Why only 20.2 MP for the 1DXMarkII ?

[JumboShrimp]

Just wondering if Canon is telling us that 20.2 MP is "enough" for a FF DSLR, and that more MP isn't needed for "quality" images ?

 

[candc]

No, they make the 50mp 5ds also. Different uses. They have said they are going to make cameras intended for specific needs. Both fit the bill.

 

[Mancubus]

You can't have 14+ fps and over 150 photos buffer if the file sizes are big. This is a camera built for speed.

 

[tpatana]

You can't have 14+ fps and over 150 photos buffer if the file sizes are big. This is a camera built for speed.

Plus high-iso noise is better.

So yes, there's plenty reasons for that, and there's different market segment for high Mpix bodies.

 

[brianftpc]

If they give us too many more megapixels without radically redesigning the sensor then they risk putting out a camera thats meant to excel in low light thats only as good or worse than the previous generation and thats just not gonna sell. If im taking pictures in a gym with bad lighting im not upgrading my camera for more megapixels....im upgrading so my images can look better at a higher iso or so i can shoot on the same iso but at a higher shutter speed to freeze action better.

Theres a reason why there a 6D, 5D and 5Ds. So that those cameras can fulfill a different need for other photographers.

I own an 18mp 1Dx. Why would i buy a 24mp 1Dx mk2 that has an equal quality low light as the camera i already own. If i want more megapixels then i just buy the 5D mk4.

Ive never once griped about how big my pics are. Every gripe i have revolves around autofocus and low light. Improve that with each generation and you have me a reason to upgrade.

I own a 5dsr for a reason and a 1dx for another. If you try to combine them youll make a camera that excells at nothing.

 

[RGF]

I think part of the sensor size limit is due to the speed the move data off the sensor.

To move data at 16 FPS may be close to the bus limit.

 

[Hillsilly]

As mentioned above, there are technical reasons why the MPs have to be moderate. But just going back to the OPs original point, a camera like the 1DX2 is designed with a particular buyer in mind. And through the design process, feedback and ideas are sought from likely purchasers. All of the final specs would tend to be group consensus. Amongst the group, 20mp is seen to be good enough (or at least a reasonable trade-off given the camera's other performance attributes).

And FWIW, unless you are making large prints or doing severe crops, 20mp is fine for virtually everything you'll likely want to do. Especially given the ease with which we can merge panoramas these days.

 

[KitsVancouver]

No, they make the 50mp 5ds also. Different uses. They have said they are going to make cameras intended for specific needs. Both fit the bill.

Canon used to make a 1Ds line for high resolution and a 1D line for speed. They "merged" the lines with the 1Dx so I'm not sure when Canon said they are going to make "cameras intended for specific needs" within the context of the 1Dx line. Can you reference a link?

The link below is contrary to your information:
http://www.canon.ca/inetCA/en/products/method/gp/pid/12279
"The Ultimate EOS.
Canon has brought the best of the EOS-1D Series of digital cameras into one phenomenal model: the new flagship of the EOS line, the EOS-1D X*."

I was hoping and expecting to buy the next 1Dx but with only 20 megapixels, I'm not sure. Let's not get into why I want the higher resolution because we all know that's a long discussion. I wish Canon kept the 1Ds line alive (with lower speed).

 

[nvsravank]

aha so you are in the camp that wants high MP in a 1D series body and a hold over from 1Ds line.

Bad news for you. I don't think there are enough of folks like you asking. Or maybe the folks they do ask are not in the 1D camp as much and are satisfied with the 5D line bodies. One of your group needs to become a canon master or something to get their attention. Posts in CR don't count I presume.

Good luck.

No, they make the 50mp 5ds also. Different uses. They have said they are going to make cameras intended for specific needs. Both fit the bill.

Canon used to make a 1Ds line for high resolution and a 1D line for speed. They "merged" the lines with the 1Dx so I'm not sure when Canon said they are going to make "cameras intended for specific needs" within the context of the 1Dx line. Can you reference a link?

The link below is contrary to your information:
http://www.canon.ca/inetCA/en/products/method/gp/pid/12279
"The Ultimate EOS.
Canon has brought the best of the EOS-1D Series of digital cameras into one phenomenal model: the new flagship of the EOS line, the EOS-1D X*."

I was hoping and expecting to buy the next 1Dx but with only 20 megapixels, I'm not sure. Let's not get into why I want the higher resolution because we all know that's a long discussion. I wish Canon kept the 1Ds line alive (with lower speed).

 

[ajfotofilmagem]

Because a camera aimed journalism will require ISO 6400 with low noise?
Because megapixel reduce the image transfer speed?
Because a double page print magazine requires 16 megapixel?
Because humans do not distinguish details above 300DPI?

 

[rfdesigner]

Because a camera aimed journalism will require ISO 6400 with low noise?
Because megapixel reduce the image transfer speed?
Because a double page print magazine requires 16 megapixel?
Because humans do not distinguish details above 300DPI?

+1

also people have been starting to suggest you need 1/(2x fl) (or similar) minimum speed for the 5Ds(R)

if you're shooting with a 400mmfl in somewhat low light do you really want a minimum 1/800 speed?.. you've just lost half your photons, and that's before we look at the ability of the sensor to turn photons into bytes.

This is a sports/wildlife camera not a landscape camera.

 

[AlanF]

Because a camera aimed journalism will require ISO 6400 with low noise?
Because megapixel reduce the image transfer speed?
Because a double page print magazine requires 16 megapixel?
Because humans do not distinguish details above 300DPI?

+1

also people have been starting to suggest you need 1/(2x fl) (or similar) minimum speed for the 5Ds(R)

if you're shooting with a 400mmfl in somewhat low light do you really want a minimum 1/800 speed?.. you've just lost half your photons, and that's before we look at the ability of the sensor to turn photons into bytes.

This is a sports/wildlife camera not a landscape camera.

"1/(2x fl) (or similar) minimum speed for the 5Ds(R)" is for lenses without IS.

 

[Don Haines]

I think part of the sensor size limit is due to the speed the move data off the sensor.

To move data at 16 FPS may be close to the bus limit.

it will do at least 60FPS.... (video). Even my p/s camera can read a 16Mpixel sensor at 240 FPS so that's probably not a bottleneck....

 

[Don Haines]

bigger pixels means more light gathered.... more light gathered becomes better high ISO performance.

 

[rfdesigner]

Because a camera aimed journalism will require ISO 6400 with low noise?
Because megapixel reduce the image transfer speed?
Because a double page print magazine requires 16 megapixel?
Because humans do not distinguish details above 300DPI?

+1

also people have been starting to suggest you need 1/(2x fl) (or similar) minimum speed for the 5Ds(R)

if you're shooting with a 400mmfl in somewhat low light do you really want a minimum 1/800 speed?.. you've just lost half your photons, and that's before we look at the ability of the sensor to turn photons into bytes.

This is a sports/wildlife camera not a landscape camera.

"1/(2x fl) (or similar) minimum speed for the 5Ds(R)" is for lenses without IS.

lens for lens you'll still lose a stop.

 

[rs]

Because a camera aimed journalism will require ISO 6400 with low noise?
Because megapixel reduce the image transfer speed?
Because a double page print magazine requires 16 megapixel?
Because humans do not distinguish details above 300DPI?

+1

also people have been starting to suggest you need 1/(2x fl) (or similar) minimum speed for the 5Ds(R)

if you're shooting with a 400mmfl in somewhat low light do you really want a minimum 1/800 speed?.. you've just lost half your photons, and that's before we look at the ability of the sensor to turn photons into bytes.

This is a sports/wildlife camera not a landscape camera.

"1/(2x fl) (or similar) minimum speed for the 5Ds(R)" is for lenses without IS.

lens for lens you'll still lose a stop.

Not forgetting that just like the magnification of camera shake, there is additional subject motion magnification if you want pixel sharp images from a higher MP sensor, again necessitating a faster shutter speed. IS has no bearing on that.

 

[tpatana]

I think part of the sensor size limit is due to the speed the move data off the sensor.

To move data at 16 FPS may be close to the bus limit.

it will do at least 60FPS.... (video). Even my p/s camera can read a 16Mpixel sensor at 240 FPS so that's probably not a bottleneck....

I'm quite sure it doesn't move 240 raw files per second, at 16Mpix. But that doesn't really prove one way or another if the bus is bottleneck or not.

Now thinking this, does anyone know what the lane types are out from the sensor, and the clock/data speed on those? Is there like crazy-wide serial bus running at jiga-hertz speed or how it's done?

 

[AlanF]

Because a camera aimed journalism will require ISO 6400 with low noise?
Because megapixel reduce the image transfer speed?
Because a double page print magazine requires 16 megapixel?
Because humans do not distinguish details above 300DPI?

+1

also people have been starting to suggest you need 1/(2x fl) (or similar) minimum speed for the 5Ds(R)

if you're shooting with a 400mmfl in somewhat low light do you really want a minimum 1/800 speed?.. you've just lost half your photons, and that's before we look at the ability of the sensor to turn photons into bytes.

This is a sports/wildlife camera not a landscape camera.

"1/(2x fl) (or similar) minimum speed for the 5Ds(R)" is for lenses without IS.

lens for lens you'll still lose a stop.

Not forgetting that just like the magnification of camera shake, there is additional subject motion magnification if you want pixel sharp images from a higher MP sensor, again necessitating a faster shutter speed. IS has no bearing on that.

You can always downsize a 50 mpx image to 20 mpx to reduce the blur to what you would have got had you used 20 mpx native.

 

[3kramd5]

I think part of the sensor size limit is due to the speed the move data off the sensor.

To move data at 16 FPS may be close to the bus limit.

it will do at least 60FPS.... (video). Even my p/s camera can read a 16Mpixel sensor at 240 FPS so that's probably not a bottleneck....

I'm quite sure it doesn't move 240 raw...

Sure it does, it doesn't write them as RAW, but they start out that way.

 

[dolina]

Just wondering if Canon is telling us that 20.2 MP is "enough" for a FF DSLR, and that more MP isn't needed for "quality" images ?

I think it is part of the limitation of it having a CF card slot and power consumption. By the time that only a dual CFast slot SKU 1D X body comes out then expect 50MP sensors to be employed by as early as 2020.