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Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

Canon upgrades their "ultimate" d-SLR with 16.7 megapixels of resolution and significant performance improvements.

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Page 1:Intro and Highlights

Review First Posted: 9/26/2005

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16.7-megapixel CMOS sensor delivers 4,992 x 3,328 pixel images, highest resolution in a 35mm-style body (as of mid-2005).
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Sensor covers full 35mm frame area, no focal length multiplier.
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SD/MMC and CompactFlash (Type I and II) compatibility
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Full support for RAW file format included
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Very configurable to suit individual shooting styles

 

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II: Manufacturer Overview

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Canon has held a commanding position at the high end of the professional SLR market, ever since they introduced the original EOS-1D in late 2001. The full-frame 11-megapixel EOS-1Ds was likewise a breakthrough product when announced in 2002. In late 2004 though, the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II set a new standard for ultimate resolution in a full-frame 35mm-format digital SLR. Carrying over a host of improvements and innovations from the 1D Mark II, the EOS-1Ds Mark II improves image quality and performance over the original 1Ds, while at the same time raising the resolution to an incredible 16.7 megapixels. No other camera currently on the market comes close to matching the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II for its combination of resolution and shooting speed, and (as of this writing in September 2005), Canon is the only manufacturer offering digital SLRs with full frame 35mm sensors. Read on for all the details, this is one amazing digital camera!

 

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II: High Points

  • Dynamic mirror damping ("Active Mirror Control") for very short viewfinder blackout and low vibration.
  • Improved shutter durability, rated at 200,000 shutter cycles in the EOS-1Ds Mark II.
  • Wireless TTL flash capability.
  • Ultra-rugged magnesium alloy chassis.
  • 17.2-megapixel, high-sensitivity, large single-plate CMOS sensor (16.7 million effective pixels) delivering image resolutions as high as 4,992 x 3,328 pixels.
  • TTL optical viewfinder (100 percent field of view) with full information display.
  • Lens mount compatible with Canon EF lenses.
  • 45-point autofocus area, with One-Shot AF and AI Servo AF modes.
  • Program AE, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual, and Bulb exposure modes.
  • Shutter speeds from 1/8,000 to 30 seconds, with Bulb mode for unlimited exposure times.
  • Sensitivity equivalents from ISO 50 to 3,200. (Default range is 100 to 1,600. Expanded range from 50 to 3,200 is a menu option.)
  • 21-zone Evaluative Metering system, as well as conventional Center-Weighted, Partial (large spot), Spot (either Center Spot and AF Area-linked), Multi-Spot (up to 8 separate spot measurements combined), and FEL (Flash Exposure Lock) metering systems.
  • User adjustable White Balance setting with 9 modes, plus White Balance Bracketing and Correction options.
  • ISO and Auto Exposure Bracketing options.
  • Hot shoe for connecting an external flash unit, as well as a threaded PC socket for electronic flash.
  • 2.0-inch LCD monitor for image playback and review.
  • Continuous shooting mode.
  • sRGB and Adobe RGB color space options.
  • 21 customizable functions, as well as the ability to download three groups of image settings from a computer.
  • 25 "personal functions," for further customization.
  • Sound recording capability.
  • RAW and JPEG image file formats.
  • Images stored on CompactFlash Type I or II (including Microdrives), or SD/MMC card.
  • High-speed, IEEE-1394 "FireWire" and USB interfaces for computer host connection.
  • USB cable for direct printing to Canon printers or connection to host for downloads.
  • Optional remote control accessory.
  • Video cable included for connecting to a television set.
  • Power supplied by (very high capacity) rechargeable NiMH battery pack (NP-E3) or AC adapter kit (both included).
  • Canon Solution Disk interface software and Digital Photo Professional image manipulation and format conversion software included, providing for extensive camera control and customization, as well as processing of RAW image files.

 

 

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