buttons visible at night. That works well and makes the camera look older (=less interesting for thieves).

 

[MrFotoFool]

The illuminated buttons on my Nikon weren't much of a help for me. They were ok, but mostly to advertise as a feature. Maybe Canon's will be better??

Really? I switched this summer from Canon 5D4 to Nikon D850 and I find the backlit buttons indispensable. This is assuming the user does lots of night photography, which I do. it's one of those things like (for us older folks) a microwave oven. I grew up without it but once I got one I don't know how I lived without it. Canon should have put it in the 5D4 because this is one of several features that makes the Nikon D850 superior to the Canon 5D4 in my opinion. (Yes it's an opinion, but having used both extensively I feel it's an informed opinion).

 

[SecureGSM]

Gotta save something for the EOS-1D X Mark IV

Nuh, the rest of the buttons illumination will be available via a service centre upgrade at charge.
It will also require a battery upgrade to accomodate for an increased power consumption levels due to additional LEDs.
It is all over Internet this morning. So must be true.

 

[Ozarker]

Backlit buttons is for noobs. A good photographer knows where the buttons are in pitch dark.

A good photographer only needs a pinhole camera... no buttons at all.

 

[Botts]

This will be nice.

If I had to pick though, I'd rather have a tactile differentiation than illumination, but hopefully both come eventually. The dimpled ISO button is really helpful to "centre" where my fingers are in the dark. The DOF and MFB2 buttons on the front are similarly differentiated by feel.

I'd love it if some of the back buttons got that treatment too.

Airplanes have many labelled and backlight controls, but for safety reasons, some key controls are decidedly different tactfully, rotational knob vs switch or button for example. After the NH510 issue in September 2011, where a co-pilot attempted to let the captain back in the flight deck, but accidentally changed the rudder trim, the Transportation Safety Board reviewed whether the cockpit door control (a knob) and the rudder trim (a nearby knob) needed some other form of differentiation so that a mistake couldn't be made.

Tactile differences are way more functional IMO than illumination, but both are nice!

 

[ozturert]

I think Olympus was the first one to bring this feature with E-620. I am surprised Nikon followed it several years later in D4 but Canon hasn't done it.

 

[amorse]

Backlit buttons is for noobs. A good photographer knows where the buttons are in pitch dark.

It's really helpful for night photography when it's cold. If you can't feel the button through your gloves and can't see it either, it's really easy to hit the wrong one regardless of how well you know your camera.

 

[SkynetTX]

Instead of backlit buttons AF-point related spot metering would be a great feature (including entry level cameras).

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Botts.
Have you tried tactile differentiation through gloves, not cotton gloves, proper winter gloves? It doesn’t work well!

Cheers, Graham.

This will be nice.

If I had to pick though, I'd rather have a tactile differentiation than illumination, but hopefully both come eventually. The dimpled ISO button is really helpful to "centre" where my fingers are in the dark. The DOF and MFB2 buttons on the front are similarly differentiated by feel.