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Key features explained: Canon EOS-1D X Mark II

Published Feb 2, 2016 | Rishi Sanyal, Richard Butler

Preorder on Amazon.com From $5,999.00

Introduction

The Canon EOS-1D X Mark II is the company's latest pro-level DSLR, now built around a 20.2MP CMOS sensor with Dual Pixel AF technology. It uses a body that's the most subtle possible evolution of the classic 1D design, which makes sense, given how many of its long-standing professional users will need to find it familiar the moment they use it. Inside, though, almost every aspect of the camera's feature set has been overhauled - from the autofocus system to the video capability, the ISO range to the card format it uses. Let us talk you through the biggest changes.

Tags: canon, canon-1dxii-launch

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Comments

Total comments: 95

Does this mean what I think it means with regard to a potential announcement for a 5D mark iv!? :D

0 upvotes

To each his/her own, but if I had the $ for something like this or a Nikon D5, I'd buy it for the photos. Who cares what its video modes offer? It's not a camcorder. (I know, I'm drudging up an old Nikon D90 2008 era argument, but it's still my opinion to this day.) Why should a photographer be aggravated to produce video if it's not their forte? Let them be PHOTOGRAPHERS, period.

That aside, this certainly looks impressive overall, but again they still haven't yet figured out how to get AF sensors to cover the ENTIRE screen vs being all clustered in the center. I'm used to how on my Sony A6000 I can have it focus just about anywhere on the screen I want to. This is a multi-thousand dollar camera, for Pete's sake.

1 upvote

The reality is if you are a professional trying to make ends meet, video is in demand more and more every day. Your argument makes sense for casual shooters, but for a pro needing a one body does it all, this certainly checks most of the boxes.

1 upvote

If that's really the case anymore, that's messed up. I know that when I hire an electrician, I don't expect him to know plumbing, or vice versa. A photographer shouldn't have to do video as well if that's not his or her thing. I don't know why photographers are now expected to be videographers, we should let them be pictures takers exclusively (and let videographers be videographers exclusively) vs all of this "convergence" nonsense. Oh well.

Comment edited 10 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

If the electrician you hired was any good he would know framing, roofing, siding, plumbing, HVAC, electrical and finishing. Only lousy electricians do not know the codes and how-to for all facets. Stop hiring pathetic electricians.

0 upvotes

I didn't say it was right, but it's extremely competitive in some markets and if you don't distinguish yourself somehow by either being multi-talented or extraordinary, you just blend it with the noise. I routinely shoot stills and video commercially, it's nice to not have to have separate video gear anymore.

0 upvotes

I don't know what's all the complaining about with poor DR and perceptions that the 5d mark IV won't have 4K. This camera looks pretty solid for any sports and wildlife pro's. No brainer to get if you already have canon glass.
Other than DR and noise probably this camera beats the nikon counterpart which is not a slouch by any imagination.
I doubt film makers are going to get this camera but it's a nice plus to have 4k. Really any camera above 2k these days should have 4k.

1 upvote

And STILL not a peep about improved dynamic range!

well at least the new AF may be nice
but man they still just don't want to bother, still in hold back and milk mode

1 upvote

Although another site says:"and Canon’s new sensor has an important innovation. The A/D converter circuitry, which translates captured light values into digital data, has now been integrated with the sensor itself."

So what is the deal and why are they so on the down low about this? Because it still doesn't deliver half the performance of Sony and others? Because it does but they are so into face saving they can't dare admit they had been so behind in this for so long that they rather keep it almost secret rather than use it as a sales tool????

1 upvote

anyone have an ISO RAW file taken with a lens f/2.8 or slower? can tell if they really fixed the low ISO DR in like 3 seconds, if so.

0 upvotes

Can I ask how you would be able to tell so easily?

0 upvotes

Measure the standard deviation in the masked area of the frame and plug the value into a DR formula.

0 upvotes

Hard to believe they are still so stingy as to not allow focus peaking, zebra,s log gamma never mind 10 bits etc. for video in anything below Cxx! And all the talk says won't even allow 4k into the 5D4. Well, thank god for Sony and others.

0 upvotes

I still don't like the fact you have to pay extra for this expensive Wifi module.

1 upvote

Important to note that F8 AF at all points only works with the latest TC's. If you have anything but the latest TC's, only the middle 9 points work at F8.

Also the AF isn't sensitive down to -3.0 EV in AI-Servo? That's very weak if I read that correctly.

1210 shots on the battery?? I know that's probably low but wow.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

1 upvote

That's right. I think they got to -3 EV in One Shot (AF-S) by increasing the sampling interval, which'd just slow down AI Servo (AF-C).

Who knows, maybe it'll still focus down to -3 EV in AI Servo. Historically, we've found Canon to under-rate their AF systems' low light capabilities.

1 upvote

I've used an A7Rii that should focus at -4EV and a 5Diii that focuses at -2EV and guess which does better in low light wedding receptions?

2 upvotes

Totally saddened by dumbing down of this camera by 8 bit 422 out and no log. Very sad.

5 upvotes

That sucks, Go get a Nikon D5 instead!!!

5 upvotes

Tiderace agreed.

1 upvote

Amazing High ISO Images taken with the 1DXii. The Blacks are so clean!!

http://www.andyrouse.co.uk/index.php?b=1&currentpage=1

1 upvote

That had more work done to it than Joan Rivers face.

7 upvotes

better samples full size
http://thenewcamera.com/tag/canon-1dx-mark-ii/

Still hard to make conclusions without a proper side by side comparison. It didn't blow me away though(nor did it dissapoint)

1 upvote

Can somebody upload the 1dxM2 RAW of Joan rivers? ;)

0 upvotes

Addenum to Text Passage 7: It should be mentioned, that the 170 Images (RAW, 14bit Capture) only working with a _CFast 2.0_ CF Card, not with an ordinary CF UDMA 7 Card.

0 upvotes

Wait. You an't use the touchscreen to navigate or review images? That seems really odd.

1 upvote

Not odd at all. If you're shooting stills, I certainly don't want any face touches to the screen affecting anything. makes complete sense to disengage it during stills shooting.

1 upvote

@Stones420: But joelR42 is not talking about stills shooting, he/she is talking about using touch screen during image playback. It is very odd why they would not allow using touch screen at that point. Specially considering that some of the lower-end Canon's including the EOS-M have very good implementation of touch screen in image playback.

2 upvotes

You can scroll through your images with the big wheel besides the LCD way faster than with any touchscreen.

3 upvotes

Sorry @random78, just don't see a need for that when, as @Starkiller mentioned the rear dial is way faster. Some aspects of our gear don't need touchscreen. As a 27 year pro, I like the way they implemented touch screen. It's not a phone!

1 upvote

The wheel is much faster, and the dial on top lets you jump 10 images at a time.

1 upvote

@Stones420: I am as big a fan of the rear wheel as anyone and it is indeed the fastest way to scroll I have experienced on any camera (and I have used virtually all brands). Where the touch screen works very very well in playback is not for scrolling. Rather it is a much faster way to zoom to a specific point of the image and/or to move around to go to different parts of the image when it is zoomed. It is much faster and more direct than using the physical controls. There are many areas where manual controls work better. This is however one area where touch screen is superior and Canon already has a great implementation of that on some of their cameras. So it is a strange omission. Btw with all due respect the fact that you have been a 27 year pro doesn't mean much when we are talking about a feature you have never tried :)

3 upvotes

Very true random78. Touch screen is the best way to drag picture around.Touch screen is like moving Photoshop layer with mouse, while wheel and joystick work like moving layer with arrow.

1 upvote

I'm confused as to why _all_ 61 points aren't cross-type, as they are on the 7D Mk II. I did see that it's the same system introduced in the 5DS/R. Does it predate what was developed for the 7D Mk II?

1 upvote

It's not the same system as the 5DS/R (the spread is wider on this one)

I suspect the reason they could fit all cross points on the 7D2 sensor is because they are all f/5.6 points, so the sensors don't need to be spaced as far apart. The 1DX/5D3/S/R cross type points on the side zones are f/4 (more accurate at wider aperture) , and it has more f/2.8 double cross (5 vs 1) as well.

That takes up more space, so you sacrifice some accuracy with slower lenses , in favor of higher accuracy with faster lenses.

1 upvote

Ah very interesting - do you think the 7D2 points have a shorter baseline (less accuracy with faster primes)?

And F8 capability - doesn't that depend largely on the virtual apertures the PDAF optics can 'see' (doesn't have to be directly correlated to baseline)?

Thanks!

0 upvotes

That's the way Canon publishes the info about them, and the photos of the af sensors that they publish have the vertical and horizontal sensors all spaced equally on the 7d2 sensor (with the double cross being the exception) vs the 1/5 system where you can see the f/4 horizontal sensors have a wider spacing than the f/5.6 vertical ones. So it makes sense that it would be hard to fit as much on the chip with the longer baseline ones.

I've heard the explanation about the f/8 before but don't understand it that much. Your explanation sounds like what I've heard :)

1 upvote

I guess pros don't need HDR video like that offered by the top Canon Rebel, is it 6s?

0 upvotes

According to Digitalrev's review the HDR video output of the 760D is softer than the non-HDR one so I doubt it is *that* useful for professional use.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB4ZELHExP0

However, I don't know if this can be eliminated with the greater computing power of this camera.

Comment edited 4 minutes after posting

3 upvotes

Red.com cameras have that feature. Yes, the 6s is a minimum implementation but if it can be done on a Rebel it can improved upon in a 1D. I HDR can be used as insurance against burning out skin, for instance.

0 upvotes

Alright,

AF - Nikon D5
Tweaked the AF module compared to something very new and ambitious from Nikon. Think the D5 takes that one through the lens. Unfortunately dual pixel doesn't work in burst modes......... That could've been a proper benefit.

Sensor. - Draw for now
Same mp count and Canon claims the analog to digital converters are now embedded on the sensor. As this was more or less the main reason why Sony sensors performed a LOT better at low ISO's let's give it a draw.

Video - Canon
Let's be honest the Nikon is pretty crippled with heavy cropping, short recording times. Then the Canon can do impressive 60fps in DCI 4k.

That being said they made sure no serious video maker would be interested by excluding

focus peaking
zebra's
C-log
External 4k recording.

Practically all available in mirrorless options have these options or variants which makes them very popular. This is a dangerous predicament for the 5d Mk IV

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 8 minutes after posting

2 upvotes

Canon is also doing a 1.3x crop for 4k.

2 upvotes

Why is this is a dangerous predicament for the 5D IV?
?

0 upvotes

Becouse if the 5d mk4 takes over these flaws the entire already fed-up video community using Canon Dslr's will simply jump to Sony.

0 upvotes

What's under the cover on top of the pentaprism? Specs say 'no built in flash' - so what under there?

{Just seen Canon's promo video.... GPS sensor is in there...}

Comment edited 6 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

Got love the way the AF point illumination is sold as an improvement that "can NOW remain lit red when focusing", function of "feedback from wedding and event photographers"

Since previous 1D already had it, including the 2 levels of brightness possible adjustment, I am left with this feeling that features might be being removed only to come back in alternate models as "improvements".

7 upvotes

Between Canon 1D IV and 1D X the technology of displaying information in the viewfinder changed. So it seems like coming back, but in fact it's quite a step forward.

1 upvote

???...How is it so?

How is a functionality that already existed but was blunder-dropped and is now re-introduced a "step forward"?

...if anything, it is a "2 step-backward in the right direction".

1 upvote

This is what you have to complain about? The feature is in the camera RIGHT NOW so get over it.

You people sit in your homes and gripe about this thing and that thing or it doesn't have this or that! Perhaps they should build a camera that has every piece of technology known to man. You'd still find something to gripe about, most likely the price.

I hear people complaining about the cost of CFast cards. Seriously? When I started in digital 512MB cards were $600! You can buy a 64GB CFast card for $219 now.

I'd say there's no better time to be in photography than right now!
Be happy . . . your spouse will keep you around longer!

5 upvotes

You sound very angry, not happy.

0 upvotes

you are right! they should have never fooled with it. I miss so many shots due to this stupid "intelligent viewfinder" when using primes with 1.2 and1.4 even if shooting at 4 5.6 or whatever, the af points become invisible ! No, it is NOT an improvement, it's a fix to a big mistake they made in previous bodies.

0 upvotes

Are the Video modes crop?

1 upvote

Does anyone know why the AF module only covers "only" a relatively small part of the frame? Would it be prohibitively expensive to implement a larger module? Presumably bird/sports/etc photographers would appreciate the ability to track objects outside that central part of the frame.

On a related note, if every pixel is split into two separate photodiodes, does anyone know why "only" 80% of the frame is available for focus using DP AF?

1 upvote

Several technology limitations: size of secondary mirror, decreasing image quality of lenses towards the edge of image.

4 upvotes

Focusing using the corners may not be accurate because of lens aberrations, so they have probably disabled the remaining 20% on purpose.

5 upvotes

Thanks!

0 upvotes

Also, the physical aperture can physically restrict light rays entering the peripheries of the lens out at the edges. Since PDAF works by only looking at peripheral light rays, they cease to work out there.

You can still have image-forming pixels out there though: they still 'see' light, but more central light rays. These light rays still form the image, but the fact that the edges don't see peripheral light rays simply means fewer light rays make it to those pixels, resulting in vignetting.

The image can suffer vignetting at the edges, but phase detect sensors can't work without those peripheral light rays. Hope that makes sense.

7 upvotes

Rishi, yes, I think you made perfect sense.

2 upvotes

Where is the N3 port for remote triggers?

0 upvotes

It's on the other side now on the grip.

0 upvotes

They are shouting about incredible detail are they saying the 20mp is punching above it's weight or that 20mp is enough for incredible detail?

0 upvotes

Just marketing,

More pixels = more detail = slower camera due to the larger bandwidt requirements.

This is a speed deamon foremost image quality a close second just like the D5 for that matter.

0 upvotes

Canon not shouting about improved DR, unless the cleaner blacks help.

2 upvotes

I had it: 2....what a credibility DPreview :))

2 upvotes

Maybe one of them was Dr. Who... ;-)

0 upvotes

"Perplexingly, Dual Pixel AF can only be used in One-Shot AF in Live View, meaning it can't be used to continuously focus (though it can for movies). We weren't given any reasons as to this limitation, and given that continuous focus is certainly possible - as it works during movie shooting - it seems an odd omission."

It would only be perplexing if it works *well* during movie shooting...so are the first impressions that it works well during movie shooting or do we only know that it 'works'. Because having it 'work' for AF-C live-view but get almost every shot out of focus would just be a black mark. But it seems to indicate there is no mystical unicorn FF Canon mirrorless with incredible AF-C performance. Unless there *IS* and that is what is part of the perplexity. Why don't you guys just break NDA and tell us.

1 upvote

It works pretty darn impressively in movie mode, in our limited testing. Hence our perplexion. :)

Furthermore, if Sony can do an impressive job across much with their OSPDAF implementation with their limited processing power, one might expect the Dual Digic 6+ processors perfectly capable. Then again, of course it depends on where your processing resources are allocated.

Unless the volume of data is vastly more with DPAF. If it were, I'd imagine eventually you could either add pixel-binning logic or directly only address a limited set of pixels so as to reach the more reasonable data set an a7R II works off of, for example.

8 upvotes

@Rishi I think peoples expectations for movie AF and stills AF are different though. I expect (and it delivers) my video AF to be able to track someone *walking* towards the camera. I expect my stills AF to track someone *running* towards the camera.

I suspect that DPAF would fall down on it's face if asked to track the kind of high speeds that people expect from stills, so they just don't even bother yet.

0 upvotes

Good point about what's expected from movies vs. stills, but could you not still make DPAF work by using a subset of the pixels to make it more computationally reasonable?

After all, an a7R II can still track someone running towards the camera (despite what some audience members here might have you believe...).

I don't know - I had high hopes for Dual Pixel AF. But perhaps the best is yet to come from it...

1 upvote

Oh, I'm sure they could develop the tech to make it work. But in the shape it's in right now, wouldn't cut it. Didn't mean to imply it's impossible, just not there yet.

Canon will probably spend the r&d to make it happen when they finally take mirrorless seriously which is bound to happen eventually.

0 upvotes

Is the video 10-bit 4K MJPEG with C-Log OR WHAT?!

1 upvote

6 upvotes

If you want a log profile you'll have to load one into one of the custom slots.

0 upvotes

It does NOT have C-log at all.
If you want 4k internally with Log Sony has the A7sII

3 upvotes

As I said, you can still use a Log profile internally, like Technicolor's Cinestyle, just download it and zap it into the camera...
http://www.technicolor.com/en/solutions-services/cinestyle
I don't think the main object of the camera is as a video camera though, plus I find shooting with Canon's Neutral picture style works very well indeed for video.

0 upvotes

nope 8 bit 422 only no log and cinestyle or neutral settings are not the equivalent of actual log settings

4 upvotes

@Tiderace Right on for pointing that out.

1 upvote

My GH4 is 420 and I fail to understand why Cinestyle doesn't count?

0 upvotes

@Dr_Jon I'm hoping that'll be more clear once the GH5 is announced.

0 upvotes

I fail (as a GH4 owner) to understand what Panasonic can do with a GH5 with the current m43 sensor availability (since Panasonic shut down their sensor development a while back and have only just restarted it and Sony only have their not-that-great 20MP sensor)? (Plus with m43 sales volumes being so low new sensors only crop up rarely.) Of course if you think Sony will develop a sensor that will kill sales of their new 20MP sensor and also harm their A7x sales by making the GH5 a step-up...

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 3 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

@Dr_Jon Perhaps you should take a look at advancements in the area of camera-side processing-technology...

Comment edited 12 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

There's a huge amount of work been done on in-camera noise reduction in recent years, but you can do that from Raw with images from cameras that aren't as clever too. (It's always interesting to run old images through DXO 10 or Neat Image.)

But a lot of the obvious GH5 improvements need a whizzier sensor (e.g. 4k-50p/60p) as well as a cleverer processing engine (H.265, 422). It will be interesting to see if Panasonic spend the money (they are even behind Canon for mirrorless sales in Japan now). BTW here's the highlights of my post from Personal View's GH5 discussion:

I see the obvious things for a GH5 to have is:
(1) 1080p that doesn't skip pixels, so the moire/aliasing improves.
(2) 4k/50-60p.
(3) Internal 10-bit VLogL
(4) Internal 422

What I'd like and I think is (maybe) possible: the above plus better low light performance (which isn't all coming from software), a higher res and larger EVF with less lag (as per the new Leica) and better still and video AF. Also USB3 and H.265.

0 upvotes

The specs on the 1DX Mk II are impressive. But I would like to see how it actually performs in the hands of pros and amateurs before making the plunge to purchase one. For the time being, I am going to be sticking with my 1DX Mk I.

Best Regards,

Roman :-)

1 upvote

You need to read the X-factor article...this one is the amazon white box product shots...while the X-factor is specifically 'in the hands' shots.

1 upvote

Not many 1DX owners would rush out to buy this. I'll probably wait 6-8 months like I did for the 1DX before deciding. That will give me plenty of time to see how early adopters are finding it's performance compared to 1DX and D5

1 upvote

@porsche,
Take a look at Andy Rouse wright-up here to get an advance idea. See the ISO 10,000 and ISO 32,000 images.
http://www.andyrouse.co.uk/index.php?b=1&currentpage=1

0 upvotes

Looking forward to a review. The specs are fine but the big improvements will be the focusing and ISO performance which we will only know when the reviews come in.

0 upvotes

Odds are, you will never see a full review of this camera on this website. They know their readers pretty well here, and they know their budget limits.

Lots of high end flagship cameras have never been reviewed here.

Comment edited 37 seconds after posting

5 upvotes

So the best we can hope for is a hands or quick walk about from Rental body?

0 upvotes

I could be wrong, but if history means anything.... they never reviewed the:

Canon 1DC
Canon 1Ds MkIII
Canon 1D MkIII
Canon 1D MkIIn
Leica M9
Leica M9P
Leica S2
Nikon D4s
Nikon D2Xs
Nikon D2Hs
Pentax 645D
Sigma SD1

all of which were high end, high priced cameras. They are most likely to review mid level or entry level models.

5 upvotes

look for a review at The Digital Picture

the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EOS-1D-X-Mark-II.aspx

0 upvotes

D810 doesn't have a full review either, FWIW.

1 upvote

What is the difference between this Good Sport 'closer look' photo and text sequence when compared to the X-factor "We take a closer look ". I guess just as I am clueless about random QC sampling, I am also clueless about publishing distinctive articles side by side that do not overlap.

3 upvotes

Is the shutter release socket on the right side? (Looks like a cover above the secondary grip switch.)

ETA: Yeah, they moved it over. I hope it doesn't interfere with any brackets, though.

Comment edited 10 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

Why would it interfere with a bracket when your hand is usually there? There's plenty of clearance, besides if you're using a TC-80-N3, you're most likely on a tripod anyway.

0 upvotes

Total comments: 95

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