Review: Canon EOS-1D X Mark II by TDP

[Monchoon]

Wanted to take only charger on a longer trip, so the old used one would have been better.
If you have an old and new 1D model and use old and new batteries in a mixed way, it's not really logical that only the new charger will work for both, when old and new cameras work for both.

I found out a few more things that are missing in the review:

- the new batteries don't work with the old charger

The old batteries work with the new charger ... and it's not like you have to buy the new charger separately. How is this an issue?

Maybe just take the new charger then.

 

[East Wind Photography]

Wanted to take only charger on a longer trip, so the old used one would have been better.
If you have an old and new 1D model and use old and new batteries in a mixed way, it's not really logical that only the new charger will work for both, when old and new cameras work for both.

I found out a few more things that are missing in the review:

- the new batteries don't work with the old charger

The old batteries work with the new charger ... and it's not like you have to buy the new charger separately. How is this an issue?

I was unable to compare the old and new charger side by side but i feel the new charger is lighter which would help in the decision.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that you can charge the new batteries in the old charger but you wont get a full charge. I would do some searching on that before trying. I believe there is some smarts in both the battery and charger that help keep these things from blowing up on us.

 

[unfocused]

http://learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2016/eos1dx_mkii/eos1dx-mkii-battery.shtml

New LP-E19 battery pack

• Can be used in EOS-1D X Mark II

• Can be used in previous EOS-1Ds Mark III, EOS-1D Mark III, EOS-1D Mark IV, and EOS-1D X

• Must be charged with new LC-E19 charger (with red stripe on charger’s top surface)

Previous LP-E4 and LP-E4N battery packs for EOS-1D series

• Can be used in EOS-1D X Mark II
Note: EOS-1D X Mark II maximum shooting speed will drop to approximately 12 fps

• Can be used in previous EOS-1Ds Mark III, EOS-1D Mark III, EOS-1D Mark IV, and EOS-1D X

• Can be charged with any of the battery chargers for EOS-1D series: LC-E4, LC-E4N or the new LC-E19 charger

 

[Crapking]

Excellent review! I have used the 1Dx II now for several games / events and find his analysis spot on. I just received my WFT - E8a in the mail from B&H yesterday and look forward to trialing it during a match I am shooting tonite. A quick set up with my iphone (Canon connect app) revealed the ability to shoot untethered using my phone as a trigger. The view screen being larger also helps with image review and images can be selected / deleted and / or transferred to the phone for quick uploading. I will be anxious to see how this works. my wife will no longer have to wait for me to process our travel photos - I can send the OOC jpegs to her phone, and still process properly when I get home - winner, winner, chicken dinner. Just wish I didn't have to pay ~$600 extra for this wireless feature.

I've been thinking of getting the WFT-E8A as well but the $$$ is a bummer. Please do share your experience on using it with a tablet / phone - I may talk myself into buying one. ;D

After 1 night with it, I am not in a position to talk you into it. I paired it with my iphone before the match, then went about my normal shot routine, including some video, then hoped to screen/rate my shots between sets on my phone instead of the Lcd. Unfortunately, the connection kept becoming lost, so I spent more re-connecting than rating. When it was connected, shots (~200/per set) loaded quickly to the phone, and it is nice to be able to pinch/zoom, and delete the rejects. One by one you can save to the phones camera roll, where you can then share or edit further with LR mobile. My guess is it would work better if someone else remotely connected/downloaded the pics using the WFT server feature or FTP or EOS utility. I tried to connect with EOS utility when I got home, but while the camera was recognized, I could not establish connection. I will 'update' EOS today and try again.
As for a brief trial of remote control, it does work nice and smooth except no previewing video available. You can start/stop video but not view it.
All in all, I need to troubleshoot more, try an iPad and/or EOS utility while my assistant is shooting to see if that helps.

 

[privatebydesign]

Excellent review! I have used the 1Dx II now for several games / events and find his analysis spot on. I just received my WFT - E8a in the mail from B&H yesterday and look forward to trialing it during a match I am shooting tonite. A quick set up with my iphone (Canon connect app) revealed the ability to shoot untethered using my phone as a trigger. The view screen being larger also helps with image review and images can be selected / deleted and / or transferred to the phone for quick uploading. I will be anxious to see how this works. my wife will no longer have to wait for me to process our travel photos - I can send the OOC jpegs to her phone, and still process properly when I get home - winner, winner, chicken dinner. Just wish I didn't have to pay ~$600 extra for this wireless feature.

I've been thinking of getting the WFT-E8A as well but the $$$ is a bummer. Please do share your experience on using it with a tablet / phone - I may talk myself into buying one. ;D

After 1 night with it, I am not in a position to talk you into it. I paired it with my iphone before the match, then went about my normal shot routine, including some video, then hoped to screen/rate my shots between sets on my phone instead of the Lcd. Unfortunately, the connection kept becoming lost, so I spent more re-connecting than rating. When it was connected, shots (~200/per set) loaded quickly to the phone, and it is nice to be able to pinch/zoom, and delete the rejects. One by one you can save to the phones camera roll, where you can then share or edit further with LR mobile. My guess is it would work better if someone else remotely connected/downloaded the pics using the WFT server feature or FTP or EOS utility. I tried to connect with EOS utility when I got home, but while the camera was recognized, I could not establish connection. I will 'update' EOS today and try again.
As for a brief trial of remote control, it does work nice and smooth except no previewing video available. You can start/stop video but not view it.
All in all, I need to troubleshoot more, try an iPad and/or EOS utility while my assistant is shooting to see if that helps.

My experiences with the WFT's is that the connections are not particularly robust. Unless you need the rugged integration of the very expensive Canon dongle then the CamRanger a much better, and cheaper, wireless solution.

The CamRanger connection is much more robust and the tablet/phone/desktop app just works, it also allows for some interesting non Canon options, like bracketed exposures with flash, auto focus adjustment focus stacking, client options as well as a separate app (a second or third device can be connected and see the images but not operate the camera) and a whole host of little details that make it a firm favourite for many wireless users.

After starting with the EyFi cards years ago then getting the WFT's, I finally found a robust and competent solution in the CamRanger, can't recommend it highly enough.

 

[StudentOfLight]

Once again a good and balanced review by Brian. Thanks.

Love his site -- I've been going there for years and years -- but I'm not sure 'balanced' is a word I'd use. : I'm hard-pressed to think of the last time a Canon-branded product didn't get a very favorable review.

I deeply respect his insights / methods / thoroughness / transparency, but I wish he were more openly critical of Canon products, perhaps 'curving everything to a B' so that the real A+ products would stand out a bit more. I wasn't expecting the 1DX II to let him down one bit, mind you, but I didn't really have to read the review to know he would love it... Something to consider.

- A

I do have to say that he does seem to never have any Canon product not wildly exceed his expectations and if a lens doesn't test quite right he will get 2,3,4, 30 copies if the brand says Canon. OTOH he'll tested a (dropped?) Tamron, get coke bottle results and be done with it (on lenses that have done SUPER well for me).

That said useful info, just realize that his reviews sometimes read a little bit like Explorer's of Light statements.

Which products "wildly exceed his expectations"? All? That's a totally unfair comment.

Canon's flagship is a great camera. No surprise that he would like it.

Bryan has proven that knows photography better than the mega-underexposure pushers at DRReview. I find his reviews to be full of practical insights for real photography — covering everything I want to know.

I love his reviews and visit his site regularly however, I have no illusions that he is biased. He definitely has a tendency to exaggerate how fantastic upgrades/refreshes are for both bodies and lenses. I agree with ahsanford, it's hard separate the B+ lenses from the A+ based on his reviews.

However, the Digital Picture's "Lens Image Quality" comparison tool separates the B+ lenses from the A+ lenses right away. Couldn't be easier than that.

Not quite. While this tool is nice and well done, the chart only shows contrast and resolution (to some extent), and there's much more to image quality than that. Sometimes the rest is covered in his reviews, sometimes not.

See the 35L II review for instance. There's a lack of "real-world" comparison images and commentary between this lens and the others from its category, starting with the Sigma 35mm Art. He only paraphrases - VERY briefly, one sentence! - the results from the "Lens Image Quality" tool, and again, where are the other aspects of image quality?

Anyway, TDP is a great resource, with lots of stuff not found anywhere else.

In the image quality tool you can also see lateral chromatic aberration and to a lesser-extent astigmatism as well.

TDP also has a Vignette tool, flare tool, distortion tool and links to the Lensrentals MTF tools as well.

The only aspect which I'd like to see TDP add is a bokeh analysis tool. For consistent bokeh testing my go-to resource is Lenstip, however, Lenstip does not have a nice tool to bring up a side-by-side comparison. With Lenstip you need to dig up two separate lens reviews and navigate individually to the different bokeh sub-sections.

 

[The Flasher]

Just finished shooting a studio/location fashion job over last seven days. 20,000 images, most tethered via ethernet via EOS Utility. Bang, bang bang, all week. Not one missed focus shot, models moving all over the place, towards camera, away, studio strobes, dim light hallways with some supplemental lighting. All sharp, fast, RAW +jpg images to computer screen and clients eyes almost simultaneously. RAW support from my fave capture app (Capture One) is still not available, henceforth the brutal EOS Utility/Digital Capture from Canon.

One thing needs mention: if you nail the lighting and exposure the jpeg colour out of camera is simply amazing. I'm having hard time getting the colours close in RAW images.

My last 1 series was the 1ds3 - the 1dx2 was a joy to use.

Cheers

PS. one glitch that most won't notice or ever come across, and that is, when serving images from CF/Cfast card in camera to computer via web browser in WFT mode (tethered with ethernet cable), auto rotate is not recognized. In other words, all your vertical shots are displayed horizontally.

 

[Jack Douglas]

Just finished shooting a studio/location fashion job over last seven days. 20,000 images, most tethered via ethernet via EOS Utility. Bang, bang bang, all week. Not one missed focus shot, models moving all over the place, towards camera, away, studio strobes, dim light hallways with some supplemental lighting. All sharp, fast, RAW +jpg images to computer screen and clients eyes almost simultaneously. RAW support from my fave capture app (Capture One) is still not available, henceforth the brutal EOS Utility/Digital Capture from Canon.

One thing needs mention: if you nail the lighting and exposure the jpeg colour out of camera is simply amazing. I'm having hard time getting the colours close in RAW images.

My last 1 series was the 1ds3 - the 1dx2 was a joy to use.

Cheers

PS. one glitch that most won't notice or ever come across, and that is, when serving images from CF/Cfast card in camera to computer via web browser in WFT mode (tethered with ethernet cable), auto rotate is not recognized. In other words, all your vertical shots are displayed horizontally.

WOW, one would almost think you were paid by Canon! Great feedback.

Jack

 

[The Flasher]

WOW, one would almost think you were paid by Canon! Great feedback.

Jack

That would be nice, actually. Anything for a steady income!

 

[Mikehit]

20,000 images, most tethered via ethernet via EOS Utility. All sharp, fast, RAW +jpg images to computer screen and clients eyes almost simultaneously.

Just as an aside - is that usual? If I were the client I would be telling you that I pay you to go through them and give me the best.

 

[The Flasher]

20,000 images, most tethered via ethernet via EOS Utility. All sharp, fast, RAW +jpg images to computer screen and clients eyes almost simultaneously.

Just as an aside - is that usual? If I were the client I would be telling you that I pay you to go through them and give me the best.

Yes its usual for an ad director or end client to want to see and approve each garment on a model, making sure we "have it", on the fly. The kind of creative licence freedom scenario you mention is more unusual.

 

[Mikehit]

Each garment I can understand, every photo from the shoot is what puzzled me. Still, if that is what the client requested fair enough.

Thanks for your explanation.

 

[The Flasher]

We misunderstood each other. The client monitored every photo as they were being captured, including the missed shots (blinks etc). They did not receive every photo. My point was camera performed flawlessly over 20,0000 actuations or so. I'm pumped about it. Cheers

 

[Mikehit]

We misunderstood each other. The client monitored every photo as they were being captured, including the missed shots (blinks etc). They did not receive every photo. My point was camera performed flawlessly over 20,0000 actuations or so. I'm pumped about it. Cheers

Cheers .
As you say to perform flawlessly over that period of intense shooting is impressive and with the client able to see it 'real time' means a dodgy camera is the last thing you need.

 

[Monchoon]

Just finished shooting a studio/location fashion job over last seven days. 20,000 images, most tethered via ethernet via EOS Utility. Bang, bang bang, all week. Not one missed focus shot, models moving all over the place, towards camera, away, studio strobes, dim light hallways with some supplemental lighting. All sharp, fast, RAW +jpg images to computer screen and clients eyes almost simultaneously. RAW support from my fave capture app (Capture One) is still not available, henceforth the brutal EOS Utility/Digital Capture from Canon.

One thing needs mention: if you nail the lighting and exposure the jpeg colour out of camera is simply amazing. I'm having hard time getting the colours close in RAW images.

My last 1 series was the 1ds3 - the 1dx2 was a joy to use.

Cheers

PS. one glitch that most won't notice or ever come across, and that is, when serving images from CF/Cfast card in camera to computer via web browser in WFT mode (tethered with ethernet cable), auto rotate is not recognized. In other words, all your vertical shots are displayed horizontally.

WOW, one would almost think you were paid by Canon! Great feedback.

Jack

How in heavens could he? He postede a glitch ;D

 

[d]

WOW, one would almost think you were paid by Canon! Great feedback.

Jack

No need for Canon to pay for a review like this - this is a pretty common scenario in the studio, and the fact that Canon's cameras can handle this kind of workload is the reason they're the bread and butter camera for so many photographers.

The confronting thought is that after 40 days shooting 20k images a day 20 shoots of 20k images, you've reached Canon's nominal shutter shutter durability figure!

d.

Edit: I was half asleep when I wrote this - both reading and arithmetic functions not fully operational!

 

[Jack Douglas]

WOW, one would almost think you were paid by Canon! Great feedback.

Jack

No need for Canon to pay for a review like this - this is a pretty common scenario in the studio, and the fact that Canon's cameras can handle this kind of workload is the reason they're the bread and butter camera for so many photographers.

The confronting thought is that after 40 days shooting 20k images a day, you've reached Canon's nominal shutter shutter durability figure!

d.

Shutter - 14 FPS could be a love hate relationship with so many shots to review and 400k reached in no time. 4k frame grabs may prove more popular than many past CR posts have suggested before Canon implemented it.

Interesting scenario, but I'm so removed from this as to be clueless - wouldn't mind a little more flesh on the bones of what a shoot like this consists of, who it's for, how pay is handled etc. (in general of course).

Jack

 

[East Wind Photography]

WOW, one would almost think you were paid by Canon! Great feedback.

Jack

No need for Canon to pay for a review like this - this is a pretty common scenario in the studio, and the fact that Canon's cameras can handle this kind of workload is the reason they're the bread and butter camera for so many photographers.

The confronting thought is that after 40 days shooting 20k images a day, you've reached Canon's nominal shutter shutter durability figure!

d.

Shutter - 14 FPS could be a love hate relationship with so many shots to review and 400k reached in no time. 4k frame grabs may prove more popular than many past CR posts have suggested before Canon implemented it.

Interesting scenario, but I'm so removed from this as to be clueless - wouldn't mind a little more flesh on the bones of what a shoot like this consists of, who it's for, how pay is handled etc. (in general of course).

Jack

Jack, I did a shoot today in 4k. For half of it I decided to use frame grab to select key shots for some marketing material. The images are all as good as stills at 1/60sec. But 8MP is a bit thin by today's standards...yet for the purpose it was fine for what I needed.

I think for many, except pixel peepers, this is a viable option and for me will likely pay off. We will have to wait and see if it becomes used a lot in the mainstream.

 

[Jack Douglas]

WOW, one would almost think you were paid by Canon! Great feedback.

Jack

No need for Canon to pay for a review like this - this is a pretty common scenario in the studio, and the fact that Canon's cameras can handle this kind of workload is the reason they're the bread and butter camera for so many photographers.

The confronting thought is that after 40 days shooting 20k images a day, you've reached Canon's nominal shutter shutter durability figure!

d.

Shutter - 14 FPS could be a love hate relationship with so many shots to review and 400k reached in no time. 4k frame grabs may prove more popular than many past CR posts have suggested before Canon implemented it.

Interesting scenario, but I'm so removed from this as to be clueless - wouldn't mind a little more flesh on the bones of what a shoot like this consists of, who it's for, how pay is handled etc. (in general of course).

Jack

Jack, I did a shoot today in 4k. For half of it I decided to use frame grab to select key shots for some marketing material. The images are all as good as stills at 1/60sec. But 8MP is a bit thin by today's standards...yet for the purpose it was fine for what I needed.

I think for many, except pixel peepers, this is a viable option and for me will likely pay off. We will have to wait and see if it becomes used a lot in the mainstream.

I'm assuming that if cropping is not required 8MP should be fine but maybe not for printing?? Is your camera on a tripod with liveview (video)?

Jack

 

[Nuno Santos]

Hi guys,

Talking about professional FF, like the precious 1Dx, take a few minutes and read this article, I think is resuming what I always saw in the Full Frame mirrorless, and I thought that I was alone.

http://petapixel.com/2016/04/04/sonys-full-frame-pro-mirrorless-fatal-mistake/

Cheers