Completely redesigned professional digital SLR with 10fps continuous shooting, 10.1-megapixel sensor and EOS Integrated Cleaning System
Concept of development
Faced with a rapidly changing future, the EOS-1D Mark III (Photo 1) has been engineered from the ground up with the following keyword: ''Revolution: Speed, Ease, and Image Quality.''
The actual concept of development of the top of the EOS DIGITAL line ''New-Generation EOS-1'' is outlined below.
• High precision, high image quality, high-speed, quick response
· 10.1-megapixel CMOS sensor
· 10fps continuous shooting in bursts of up to 110 shots
· Dual DIGIC III processors for precise, natural color reproduction
and faster image processing
· Greater ISO sensitivity for expanded imaging range· 14bit A/D conversion for rich tone reproduction
• Improvement of functions reflecting requests from professionals
· New very precise AF (with 19 cross-type points and 26 Assist AF points)
· High-magnification viewfinder with a wide field of view and high performance
· EOS Integrated Cleaning System
· Live View shooting function
· Operability shared across the EOS DIGITAL series
· Large high-definition three-inch LCD monitor
· New high-performance power supply system
• Even greater reliability
· Shutter durability of 300,000 cycles
· Dust-proof and moisture-proof structure including flash
• Improved systems
· Support for Wireless LAN
· Support for external storage media and GPS connections
· Support for original image identification and image encryption
High resolution, high quality, and renewal of digital functions
(1) Large CMOS sensor with approx. 10.1 effective megapixels
The camera has a new large CMOS sensor (Photo 2) with approx. 10.1 effective megapixels (out of a total of approx. 10.7 megapixels) and an effective sensor size of 28.1mm x 18.7mm. Extremely low noise is achieved through the use of a 2nd generation noise reduction circuit,
in addition to an improved manufacturing process and the optimization of the pixel amplifier and an 8-channel readout circuit.
(2) Equipped with two newly developed DIGIC III imaging engines
While carrying over the basic design concept of the DIGIC II, the DIGIC III offers even greater speed and higher performance. This camera is equipped with two DIGIC III engines (Photo 3), and the parallel processing achieved through this dual configuration makes it possible to handle the massive amount of high-speed signal processing required for shooting at up to 10fps and at a resolution of 10.1 megapixels, while also reproducing colors naturally and in high definition.
The dual DIGIC III configuration also makes the following new functions possible.
· Rich tone reproduction achieved through 14bit A/D conversion
· Highlight priority for better reproduction of detail in highlights
· Noise reduction for high ISO shooting
(3) Standard ISO range expanded to ISO 3200
While maintaining the image quality of the highly regarded EOS-1D Mark II N, the camera responds to the demanding requirements of media professionals with a standard ISO range of 100-3200 (Extended Range L:50, H:6400).
(4) Six Picture Style settings
The Picture Style function provides optimal images for most purposes and effects. Like the EOS-1D Mark II N, the function has preset settings for Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful and Monochrome.
The user-defined Picture Style settings are also the same as for the EOS-1D Mark II N, but a Picture Style selection button (Protect/Record button) has been added to the rear of the camera to facilitate selection operations.
(5) Addition of finely adjustable image-recording quality and ''Small RAW'' recording
Image-recording quality settings are RAW and JPEG. RAW is available in Full (approx. 10.1 megapixels) and 1/4 size (approx 2.5 megapixels) sRAW. The recording sizes for JPEG are Large, Middle 1, Middle 2 and Small (Table 1, Fig. 2).
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Notes: |
* When using a 1GB memory card. |
Selections can be made looking at the rear LCD panel on the back (Fig. 1) or at the menu screen (Fig. 2).
Fig. 1 : Image Size Selection (Rear LCD Panel)
JPEG quality (compression rate) can be set freely for each image size (in 10 levels on the menu screen). It is also possible to simultaneously record in RAW or small RAW and JPEG at the selected recording size.
Furthermore, the following recording methods can be set to CF Card, SD Card, or external storage media via wireless LAN accessory/ WFT-E2.
| · | Standard (Default setting/ only records to specified media) |
| · | Automatic switchover (Image recording automatically switches over to another media with available capacity when the specified media is filled during shooting) |
| · | Separate recordings (The same captured image can be simultaneously recorded in different image types and image sizes onto various types of media) |
| · | Identical recordings (The same image can be recorded simultaneously onto all recording media) |
(6) Improvements to white balance
The basic specifications for white balance are similar to the EOS-1D Mark II N, but the following improvements have been made.
| · | Custom White Balance set when image is shot In addition to the method of selecting a stored white image to register the white balance data, it is also possible to take a shot and register the data simultaneously. |
| · | Extension of the color temperature's low end The low end of the color temperature has been extended to 2500K, expanding into the optimal range for tungsten light. |
| · | WB correction/WB bracketing The specifications are same as those for the EOS 5D. |
EOS Integrated Cleaning System: Overall evolution of dust reduction
The EOS Integrated Cleaning System was developed based on the concept of ''not creating, attaching, or leaving'' dust. This is made possible through a complete response using the 4 stages shown below.
(1) Restricting the occurrence of dust
We focused on the occurrence of dust by revising the structure and materials used in the shutter mechanism aimed at increasing durability to 300,000 cycles in order to restrict the amount of dust created by the camera itself.
(2) Reduction of attachment of dust to the surface of the digital imaging element
Antistatic measures have been thoroughly implemented to significantly reduce dust adhesion.
(3) Dust removed by ultrasonic vibration
The camera is equipped with a Self Cleaning Sensor Unit (Photo 4 and Fig. 3) that is part of the low-pass filter in front of the CMOS sensor.
Dust adhering to the filter is removed by an ultrasonic vibration using a method different to that of the EOS Kiss Digital X. The unit is activated for 3.5 seconds (one second for the EOS Kiss Digital X) when the camera is turned on or off.
If the shutter button is pressed while the cleaning sensor unit is activated just after the camera is turned on, the unit immediately stops to enable the shot to be taken. The ultrasonic vibration can also be operated manually or disabled.
(4) Acquiring and appending Dust Delete Data / automatic dust deletion using software
When dust spots containing oil cannot be removed by ultrasonic vibration (3 above), information of the position of the dust (data is loaded and recorded by taking a photograph of a blank white object in advance) is appended to the image data, enabling batch removal of dust artifacts using the DPP (Digital Photo Professional ver.3.0) software included with the camera.
Evolution of speed, comfort and shooting functions
(1) New Area AF with 19 cross-type points and 26 Assist AF points providing high precision and high speed
The camera incorporates a newly-developed Area AF with 19 cross-type AF points (Photo 5) providing high-precision AF and an improved capability of acquiring moving objects.
The Area AF has a total of 45 AF points, with a layout that is almost the same as the 45 AF points in the EOS-1 series of SLR cameras (Fig. 4). The 19 user-selectable AF points are high-precision cross-type points (vertical-line sensitive at f/2.8 and horizontal line sensitive at f/5.6; Fig. 5). The other 26 points (not user selectable) are horizontal line sensitive at f/5.6 and assist the 19 cross-type AF points.
In the EOS 5D the Assist AF points only operate in the AI SERVO AF mode, but they also operate in One-Shot AF mode (Auto-selection/C.Fn: AF frame expanded in user selection) in the EOS-1D Mark III, providing more reliable focusing.
The One-Shot AF speed, high-speed continuous shooting performance, and AI SERVO AF tracking performance are on par with the EOS-1D Mark II N due to faster reading of the signal from the AF sensor. Moreover, low ambient light metering has been extended to EV -1, which is twice as sensitive as the EOS-1D Mark II N.
(2) High-speed 10fps continuous shooting of up to 110 large JPEG images or 30 RAW images
Thanks to the two-motor system, improved mirror-bound suppression, optimized shooting sequence, newly-developed shutter unit, 8-channel signal reading, dual DIGIC III and other improvements, a continuous shooting speed of approx. 10fps is attained in AI SERVO AF mode despite the camera's high 10.1-megapixel resolutions.
The maximum burst has also been improved significantly to 110 large JPEG (quality 8) images (approx. 2.3 times the number in the EOS-1D Mark II N) or 30 RAW images (approx. 1.4 times).
Once the camera's buffer memory is full, the time required for the next shot is approximately 0.5 seconds for a large JPEG (quality 8) image and 1 second for a RAW image.
The drive modes provided are high-speed continuous (10fps), low-speed continuous (3fps), single, silent, 10-second self timer and 2-second self timer.
(3) New 63-zone metering sensor for precise high-performance exposure control
The camera incorporates a new 63-zone metering sensor linked to the 19 cross-type and 26 Assist AF points (Photo 6, Fig. 6). Thanks to the development of a metering algorithm optimized for the new system, stable ambient and flash metering are obtained while being less subject dependent.
Metering Sensor
The basic specifications for metering and exposure control are the same as for the EOS-1D Mark II N, but an ISO speed shift function has been added in custom functions (C.Fn.). If the correct exposure cannot be obtained with the P, Tv or Av mode, the ISO sensitivity is automatically shifted within the ISO100-3200 range to obtain the correct exposure.
(To be continued in the next issue)