Canon EOS-1Ds review

Canon EOS-1Ds
August 2008, Griyatawang

The EOS-1Ds Mark III is the seventh Canon professional EOS-1D series digital SLR, although only the third of the 's' suffix sub-category which indicates a full frame sensor. Three years since the last EOS-1Ds, the Mark II, the Mark III pushes digital SLR resolution over the twenty megapixel barrier with specifically twenty-one-point-one million pixels (5616 x 3744) on its 36 x 24 mm (full 35 mm frame) sensor. Canon also claims to have increased the 'light gathering efficiency' of the sensor by reducing the amount of (wasted) space between micro lenses, hence despite the resolution increase the Mark III still provides sensitivity up to ISO 3200 (with boost enabled).

As well as increasing resolution Canon has pushed continuous shooting up a step with five frames per second over the Mark II's four frames per second. This means that at full speed the two DIGIC III image processors are dealing with an impressive 185 MB/sec. Other improvements include the larger screen, Live View, a fourteen-bit A/D converter and fourteen-bit RAW files, UDMA Compact Flash support (up to 45 MB/sec) and a whole range of features (such as dual storage slots and Picture Styles) inherited from the EOS-1D Mark III.

From a build, function and usability point of view the EOS-1Ds Mark III is identical to the EOS-1D Mark III apart from the full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor, (naturally) larger viewfinder and UDMA support for Compact Flash cards.

Model line history

The EOS-1Ds Mark III represents a 26% increase in resolution over the EOS-1Ds Mark II which in turn represented a 50% increase in resolution over the original EOS-1Ds.

Model	Announced	Effective pixels	Sensor size	Continuous High (JPEG)	LCD monitor
EOS-1D	Sep 2001	4.2 mp	1.3x crop	8.0 fps, 21 frames	2.0"
EOS-1Ds	Sep 2002	11.1 mp	Full frame	3.0 fps, 10 frames	2.0"
EOS-1D Mark II	Jan 2004	8.2 mp	1.3x crop	8.3 fps, 40 frames	2.0"
EOS-1Ds Mark II	Sep 2004	16.7 mp	Full frame	4.0 fps, 32 images	2.0"
EOS-1D Mark II N	Aug 2005	8.2 mp	1.3x crop	8.3 fps, 48 images	2.5"
EOS-1D Mark III	Feb 2007	10.1 mp	1.3x crop	10.0 fps, 110 images	3.0" (Live view)
EOS-1Ds Mark III	Aug 2007	21.1 mp	Full frame	5.0 fps, 56 images	3.0" (Live view)

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III vs. EOS-1Ds Mark II feature and specification differences

											Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III							Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II
	Sensor										• 21.1 million effective pixels • 6.4 µm pixel pitch							• 16.7 million effective pixels • 7.2 µm pixel pitch
	Image processor										Dual DIGIC III							DIGIC II
	A/D converter										14-bit							12-bit
	Image sizes										• 5616 x 3744 • 4992 x 3328 • 4080 x 2720 • 2784 x 1856							• 4992 x 3328 • 3600 x 2400 • 3072 x 2048 • 2496 x 1664
	RAW files										• CR2 format, 14-bit • RAW full resolution • sRAW (5.2 MP)							• CR2 format, 12-bit • RAW full resolution
	Dust reduction										High speed vibration of filter							None
	Auto focus										• 45-point TTL CMOS sensor • 19 cross-type for F2.8 or faster lens							• 45-point TTL CMOS sensor • 7 cross-type for F4 or faster lens
	AF adjustment										Yes							No
	Metering										63-zone linked to AF points							21-zone linked to AF points
	Shutter										300,000 exposure durability							200,000 exposure durability
	Noise reduction										Optional High ISO							No option
	White balance										Up to five personal WB presets							Up to three personal WB presets
	Image parameters										• Picture Styles (six default, three user) • 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 matrix (five default, two user) • Sharpness: 0 to 5 • Contrast: -2 to +2 • Saturation: -2 to +2 • Color tone: -2 to +2
	Viewfinder										• 100% frame coverage • Magnification: 0.76x • Eyepoint: 20 mm							• 100% frame coverage • Magnification: 0.70x • Eyepoint: 20 mm
	ISO in viewfinder										Yes							No
	LCD monitor										• 3.0" TFT LCD • 230,000 pixels • 7 brightness levels							• 2.0" TFT LCD • 230,000 pixels • 5 brightness levels
	LCD Live View										Yes							No
	Playback modes										Exposure line at top in single image view							No exposure in single image view
	Silent shooting										Yes (quieter release)							No
	Continuous shooting										• 5.0 / 3.0 fps • Up to 56 JPEG Large/Fine images							• 5.0 fps • Up to 32 JPEG Large/Fine images
	Auto rotate										• On (recorded and LCD display) • On (recorded only) • Off							• On • Off
	My Menu										Up to six menu options can be customize							No
	Menu languages										18							15
	Custom functions										57							20
	Hot-shoe water resistance										Yes (with 580 EX II)							No
	Storage										• Compact Flash slot (UDMA support) • SD card slot (SDHC support) • USB drives via WFT-E2/E2A							• Compact Flash slot • SD card slot
	Data connectivity										• USB 2.0 Hi-Speed							• USB 1.1 • Firewire IEEE 1394
	Battery power										Lithium-Ion LP-E4 rechargeable battery							Ni-MH NP-E3 rechargeable battery
	Dimensions										150 x 160 x 80 mm (6.1 x 6.2 x 3.1 in)							156 x 158 x 80 mm (6.1 x 6.2 x 3.1 in)
	Weight										• No battery: 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) • With battery: 1.4 kg (3.1 lb)							• No battery: 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) • With battery: 1.5 kg (3.3 lb)