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Canon 1DS Mk3 (EOS-1Ds MkIII)
News - 5th - Firmware updated
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2007 - Pre 16th August 2007 stuff is now on it's own MK3 rumour archive page. 1D3 specific (AF) issues are now on the 1D3 page - General digital rumours (Nikon/Sony FF etc.) are now on the 5D2 page
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May 2008
5th Well, I updated the firmware on my 1Ds3 and I have to say, the most useful feature for me, is to be able to move selected focus point with the joystick/button.
I'd not noticed problems before with AF (other than it was better than my old 1Ds) but reports I've seen suggest that it is a bit better in low contrast situations.
The update process is really simple, just be sure to follow the instructions carefully - it does take a few minutes. I used a full battery rather than mains adapter during the process.
2nd Note that there appears to be a slight glitch with the warranty extension web site, in that it asks for your date of birth rather than purchase date - this results in your warranty being extended to your second birthday.
- I'd best be taking my 1Ds3 to Canon to get the viewfinder alignment fixed before March 13th, 1962 then... :-)
1st Canon have announced a warranty extension programme in Europe for the 1Ds3 and 1D3. Warranty will now run for two years from the purchase date (for cameras purchased up until the end of this year)
- "The EOS-1Ds Mark III and EOS-1D Mark III cameras are Canon’s benchmark for absolute quality and professional performance. To express our pride in our flagship products, we’re making you this attractive offer.
- For a limited time only, Canon is offering in addition to its standard warranty a one-year extended warranty absolutely free. This gives you a total warranty period of two years from date of purchase.
- The offer is valid on all purchases made before 31 December 2008. So, whether you already own the EOS-1Ds Mark III or EOS-1D Mark III for a little while, or just bought it, you will benefit from the one-year extended warranty.
- The deadline for registration is 31 January 2009."
Registration online only...
I've seen reports on the focus fix for the 1D3 which appear pretty favourable (I'll probably try it on my 1Ds3 this weekend)
April 30th New Firmware for the 1Ds3 and 1D3
- I'm just off out on a (paying) job all day so I don't think I'll install it right now ;-)
EOS-1Ds Mark III
http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/eos1dsm3/firmware-e.html
This firmware update (Version 1.1.2) incorporates the following improvements.
- Includes the following new features that were frequently requested by customers to the new firmware.
- Direct selection of AF points by the Multi-controller is added to C.Fn III-9.
- Alternate access to Exposure compensation is added to C.Fn IV-3.
- Improves the stability of AF accuracy in AI servo AF when shooting extremely low-contrast subjects.
Image below is from PDF describing changes
27th Possible rebates in the US? [Dealer comments DPR]
BUT note price rises before [details on 5D2 page]
7th I notice that in the latest UK 'EOS magazine' (April-June 08) there is a mention of 'Viewfinder misalignment'
"Canon told EOS magazine that it is aware of some issues to do with the viewfinder misalignment and the situation is currently under investigation. If customers are experiencing such issues Canon is asking them to take their camera to their local service department for checking"
Apart from the fact that my nearest service centre is a hundred miles away and it will have to wait until I'm down near London again, this is a welcome admission of the problem...
March 12th A burst of rumours on the 5D2 page that even suggest a new Canon 'flagship' camera to be trailed this Autumn (if anything, a 1D3 replacement rather than for the 1Ds3)
1st I've been checking the AF accuracy of my 1Ds 3 and setting the AF microadjustment for a couple of my lenses that needed it. I was using a test image I was recently sent and have put together some notes on AF Microadjustment showing how it works (with a version of the test image).
February 27th US stocks seem at better levels now - for example, see this DPR thread for a US dealer with quite a few in stock.
There's more AF related news for the 1D3 as well.
26th Prices in the UK seem to be slipping downwards, perhaps ready for the March rebate scheme (1Ds3 isn't in this but quite a few lenses are).
Will the next firmware update finally add contrast detect AF to cameras with liveview. It would be nice if Canon broke their usual habits and added additional functionality to an existing model... [CR]
24th I'm told that there is a good price for the 1Ds3 at the Focus show (UK) from Jacobs, and a £150 rebate on the 5D. I'm there tomorrow, so I'll have a look to see what's about ;-)
The £150 seems to be the Canon UK rebate that's starting on March the 1st. More info on the Canon rebates will appear on this Canon site.
21st There's discussion of a recent BJP (UK mag) 'review' of the 1Ds3 over at DPR. The review finds that great results are possible with the camera, but that several Canon lenses are (in their opinion) not really up to what the camera needs. The report mentions both the 24-70L and TS-E 24mm, both of which have been strong contenders in the 'due for update' lens rumours of late.
- As those of you who've followed some of my own experiences with the 1Ds3 will know, apart from the viewfinder tilt issue, I think it's by far the best camera I've regularly used. I do find the performance limitations of the 24-70L more noticeable, but they are the same ones I've lived with on my 1Ds for the last four years. As for the 24TS-E, once again the issues are the same as before, the 1Ds3 hasn't made them any worse. It's still the best solution I have for many jobs. One conclusion in the review was that this new precision tool takes experience and care to get the best results ... Well, duh... :-) As you'd expect, the 'review' has brought out the 'poor lenses' and 'end is nigh for Canon' naysayers out in abundance ;-)
16th An odd effect from a 1Ds3 used at -20C (-5F) is shown in a thread at FM. The camera drops individual colour channels in bracketed shots. -20C is well below the suggested operating temperature range BTW
Canon Europe are having another round of rebates (5D/40D/400D and lenses) it starts on March 1st and runs to the end of June - details on the 5D2 page.
1Ds3 prices in the UK are starting to fall a bit, and as has been pointed out (DPR UK price thread) if you are VAT registered then the price drops to US levels ;-)
- Northlight Images is VAT registered, since despite what my Mum thinks, it's a real business ;-)
15th Canon have released an update for Mac users of the EOS Utility software for 1D3, 1Ds3, and 40D. It fixes and issue with downloading images after using liveview.
- "We have discovered that when using the Live View function of EOS Utility 2.2 for Macintosh or EOS Utility 2.2 Updater for Macintosh (referred to hereafter as 'EOS Utility') in tandem with EOS digital cameras: EOS-1Ds Mark III, EOS-1D Mark III and EOS 40D, an image transfer or save problem may occur in specific usage situations. Accordingly, we would like to inform you of the details. "
I had seen this once with my 1Ds3, but just put it down to a glitch somewhere, and since I was shooting static products, I just reset things and carried on :-)
14th In a comment on DPR, the supposed cause of the viewfinder alignment is revealed:
- "The problem is a mask in the viewfinder. It's fitted with four screws, that should be tightened in a certain order to fix it correctly, just like the bolts on the wheels of a car. Apparently, some guy used the wrong order on a certain batch of cameras, and the result is that the mask shifted a little. It explains why only some cameras have this problem, and why the degree is different in each one."
The BJP article I mentioned yesterday is now online
13th I had a chat with Canon Elstree (UK) this morning and will be dropping off my 1Ds3 for a viewfinder alignment fix (3-4 days they suggested) when I'm next working near there. 0.4 degrees may not sound much, but it's easily spotted in images where I've used the ruled focusing screen to line up a vertical or horizontal. I've got quite adept at estimating a half degree 'compensating' tilt, but I would rather not have to... The tilt has actually got me to try using liveview more than I might otherwise, which is not an altogether bad thing, since I'd probably overlook it after years of using the 'proper' viewfinder.
It would appear that this issue is well known since on LL I've just seen this post:
- This weeks British Journal of Photography? (V155 N7672)
- A half page article titled "More grief for Canon" accompanied by a nice picture of a 1Ds MkIII.
- I quote.... 'We are aware of some issues relating to the viewfinder alignment,' a Canon spokeswomen tells BJP. 'The issues are currently under investigation. If any customers are experiencing such issues we are asking them to take their camera to their local service department for checking.' Canon says it will release more information about the problem at a later stage.
6th I've been away for a few days* and in catching up with mails have heard from a couple of people (in Canada and Australia) with 1Ds3 focus issues. Not the type associated with the 1D3 but just plain poor focus accuracy on static targets like sheets of newspaper. In an update to this, a Canon rep in Australia has mentioned a possible 'recall' for the 1DsMk3. Is this an example (and I hope it is) of Canon not spreading the info about the 1D3 'final fix' and a rep getting 2+2=5, or is there really a 1Ds3 related 'fix' in the offing as well (If there is, then they can fix my viewfinder allignment at the same time!)
Update - CPS in Sydney have told someone else that there is no recall that they know of, and acknowledged that the tilt/misalignment problem involves adjusting two screws.
- * I visit my parents in Ipswich and this happens at the end of their back garden (3 pics and one on the front page in the print version, must have been a slow news day for the local paper :-) :-)
3rd Whilst supplies in the UK are not too difficult to find (still not common), it seems that in many other parts of the world, supplies are not so plentiful. Many people have already had orders waiting for several months, although I did hear that one had finally got as far as Dunedin in NZ (hope it was worth the wait ;-) If you're looking for one, it's worth looking on some of the forums where people often post news of availability [such as this on DPR] You could also try a service like nowinstock... I recently heard from someone in Botswana, who used them and may well be getting the first 1Ds3 in the country, after waiting for months with Ritz (has Canon sent them any more than a few 1Ds3s?)
Meanwhile Rob Galbraith has found out that Canon has another AF fix in the works (see 1D3 page). I should imagine that there are a lot of 1D3 users not at all happy with the prospect of having to send the camera away again. This also concerns me for the similar designed parts of the 1Ds3 (although I've not had an AF problem yet AFAIK)
- Did I hear a slight cheer from Nikon marketing? ;-)
January 26th It seems that not only are repairs slower at Canon, Irvine, but they can't necessarily fix the fault either. I've heard from someone who got a camera back "viewfinder assembly adjustment was incorrect (parallax too large) and that adjustments were corrected" and the 0.8 degree tilt had been fixed... to about half a degree.
24th Are you waiting for a 1Ds3 from a Hong Kong supplier? I had a lengthy mail today (thanks) covering just what the 1Ds3 supply situation in HK has been.
Only some 20 units arrived in the first shipment - most went to large companies and only a few to dealers. Many dealers still have 20 deep waiting lists. Even the 1D3 is in fairly short supply. How much of this is due to the cheap price in HK (HK$56,200 around US$7,200) and Canon's desire to maximise revenue is debateable ;-) I suppose it could explain why getting them in the UK hasn't been quite so difficult...
23rd While it appears that in the UK and in Australia, Canon have got their act together on the alignment problem, in the US I'm hearing a much worse story.
A couple of people I've heard from today, have both had their camera at Canon's service centre at Irvine for over two weeks and are still waiting. One called only to be told that it had just been looked at and some parts were needed. In the little information that they were able to get it seems that the Irvine service centre is extremely busy.
15th I've just heard from someone who sent their 1Ds3 in to Canon for a viewfinder fix. 24hr turnaround and the "Prism assembly realignment" is spot on. This was in Australia, I've also heard from someone in the US who's waiting to hear after nearly a week...
12th If you're looking to maximise the speed of writing images to cards, a card like the the Sandisk Extreme IV certainly makes a difference. There's a DPR thread with lots of people timing different situations with a 1Ds3. For maximum speed it helps to turn off JPEG shooting with raw.
11th Some good news on supplies. I've heard from several people now, of stores receiving regular shipments of a few 1Ds3s. Whilst not exactly filling the shelves they don't seem quite so difficult to find.
I should add that I've also heard from someone in Australia about quite lengthy waiting lists at some dealers, so shipments still quite patchy...
7th Another mail from a new 1Ds3 owner here in the UK. Since they need accuracy in the viewfinder (architectural work) they quickly tested the tilt. At about 1 degree out, it's gone back to the dealer.
- Update - the 2nd 1Ds3 at the dealer was even more out of true... :-(
I'm keeping mine here for the time being and have been experimenting with using liveview for critical shots (where I'd be using a tripod anyway). I'll be getting it fixed at some point, but since Canon have said it's a warranty adjustment, I've got until October to sort out when I'm going to lose the 1Ds3 for a bit.
I've also added a second pair of pictures from someone's 1Ds3 in the US, showing the effect, to the test page.
2nd Is the viewfinder properly matched up to the sensor in your 1Ds3? I'd seen a few of forum posts over the holidays and today had an email from someone who's 1Ds3 has a pronounced tilt.
Anyway, since I'd not used mine for any really detailed work as yet I decided to check it out. I use the EcD ruled focusing screen (it really helped when using my 1Ds). Unfortunately I found an approximately 0.4 degree error. That may not sound much, but would be easily visible in an architectural shot. I generally reckon on spotting a tilted horizon in a landscape picture if it's over a quarter of a degree out, so 0.4 degrees is not good enough...
1Ds3 Viewfinder misalignment tests
I'll be checking this out further over the next few days - please do let me know if you find any problems in your own 1Ds3 (I do realise a lot of people might not notice this, but it ain't a cheap bit of kit! ;-) I'll be looking more carefully at my EcD screen and checking for any problems there
It seems that B&H briefly had some 1Ds3 stock, but needless to say they didn't hang around long. It seems that 1Ds3 stocks are still relatively low in the US (certainly at the larger dealers).
As a regular traveller to the US I noticed the new 'Lithium battery' regulations for US air travel. Shouldn't be a problem for most people, but take a couple of spare lithium batteries for your laptop as well and you need to check carefully. It doesn't help that the regulations might require TSA staff to make calculations involving 'equivalent lithium content'. Anyway I've put up some links and info on the Canon battery info page.
- Happy New Year to all our visitors. Having just checked, that was quite a few in 2007! (4.7 Million pages from 3.5 Million visits)
December 20th New firmware is now available from Canon
"This firmware update (Version 1.0.6) incorporates the following improvements and fixes.
- Improves the reliability of communication with some CF cards.
- Fixes a phenomenon that occurs in some cases involving colour cast and vertical lines appearing in images.
The Version 1.0.6 firmware being released this time is for cameras with firmware up to Version 1.0.5. If the camera's firmware is already Version 1.0.6, it is not necessary to update the firmware."
19th It appears that some larger stores in the US are still not getting many 1Ds3s. This from DPR:
"I got the 1Ds3 last week, from our Local ProShop (9 miles away); As soon as I had the 1Ds3 in my hands, I called that hour RITZ and cancelled my pre-order that I had with them since Sept 4th (they said they still {as of 12/12} have not received ANY 1Ds3 into their warehouses and don't expect any before 12/25, and that's a guess on their part)."
18th I've turned off fractional stop ISO settings after doing a few simple noise tests - full results
16th I've just heard of the equivalent of a $1000 price drop in the price in Norway, but given the initial very high price that's not surprising ;-)
In the UK there are dealers who now have the 1Ds3 in stock, and I've heard that if you are a good customer and wave a load of cash at them, there are deals to be had ;-)
14th It seems that there is a known issue with using 'Safety Shift' at high ISO on the 1Ds3 in fast bursts of shooting - there is an FM thread with examples, along with a note that Canon know of it and it willl be addressed in a forthcoming firmware update. Given I had to look up details of the safety shift function in the manual, you'll not be surprised that I've not experienced any problems :-)
13th I do have to keep reminding myself that I'm using a different camera when using the 1Ds3. Canon have posted a PDF about getting the best out of the 1D3 and 1Ds3 - well worth reading.
10th At last, the RG article about the 1D3 AF has been posted, and suggests that the AF in fixed 1D3 cameras with the 1.1.3 firmware is a great improvement. However there are still some caveats where RG still says that sometimes the 1D2N works better - particularly in bright sunlight.
The 1Ds3 is mentioned, but only to say it wasn't tested... of course that hasn't stopped some armchair pundits from writing it off already :-) For some instant rants check out the DPreview 1D/1Ds/5D board :-) :-)
9th There are certainly more cameras about now in the UK (LCE in Southampton had one available the other day) although deliveries in the US are much more patchy. Doesn't look as if Canon is having any problem shifting them...
An apology to anyone who mailed in with questions using the email address on the 1Ds3 notes page - the email hadn't been set up correctly, so the mail would not have got through... it now works.
7th Anyone using Sandisk Extreme II cards with a 1Ds3? It's the only type I've heard associated with any problems so far, so I was curious...
BTW I -NEVER- format cards on a computer - the only cards I ever lost over the last few years had been lent to someone, and after suitable interrogation, they finally admitted formatting them on some windoze laptop... :-)
- As someone who follows some of the assorted forum discussions going on, there are two particular topics which personally, are mostly lost on me. One is the incredible detail people are analysing raw files from different cameras and lenses to spot the tiniest of differences in resolution and AA filter strength. The other is people going on about the D3 and the 1D3 AF issues spelling the end of Canon. I guess some of us still just make our equipment choices and get on with taking photos :-) :-)
6th I had a message (thanks) from someone in the UK who's been told that their 1Ds3 will be with them next Monday, so it looks as if the 2nd batch is being distributed now...
I've had reports from people having dificulty with various CF cards just not working in the 1Ds3. In particular I've heard problems with a Sandisk Extreme II (4GB) and there is also mention of this same type (8GB) in a DPR thread.
I've not had any problems myself, since I'm still using the 4GB and 1GB cards from my 1Ds (from Crucial). Since I had one sitting around, I have a Sandisk Extreme III card in the SD slot - more as an emergency 1GB buffer than anything fast though. You can set the camera to record different types of file to different cards, should you be feeling particularly paranoid, or the pictures are sufficiently valuable ;-)
- Oh, and since someone asked... of course I've got a 1Ds4 page :-) :-)
5th Although not currently in stock, a number of retailers are dropping their headline 1Ds3 prices. In Brisbane, Photo Continental have gone to AUD $11,000, although with one body delivered last week and a waiting list, it's only a possibility of delivery before Christmas.
I also heard that Calumet in the US say that they did actually have one 1Ds3 delivered last week, but no more as yet.
4th Phil Holland has sent me his excellent review of using the 1Ds3 over the last few days, rather more organised and thorough than my own notes ;-)
3rd Several people have asked if I'm still updating this page as well as my 1Ds3 notes page now I've got a 1Ds3? - most definitely!
Buyer Beware - already the 1Ds3 is appearing on eBay. If it looks too cheap, then it's a scam. There were not that many 1Ds3s delivered in the first batch. From a personal point of view I hope any real ones that do appear on eBay won't make people much money either.
In the US there still appears to be some confusion as to when any of the large dealers (B&H, Adorama etc) will have any 1Ds3s available. There are people in the US with the camera, but these all seem to have come from smaller 'pro' dealers. One suggestion I had, was that any cameras the big stores did have went straight to very big corporate clients.
Updated... I'm told that none of the big 4 US retailers (B&H, Adorama, Calumet and Ritz) had received a 1Ds3 by the 1st, so they couldn't have favoured corporate clients. The big retailers (in the US) are being told [DPR] that it will be 2-3 weeks before they get their delivery.
Amazon no longer have any estimated availability on their 1Ds3 page, although it was interesting to see that in the 'What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing Items Like This?' category, 61% of people went on to buy a 40D, while 16% were so disillusioned that they went on to buy the G9 (11% each 5D and 1D3) :-)
In th UK I've been contacted by a few 1Ds3 owners to compare notes - estimates of how many are really in 'circulation' in the UK have ranged from a few dozen to no more than 150. I did my own quick AF check and all seems well. That said, I don't have any huge white lenses, although I know of someone near me in the UK who is conducting some tests with a 600/4
It's a nice day here and I've kept the work diary pretty empty, so I think it's time for a trip out to take some pictures :-)
November 30th Lots of dealers throughout the world are getting initial shipments today. From what I've heard, many are only getting a small proportion of their initial orders, although most are now expecting regular shipments every 7-10 days.
I saw a post on DPR suggesting that now it is shipping we can expect an in-depth review in October 2008 :-) :-)
- I've been out this morning just wandering round with the 1Ds3, and have just downloaded a few hundred images to have a look at. I'll have a look at putting some proper examples on the notes page later [now updated], but suffice to say, the performance is an appreciable step up from the 1Ds. I even tried AI Servo mode on some fast moving traffic, from a bridge, but apart from the traffic slowing down when I pointed a white lens at them (70-200 2.8L IS) there was no problem with focus :-) Of course this is the UK at the end of November, and I hadn't got people in running vests to photograph, but for my limited use of AI Servo it looks OK ;-)
29th Christmas arrives early :-)
- I'm waiting for the battery to charge and will posting my thoughts and tests on a new '1Ds Mark 3 notes' page. I'm not looking to do detailed performance testing (loads of people will do that!) - it's more intended to cover my move from the 1Ds to the 1Ds3. I'll be putting links in to any good tests or sample pages I find too. As ever feedback and questions are welcome, but expect me to be out taking pictures :-)
28th In the UK I''ve just heard that Park Cameras now has their first delivery of the 1Ds3 due this afternoon.
- Hopefully I'll have one tomorrow... no 'paying' jobs to get in the way for the rest of the week :-) I'll try and post some of my initial impressions, but you'll excuse me if I actually go out and take some photos with it ;-) The only initial comparison type shot I'm planning is to take is one using the TS/E 90 @f8 (probably my sharpest lens), with MLU and on a tripod, to compare with the same lens and settings on my original 1Ds. I'll be doing some higher ISO testing when it gets dark, but given my dislike of using them, don't expect me to have a tripod with me :-)
I've had quite a few people ask how many cameras are shipping in the first batch of deliveries from Canon? Only Canon knows for sure, but the best information I've had from Japan (thanks ;-) suggested that some 200 cameras were released in Japan, part of a total of about 2500 worldwide. Of course there will be more shipments fairly soon, but even large dealers in Japan were saying that if you order one today, then expect a few months wait.
In the US, Canon have told many dealers to expect some cameras by the end of the week, and at AJP in the UK they only had 4 of their initial order of 14 shipped.
Now that the 1ds3 is finally shipping, quite a few dealers are putting on demo events. For example, at Foto Care in New York, there is a 1Ds3 event (with Canon people) on the 4th of December.
27th Don't expect many 1Ds3s in the first delivery... one comment suggested that there were only a 'few dozen' in the first shipment to Australia for example - that's for the whole country.
- Having just used my TS/E 24 lens on a job this morning, I certainly hope there is some truth in the comments [lenses page] about Canon producing a new Tilt/shift lens. The 24mm allows me to get some shots with corrected verticals that I just couldn't get at sufficient quality using PS alone. That said, it's a bit soft with a lot of shift, so I'm sure Canon could produce something a bit better if they applied modern design techniques (inc. exif data holding tilt/shift info) I just have a feeling that we are looking at least at a £1600 lens ;-) AF anyone? :-) :-)
26th In the UK, AJ Purdy (a Canon pro dealer) have just told an enquirer that Canon have promised them a delivery this week. Do note the comments on this page (25th Oct) where AJP were phoning people up saying that cameras would be in during the '1st-2nd week of November' ;-)
In the US Calumet are saying that they are getting some at the end of the week, and that people on the waiting list should call on the 30th (Friday) to see who's getting one.
The limited 1Ds3 supplies are leading to some pretty pessimistic timings for getting one if you are not already on a list. I was told of one European dealer who suggested that if you wanted one, then April was a reasonable date to expect it.
25th I'm told (thanks) that an enquirer to Canon in Canada was informed that 1Ds3's are in a warehouse in Calgary, waiting for the official release announcement from Canon HQ on the 6th of December.
There are still lots of people pointing to the 29th (see this LL thread) while there are more than a few cries of 'hoax' on the DPR thread mentioned on the 22nd (no-one else has claimed to have a 1Ds3)
While waiting, why not have a browse through the D3 user manual (PDF) ;-)
24th A caller at York Cameras (a London Pro dealer) was told that "they will be surprised if they see the 1Ds3 before Christmas". Whether this was seeing any at all, or just that the initial quantity was so small that they were spoken for, wasn't clear.
23rd I'm told by someone who checked (thanks) that 'Teds' in Australia actually expect stock -after- Christmas. A bit of website 'marketing license' there ;-)
22nd Has the 1Ds3 been released in France? A DPR poster suggests so... Whether this is the start of real deliveries is not so clear. There's also a 'limited stock available now' notice at Ted's cameras in Australia (although I've not had any confirmation of this?)
- Happy Thanksgiving to visitors and friends in the US :-)
21st I've been sent quite a few reports from people suggesting that there will be an initial shipment of cameras next week, now that Canon have set a date on their main site. A comment on DPR suggested 10 for a dealer in Boulder CO, which if true, might suggest that Canon have held back from an initial delivery so as to be able to ship more when the first batch goes out.
However, I'm told that Canon US have dropped the 'Available November 2007' note from the 1Ds3 page.
Meanwhile in the UK, I was told of someone getting a call from their dealer saying that some (5) D300s would turn up on Friday, and some D3s next week...
20th At POTN, someone has provided a loose translation of the Japanese text around the 29th date on the Canon site below...
"The decision has been made for a sale date in late November (November 29th, Thursday). However, orders have gone above our intial expectations and we expect the arrival of the cameras to take some time. We appologise very sincerly for this inconvienience. At present all involved staff are doing their best for stable supply of the cameras and we ask for your understanding on this matter."
That's as close as you are going to get to Canon saying that dealers aren't going to get many cameras from their initial orders.
16th In Japan I'm told (thanks) that Canon is saying that the camera is launched on the 29th November.
If asked about 1Ds3 delivery, Adorama are currently saying "No eta yet from Canon on the camera."
FYI... some Nikon D3 sample images at RG... "We were given a preproduction D3 in late October, but in making the body available, Nikon USA stipulated that we not publish pictures from it. If we could, we'd show examples of how the D3 stacks up against Canon's EOS-1D Mark III at higher ISOs, and those examples would reveal that, while there are differences in the appearance of image graininess - Canon's grain is tighter and less visually objectionable - the D3 produces a higher-quality file overall at ISO 3200 and beyond. On the other hand, EOS-1D Mark III files - especially CR2s processed through Canon's Digital Photo Professional - are generally crisper and more detailed."
15th At LL there is now an overview of using a 1Ds3 for a while by MR. Don't expect DPreview type of testing, more the considered thoughts of someone using a camera for real and taking some 5000 photos.
- Hopefully I'll have my own version here when the 1Ds3 turns up, only I suspect the location will be somewhat less exotic... :-)
At B&H in the US, the 1Ds3 is listed with this note:
"Availability:Approx. Arrival November
Important Notice! Estimated availability - November"
So it appears that delivery estimates still vary widely ;-)
14th Some formal sign of delivery slippage at last? A UK dealer (Robert White) is saying:
"**Expected end of 2007** The 1Ds Mark III was due for release this month, but the recall of the 1D Mark III has delayed the process, as 1Ds Mark III cameras are being checked & tested prior to release"
In the US I was told (thanks) that jr.com were now saying 'December 15th' for deliveries rather than their previous 'Mid November' guestimate.
Make what you will of this... It's at the Royal Berkshire Hall of the Jerudong Polo Club no less... 1Ds3 launch in Brunei :-) :-)
Meanwhile in the UK, there is a Canon 'Launch Event' in London on the 5th of December...
- We are delighted to invite you to the Canon 20twenty event which celebrates the release of the new Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and 20 years of Canon EOS.
- Canon has raised the stakes in the professional photography market with the launch of the 21 Megapixel, 5 frames per second EOS-1Ds Mark III. Our new flagship digital SLR sets a new benchmark in image resolution and sharpness for 35mm format digital photography.
- Experience the EOS-1Ds Mark III first-hand in a dynamic studio environment where our specialist team will be on hand to answer any questions.
- Drinks and canapés will be served.
- Date: Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6 December 2007
- Time: 6.00pm - 9.00pm
- Location: Jerwood Space, 171 Union Street, London SE1 0LN www.jerwoodspace.co.uk
It's just south of the Tate Modern... invite
13th A short life for the 'unlucky' 1D3? info on the '1D4' page
12th If you have a look on the Canon USA page I mentioned the other day, under the drivers/downloads section you can download the 1Ds3 manual.
I'm told that there can be problems with downloading the PDF, but a copy is mirrored at TDP
Someone called C2U, and guess what, they were out of stock. However the person on the phone claimed:
- "they weren't currently in stock, but would have more stock in on the 15th November, after having sold out of their initial batch. Although there were still outstanding backorders, he was confident that the batch due in on the 15th would satisfy these, and that there may be some available for those who wish to order now"
Far be it for me to accuse them of being deliberately untruthful, but after some further enquiries I believe that the -only- correct info in that statement is that they don't have stock and have backorders. I'm still currently expecting to have my 1Ds3 money in my possession at the start of December... (I agree with this DPR poster ;-)
- Update to earlier comments below - it seems C2U do have an address on the web site if you look carefully enough - and they give an address that is the same as the head office of Jessops ... a well known UK camera shop for those of you outside the UK
- --Thanks for all the info folks! :-)
Who are 'cameras2u.com'? I don't know, but they claim to have the 1Ds3 in stock at £6000... Before you ask I don't think they currently list the D3 or D300 as 'in stock' ;-) I was also more curious when I found that they work out of a Leicester (UK) post office box (I live in Leicester), but don't have a local phone number. Sounds like the old "sorry they're just out of stock, can we put you on backorder?" routine ... but who knows (if anyone tries to get a 1Ds3, then do let me know ;-)
- Note, under the UK OFT (Office of Fair Trading) distance trading guidelines (PDF guide), a business must give its full physical address, and a PO box is specifically deemed not adequate. If you have any complaints then the people to contact would be, in this instance, Leicester Trading Standards, which would be reasonable since I suspect they are Jessops wearing another hat ;-)
11th I was told of another NZ price at $12150, so that looks to be the going rate there.
Still no real details on delivery dates - for a collection of comments from people who have asked Canon, see this DPR thread.
- I've had a few people ask me why I stuck with the 1Ds for so long? Apart from the cost of replacing it... for a lot of work, there just wasn't that much difference with a 1Ds2. Obviously that's just for my own use (you'll have to look round the site to see the sorts of commercial work I use it for) Whilst trawling various places for news, I came across these two direct 1Ds/1Ds2 comparisons [#1, #2], which mirrored some of my own thoughts a couple of years ago. I'm doing more work that pushes the 1Ds, so time for a change :-)
10th Various conspiracy theorists concerned users are visible on discussion forums maintaining that when Canon says that there is no connection between 1D3 AF problems and the AF system on the 1Ds3 they just can't be trusted. Hopefully someone in a warm climate will get people to run around while pointing a 1Ds3 and long lens at them in AI servo mode. Since I think I've used that servo mode no more than a couple of dozen times in the 4 yrs. I've had my 1Ds, I'm not currently expecting to include this in my own personal testing of the Mk3 when it turns up ...also it's winter here :-)
As well as useful links to 1Ds sources I'm getting several questions about cheaper 1Ds3 'offers'... Once again, if it looks too good to be true, then it probably is. An eBay 1Ds3 (with a free 8GB card!) I saw, priced at £4199, had 'dodgy' written all over it... of course the Hotmail 'contact address' helped alleviate any concerns I might have had ;-) As for an outfit called e-xcessories... I'll just post a link to Resellerratings.com I was sent.
9th While Amazon is currently posting a December 10th delivery date, I'm told that Canon USA still have an 'available in November 2007' note on the 1Ds3 page.
Calumet (in the US) recently told an enquirer that:
"They are on schedule for delivery right at the end of the month." They expect to have [delivery] quantities a day or two before they receive the product once it is in the country.
- Thanks everyone, for sending updates on this...
At LL MR has got back from his Madagascar jaunt and reports that his pre-production 1Ds3 worked fine :-)
8th In Australia I'm told by one person with one on order that the price has firmed a bit more to AUD$10,990 (inc tax) and delivery 'in the first week or two of December'. Meanwhile I'm told of one in NZ on order for NZ$12,150 (which is a bit lower than the Oz price)
Initial deliveries are looking to be very small, and unless you are well up on a waiting list I suspect it may well be early next year before you can pick up a 1Ds3.
- Note - Our hosting service has had a few minor glitches over the last few days - sorry if the site was out when you last looked
6th Still no firm delivery information (I still have my money on the end of the month, or perhaps early December ;-)
4th Another collection [1Ds3 shots] (outdoors) for people to go over, including on at least one forum the obligatory cries of 'Hoax' and general cries of discontent that there where no lens test charts or other such tedious (IMHO) subjects... :-) :-)
1st Canon announce affected serial numbers for 1D Mk3 cameras, along with an apology...
"We offer our most sincere apologies to all who have been inconvenienced by this issue." Details on the 1D3 page
There's more 1D3 info at RG including a comment from Chuck Westfall (Canon USA) that:
- "The EOS-1Ds Mark III will ship from the outset with a properly-functioning sub-mirror, and its release schedule has not been impacted, he says. It's on track to ship later this month."
There's more 1Ds3 example pics in an article at LGD.
- Note to Canon - invite me out somewhere nice like that and I'll write up something along those lines too... ;-)
October 31st Several Canon software updates are available for download (details on 5D2 page) It specifically includes 1Ds3 support.
30th If you are looking for a -cheap- 1Ds3 then do be careful of various cheap internet sites - I've just been told of someone getting a grey import 40D from HiDigital in the UK... As well as no warranty and user manual, the mains adapter was for the US, and the camera display set to Chinese... Caveat emptor
29th At various demos, Canon have been careful to stop people slipping their own CF cards into cameras - not careful enough it would seem... Some sample 1Ds3 shots (these are from last month, I'd not seen them before)
In the US I'm told (by JimW in Florida - thanks) that a major dealer is expecting their stock 'any day' from Canon and expects to ship pre-orders shortly after.
27th In the UK it seems that all 1D3 stock is being recalled (letter from Canon UK on 1D3 page)
We've had several comments about 1Ds3 delivery info, where it was noted that shipping some cameras on Friday 30th November, for delivery first week of December, would allow Canon to meet their 'shipping in November' statements...
26th In Denmark a pro dealer in Copenhagen has the price (inc. taxes) at 57,493DKK (~£5600 at today's 'tourist' rates)
On DPR someone mentions that jr.com in the US are expecting their 1Ds3 order in the 2nd week of November...
I've now had several different reports from around the world, all suggesting that early November is a very optimistic date for expecting to see your 1Ds3 ;-)
25th At least one UK Pro dealer (AJP) has been phoning people who pre-ordered offering them a price (£5400) and a 4GB card for a firm order. When the kit arrives was not so precise - one person was quoted ~7th Nov and the other "1st - 2nd week in November". Certainly one way of turning your 'maybe' orders into real ones ;-)
Suffice to say, no-one has sent me any evidence of a shipping date that soon ;-) If anyone has any more dealer supplied shipping dates, then I'd be curious to know?
A third person contacted me confirming the AJP calls. Meanwhile on the other side of the world it seems the official Australian 'RRP' price has been set at AUD$12,000 which is $1000 down from the original.
If you are planning to use a WFT-E2/ E2A wireless unit with your 1Ds3, then there is a firmware update to V1.0.1 from Canon. The update addresses a problem where shutter firing could be delayed due to network problems. It now takes the shot and writes it to a card.
23rd At last some UK prices and quite a drop there is too. With most dealers still posting prices pushing £6000 (As I mentioned I always round up £5999.99 to a more realistic £6000), Dabs have come in at £4910. Since official pricing is still somewhat fluid, expect more shuffling for position ;-)
I've just been told (thanks) about someone called lambda-tek that are down to £4867.06 -- Interestingly enough in their specs it says that 'Digital Zoom' is "Dependent on the lens"... At last - one of the major oversights of the EOS 'One' series is corrected, I look forward to trying it out :-) :-)
- Seems like a lot of people are queueing up to sell a products that is still rather hazy, even from Canon, on official shipping/pricing. As ever, caveat emptor...
20th If you go back and read the LL article I mentioned yesterday, you will see that the comments about the AA filter (and reason for its strength) have been removed - "...an early version which was not intended for publication because of mistakes in my initial analysis"
The AA filter comments interested me since in a non-attributable beta testers report I had from someone back on August 30th said:
"The amount of fine detail visible suggests that a relatively weak (compared to 1Ds2) AA filter is in use. The improvement looks more than would be expected from the 16->21 MP increase."
The important thing to remember (and MR does emphasise this in his article) is that the cameras are pre-production - all sorts of options get tried out in testing, so it's quite possible that the comments I had in August referred to a camera with less AA filtering.
Read the first few posts in this follow-up LL thread for some -useful- comments on AA.
19th The AF 'fix' is for real, and Canon US (Chuck W) have said that the problem specifically does not apply to any other camera - particularly the 1Ds3
There is a brief discussion of using the 1Ds3 on LL, but it was a pre-production camera, and despite MR saying every other paragraph that it was a sample and therefore he wasn't commenting in detail on image quality, I've already seen posts on DPR lambasting him for lack of detail in the 'review'
- ... If you've ever written much for the internet, you'll know just how little many people actually read. I regularly get people phoning me up to buy colour calibrators or Epson printers ?? A prize to the person who can find any bit of this site where I sell such stuff :-) :-)
MR does (of course ;-) bemoan the lack of a Mirror lock up (MLU) button, but makes interesting comments about the anti-aliasing (AA) filter, when compared with MF backs. I'm looking forward to writing my own 'first impressions' but am still not expecting a camera until next month some time - All those MP are going to stretch my lens collection, and might even encourage me to use a tripod in daylight (OK, that last one just isn't going to happen very much - I loathe them ;-)
- With his comments, look for a minor avalance of ill-informed argument about AA filters and their use/efficiency :-) :-)
17th - Mention of a hardware fix for 1D3 AF issues? (on the 1D3 page)
... Hopefully fixed for the 1Ds3 ;-)
13th Some brief comments on LL about using the 1Ds3. Sounds promising :-)
12th An estimated 'Mid' November delivery date in this article at RG - based on comments by Chuck Westfall (Canon) in the US
[The 1Ds3] "will be bundled with an even newer version of ImageBrowser/ZoomBrowser EX + RAW Image Task that does include support for its CR2 files, as well as Digital Photo Professional 3.2, EOS Utility 2.2 and Picture Style Editor 1.1"
11th lots of test images at DC-W
7th Someone has kindly posted some 1Ds3 pics on DPR.
- They mention that they are just some quick examples, but that hasn't stopped the super critical piling in with negative remarks ... I guess that's to be expected on some forums ;-)
5th I'm in the US for another week or so, and don't have links on my laptop to all the usual places I check out :-)
However, I note persistant rumours of the 1Ds3 being delayed due to the need to 'fix' 1D3 AF issues. I've had no credible info to back this up though, and wasn't expecting my 1Ds3 until next month at the earliest. However, once I'm back in the UK I'll be chasing up delivery estimates and the as yet nebulous pricing for the Ds3.
September 28th I'm currently travelling in the US - so updates may be a little patchy for the next couple of weeks. I'll be keeping a travel blog of sorts if anyone is curious ;-)
17th From our crop of info turning up over the weekend (see 5D2/general rumours for more, along with the rumours index page for all todays updates)
Canon engineers are stating (internally!) that all the lessons learnt from the 1D III AF had been applied to the AF and firmware in the 1Ds III (see 1D3 page)
Expect a lot more advertising emphasising the real image quality improvements between the 1Ds II and 1Ds III particularly in levels of detail.
Pricing is very much a live issue for Canon.
The likely route is that:
- The price of the 1Ds III will drop progressively and end up about US $1000 more than the 1D III – reflecting more the manufacturing cost differences for the full frame.
- Initial price drop will happen either before launch (aimed at the D3 here, as much as anything) or shortly after launch.
- The price of the 1D III will also drop back progressively from US $5000 to closer to $4000 over time.
Pre-orders from studios and shops have been strong.
16th Some new sample shots from Canon (see above)
The landscape shot is impressive, but couldn't they find someone to take the pictures who didn't feel the need to apply that naff graduated filter to the sky (yes, I loathe them :-) :-)
I also had some comments (thanks!) from someone at a 'Pro' day in the UK who noted that:
- "...the [1Ds3] viewfinder is brighter and live view is very usable. Shutter sounds really silky."
They also noted that 1Ds3 menu text was smaller than on the 1D3, but with the pre-production model, no photos were allowed... (see also 1D3 AF comments on the 1D3 page )
12th I've heard via one dealer sorting out their 1Ds3 supplies that their first dozen or so cameras (1st/2nd week November) will come in at about 10% less than the originally asked price. (Not UK and I was asked not to give details)
There are some puported 1Ds3 1600 ISO shots in a post at DPR - having been out tonight, and shot some at 1250 on my 1Ds, I can only say ... where is -my- 1Ds3 :-)
11th Listen to Chuck Westfall go on about the 1Ds3 at youtube. It's just audio with a few moving stills, so not much more than you'd get by reading the press releases below out loud ;-) :-)
There's also an interview with a Canon Exec that covers some interesting areas (details on 5D2/general rumours page)
9th I'm told (thanks) of a dealer in Germany that has been informed that their 1Ds3s will arrive in the week starting 5th November
8th No news on deliveries as yet...
Over at GM there is a video of someone having a go with a 1Ds3 (note worried Canon rep in the background :-)
August 30th After some comments from several people (thanks) actually using the 1Ds Mk3 (still not final production versions) I have to say I'm looking forward to using one for my work, more than ever :-)
The firmware is still being tweaked, and testers get regular visits from a Canon rep to install new firmware and take detailed reports on problems/issues/performance. Some of the comments I've received (in no particular order)
- Liveview focussing works a treat - people doing product work are loving it
- Good lenses are showing their benefits, but others are not as bad as some had expected
- The highlight tone priority is ideal for anyone working outside on sunny days :-)
- People are using DPP to process the RAW files for the time being, although many are converting to DNG for further work.
- Some of the amount of extra dynamic range that can be pulled out of the 14 bit files still needs some software tricks, but expect some pretty interesting results when the various specialist raw processing software vendors get to work.
- Overall colour accuracy is a definite improvement over the 1Ds2, particularly noticeable in reds/skintones
- The amount of fine detail visible suggests that a relatively weak (compared to 1Ds2) AA filter is in use. The improvement looks more than would be expected from the 16->21 MP increase.
- The improved viewfinder really shows if you have to go back to using a 1Ds2
- At A3 sizes(and above) prints and large glossy magazine images look noticeably better than the MK2
- High ISO noise performance is much better (than the Mk2) with less chroma noise and better detail.
- At 100 ISO there has been the suggestion of a bit more shadow noise - not visible in real work, and perhaps more suited to 'Angels on a head of a pin' arguments on DPR ;-)
- Unless you are working in a very well lit studio environment the P25 MF back is easily matched, and a P45 can be bested if the lighting is not optimal.
If anyone testing a 1Ds3 cares to comment, then do let us know (we're happy not to say who from ;-)
26th New firmware (V1.1.1) for the 1D3 is now being installed by Canon service at the Osaka games - fixes 'some' AF issues and the 'Error 99 problem'
We are told (sorry, can't say from where) to regard the initial list prices for the 1Ds3 as 'not finalised'. Just what this means in the real world remains to be seen... Suffice to say, that from this particular source and since I'm forking out real cash for one I'll be checking it out more next week (Monday is a holiday in the UK)
Canon have also released a 38 page 'White paper (PDF file)' all about the 1DsMk3. Lots of useful info and diagrams like the bigger microlenses picture below.
23rd Over on DPR there's a supposed dealer rumour (California) about Canon and the 1DsMk3
"Canon has PULLED all their shipment queue for the 1DsMIII and are not taking orders at the moment."
- Doesn't match up with any comments I've had so far from the UK and other places round the world. Obviously since I'm buying one of these cameras, I'm keeping quite a careful eye on developments...
A comment from someone who's had a play with a 1Ds3 (thanks)
"The most noticeable thing, in the 2 minutes I held it, was how much bigger the viewfinder image is compared to a 1Ds MkII or 5D."
Meanwhile... Nikon move to FF too (Nikon D3 info) Very interesting specs and well worth a look for 1Ds3 users - look to see some of these features in the '1Ds3N' ;-) I'm told that some of them are already in there, it's just a firmware issue, but when has Canon ever upgraded a camera with firmware only?
22nd Nikon to release a FF camera? - the Nikon forums are alight with speculation :-) All info we've found is on our 5D page.
21st We've had a few mails asking about the variation in prices (Euros = Dollars for example). If you are doing comparisons and thought of a cheap trip to New York then don't forget taxes and the warranty situation. That said, given the price of the 1Ds3 I can see a lot of people waiting until the price drops a bit and they are available (say, next March :-) and taking a quick trip to the US (particularly if it's still $2 to the pound ;-)
There's a video from the Canon product launch at PI and there's this picture taken at yesterday's launch in London (thanks)
20th Thanks to everyone sending me info this morning (waiting in my in-box once I woke up :-)
- We hope to get our 1Ds3 from Park Cameras in the UK - hopefully for a hands on review as soon as they are shipped :-)
This page will concentrate on 1Ds3 info, while more general rumours (including Nikon/Sony info) will in future go on the 5D replacement page, since this is likely to be the next major camera announced by Canon
We've also had some more direct comments (thanks) on the performance of 1Ds Mk3 (pre release) models in the studio
- "picture quality thrashes a P25 back and except in very bright lights is generally better than a P45 because of the low low noise and amazing colour/dynamic range. There is phenomenal shadow and highlight detail in the raw files, photographers using the 1Ds3 are creating HDR 'looks' by processing the same RAW file 3 or 4 times to bring our different exposure"
Canon Japan has lots of info (inc. a sample image)
CANON USA's NEW LINE-LEADING, 21.1-MEGAPIXEL, FULL-FRAME EOS-1Ds MARK III DIGITAL SLR KEEPS CANON AT THE TOP OF THE PRO PHOTO CLASS
Responsive, Ultra-High Resolution, Ultra-Low Noise CMOS Sensor and Dual "DIGIC III" Image Processors Power the EOS-1Ds Mark III Into the Realm of Medium-Format Digital Cameras, at a Fraction of the Cost – Fast, New Ultra Wide-Angle 14mm Lens Is a Picture Perfect Match for the Camera's Full Frame Sensor –
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., August 20, 2007 – The new 21.1-megapixel, full-frame Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR* camera brings the power of Canon U.S.A., Inc.'s professional imaging excellence and innovation into sharper focus than ever before. While Canon's EOS-1D series has dominated the 35mm-based professional Digital SLR market for the past six years, the new EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR takes Canon's pro-digital prowess into and the realm of high-fashion and commercial photo studios where bulkier, medium-format cameras previously reigned.
The Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III's compact, lighter-weight magnesium alloy body is rugged and versatile enough to take out of the studio and into the field. The camera's fast, five-frame-per-second (fps) shooting rate for bursts of up to 56 Large/Fine (21-megapixel) JPEGS or 12 RAW images is unmatched in its class, making it the ideal instrument for capturing the fluid motion and free-flowing lines of location-based fashion photography as well as a wide range of other professional photographic applications.
The Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III professional digital single lens reflex camera is scheduled to begin shipping in November and will have an estimated selling price of $7,999 (the same price as its predecessor, the 16.7 megapixel EOS-1Ds Mark II).
"The EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR camera is a prime example of the EOS philosophy and Canon's ongoing commitment to providing photo professionals with the tools they need to create the finest quality images" stated Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager Consumer Imaging Group Canon U.S.A. "To continue our legacy, we must provide not only the right professional tools, but also the finest photo tools for the job and do so consistently, whether we are presenting this exemplary EOS-1Ds Mark III SLR camera, or any one of the many fine specialty lenses, flashes and accessories that populate the EOS professional photo system."
Revolutionary Resolution
Developed and manufactured by Canon specifically for the EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR, the camera's new full-size 36 x 24 mm CMOS image sensor offers the highest resolution in its class, and is comprised of approximately 21.1 million effective pixels (5632 x 3750) set at a pitch of 6.4 microns. The user can select any one of six recording formats ranging from 21.0 megapixels in Large JPEG or RAW format, 16.6 or 11.0 megapixels in the two medium JPEG sizes, or 5.2 megapixels in the small JPEG or "sRAW" formats. In any JPEG format, the user can set one of ten compression rates for each image size. In sRAW mode, the number of pixels is reduced to one-fourth that of a standard RAW image and the file size is cut in half, while retaining all of the flexibility and creative possibilities associated with full-size, traditional RAW images.
Dual "DIGIC III" Image Processors
Fulfilling the ultra-low noise, ultra-high image quality promise of the EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR camera requires handling the enormous signal processing requirements of the camera's 21-megapixel resolution and top continuous shooting speed of five fps. To accomplish this, Canon has incorporated two identical DIGIC III imaging engines into the camera for parallel (and hence, faster) signal processing. The CMOS sensor reads out to the dual "DIGIC III" processors simultaneously in eight channels. DIGIC III is the next generation of Canon's proprietary image processing engine. This technology ensures the fine details and natural colours of images are optimally recorded and, as an added bonus, is responsible for the EOS-1Ds Mark III SLR's high-speed performance, faster signal processing and more efficient energy consumption. 
Adding to the improved virtuosity of the images captured by the EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR camera is the camera's 14-bit Analog-to-Digital (A/D) conversion process. Able to recognize 16,384 colours per channel (four times the number of colours recognized by the EOS-1Ds Mark II Digital SLR camera's 12-bit conversion capability), this line-leading model is able to produce images with finer and more accurate gradations of tones and colours. Additionally, given the significantly larger image file sizes created by the EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR camera, Canon has provided compatibility with the new Ultra Direct Memory Access (UDMA) compact flash memory card specification, which enables ultra-high-speed data transfer to the card. Utilizing a UDMA compliant card doubles the data transfer speed compared to a conventional memory card, putting the new EOS-1Ds Mark III on par with the 10.1-megapixel EOS-1D Mark III camera, even though the pixel count of this new model is more than twice as large.
Advanced Autofocus Technology
The EOS-1Ds Mark III autofocus system - first introduced earlier this year on the EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR - has 45 AF points including 19 high-precision cross-type points and 26 Assist AF points. This new array allows the 19 cross-type points to be divided into groups of nine inner and nine outer focusing points plus a centre point, which makes picking an individual focusing point much faster and easier than going through all 45. During manual AF point selection, the AF point area is expandable in two stages via Custom Function control.
At the request of sports and wildlife photographers, a new micro-adjustment feature allows for very fine changes in the AF point of focus for each lens type in use, along with the addition of adjustable focus-tracking sensitivity as another sophisticated new AF feature. Other new components in the AF system include the reconfigured concave submirror and the secondary image formation lens, both products of Canon's vast expertise in optical engineering. Finally, the low-light sensitivity of the new AF sensor has been doubled to EV-1 for superior performance, compared with earlier EOS digital SLRs.
Live View
One of the dynamic innovations incorporated into new EOS Digital SLRs - and optimized for professional shooters on the EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR - is Canon's Live View shooting mode which provides photographers with an expanded and exceedingly convenient set of shooting options beyond the conventional SLR through-the-lens viewing. Framing and shooting subjects using the camera's LCD screen affords the shooter the same 100 percent field of view provided by the optical viewfinder - this is a full-frame digital SLR after all - but Live View has the added advantage of allowing the image to be more easily composed on the camera's bright and brilliant 230,000-pixel, three-inch LED screen. Additionally, the LCD-viewed image can be magnified by five or ten times in order to ensure that the shot is optimally focused.
Live View is at its best during tripod shooting, particularly for close-up photography where precise focusing is imperative. As a side benefit, the Live View shooting mode helps to reduce vibration by lifting the reflex mirror out of the optical path well in advance of the exposure, improving image quality at slow shutter speeds. Additionally, as the release time lag is miniscule, even instantaneous movements like a bird taking flight can be readily captured. The shutter charge sound can be delayed and made quieter than normal in Live View mode to avoid spooking wildlife or disturbing people nearby with unwanted camera sounds.
If a user is going to be several feet away from the camera, such as in some studio settings, the EOS-1Ds Mark III can be connected by cable to a computer via its USB 2.0 High-Speed interface. The camera can also be operated remotely at distances up to 492 feet with the assistance of the optional Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E2A which allows users to view images directly off the camera's sensor in virtually real-time, with the ability to adjust many camera settings quickly and easily.
Viewing Display
Easy to read, even in outdoor conditions such as bright sunlight, the EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR camera features a three-inch, 230,000-pixel wide angle LCD display screen. The TFT colour liquid-crystal monitor features seven user-settable brightness levels and a wide, 140-degree viewing angle, both horizontally and vertically. An added advantage of the large, three-inch display size is the ability to utilize a larger font size for text, making it easier to read setting and menu options on the screen.
Canon extends its "ease-of-reading" policy to the EOS-1Ds Mark III's viewfinder as well. Bright and clear with zero distortion and a 100 percent picture coverage and a magnification factor of .75x, it is the finest viewfinder ever placed in an EOS camera.
EOS Integrated Cleaning System
Another first for a professional digital SLR of this caliber is Canon's complete dust management solution, called the EOS Integrated Cleaning System. The new CMOS image sensor is designed with a lightweight infrared absorption glass cover that vibrates for 3.5 seconds when the camera is turned on or off. This brief delay can be cancelled immediately upon start-up by pressing the shutter button half way. Dust that has been shaken or blown loose of the sensor is trapped by adhesive surfaces surrounding the sensor unit housing, preventing the problematic particles from reattaching themselves to the filter when the camera moves.
Like its sibling, the EOS-1D Mark III, the shutter of the EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR camera carries a durability rating of 300,000 cycles and, though it generates less dust, it still charges itself three times during the manual cleaning process so that dust is shaken off the shutter curtains as well. This cleaning system uses very little battery power and can be turned off in the custom function menu.
The second part of the dust management system is a software solution that maps the location of any spots that may remain on the sensor. The mapped information is saved as Dust Delete Data and attached to the image file. Subsequently, the offending dust information is subtracted from the final image during post processing, using the supplied Digital Photo Professional software.
Rock Solid Reliability
The entire body of the EOS-1Ds Mark III, including its internal chassis and mirror box, is made of an advanced magnesium alloy for exceptional strength and rigidity. Comprehensive weatherproofing at 76 locations on the camera body ensures superior reliability, even when shooting in harsh environments. Together with the 300,000-cycle shutter durability rating, these features result in a camera that, even though it is six ounces lighter than the EOS-1Ds Mark II, can truly withstand even the most severe shooting conditions.
Improved Software
Among the most valuable features of the EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR is its compatibility with Canon's new Picture Style Editor 1.0 software. With PSE, photographers can personalize the look of their photographs by inputting their own preferred image processing parameters, including custom tone curves. The EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR also ships with the latest versions of Canon's powerful software applications, including Digital Photo Professional 3.2 and EOS Utility 2.2, which support the camera's Remote Live View and Dust Delete Data functions, as well as incorporating a broad range of additional improvements designed to improve image quality and speed up workflow. Particularly noteworthy in DPP 3.2 is a new Lens Aberration Correction Function that corrects various image defects such as chromatic aberration, colour blur, vignetting and distortion. Initially, the Lens Aberration Correction Function will support images captured by the EOS-1Ds Mark III and 11 other EOS Digital SLRs using any of 29 individual EF and EF-S lenses. Also included are ZoomBrowser EX 6.0 and ImageBrowser 6.0 for easy browsing, viewing, printing and archiving with compatible computer operating systems, including Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows XP, as well as Mac OS X.
Technical Specifications
| List price (body only) | US: $7,999 EU: €7,999 |
| Body material | Magnesium alloy (exterior, chassis and mirror box) |
| Sensor | 36 x 24 mm CMOS sensor Full 35 mm size frame RGB Color Filter Array Built-in fixed low-pass filter (with self-cleaning unit) 21.9 million total pixels 21.1 million effective pixels 6.4 µm pixel pitch 3:2 aspect ratio |
| Image processor | Dual DIGIC III |
| A/D conversion | 14 bit |
| Image sizes (JPEG) | 5616 x 3744 (L; 21.0 MP) 4992 x 3328 (M1; 16.6 MP) 4080 x 2720 (M2; 11.0 MP) 2784 x 1856 (S; 5.2 MP) |
| Image sizes (RAW) | 5616 x 3744 (RAW; 21.0 MP) 2784 x 1856 (sRAW; 5.2 MP) |
| File formats |
RAW (.CR2; 14-bit) |
| File sizes (approx.) | JPEG L: 6.4 MB JPEG M1: 5.2 MB JPEG M2: 3.9 MB JPEG S: 2.2 MB RAW: 25.0 MB sRAW: 14.5 MB |
| JPEG quality options | Each JPEG size (L, M1, M2, S) can be set to a quality level of 1 to 10 (1 high compression, low quality - 10 low compression, high quality) |
| Lenses | Canon EF lens mount (does not support EF-S lenses) No field of view crop (1.0x) |
| Dust reduction | "EOS Integrated Cleaning System" Self-cleaning sensor unit (filter in front of sensor vibrates at high frequency at start-up and shutdown - can be disabled) Dust Delete Data - Data from a test shot is used to 'map' dust spots and can be later removed using Canon DPP Software |
| Auto focus | 45-point TTL 19 cross-type points, require F2.8 or faster lens * centre cross-type point requires F4.0 or faster lens 26 assist points, require F5.6 or faster lens * TTL-AREA-SIR with a CMOS sensor AF working range: -1.0 to 18 EV (at 23°C, ISO 100) |
| Focus modes | One shot AF AI Servo AF Manual focus |
| AF point selection | Auto Manual (all 19 or inner 9 / outer 9) |
| AF assist | External Speedlite only |
| Exposure modes | Program Aperture-priority Shutter-priority Manual Bulb |
| Metering |
63 zone metering linked to 19 AF points * |
| Metering modes |
Evaluative (63 zone linked to active AF point) |
| AE lock | Auto: One Shot AF with evaluative metering Manual: AE lock button |
| Exposure compensation | +/- 3.0 EV 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments |
| Exposure bracketing | 2, 3, 5 or 7 shots +/- 3.0 EV 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments |
| Sensitivity |
ISO 100 - 1600 |
| Shutter | Focal-plane shutter 300,000 exposure durability * 30 - 1/8000 sec 0.3, 0.5 or 1.0 EV increments Flash X-Sync: 1/250 sec Bulb |
| Aperture values | F1.0 - F91 0.3, 0.5 or 1.0 EV increments Actual aperture range depends on lens used |
| Noise reduction | Long exposure (1 sec or longer) Optional for High ISO (default Off) * |
| White balance | Auto Daylight Shade Cloudy Tungsten Fluorescent Flash Custom (up to 5 can be stored) Kelvin (2500 - 10000 K in 100 K steps) Personal WB (up to 5 can be preset in software *) |
| WB bracketing | +/-3 levels 3 images Blue / Amber or Magenta / Green bias |
| WB shift | Blue (-9) To Amber (+9) Magenta (-9) to Green (+9) |
| Picture style | Standard Portrait Landscape Neutral Faithful Monochrome User def. 1 User def. 2 User def. 3 |
| Custom image parameters | Sharpness: 0 to 7 Contrast: -4 to +4 Saturation: -4 to +4 Color tone: -4 to +4 B&W filter: N, Ye, Or, R, G B&W tone: N, S, B, P, G |
| Color space | sRGB Adobe RGB |
| Viewfinder | Eye-level pentaprism 100% frame coverage Magnification: 0.76x * (-1 diopter with 50 mm lens at infinity) Eyepoint: 20 mm Dioptric adjustment: -3 to +1 diopter Precision matte screen Ee-C IV (interchangeable) Eye-piece shutter available via lever |
| Mirror | Quick-return half mirror (transmission:reflection ratio 37:63) Mirror lock-up (once or multiple exposures) |
| Viewfinder info | AF points Focus confirmation light Metering mode ISO sensitivity * Shutter speed Aperture Manual exposure AE Lock Exposure compensation amount AEB level Spot metering circle Flash ready Red-eye reduction lamp on High-speed sync FE Lock Flash compensation amount Warnings Maximum burst for continuous shooting Buffer space |
| LCD monitor | 3.0" TFT LCD 230,000 pixels 7 brightness levels |
| LCD Live view * | Live TTL display of scene from CMOS image sensor 100% frame coverage Real-time evaluative metering using CMOS image sensor Best view or exposure simulation Grid optional (thirds) Magnify optional (5x or 10x at AF point) Aspect ratio masking for 6:6, 3:4, 4:5, 6:7, 10:12 and 5:7 Remote live view using EOS Utility 2.0 (via USB or WiFi/Ethernet using WFT) Manual focus only |
| Record review | Off On (histogram via INFO button) Display mode same as last used Play mode 2 / 4 / 8 sec / Hold |
| Playback modes |
1. Single image with exposure, file number, storage slot |
| Playback features | Optional blinking highlight alert Optional AF point display Magnified view (up to 10x) 2x2 or 3x3 thumbnail index Jump (by 1, 10, 100 images / by screen, date or folder) * Delete / Protect Record audio clip up to 30 seconds |
| Flash | No built-in flash unit E-TTL II auto flash / metered manual Flash compensation +/-3.0 EV in 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments X-Sync: 1/250 sec High-speed flash with EX-series speedlites up to 1/8000 sec Hot-shoe & PC Terminal |
| Drive modes | Single Silent (single frame) * High-speed continuous: 5 fps * (adjustable 5 - 2 fps) Low-speed continuous: 3 fps * (adjustable 4 - 1 fps) Self-timer: 2 or 10 sec (3 sec with mirror lock-up) |
| Burst buffer | Large/Fine JPEG: 56 frames RAW: 12 frames RAW+JPEG: 10 frames |
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| Auto rotation | On (recorded and LCD display) On (recorded only) Off |
| Custom functions | 57 custom functions in 4 groups |
| My Menu | Up to six menu options can be customized |
| Menu languages | English German French Dutch Danish Portuguese Finnish Italian Norwegian Swedish Spanish Greek Russian Polish Simplified Chinese Traditional Chinese Korean Japanese |
| Firmware | User upgradable |
| Wireless | Via WFT-E2/E2A (optional) |
| Connectivity |
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed |
| Storage | Compact Flash Type I or II (supports UDMA) SD card slot (supports SD/SDHC) External USB hard drives (requires WFT-E2/E2A) Canon Original Data Security Kit supported ("Original Image Data") |
| Storage options | Record to one memory card Record same image to both CF and SD cards (backup) Record RAW image to CF and JPEG to SD card Overflow (once one card becomes full camera uses next card) Copy from one card to another |
| Power | Lithium-Ion LP-E4 rechargeable battery * (supplied & charger) AC adapter |
| Power information | Current power source Remaining capacity Current shutter count on this battery charge Recharge performance |
| Dimensions | 150 x 160 x 80 mm (6.1 x 6.2 x 3.1 in) |
| Weight (no batt) | 1205 g (2.7 lb) |
| Weight (inc. batt) | 1385 g (3.1 lb) |
Here's the blurb coming out of Canon Australia (says November for delivery)
- Revolutionary Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III redefines professional photography
- Canon Introduces an Ultra-High Resolution 21.1 Megapixel Full-Frame Sensor D-SLR with Launch of the EOS-1Ds Mark III
- Key features:
- · 21.1 Megapixel Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
- · 14-bit A/D conversion for fine colour gradation
- · Dual DiG!C III Image Processors
- · EOS Integrated Cleaning System
- · 5 frames per second (fps) continuous shooting up to 56 shots in a single burst
- · Two Live View Modes
- Sydney, 20 August 2007 – Canon, who this year is celebrating 70 years of technology innovation, made history today with the announcement of the EOS-1Ds Mark III – the flagship D-SLR camera with the highest resolution sensor ever seen in this category. Complete with a Canon-developed 21.1 Megapixel Full-Frame CMOS Sensor for extreme detail, and Dual DiG!C III Image Processors for natural colour reproduction and high-speed image processing, the EOS-1Ds Mark III is an irresistible proposition for professionals who require the highest quality images and performance for the studio or on location.
- Released earlier this year, Canon’s high-speed EOS-1D Mark III has been independently recognised as the best SLR ever made. Today, the EOS-1Ds Mark III eclipses this, setting even higher standards with its full frame, ultra-high resolution capture.
- “The EOS-1Ds Mark III represents a complete reappraisal of what professional D-SLR photography has become,” stated Chris Macleod, Product Manager, DSLR, Canon Australia. “As we mark Canon’s 70th anniversary and 20 years of EOS, it is fitting that we celebrate our leadership position by introducing the best of the best.”
- Unrivalled Image Quality
- When superior results are critical to your profession, the EOS-1Ds Mark III delivers. Canon’s unrivalled 21.1 Megapixel Full-Frame CMOS sensor is able to capture ultra-fine detail never seen before in a D-SLR. Dual DiG!C III Image Processors ensures superb detail, high-speed image processing and 14-bit Analogue-to-Digital conversion for fine colour gradation. The flexibility to simultaneously capture both RAW and JPEG files types (including sRAW) vastly enhances the camera capabilities.
- Performance that Leaves Nothing to be Desired
- The EOS-1Ds Mark III is the ultimate D-SLR, capturing 21.1 megapixel images at a rate of five frames per second in a continuous burst up to 56 shots. Additional enhanced functionality includes a 45-pont AF system (including 19 cross-type AF points and 26 assist AF points), high shutter speed of up to 1/8000 second and high speed flash synchronisation speed of 1/250 second, and selectable ISO speeds from 100-1600 with ISO expansion to 50 and 3200 via a Custom Function, to ensure this camera offers the best performance available in any D-SLR.
- Professional Performance
- Designed for studio, illustrative and commercial photographers, the EOS-1Ds Mark III offers superior features that professionals desire. With 57 Custom Functions available, operation of the EOS-1Ds Mark III can be tailored to suit the photographer’s individual preference. The addition of two Live View functions allows photographers to preview images in real time on the 3.0 inch LCD or an external monitor to achieve precise image composition and focusing.
- Built for the demands of the toughest environments, the EOS-1Ds Mark III has a strong and reliable magnesium alloy body with over 70 dust and moisture resistant seals. The EOS Integrated Cleaning System reduces dust on the sensor ensuring uncompromised results.
- Pricing and Availability
- The Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III (RRP $12,999.00) is available from November 2007 through Canon dealers nationally. For more information customers can contact Canon on 1800 021 167, or visit the website at Canon.com.au.
We also have a 1Ds3 PDF info file from Canon Australia (don't link to this, it -will- move ;-)
19th The Amazon pages have been pulled - guess Canon were not so happy after all :-)
- I've been reading the specs to see some of the many features that Canon feature in the new camera. As someone who uses DxO Optics Pro for some of my work, I was interested to see that the new Canon DPP software offers "a new Lens Aberration Correction Function that corrects various image defects such as chromatic aberration, colour blur, vignetting, and distortion. Initially, the Lens Aberration Correction Function will support images captured by the EOS-1Ds Mark III and 11 other EOS Digital SLRs using any of 29 individual EF and EF-S lenses." I'll be curious to see what it does, but unfortunately I've never found any of the Canon supplied software fits easily into my workflow, except for managing tethered image capture (and that has some clunky features). The new 14mm lens might also make a dent in the bank balance, if it's that much better than the current version :-)
EOS 1Ds3 info appears at Amazon
"Price: $7,999.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details Availability: This item will be released on December 10, 2007. Pre-order now! Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available."
| From Canon...
The new 21.1-megapixel, full-frame Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III digital SLR camera brings the power of Canon's professional imaging excellence and innovation into sharper focus than ever before. While Canon's EOS-1D series has dominated the 35mm-based professional Digital SLR market for the past six years, the new EOS-1Ds Mark III digital SLR takes Canon's pro-digital prowess into and the realm of high-fashion and commercial photo studios where bulkier, medium-format cameras previously reigned. The Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III's compact, lighter-weight magnesium alloy body is rugged and versatile enough to take out of the studio and into the field. The camera's fast, five-frame-per-second (fps) shooting rate for bursts of up to 56 Large/Fine (21-megapixel) JPEGS or 12 RAW images is unmatched in its class, making it the ideal instrument for capturing the fluid motion and free-flowing lines of location-based fashion photography as well as a wide range of other professional photographic applications. Revolutionary Resolution Dual "DIGIC III" Image Processors Advanced Autofocus Technology Live View If a user is going to be several feet away from the camera, such as in some studio settings, the EOS-1Ds Mark III can be connected by cable to a computer via its USB 2.0 High-Speed interface. The camera can also be operated remotely at distances up to 492 feet with the assistance of the optional Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E2A, which allows users to view images directly off the camera's sensor in virtually real time, with the ability to adjust many camera settings quickly and easily. Viewing Display EOS Integrated Cleaning System The second part of the dust management system is a software solution that maps the location of any spots that may remain on the sensor. The mapped information is saved as Dust Delete Data and attached to the image file. Subsequently, the offending dust information is subtracted from the final image during post processing, using the supplied Digital Photo Professional software. Rock Solid Reliability Improved Software Canon EF 14mm f2.8L II USM Lens |