Professional photographers know what they want in a dslr camera. Above all, the digital slr camera must be dependable and able to come through in shooting situations that are far less than ideal, even in harsh environmental and handling conditions. The camera must be responsive and reacting instantly to the photographer’s input, able to capture, within a heartbeat, the image in the mind’s eye. It must provide a sophisticated feature set that makes it versatile and adaptable and, yet, does not compromise operability. And, of course, it must deliver image quality beyond reproach -- which, in the digital era, means not only virtually noise-free detail, richness of color, and depth of tone, but also sufficient data density to satisfy the widest range of output applications. Today, there is one digital single-lens-reflex DSLR camera that meets these criteria as no other: the Canon EOS 1D Mark III. Redesigned and re-engineered from the ground up, Canon’s newest flagship EOS is destined to become the next must have DSLR for professionals.
EOS 1D Mark III Highlights
New 10.1-megapixel CMOS sensor Excellence in digital photography starts at the imaging sensor. Canon’s uniquely advanced in-house sensor design and manufacturing capabilities are a major reason why EOS Digital SLR cameras consistently deliver state-of-the-art imaging performance.
The EOS-1D Mark III features a newly developed 10.1 megapixel Canon CMOS sensor. It fulfills the primary functions of an imaging sensor -- sensitive, accurate, extremely low noise capture of image data -- with unprecedented competence. Its APS-H size sensor results in a 1.3 lens conversion factor, a format that EOS-1D series photographers are familiar with. Moreover, it incorporates Canon’s latest CMOS engineering advances that significantly reduce digital noise -- especially in shadow areas -- and expand the useful ISO range.
Exceptionally wide ISO range Combining the superb image capture capabilities of the new sensor with advanced Dual DIGIC III Image Processors, the EOS-1D Mark III offers the widest ISO range of any digital SLR in the world (as of February 2007). The standard range of 100 - 3200 can be extended to a remarkable 50 - 6400.* More importantly, the low-noise performance at high ISO settings makes the entire range usable in real-world shooting situations. * Standard output sensitivity. Recommended exposure index.
14-bit A/D converters
Whereas earlier EOS digital cameras used 12-bit A/D (Analog-to-Digital) converters, the EOS-1D Mark III employs new 14-bit converters to process the output of the imaging sensor. This ensures smoother tonal transitions and more natural gradations. RAW images are recorded at 14 bits so that the full range of tones captured by the sensor are available in 16-bit TIFF images.
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Dual DIGIC III Image Processors
The EOS-1D Mark III employs Canon’s latest DIGIC III Image Processor, which maintains the extremely high image quality standard of its predecessor but, amazingly, attains even higher processing speed. Moreover, the 1D Mark III uses not one, but Dual DIGIC III Image Processors operating in parallel to provide even greater data handling capability. The resulting imaging engine handles the huge amount of data from the 10.1-megapixel sensor with tremendous speed. Card write speeds are faster, noise control is significantly better, and camera responsiveness has been even further improved.
EOS Integrated Cleaning System
Canon’s advanced EOS Integrated Cleaning System uses both mechanical and software methods to effectively deal with dust accumulation on the imaging sensor.
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Second, by photographing a plain white subject at infinity focus, the photographer can acquire data identifying the position of any remaining dust particles. The data are appended to the image file and can be used by Digital Photo Professional (DPP) 3.0 software to automatically erase dust spots. Photographers who must change lenses in dusty environments will find this unique system a tremendous time saver as it reduces the need for camera servicing as well as time spent at the computer manually touching up images.
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Highlight Tone Priority is a win-win proposition for professional photographers of nearly all disciplines. A sports photographer shooting white baseball uniforms in bright sunlight stands to benefit as much as a nature photographer shooting winter snow scenes or a wedding photographer seeking to preserve detail in the bride’s dress.
Unprecedented Shutter Durability
The EOS 1D Mark III features an improved heavy-duty shutter that has been durability tested to 300,000 cycles -- the highest ever in an SLR (as of February 2007). The camera thus provides long service life and inspires the all-important confidence that comes from the knowledge that the shutter will perform on demand.
New, all-metal camera body
The pros demanded lighter and stronger. Canon delivered. The entire body of the EOS 1D Mark III, including the internal chassis and mirror box, is made of an advanced magnesium alloy. Exceptionally strong and rigid, this alloy results in a camera that can truly withstand the punishment routinely meted out by many professional photographers. At the same time, it makes the camera lighter for improved handling and maneuverability. The EOS-1D Mark III features a "professional-duty" chassis -- including the mirror box -- formed of high-strength, lightweight magnesium alloy. In lesser cameras, these parts are typically made of composite materials, and subsequently offer far less durability.
Weather-resistant design
Extensive weatherproofing ensures superior reliability, even when shooting in harsh environments. Rubber gaskets are used at nearly every joint and seam -- including around the battery compartment cover, memory card door, and flash shoe -- to keep out moisture and dust.
Totally redesigned viewfinder with 100-percent coverage
The viewfinder is all-important in an SLR camera. It is the photographer’s window to the world, and, as such, must provide all the information necessary to successfully capture the "decisive moment." The EOS 1D Mark III viewfinder incorporates an entirely new optical system developed by Canon. It employs a larger pentaprism for higher viewfinder magnification, providing a bigger, brighter, sharper view of the world. The viewfinder provides full 100-percent coverage, which means what you see is what you get -- no more, no less. In other words, the view in the finder precisely matches the captured image area. That’s not the case with most DSLR cameras, where the captured image area is larger than what is represented in the finder. The finder also features a high eyepoint design for easier viewing of the entire image and information area. (Dioptric adjustment from -3 to +1 is included, as is an eyepiece shutter with gray high-visibility blades).
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Moreover, the EOS-1D Mark III features a sophisticated Live View shooting mode, which makes the 3.0-inch LCD monitor a real-time finder. When the Live View mode is enabled, the reflex mirror is locked up and the shutter opened. The image output from the CMOS sensor will be displayed in real time on the LCD monitor at 100-percent coverage. A selectable portion of the image can be magnified by 5x or 10x to aid in precise manual focusing. Focus, exposure check, composing, and shooting can all be accomplished in this mode. Live View is convenient for tripod-mounted shooting, macro work, and other situations in which it is a physical strain to keep the eye at the viewfinder. The Live View image can also be displayed on a TV monitor, which is ideal for showing images as they are composed to clients and portrait subjects.
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Live View
Studio photographers will appreciate the PC Live View capability, which enables the image at the sensor to be displayed on a computer monitor. With Canon EOS Utility software installed on the computer, the user can check and adjust focus and composition in real time. You can even fire the camera remotely from the computer. Connection between the camera and computer can be via USB cable or, with the optional Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E2A, via wireless LAN. The wireless option enables all Live View capabilities at a distance of 150 feet or more.
New Lithium-ion battery system
An entirely new lightweight, powerful lithium-ion rechargeable battery system was developed exclusively for the EOS-1D Mark III. The LCD panel now provides an accurate reading of power percentage shots remaining taken since last charge, and whether the battery should be reconditioned. This takes much of the guesswork out of battery management.
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Incomparable EOS AF technology, now even better
The EOS-1D Mark III incorporates new Canon autofocus (AF) technologies that bring about improvement in key performance areas. A new area-type AF sensor features increased pixel sensitivity, which delivers markedly improved focusing performance in low-light situations. Compared to its predecessor, the 1D Mark III delivers AF sensitivity one full stop better in dark scene areas. The area AF system has 19 selectable high-precision cross-type points plus 26 Assist points for a total of 45 AF points. The cross-type points are now not only positioned in the central area, but also at the outer edges of the AF sensing area. The superior speed, precision, and low-light sensitivity of this new system are especially noticeable when shooting with longer Canon EF lenses.
Flexible, customizable AF coverage
The 26 additional Assist points can be used to expand the coverage area of any manually selected primary AF point. An Assist point can be added to either side of a selected AF point, or a ring of six AF points can be activated around a manually selected point. Assist points can be added to any of the 19 selectable primary AF points. Moreover, Assist points can be used in not only the AI Servo AF mode but also the One-Shot AF mode.
More flexibility: AF micro-adjustment
Unprecedented control for the critical pro shooter. If the user ever wants to make a fine adjustment for front- or back-focusing, it can now be done in-camera. The EOS-1D Mark III even allows up to 20 separate adjustments to be entered for individual lenses, with or without a tele extender.
Separate AF processing unit
The EOS-1D Mark III uses an entirely separate AF processing unit, dedicated solely to AF operations, including driving the lens. This dedicated CPU design performs AF computations three times faster than with the previous EOS-1D Mark II N. The faster AF detection and computation make it possible for the 1D Mark III to achieve its remarkably fast continuous shooting speed with full AI Servo tracking.
Superior control over AF performance
Overall, the new AF system is better able to detect and react to a grossly out-of-focus image: the lens is more quickly driven to proper focus. In addition, important new Custom Function control over AF gives the professional photographer numerous ways to tailor camera AF operation to specific shooting needs. You can, for example, quickly switch between the inner and outer nine primary AF points. The new AF system can better adapt to sudden changes when tracking moving subjects, and you can precisely control how the camera responds to unexpected events.
Blazing shooting speed and near-instant response
What are camera speed and responsiveness worth? Fast response is desirable not just for sports or action photography. It can make the difference between capturing or missing that once-in-a-lifetime shot in just about any photographic genre. With its astounding 10 fps maximum continuous shooting speed, the EOS 1D Mark III is the fastest digital SLR in the world (as of February 2007). This achievement is even more remarkable when you consider the sheer amount of data processing associated with a 10.1-megapixel sensor. The 1D Mark III is also incredibly responsive. It has the least lag time of any EOS Digital SLR (55ms, reducible to as low as 40ms via a Custom Function setting). At shutter speeds of 1/60 second and higher, the viewfinder blackout time is an ultra-short 80ms.
Outstanding burst rate
The EOS-1D Mark III can capture up to 110 consecutive full-resolution JPEG images or up to 30 RAW images in a single continuous burst (at shooting speeds up to the full 10 fps).
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Dual memory card slots
The EOS-1D Mark III has separate CF and SD card slots that can be used in combination to boost performance, capacity, convenience, and data security. Images can be recorded to both cards simultaneously so that an instant backup is created. You can also record to the cards at different quality settings to create two sets of images for different purposes. An automatic switchover mode lets you keep shooting without interruption onto the second card should the first become filled to capacity. There is also an Image Copying mode that enables you to copy files -- in fact, entire folders -- from one card to the other.
Extensive file-naming options
You can choose a standard 4-character prefix or define a unique 4-character prefix of your own choosing for file naming. You can also choose a 3-character prefix, saving the fourth character position for a letter code (assigned by the camera) that identifies image size setting. This can be extremely useful when you shoot a number of different image sizes as you will be able to later identify your shots quickly by file name instead of having to open the files in a viewing application.
63-zone metering system
A new 63-zone metering sensor combined with sophisticated new metering algorithms deliver more precise and stable exposure calculation over a wider range of shooting situations. Both available-light and flash metering performance have been improved.
57 Custom Functions
The new Custom Function set now includes the "Personal Function" of previous EOS-1D series cameras. All functions, therefore, are now in-camera and available at all times. 13 entirely new Custom Functions have been added. Furthermore, all Custom Functions have been reorganized into four groups for easier, more intuitive menu access.
New locking eye cups
Lost eyecups are far less likely to be a problem with the Canon EOS 1D Mark III . A newly developed improved mounting system virtually eliminates inadvertent detaching of the eyecup.
Accessories For Canon EOS 1D Mark III:
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