Canon 1DX: specifications and reviews. Professional digital SLR camera

Canon EOS-1DX is a digital SLR professional camera released in October 2011. The letter X in the title denotes the number 10, indicating the generation of the camera. In 1DX, two lines of professional cameras EOS - reportage 1D and studio 1Ds, one of the first full-format cameras in the world were united.

EOS 1Ds Mark III, the latest model of the 1Ds, had a full-size (36x24 mm) CMOS sensor with a maximum resolution of 21.1 megapixels, and the EOS 1D Mark IV, the latest model from the 1D line, had 16 megapixel CMOS with a crop factor of 1.3x 27,9х18,6 mm), but had a high speed of shooting.

With the introduction of the 5D Mark II in March 2012 with a sensor equivalent to CMOS 1Ds Mark III, the popularity of cameras for professionals began to fall, as the 5D M2 was twice cheaper, and as photos, they were not inferior. This turned out to be a decisive factor when choosing a camera for many.

Canon 1DX: Key Features Review

They are as follows:

• 18.1 megapixel, full-format CMOS;
• 61 points of autofocus, of which 41 are crossed;
• Zone, spot and advanced modes of autofocus;
• Two DIGIC5 + processors;
• Shooting speed up to 14 fps;
• Photosensitivity 100 - 51200 ISO in standard mode and 50 - 204800 ISO in extended mode;
• 100000-pixel RGB-AE sensor;
• DIGIC4 autoexposure processor;
• +/- 5 Stop Exposure Compensation;
• Full-HD video with ALL-I or IPB compression;
• Up to 30 min of video shooting in Full HD resolution;
• The gate delay is 55 ms in normal mode and 36 ms in the user mode;
• Use of address-time code when shooting in HD mode;
• Transparent LCD-viewfinder with a focusing screen;
• 3.2-inch, 1 megapixel LCD screen;
• Advanced EICS cleaning system;
• Touch control panel;
• 2 slots for CF memory cards.

Innovations

The EOS-1DX has so many innovations that they could be enough for several generations of cameras.

The main feature of the Canon 1DX was the newly created 18.1 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor with the arrangement of microlenses without a gap, which allowed to increase the speed of data extraction and camera photosensitivity. The range of photosensitivity reaches 51 200 ISO, and the extended one - 204 800.

The second generation of the UWMC dust protection system is implemented in the camera. The infrared sensor filter is not shaken all the way, as before, but in parts. The filter vibrates from the top down, waving the particles of dust, and its dust-repellent fluorine-containing coating only contributes to this.

The successive Canon 1DX shooting speed at the maximum resolution and fixed mirror is 14 k / s. For ISO 32000 or more, the shooting frequency is reduced to 10 k / s. It was possible to avoid additional camera vibration due to several key technological solutions. To move the mirror and the shutter a two-motor system with a large torque is created. And to ensure high-precision autofocus and image stability, the viewfinder mirrors are fixed with a special vibration-absorbing mechanism with 4 wedges.

14 fps in Full HD corresponds to a data transfer rate of 252 Mp / s, which was a record for full-size DSLRs. This was facilitated by 2 DIGIC5 + processors and 16-channel sensor output. The processors are 3 times more efficient than DIGIC5. Compared to the 1D M4, the output speed increased 1.4 times, and the photosensitivity - 4 (or 2 stops). Now the camera makes up to 9 pictures with multi-exposure and with 4 kinds of overlay (medium, additive, bright, dark).

There are 3 standard shooting modes: "Studio", "Reportage" and "Landscape".

The digital camera Canon 1DX is able to conduct self-diagnostics and maintain a log of errors. This helps to quickly eliminate breakdowns.

The capacity of the battery is 2450 mAh. You can also use 1D Mark IV batteries.

Design

Canon 1DX is not very different from its predecessors externally. But there are several significant additions. This is the infrared port on the front of the camera and several additional programmable function buttons duplicated on the vertical and horizontal captures of the camera.

Equipped with a lens and flash, the professional Canon 1DX camera is fully waterproof and withstands 15 minutes under a shower. The case is made of light, but strong magnesium alloy. Joints, connectors, buttons, batteries, slots are protected by seals. The camera was tested in frost and at high humidity. It uses materials created for operation in extreme conditions. Weight - 1340 g.

The size of the camera is impressive - 158x163.6x82.7 mm. This is due to the fact that the battery is integrated in the handle and controls are located on it: shutter release, autofocus button, mode dial.

On the front of the device, besides the already mentioned infrared port and programmable buttons, there is a bayonet, a button that blocks the removal of optics, a microphone.

At the rear are the main control panel and the viewfinder with a rubber lining.

Viewfinder

The design of the viewfinder in the Canon 1DX has not changed much. 100% coverage of the frame, an increase of 0.76x, the sighting point is moved by 20 mm. The viewfinder received an information display identical to the EOS 7D model, which displays more parameters: an indicator of the status of the autofocus, the shooting mode was added, a bit was added to indicate the ISO sensitivity. However, according to user feedback, when the camera is turned off the image becomes cloudy. Moreover, the viewfinder becomes cloudy in the cold due to the freezing of liquid crystals. The focus indicators will be red when the light is lowered, and only the outlines of the operating points light up when the illumination is low.

Screen

In addition to the viewfinder display, the EOS-1D X is equipped with two monochrome LCD information displays (one on the back and a top panel), plus a 3.2-inch color LCD display on the rear panel. The display uses a special rubber filler to prevent air from entering between the screen and the protective glass. This reduced reflection and glare to a minimum and increased the viewing angle to 170 °. The screen allows you to evaluate the picture and focus in the same way as it does in the viewfinder.

Under the screen is an information display with the status of memory cards. Above the color screen there is a microphone, buttons for deleting, zooming in and turning on the view mode.

Controls

Canon 1DX camera became the first mirror with 2 joysticks for different camera positions. Between them is the control dial and the menu button.

For the first time, a professional camera canon was equipped with 2 slots for CF cards. Recording is conducted on 2 cards at once, sequentially or by file types. Slots are sealed, and their accidental opening prevents the swivel lever of their metal.

The flash unit is located on the top panel. To the left are buttons of the exposure meter, type of autofocus and shooting mode. Pressing the 2 buttons allows you to activate bracketing shutter speed.

To the right of the flash attachment, there is a second monochrome display designed to display data about the aperture, remaining memory, shutter speed, ISO, autofocus, buffer, battery charge, type of shooting, exposure compensation. The information display has an orange backlight. Above it there are buttons for turning on the display backlight, selecting white balance, exposure compensation, quick setting of ISO. Near the descent - the control dial and the button for switching the selection of the autofocus area, work with user functions and measurement mode.

On the left panel there are connectors for system extensions, PC, microphone, remote control, audio-video output, HDMI, USB and LAN. Below is the battery lock.

LAN

EOS-1DX became the first SLR camera to be connected to the network via an Ethernet port. A network connection is used to transfer photos, video and remote control. The Wi-Fi module can be used to synchronize the shooting time and sort the photos in the order in which they were created.

Autofocus

The autofocusing system was radically changed. 45-point autofocus Mark IV was replaced with a system of 61 points covering most of the image. Autofocus takes into account sensor data, color and illumination, information from lens gyroscopes.

The sensors are located in blocks. 41-cross sensor allowed to compact the focus areas. To sharpen one of the focus points or zones is suitable. Rotating the camera by 90 ° will change their position, leaving the subject under the control of autofocus.

For photographing small objects, there is a spot mode that reduces the size of the AF point to a small area. The object is captured by any point. During the movement of the subject or camera being photographed, the autofocus will hold it in the field of sharpness by the points to which it will fall.

Tracking focusing AI Servo allows you to anticipate the movement of the object or return to the place of the last correct position.

Focusing in artificial light conditions takes into account the chromatic aberration of the lens and the color temperature for adjusting the autofocus. Recognition of the panorama is detected, and when the horizontal movement is fixed, the camera fixes the focus on the initial frame of the sequence.

There are 6 focus settings in the EOS-1D X:

• Standard;
• For fast moving objects, at which tracking will continue even when the object leaves the controlled area (swimming, tennis, skiing and other dynamic sports);
• Instant focus on objects (start of competitions on the run);
• For instantly changing the trajectory of objects (football);
• Focusing on objects moving in vertical and horizontal directions (figure skating);
• Focusing on instantly changing the direction of movement or unevenly moving objects (gymnastics, basketball).

Micro-correction of autofocus can be set for any lens and even for different states of it.

Exponometer

The DIGIC4 processor uses RGB sensor data with a resolution of 107,250 pixels and accurately measures exposure due to the detection of color and faces.

The exponometer splits the image into 252 zones, and in case of insufficient illumination - by 35, to get more data and light.

Automatic analysis of the parameters of brightness, color, contrast, movement and distance to the subject allows you to adjust brightness, determine faces, optimal exposure and white balance.

The data of the light meter are necessary for adjusting the correct illumination of faces with a flash, even if the brightness of some secondary objects is excessive.

Video shooting

Digital camera Canon 1DX was created not only for photographers, but also for video operators. It is possible to shoot scenes with a resolution of Full HD with a frequency of 30 k / s and a resolution of 1280x720 with a frequency of 50 k / s. Sound control is possible. The recording is in H.264 encoding, but you can also select ALL-I or IPB. Recording lasts up to 30 minutes without any video size limitations due to the exFAT file system.

Canon EOS 1DX: reviews + criticism

According to professional photographers and fans, the camera holds the focus well, fast, accurate, it is easy to hold. They note the excellent coordination of the device with the flash. I stopped worrying the dust on the matrix. Professional Canon camera is precise, ergonomic, has low noise and dynamic range, high ISO. Users are satisfied with the large viewfinder, the full format of the camera, the "rate of fire" of the device, the speed and the number of points of autofocus. A pleasant surprise was that the battery capacity is enough to shoot more than two thousand frames within 8 hours - instead of the declared thousand.

But there are some remarks. Some people do not have enough RAW to fully control and adjust the light. I do not like changing the location of the buttons for different Canon models, since it takes time to get used to it. Censure causes both the large weight of the camera, the instability of the autofocus operation in case of insufficient illumination. Some of the camera gave out "broken" files, which was removed by replacing the motherboard. A "glitches" when connecting the lens 50 / 1,2 "were treated" by removing the battery. Well, the main drawback of the Canon 1DX is the price, which, although it has dropped significantly since its release, but still remains high enough - about $ 4000.

The king is dead - long live the king!

The camera brought radical changes to reporters. The resolution of the images, the number of AF points and the number of deeply thought out settings increased. The shooting speed reached 14 fps.

But life does not stand still. In place of the 1DX came the best camera Canon EOS-1DX Mark II - 20.2 megapixel full-length camera with a DIGIC 6+ processor. ISO now reaches 51,200 and can be increased to 409,600! The camera is able to shoot rollers in 4K resolution (4 096x2 160 pixels) at a speed of up to 60 frames per second and hold slow motion at Full HD resolution at 120 fps. 3,2 ", and 1,62 Mp touch screen allows you to select the points of autofocus. The second generation Canon 1DX, priced at $ 6,000, will go on sale in April 2016. For an additional $ 300, you can buy a card reader with a CFast memory card at 64 GB.