Canon EOS-1D X - New Flagship DSLR

"The most advanced DSLR ever"

By PF Staff in Photo Industry News on Oct 18, 2011

In the absence of any recent news from Pentax, we turn to a breakthrough from Canon: the announcement of the EOS-1D X "Advanced". The 1D X is Canon's new flagship which not only introduces several improvements over the 1D Mark IV, but also sets several industry-firsts.

The general specifications are as follows:

• New 18.1 megapixel sensor
• Full-frame sensor
• 12FPS shutter rated for 400,000 actuations
• 14FPS JPEG-only capture
• New 61-point autofocus system
• Dual Digic 5 image processors
• MSRP: $6800
• ISO 50-204,800
• Availability: March, 2012

Alongside these specifications, the pricing seems to be very fitting: higher than that of the 1D Mark IV and Nikon D3s, yet still much less than the Nikon D3x.

The 1D X is Canon's most advanced DSLR to date- and based on the specifications alone, it might turn out to be one of the fastest and most versatile professional DSLRs of all time.

Canon has made incremental improvements wherever possible: a larger pixel size (6.95 microns) over previous bodies, an overhauled AF interface with 6 preset shooting configurations, an improved AF point layout, a more durable shutter (by 30%, rated for 400,000 actuations), better full-HD video capture, and suprior performance.  The body has also gotten some touch-ups: two new conveinence buttons have been added near the lens mount, and an ethernet port has been installed to allow for faster image transfer out of the camera.

It's worth mentioning the 1D X's improved processing power: it boasts a dual configuration of the new Digic 5+ image processing engine, which Canon claims is up to 17 times faster than the Digic 4 chip found in previous bodies.  Because the 1D X has a full-frame sensor (unlike the 1D Mark IV), it needs this additional power to deliver smooth image processing performance, but there's no doubt that the new processors will also give the camera a lot more flexibility for other tasks, such as in-body correction and high-quality video capture.  The 1D X also has a separate dedicated Dicit 4 chip for its metering system.

Overall, it seems that Canon has produced a masterpiece, one which will be prized and pushed to its limits by professionals all over the world.  Pentaxians can only hope that some day in the future, we'll be greeted by an equally-innovative full-frame body from Pentax...

Full details about the 1DX can be found in the press release.