Why buy/own an EOS-1D X ?

[Cheekysascha]

I know a lot of you folks out there have an EOS-1D X and are crazy about it, and I was wondering why you own one and which things it does better than other bodies, such as the 5D3 or 6D. Conversely, any good reasons not to own one (other than price, of course)?

For me it was the extra weather sealing over my two 5D mark iii's, I spent about 5-6? hours out in the pouring freezing cold rain in Norway back in September and was terrified about my camera's failing so before I went on another trip to Lofoten in northern Norway I got myself the 1DX and used it in conditions I'd never use my 5d in.

As for the bad? well the 12fps is used 15% out of all of my shots so it's not a bad feature it's just... close to being wasted for me as I'm a landscape/adventure/travel guy so I don't use it as much and like I said above I got it for the extra weather sealing and better battery life.

 

[9VIII]

I wish they would just make a 7DX with a grip to take 1D batteries. When a camera body can make every lens work better, that's a significant selling point.
They could add a thousand dollars to the price and it would proabably sell. I can imagine choosing between full frame and 1D quality AF would still be difficult for some people.

 

[Boromir883]

take / rent a 5D III and 1Dx + one of the big whites
shoot large field sports
review the results
answere the question

thats the way i did the decision

 

[Viggo]

I'm not exactly alone in experiencing failed shutter way off the 400k mark, also with previous 1d's. Buttons wearing out is hardly because of it being a lemon either. I never had the oil splatter and non-functioning af in poor light like many others either. And Canon had a problem with the mirror assembly that A LOT of people had exchanged under warranty/service notice. And the fact that it needs adjustment might be that it was off, except it worked then was off then adjusted again.

On a side note, everything was covered by Canon, even if it is 3,5 years old, so happy about that.

 

[Boromir883]

maybe there are some worne out buttons, defectes, failures because professional equipment sometime looks like my 7D after the job is done

 

[Boromir883]

sorry wrong file

 

[arthurbikemad]

^^^ nice 8)

 

[Stu_bert]

Had the 1Ds MK III bodies (2nd hand), lovely sensor, AF not so good (but better than anything I had before). Bought in preference to the 5D Mk II. Picked up the 1D MK IV 2nd hand. Better AF, but not so great for landscapes.

1Dx is suitable for both (landscape & where you need great AF). It's not a huge MP camera, but the difference from the 1Ds is negligible. I've didnt get the 5D MK III as it couldnt do f/8 focusing and the 7D II was still in the design phase.

I love the size, weight and shape. As others point out, it is built like a tank and it just works. At the time, it was their best body, and still is for their large telephoto lenses. I rarely worry about the ISO setting but I am still learning how to get the best from the AF.

What I dislike about the 1Dx - the oil smears - I have to clean it regularly.

If you are careful, I would say you can easily pick up the Pro Canon series when others want to upgrade and still get a good life out of them. I still have the 1Ds / 1D bodies and they work great (6 years on for the 1Ds), so in this respect they are like the L lenses. I've dunked them (accidentally) in a stream, let them dry out and they carry on working.

 

[Roo]

I don't own one but I surely would if I could. I've recently had the opportunity to have 2 separate days shooting with one. The first day was shooting birds of prey with a 300 2.8 attached and the second was at an open range zoo with the 200-400. I thought the 5D3 with 70-200 was quick focus but this thing amazed me with it's ability to quickly lock on to a Peregrine Falcon flying at speed low to the ground and into the shadows of a tree. The bonus for me was that the controls, ergonomics and menus are so familiar from using the 5d3 made it easy to pick up and use straight away.

 

[Big_Ant_TV_Media]

cant afford 1 even if i wanted 1
ts big bulky and ugly the built in battery grip makes it look bad no offense

 

[Dylan777]

cant afford 1 even if i wanted 1
ts big bulky and ugly the built in battery grip makes it look bad no offense

I can understand the size and weight. "ugly the built in battery grip makes it look bad no offense", you must be drunk when typing this

 

[IgotGASbadDude]

'Cuz it makes me look like a pro.

Quote of the year! ;D

"Meh, look at you with your puny, non-gripped camera. My camera eats your camera for lunch."

 

[clicstudio]

I've been using ONLY "1" Bodies since 2003.
So, about the camera body...
The ergonomics are just right. The best one being the 1DX so far.
The grip is great and the buttons and joysticks are in the perfect position.
You can do anything without even glancing at the camera.
The battery last days for abuse. It looks impressive and professional.
The weight is a problem for some but I rather have a heavy camera.
I shoot 80% of the time in portrait so, again, having a built in grip, the shutter, AF and joystick buttons are perfectly placed and are comfortable.
Dual CF slots.

Things I wish for.
HDR mode
Better DR
Wider AF grid (for face focusing on a full body portrait)
A quieter shutter. Sometimes it just feels too loud.
Wi-Fi
Bigger LCD with Touch Screen and swivel.

Photo quality.
I love the camera. It is simply amazing in my opinion. It might not compare to a Nikon 8100 in DR but I can still recover lots of details from the RAW files.
AI Servo Focusing is awesome even using fast Lenses. I don't shoot sports so I don't know how it behaves...
I only have 2 lenses, a 24-70 F2.8L II and a 50mm 1.8 STM. The camera focuses very well even with the limitations of the crappy $120 50mm lens.

I have played with 5D III and it feels and sounds cheap. The grip is horrible. Bad ergonomics and uncomfortable to hold. Still, when you can get them on eBay for $1500, it's a great camera nonetheless but it will never be a 1!

 

[Besisika]

I feel like a "Schwarzenegger" when I have it in my hand with the 100-400 mk II. My friends call me show off when I have them but once they see the pictures they always say "you have a better gear": bulky, heavy, solid, fast, punchy, 250th sync speed, long battery life, speaks Anglo-German ; simply Schwarzeneggy.
Wait until you drop your camera on ice from 3 feet, you pick it up and you keep on shooting, while others keep on staring at you with their mouth open wide.
The two things I dislike with it is that they didn't invent the upgrade for DPAF, and of course that now I have no reason to put the blame on my gear anymore when I fail - It is me not "him".

 

[Loswr]

Wait until you drop your camera on ice from 3 feet, you pick it up and you keep on shooting

Yes, there's something to be said for pro-level gear. The other day I dropped a 600EX from a boom, it fell 7 feet to the floor and bounced a couple of times...I picked it up, put it back on the boom, and started shooting.

 

[tcmatthews]

I will never buy a 1D camera. I have small hands with short fingers. The ergonomics for me are horrible. It is two big and two heavy. Do not need one. As for weather sealing I have heard of Olympus OMD-EM1 being used in weather as extreme as a 1Dx. It would be much lighter and cheaper to hike with a m43.

 

[acoll123]

Sports photography, any work where the camera could get wet and anything needing flash for me. I will be getting the Mark II when it comes out even if it only has incremental improvements. I have had 5DII, 5DIII and 7D's . . . aside from size there is no comparison for me.

I have a fuji XT-1 for almost everything else.

 

[applecider]

For me the 1DX gets people to say to me "that's a big camera" especially when coupled with a supertele, so it's a conversation starter.

The facts that I can use it with impunity in rain that you can see thru and that it gets the high iso bird shots are only bonuses to the conversation starter feature found in the green menus.

When it is raining so hard I can't see through it I don't want to be out, and images shot in that kind of rain are gRAINY anyway.

I would like to see 22-24 pixels in the next iteration just for cropping, as long as there is a little better high iso performance.

 

[Pookie]

Because you want one or need one...

 

[gunship01]

I hear it is a chick magnet.

Plus when I sport the 100-400MM L, I always phase it that I am "compensating" when I hear the comments of "that's a big lens!" (or other derivative).

Camera gear can complete your life.
8)