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The big news here is the 16.6-megapixel full-frame image sensor that lies within
this new digital SLR from Canon. (Actually, the sensor contains 17.2 megapixels,
but only 16.6 are used for the image.) That works out to a resolution of 4992x3328
pixels, enough to run an image as a double-page spread in a magazine like this
one at 300 dpi, and enough to turn out dandy 27x18 inkjet prints.
The Canon-manufactured “full-frame” CMOS sensor is the same size
as a 35mm film frame, so any lens used on the Mark II will provide the same
angle of view that it produces on a 35mm SLR—great for wide-angle fans.
There’s more to the Mark II than just megapixels. It’s a “1-series”
Canon SLR, meaning it’s a high-performance, fully featured pro camera
that’s built like a tank. The chassis and top, front and rear covers are
made of light and rugged magnesium alloy, water and dust resistance are superb.
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The EOS-1Ds Mark II features a sophisticated metering system that
provides great results under a wide variety of lighting situations.
Photo by Jim Zuckerman
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Performance has been improved over that of the Mark II’s excellent predecessor,
the EOS-1Ds, thanks to a number of factors, including the application of technology
introduced in the high-speed EOS-1d Mark II last year, such as the superquick
single-chip DIGIC II image processor and two CPUs instead of the original EOS-1Ds’s
one.
Focusing
The EOS-1Ds Mark II’s AF system is essentially the same one used in the
superquick EOS-1d Mark II action camera, but optimized for the new Mark II’s
maximum frame rate of 4 fps. (The EOS-1d Mark II can shoot 8.5 fps, but has
a maximum resolution of “only” 8.2 megapixels.)
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The EOS-1Ds Mark II is at home in the studio, with tremendous
resolution and a PC terminal for easy studio-flash system hook-up.
Photo by Mike Stensvold
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There are 45 AF points (seven cross-type sensors, the rest line sensors),
and you can choose any of them manually or let the camera pick one automatically
to suit the subject. Manual selection is done by pressing the AF point selection
button, then rotating the main dial atop the camera until the desired point
glows in red in the finder. To speed things up, you can reduce the manual-selection
options from 45 AF points to 11 or 9 via Custom Function 13.
In One-Shot AF mode, the camera focuses on the subject, then locks focus there
until you take the picture or release the shutter button. In AI Servo AF, the
camera focuses continuously on the subject until you take the shot. AI Servo
AF is predictive: The system calculates the subject’s speed and direction
from successive focus readings, and adjusts focus to compensate for the distance
the subject travels during the brief lag between the moment you fully depress
the shutter button to take the shot, and the moment the exposure is actually
made.
Exposure
The EOS-1Ds Mark II provides four metering modes: 21-zone evaluative,
8.5% partial, 2.4% spot (linkable to AF points) including multi-spot metering
with up to 8 readings averaged, and center-weighted.
There are also four basic exposure modes: shiftable program AE, shutter- and
aperture-priority AE, and metered manual. Shutter-priority mode is great when
you want to select the shutter speed yet enjoy the speed and convenience of
automatic exposure, as is aperture-priority when you want to select the lens
aperture for depth-of-field control.
Further exposure controls include automatic exposure bracketing (via shutter
speed and aperture, or via ISO speed), ±3 stops of exposure compensation,
and AE lock. You can set ISOs from 100–1600, with ISO 50 and 3200 available
via the LCD monitor menus.
IMAGE SIZE OPTIONS |
Setting |
Pixels |
File Size |
| L (Large) JPEG |
4992x3328 pixels (16.6 megapixels) |
5.5MB (approx.) |
| M1 (Medium 1 JPEG) |
3600x2400 pixels (8.6 megapixels) |
3.2MB (approx.) |
| M2 (Medium 2 JPEG) |
3072x2048 pixels (6.3 megapixels) |
2.6MB (approx.) |
| S (Small JPEG) |
2496x1664 pixels (4.2 megapixels) |
1.9MB (approx.) |
| RAW |
4992x3328 pixels (16.6 megapixels) |
14.6MB (approx.) |
| Note: File size varies with subject, ISO
setting, and other variables |
Flash
There’s no built-in flash unit (few pro SLRs have that feature), but there’s
a hot-shoe for dedicated Canon Speedlites, and a PC terminal for studio flash
systems. Maximum flash-sync shutter speed is 1/250, but High-Speed Sync (FP
Flash) with compatible Speedlites allows using speeds up to the camera’s
maximum 1/8000.
With compatible Canon EX-series Speedlites, you get E-TTL II flash exposure
control, which measures the ambient light, fires a pre-flash, takes readings
at the central 17 metering zones, then uses that data, subject distance, subject
position in frame and reflectance to produce very accurate flash exposures.
Canon introduced a new 580EX Speedlite with the new camera; this was not available
to test, but the camera produced excellent results with my 550EX flash unit.
It also worked very well with our studio system. Any number of off-camera 580EX,
550EX or 420EX Speedlites can be linked wirelessly via the ST-E2 Speedlite Transmitter,
or fired wirelessly by an on-camera 580EX or 550EX unit.
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