The Canon EOS-1D X Mark II Specifications?

[Reality Merely Illusion]

I am not the target audience (focusing on Landscape and Portraits), but I am wondering how this thing will compare to D5? Reading from the specs, seems to be a bit off D5. I also have a feeling that these cameras are always very-very similar, I mean Canon vs Nikon. The only big difference that I have seen lately was the Sony sensor. The rest is just completely similar technology and similar improvements year after year. It almost feels like they have a joint plan on what to release and when.

The only thing that is valid for me in all of this is that I find skin colors better on Canon whereas Nikon/Sony is more suited for Landscapes due to DR and shadow recovery. The rest doesn't have any impact on the final result, all cameras are phenomenal.

similar technology and similar improvements is not surprising , there aren't many companies that will give us the best of what is achievable now, since they intend to stick around for a bit longer . (I.E Even if they can give us 'affordable' 20fps with 400 raw buffer and 30mp ISO 128000 now , it makes no sense at all, they are much better off releasing 14fps 100 buffer 20mp iso 50000 release it at the same price , make more money and spend some of the profit into r&d coming years to be ahead again, then 5 years from now give us what they had yesterday ) Just slightly surpass the competition or equal their performance when it is needed to stay up there.

If the competition didn't catch up yet ( see sony a6000) , it makes no sense releasing the successor until competition did catch up. Now that it did surely the a6000 successor should be announced within months

Sony is also the king of planned obsolescence (Look at the sony a7-a7II, a7r-a7rII , a7s-a7sII, those had a short lifespan for camera standards). One can pick up a a7 for 800-900$ now?
I think the a7II got released 1 year and 1 month after the a7. Also they are sucking the early adopters the hardest(if you look at how the price drops on those things).
Now sony is gonna release the a7III with 4k video ?, or will they give their loyal customers 4k via a firmware update


I don't know why cameras would be any different from almost any other product in the world. Unfortunately it is only about $.

 

[expatinasia]

...
There are clearly lines around the hump when looked at from the top and front pictures, which might indicate it is removable, but then again it might not.
...

Like with other camera models before these lines only indicate that another material was used.
Normally the 1D bodies are fully made out of magnesium alloy.
To integrate a wifi or GPS antenna you have to put these under a plastic cover (or other non metal material) to make the antenna work properly.
This junction is a potential weak spot for the sealing of the body and must be treated very carefully.
IMHO this does not match with any kind of modularity or exchange of parts there.

You may well be right. I had thought about the plastic issue, but as the WiFi WFT-E8 is listed as an option I sort of got quite interested in the idea, as add-ons like flash, Wi-Fi are not normally listed. I cannot see Canon including WiFi as the models now cost US$600+, but also WiFi and GPS are also much smaller than they used to be.

Nikon are doing two versions of the D5, I just thought perhaps Canon may be doing the same here but instead of it being the slots it's the WiFi issue. Having that built in is one less thing for photographers (that need it) to worry about forgetting / breaking etc. Could make sense, but we'll see.

Anyway, it's all speculation hopefully next week exactly what the 1DX II is all about.

 

[lux]

So is it now going to be...

1)1dxii sports/wildlife while 5dsr is for studio

2)5d4 jack of all trades

3)7dii sports/wildlife and 6dii studio

4)Rebels as jack of all trades

 

[OddieCZ]

To the folks that are disappointed, what are you missing beside the two extra megapixels originally reported and internal wi-fi? Considering DR and ISO performance is not yet known. Not to provoke anyone, honestly wondering. If there are solid improvements in DR and ISO it would seem to me like a nice step up.

 

[GMCPhotographics]

OK, my initial reactions and general gut feeling are:

If I already had a 1DX in good serviceable and reliable condition, I probably wouldn't upgrade on these specs alone. If I needed a new sports / wildlife camera with high fps then I would buy one. I'm not seeing much of a wow factor. 18-20mp...would hardly notice, the extra AF tweaks and extra fps...I'd hardly notice. The extra DR is something to be tested and analysed. Unless it's amazing and a deal breaker...there's not much here to grab my attention.

But...MAN! that's an ugly make over. The 1DX was a very pretty camera...this thing is really ugly!

 

[PureClassA]

To the folks that are disappointed, what are you missing beside the two extra megapixels originally reported and internal wi-fi? Considering DR and ISO performance is not yet known. Not to provoke anyone, honestly wondering. If there are solid improvements in DR and ISO it would seem to me like a nice step up.

No. Apparently we needed 4 pages of discussion about GPS and the "ugly" hump at the top that houses it.

But you're right, these specs dont tell us anything about how it performs, and that's assuming we take every word from digi-came to be correct.

 

[dolina]

So is it now going to be...

1)1dxii sports/wildlife while 5dsr is for studio

2)5d4 jack of all trades

3)7dii sports/wildlife and 6dii studio

4)Rebels as jack of all trades

The cameras are spec'd and priced properly per purpose. The photographer will use whatever fits to their budgets.

 

[jeffa4444]

So is it now going to be...

1)1dxii sports/wildlife while 5dsr is for studio

2)5d4 jack of all trades

3)7dii sports/wildlife and 6dii studio

4)Rebels as jack of all trades

The 6D has been more of a travel / landscape camera certainly not studio thats why they included wi-fi & gps and thats where they will keep the replacement when it comes. I use mine this way but hey I also use my 5DS for lanscape its never seen a studio!

 

[sanj]

The hump does look like a pop up something. Would GPS require a pop up feature? Perhaps it is a flash.

 

[weixing]

Hi,
Hmm... Possibility of a hybrid (E/OVF) viewfinder?? When shooting at 16fps, the mirror lock-up and the viewfinder become an EVF with DPAF providing AF??

Have a nice day.

 

[wockawocka]

In a way I'm a bit happy about the spec. It isn't what I call revolutionary and it means I'll no be pulled away from the 5D series of bodies for another 3 years at least.

TBH all I really care about is how well the sensor performs. The 1DX was perfect already which might explain the incremental changes.

 

[Hector1970]

I'll be looking forward to the actual final specs and some sort of insight into it's performance.

After getting a 5DSR it's really made me realise that ISO performance is important to me.
Most cameras are now very good in good light conditions.
Where they don't perform is in low light or mixed bright and dark light.
Indoor concerts, late evening / floodlight sports, hand holding in low light is where my current cameras are weak. The 1DX is very good (I don't own one) and might be a help to me in those conditions.
I'll be interested if the 1DX II surpasses it's predecessor in ISO performance and dynamic range.

A faster frame rate 14FPS to 16 FPS might have uses for some but it wouldn't make a difference to me.
I'm happy with the 7D2's FPS for sports. Again it is it's ISO performance that bothers me.

50MP is a pain file size if you shoot full raw. I'm not convinced if its necessary for what I do. I think 20 is adequate for most purposes. It depends on the area you are in. Some people really do need a higher MP count.

For me excellent 20MP are better than very good 50mp. Especially at 16FPS.
But it's the future I'm sure cameras will just start having higher and higher megapixels and my hard disks need to grow to cope with them.

For Canon's future I hope the flagship is very well received and impresses.
I'd like Canon to do well as I'm heavily invested in them as is.

 

[Hector1970]

Just a thought - wouldn't they have room to make the screen bigger on a 1DX.
There is spare real estate on the back as opposed to the 5D III body.

 

[NorbR]

Some real surprises on that list (good and bad), and yet it's the hump on top that gets everyone going

The biggest surprise for me is that the AF remains at 61 points. All points f8 capable is cool, but on paper that still sounds like an "old" AF system.

Oh, and apparently the 4k 60fps is real. I was among those who didn't believe this rumour. That's a pretty big deal, I would say.

 

[gsealy]

Gee, what happened to the articulating touch screen? Just joking, just joking.

 

[gsealy]

Some real surprises on that list (good and bad), and yet it's the hump on top that gets everyone going

The biggest surprise for me is that the AF remains at 61 points. All points f8 capable is cool, but on paper that still sounds like an "old" AF system.

Oh, and apparently the 4k 60fps is real. I was among those who didn't believe this rumour. That's a pretty big deal, I would say.

Right, and we'll have to find out about the rest of the 4k spec -- 8 or 10 bits, DCI or UHD-1, codec, external vs internal recording. If indeed there is 60 fps, I suspect that the C300 is in for a firmware upgrade. Love the DPAF too.

 

[Jopa]

What about the metering sensor specs?

 

[jeffa4444]

+1 the metering specs are just as important as the AF spec.
Im sure there will still be a few surprises even if this leak turns out to be 100% correct, its detail is a little short and just as not all 4K is equal nor are all 20.2MP sensors so it may well have better noise & banding control (as the 5DS/r have). roll on next week.

 

[jaayres20]

I really am interested in ISO performance and what "All of the distance measuring point can be selected" means in relation to the AF points. Does this mean that they are more spread out?

I have the 5DSr and even though everyone complained about it being capped at ISO 6400, it is very good at 6400 and usable beyond that. My 1DX has an ISO of 51,000, but it is terrible at that range. I never go above 12,800, which is where I limit it's usability. If the 1DX2 limits the camera to 51,000 but has good ISO performance even close to 51,000 then it is a game changer. Does anyone believe that cameras with ISOs in the millions can even use that high of an ISO?

I also read somewhere that the ISO would go as low as 50. If that is true and the ISO performance is a good stop or possibly more better than the 1DX along with improved AF, spread out AF points, a large buffer, and colors as good as the 5DSr then I would consider it a worthy upgrade. Especially if it is around the $5,900.

I would imagine that it will beat the D5 in almost all areas, however the area id doesn't will be touted as the most important camera feature for the next 4 years.

 

[TeT]

I think I screwed up the translation when I reported the camera was 22mp, I should have reported 20.2mp after looking back at the conversation. That's annoying.

You owned it, its all good...