C WHITE PAPER THE CANON EOS-1D MARK III CAMERA: EOS REBORN
Table of Contents I. OVERVIEW II. SUMMARY OF NEW AND IMPROVED FEATURES 4 7 III. IMAGE QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS New 10.1 Megapixel Sensor Dual DIGIC III Image Processors Noise Reduction Highlight Tone Priority New sRAW Image Size 9 9 11 12 12 13 IV. EOS INTEGRATED CLEANING SYSTEM Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit Dust Delete Data 14 14 15 V.
Electronic Components RoHS Compatibility Shutter Silent Mode 10 fps Metering and Exposure Control Safety Shift Interface Power 33 33 34 34 35 35 36 37 37 IX. CONTROL AND DISPLAY Ease of Operation LCD Display Panels LCD Monitor Viewfinder Menu Functions Playback and Display Options White Balance Custom Functions Saving and Registering Settings My Menu Picture Style Camera Direct Functions 40 40 41 41 42 44 45 47 47 51 52 52 52 X.
I. OVERVIEW Professional photographers know what they want in a camera. Above all, the camera must be dependable—able to come through in shooting situations that are far less than ideal… even in harsh environmental and handling conditions. The camera must be responsive—reacting instantly to the photographer’s input… able to capture, within a heartbeat, the image in the mind’s eye. It must provide a sophisticated feature set that makes it versatile and adaptable and, yet, does not compromise operability.
Canon has also found a way to reconfigure the microlenses that distribute light to individual pixels. The spaces between them are smaller and the way light strikes the sensor is more intelligent. The result is that less light is lost, again improving image quality. Some of the benefit of this sophistication can be found in the new ISO range of the EOS-1D Mark III, 100 to 3200 with extensions to 50 and 6400, the last figure unimaginable in a DSLR until now.
There’s much, much more: a professional, fully-integrated cleaning system, a new shutter rated at 300,000 cycles, highlight tone priority, safety shift, a completely revised and simplified set of controls and menus, a new recording format, a silent mode, a new magnesium alloy mirror box, an intelligent new lightweight and compact battery… and that’s not all. And, we can’t forget to talk about the value propositions that the EOS-1D Mark III represents. The text that follows will tell you all about them.
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• High-capacity, lightweight and compact lithium-ion battery with estimated battery life display • Enhanced recording options include automatic switching of recording media, separate recordings to media and identical recordings to multiple media • Silent mode for single images • Image copying and backup to external media enabled • ISO speed safety shift • ISO speed and metering pattern always displayed in viewfinder and on top LCD data panel • New control layout with SET button, AF On button and Multi-Contr
III. IMAGE QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS Image quality improvements over the EOS-1D Mark II N are as follows: • Higher resolution with 10.10 megapixels versus 8.2 • Improved gradation with 14-bit A/D conversion and DIGIC III • ISO 3200 now within the standard ISO setting range, thanks to an improved sensor signal-to-noise ratio and DIGIC III • Noise reduction provided for high ISO speeds (C.
Combining the superb image capture capabilities of the new sensor with advanced Dual DIGIC III Image Processors, the EOS-1D Mark III offers the widest ISO range of any DSLR in the world (as of February 2007). The standard range of 100–3200 can be extended to a remarkable 50–6400.* More important, the low-noise performance at high ISO settings makes the entire range usable in real-world shooting situations. * CIPA standard output sensitivity. Recommended exposure index.
noise, the EOS-1D Mark III has a new feed-through output amp that attains both high speed and low noise. Low noise is also achieved with an improved manufacturing process, an optimized pixel amp and an optimized reading circuit. As with the EOS-1D Mark II N, single-line, 8-channel reading is employed. With a faster output amp and optimized read circuit, a continuous shooting speed of approximately 10 fps is attained.
By having 2 processors handle the workload, image processing is now approximately 1.5x faster; Compact Flash™ access speed is now 1.3x faster, and SD card access is now 2x faster compared to the EOS-1D Mark II N. The extra power of Dual DIGIC III Image Processors has also allowed analog-to-digital conversion to improve from 12 to 14 bits per channel, meaning that tonal gradation for RAW images is now divided into 16,384 separate levels per channel rather than 4,096.
New sRAW Image Size In addition to RAW, JPEG Large, Medium 1, Medium 2, and Small, the EOS-1D Mark III features a new image size, sRAW or Small RAW. sRAW images have approximately one-fourth the pixel count, 2.5 megapixels, and approximately half the file size of RAW images. Just like regular RAW images, sRAW images can be adjusted and processed with the provided software.
IV. EOS INTEGRATED CLEANING SYSTEM The EOS-1D Mark III incorporates the EOS Integrated Sensor Cleaning System, which is a complete anti-dust system. It suppresses dust generation and dust adhering to the sensor, removes dust and makes any remaining dust less noticeable.
When the menu is set to [Clean now], you can clean the sensor whenever you wish. It takes about 4 sec. During the cleaning, ultrasonic vibration is applied to the infraredabsorption glass and the shutter is cocked three times so that the dust falls off the infrared-absorption glass and any dust resettling on the shutter curtains is also shaken off.
V. INCOMPARABLE EOS AUTOFOCUS, NOW EVEN BETTER AF System Canon EOS-1 series cameras are legendary for their superior autofocus ability. Many professional photographers rate Canon’s autofocus as one of the main reasons that they use Canon equipment. The new autofocus system of the EOS-1D Mark III represents a complete reconsideration of professional autofocus.
Sensor vertical-line sensitive at f/2.8 Sensor horizontal-line sensitive at f/5.6 EOS-1D Mark III Previous 45-point sensor Sensor horizontal-line sensitive at f/5.6 Sensor vertical-line sensitive at f/2.8 The 19 cross-type AF points take advantage of the following technologies: • With finer processing steps, the peripheral circuit could be made smaller and the f/2.8 AF sensor area could be expanded • The secondary image-forming lens (see diagram) is glass mold.
The 18 cross-type AF points other than the center AF point detect vertical lines at f/2.8 and horizontal lines at f/5.6. If the maximum aperture of the lens or lens/extender combination in use is f/2.8 or larger, high-precision, cross-type focusing is possible. Also, if the maximum aperture of the lens or lens/extender combination in use is f/5.6 or larger, horizontal-line sensitive AF is possible. The Assist AF sensors are horizontal-line sensitive at f/5.6.
Also, the secondary image-forming lens is optimized for the f/5.6 and f/2.8 light flux by having a different surface shape for the respective light flux entering the lens. The top and bottom light flux is compatible with f/5.6, while the left and right light flux is compatible with f/2.8. The rear side of the secondary image-forming lens features a newly-developed aspherical surface compatible with f/2.8 lenses.
Predictive AF can track a subject approaching at about 31 mph up to about 26.2 ft. away with an EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM lens. This is the same as with the EOS-1D Mark II N. However, improvement in focusing detection performance enables subject tracking at 10 fps.
more precise. At the standard setting, the subject tracking sensitivity level is the same as with the 1D Mark II N. Once an AF point starts tracking the subject, the tracking response is impressive. (Subject-tracking sensitivity can be adjusted with C. Fn III –2, Slow to Fast, -2 to +2.) Even if AI Servo AF is used to focus on a still subject, stable control is enabled so that the lens drive isn’t constantly fine-tuning.
The adjustment increment of one step differs depending on the maximum aperture of the lens. You should shoot, check the focus, and adjust it. Repeat this procedure to adjust the point of focus. When a lens registered with a point-of-focus adjustment is attached, the point of focus will be automatically shifted by the correction amount set. If you set 1 (Adjust all lenses by the same amount) or 2 (Adjust by lens) and press the INFO button, the adjustment screen will appear.
VI. LIVE VIEW MODE Live View is a significant addition to the professional DSLR shooter’s arsenal. It is a terrific problem-solver for all those situations in which it would be awkward, difficult or impossible to look through the viewfinder to compose, meter and shoot. In response to the particular requests of studio and remote sports photographers, EVF (electronic viewfinder) shooting with a computer, wired or wireless, is now possible with the EOS-1D Mark III.
Remote Live View Mode Remote Live View Mode is controlled through EOS Utility 2.0 (a major upgrade from version 1.1), included on the EOS Digital Solution Disk Ver.14. The camera can be connected either wired with the provided USB 2.0 Hi-Speed cable, or wirelessly with the WFT-E2A. To get started, the camera must be set to Live View. Then, click the [Starting Live View] button on the Remote Live View screen. Magnified view (Displayed in a separate window centering on the AF point.
If flash is used, the mirror must come down briefly. Pressing the shutter button completely will cancel the mirror lockup and the metering sensor will execute E-TTL II flash metering control (preflash fired and the correct flash output is retained). Then the reflex mirror is locked up again and the picture is taken. For continuous shooting, the same 10 fps maximum shooting speed as with normal shooting can be achieved. During continuous shooting, the LCD monitor is off.
Info Display Below the image, the shutter speed, aperture, exposure level (exposure compensation amount, AEB level), flash exposure level, shots remaining, and ISO speed are displayed. In the magnified view, the magnified location, magnification, and AE lock status are displayed on the right of the image. In addition, when you press the INFO button, the Picture Style, battery check, AE lock status, and flash-ready are also displayed on the lower left of the image. If C.
If the light source changes, the Live View picture may flicker. If this happens, stop the Live View shooting and press the SET button to start the Live View shooting again. During continuous shooting, the exposure for the first shot will also be applied to subsequent shots. If the sun or other bright light source enters the picture, the bright area might look dark. However, it will be correctly recorded as a bright area. Note that FE lock and modeling flash cannot be used.
VII. IMAGE RECORDING AND STORAGE Recording Method With DIGIC III and improved card writing, the data writing speed is approximately 30% faster than with the EOS-1D Mark II N. The EOS-1D Mark II N provided three recording methods: • Recording to only one memory card • Recording the same image to both the CF and SD cards • Recording the RAW image to the CF card and JPEG image to the SD card, or vice versa The EOS-1D Mark III offers some new and highly flexible image recording options.
On-screen message if the slot cover is opened In-Camera File Copying & Naming Options On-screen message if the power switch is set to Any image stored in a memory card or external media can be copied to another recording medium (CF card, SD/SDHC card, or external media). Select the recording medium containing the images you want to copy using the [Record funct+media/folder sel.] menu, and individually checkmark the images to be copied.
Recording Quality Specifications Image Size Pixels [Approx. MB] File Size [Approx. MB] Maximum Burst [Approx.] Possible Shots [Approx.] Hi-Speed Low-Speed Printing Size L (Large) 10.1 (3,888x2,592) 3.5 260 110 260 A3 or Larger M1 (Medium1) 8.0 (3,456x2,304) 2.8 320 130 320 Around A3 M2 (Medium2) 5.3 (2,816x1,880) 2.1 420 140 420 Around A4 S (Small) 2.5 (1,936x1,288) 1.2 710 160 710 Around A5 RAW 10.1 (3,888x2,592) 13.0 66 30 35 A3 or Larger L (Large) 13.0+3.
VIII. ROCK SOLID RELIABILITY Improved Body Design and Construction The EOS-1D Mark III retains and refines the beautiful curved surfaces and superb basic layout of the EOS-1 series. Ease of operation and holding comfort have been improved appreciably, as has ease of operation with accessories. The new camera is designed to be easier to understand and more reassuring.
Dimensions and Weight Mechanical Components The dimensions of the EOS-1D Mark III are (W x H x D): 156 x 156.6 x 79.9 mm/6.1 x 6.2 x 3.1 inches. The weight is 1155 g/40.7 oz. (body only, no battery, no memory cards), 1335 g/47.1 oz. (with battery). Compared to the EOS-1D Mark II N, the height is 1 mm shorter; the body-only weight is a significant 70 g/2.5 oz. lighter, and the weight with battery is a remarkable 225 g/7.9 oz. lighter. The LP-E4 battery of the EOS-1D Mark III weighs 180 g/6.3 oz.
Electronic Components The main electronic boards are the imaging-control board, digital-control board, cameracontrol board, display-control board, and power supply board. There are also flexible boards mounted with various sensors and other boards and flexible boards. There are 15 hard boards and 27 flexible boards (including FFC). 1) Imaging-control board This board outputs the pulse controlling the driving of the CMOS sensor.
Shutter While based on the EOS-1D Mark II N's shutter unit, the EOS-1D Mark III's shutter unit has been improved to increase durability and to reduce the generation of dust. It is now rated for 300,000 shutter cycles. (The 1D Mark II N’s shutter unit durability rating is 200,000 cycles.) To attain this level of ruggedness, surface finish Shutter unit and heating processes in manufacturing have been changed for specific highly durable parts.
A top continuous shooting speed of 10 fps is attained in both the One-Shot AF and AI Servo AF modes even though the EOS-1D Mark III has about 1.23 times more pixels than the EOS-1D Mark II N.
The new evaluative metering algorithm is based on the algorithm for the previous 21-zone and 35-zone metering systems. With the optimized 63-zone metering sensor and improved algorithm, more consistent and correct ambient and flash exposures are obtained with less influence by the subject. The basic concepts for the evaluative metering algorithm are: 1. Metering is weighted on the linked AF point. 2. If there is a very bright object in the picture, the exposure will be increased. 3.
Interface The USB 2.0 Hi-Speed is now incorporated, replacing IEEE 1394/Firewire. Thanks to the higher efficiency of the internal interface with DIGIC III, data transfer speed is much faster than with the EOS-1D Mark II N. Since the USB speed also greatly depends on the personal computer hardware environment, the transfer speed might not be about 2.5 times as fast in all user environments. The USB interface cable is about 6.6 ft./2m long with both ends having a ferrite core-equipped A: Mini B connector.
Battery Check An IC chip in the battery tracks battery information. Battery level is displayed upon communication with the chip. The remaining battery level is indicated by a battery icon indicating one of six levels on the top LCD panel, in the viewfinder (during metering), and on the menu screen [Battery info.]. If communication with the battery chip fails, a communication error message will appear. By selecting [OK], you can continue shooting. (The battery icon will be displayed as empty.
Thanks to the newly-developed, large-capacity (2300 mAh), lithium-ion battery pack, the new DIGIC III imaging engine, revised circuits, the new LCD monitor with low power consumption, and fine power control, the number of possible shots is approximately 2200 at 23°C/73°F and 1700 at 0°C/ 32°F. (The EOS-1D Mark II N: 1200 shots at 23°C/ 73°F or 800 shots at 0°C/32°F) For the date/time (backup) battery, the same CR2025 lithium battery as the EOS-1D Mark II N is used. The battery life is 5 years.
IX. CONTROLS AND DISPLAY Ease of Operation In order to provide ease of operation that befits a new-generation EOS-1D series camera, Canon has thoroughly investigated ways to make camera operation easier. The camera retains the EOS Digital line's basic operation method with the Main Dial, Quick Control Dial, Multi-Controller, SET button, and other buttons to select and set various functions.
LCD Display panels ISO speed Highlight tone priority display (Dust Delete Data acquisition (––––) Shutter Speed Bulb ( ) Bulb Exposure Time (Min.:Sec.
conditions. A large, clear grey scale is provided for guidance. Also, the color reproduction range has been increased and gamma is added to simulate a personal computer monitor. Thus, color reproduction is improved to make the images look more natural. LCD Viewing Angle Vertical Viewing Angle Horizontal Viewing Angle The number of dots comprising a character is the same as with the EOS 5D for Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Mandarin, and Korean.
EOS-1D Mark III Major Viewfinder Specifications Item EOS-1D Mark III Coverage [Approx. %] Magnification 0.76 Viewing angle [°] 30 0.72 28.2 Eye point [Approx.
Menu Functions The Main Dial is used to select the menu tab; the Quick Control Dial is used to select the menu option (each tabbed menu does not require vertical scrolling). Then, the SET button is pressed to register the setting. This ease of operation is new. (With the EOS 5D and 30D, the Quick Control Dial is used to scroll. With the EOS Digital Rebel XTi/400D Digital, the Cross keys are used to select the tab and menu option.
Playback and Display Options There are four display options: 1. Single image 2. Single image + Image size 3. Shooting information 4. Histogram (1. Brightness, 2. RGB) Each time you press the INFO button, the display changes in this sequence. With the EOS-1D Mark III, display options 2 and 4 are new. You can also set the display for highlight warning (highlight areas with no image will blink) and AF point.
During single image playback or INFO display, press the Magnify button to magnify the image. When you hold down the Magnify/Reduce button, you can zoom in or out between 1.5x and 10x in 15 steps. By turning the Quick Control Dial during the magnified view, you can view another image at the same magnified position. With the [Enlarge display] menu, you can also start the magnified view from a manually selected AF point, as you can with the EOS-1D Mark II N.
White Balance The white balance and color temperature settings are the same as those on the EOS-1D Mark II N. Now white balance can be set with the menu in addition to setting it while looking at the rear LCD panel. The lowest color temperature has been extended by 300°K, and the settable range has been expanded to 2500°K–10000°K in 100°K increments. The Custom white balance can now be registered with up to 5 images shot on the spot, in addition to registering it with an image in the memory card.
The Custom Functions corresponding to the EOS-1D Mark II N's C. Fn and P. Fn are shown here. New and substantially altered Custom Functions are explained below. Corresponding Custom Functions No. Custom Function EOS-1D Mark II N Function C.Fn I: Exposure No. Custom Function EOS-1D Mark II N Function C.Fn III: Autofocus/Drive 1 Exposure Level Increments Same as C.Fn-06 1 USM Lens Electronic MF Same as C.Fn-07 2 ISO Speed Setting Increments New 2 AI Servo Tracking Sensitivity Same as C.
•[0: On] The AEB and WB-BKT setting will be canceled when the power switch is set to or if the camera settings are cleared. AEB will also be canceled if Bulb is set or if the flash is ready. With the EOS-1D Mark III, the bracketing will not be canceled even if the lens is changed, the card slot is opened, or the battery is removed. •[1: Off] Even if the power switch is set to , AEB and WB-BKT setting will not be canceled. When the flash is ready, AEB will be canceled.
when it is difficult to view the top LCD panel while shooting, such as when the camera is pointed straight down. Also, while the shooting functions are displayed, you can press the AF point selection button to select an AF point on the LCD monitor. Shooting function display C. Fn III –6, [Lens AF stop button function], is the same function as the EOS-1D Mark II N's C. Fn-19 except for the addition of [6: AF point history selection].
C. Fn IV –10, [Button function when Quick Control Dial ], is an expanded version of P. Fn-30. When [1: Disable Main Dial/Quick Control Dial, Multi- controller] is set and the power switch is set to ON, the Main Dial, Quick Control Dial and Multi-Controller will not be able to change any settings. This prevents accidental changing of the settings. The function is C.Fn IV-10 very convenient and eliminates a source of anxiety for many photographers who shoot in chaotic conditions.
My Menu Up to six frequently-used menu options and Custom Functions can be registered in the user-friendly feature, My Menu. The menu's top-level options, the Custom Function's top-level settings, and all Custom Functions can be registered. You can change the order of the menu items, delete menu items, or delete all the menu items. Also, if [Display from My Menu: Display] is set, pressing the Menu button will display the My Menu (tab) first.
Canon's BubbleJet Direct and CP Direct, when the CP500, CP400, CP330, CP300, CP220 or CP200 is used, PictBridge takes effect and the printer's full potential can be used. (The CP500, CP400, CP330, CP300, CP220 and CP200 provide both CP Direct and PictBridge and ordinarily give priority to CP Direct.) Also, with the CP730, CP720, CP710, CP510, an improved communication algorithm has improved the printing speed. The [By Folder] button has been added.
X. SOFTWARE PACKAGE, COMPATIBILITY AND ACCESSORIES Software: EOS Digital Solution Disk, Version 14 The EOS DIGITAL Solution Disk, Ver.14 that is included with the EOS-1D Mark III contains major upgrades to two key programs, EOS Utility 2.0 and Digital Photo Professional 3.0, as well as a minor upgrade to ZoomBrowser EX/ImageBrowser (now version 5.8). DPP, a favorite of professionals and advanced amateurs, is now much faster, easier to use and more capable.
• Supports Small RAW/sRAW images • Supports the dust erasure function • GPS data display • Image display that supports images with a designated aspect ratio • Enhanced main window functions • Single-image display for RAW+JPEG images • Thumbnail image rearranging using drag & drop • Frame display in trimmed images • Image adjustments using the tool palette • Enhanced edit window functions • Faster image display using 1/4 size image processing • New algorithm for high-speed display of RAW images (Fit to windo
For example, for outdoor use, the unit is prohibited in France and an approval is required in Italy and Latvia.
• 2 UD lens elements (G12 and G15) minimize lateral chromatic aberration (a wide angle lens design problem) to produce superb image quality with excellent resolution and contrast and little or no color bleed around the outline of the subject • Lens disposition and coatings optimized to minimize the ghosting and flare that tend to occur when the lens is used with a digital camera • High resistance to dust and water droplets • Circular aperture produces beautiful out-of-focus images • Internal focusing (some
Canon EOS System Compatibility The EOS-1D Mark III is compatible with virtually all of the vast Canon EOS System with the exception of EF-S lenses that are designed for smaller sensors. As a practical matter, this means an endless array of new and older equipment is available to buy throughout the world, to rent as necessary, and to borrow from in-house pools. A Canon photographer can always upgrade, downsize, augment or back up as requirements dictate.
XI. SPECIFICATIONS Type of Camera Image Sensor Type: Digital AF/AE SLR Recording Medium: CF Card Type I and II, SD/SDHC Memory Card (1 slot each), External media Image Size: 1.11 x 0.74 in./28.1 x 18.7mm (APS-H size sensor) Compatible Lenses: Canon EF lenses (except EF-S lenses) Lens mount: Canon EF mount Lens Focal Length Conversion Factor: 1.3x Type: High-sensitivity, high-resolution, single-plate, CMOS sensor Effective Pixels: Approx. 10.10 megapixels Total Pixels: Approx. 10.
Viewfinder Type: Eye-level SLR with fixed pentaprism Coverage: Approx. 100% horizontally and vertically Magnification: 0.76x (-1 dpt with 50mm lens at infinity) Eyepoint: Approx. 20mm Dioptric Adjustment Correction: -3.0 to +1.
Shutter External Speedlite Drive System LCD Monitor Playback Image Protection and Erase Type: Vertical-travel, mechanical, focal-plane shutter with all speeds electronically controlled Shutter Speeds: 1/8000 to 30 sec. (1/3-stop increments), X-sync at 1/300 sec. Shutter Release: Soft-touch electromagnetic release Self-Timer: 10 sec. delay, 2 sec.
Sound Recording Menus Power Source Recording Method: The voice annotation recorded with the built-in microphone is attached to the image File Format: WAV Recording Time: Max. 30 sec. per recording Menu Categories: 1. Shooting, 2. Playback, 3. Setup, 4.
XII. CONCLUSION The EOS-1D Mark III is the ultimate instrument for high pressure, high-speed photography, and it can do much, much more. It has the image quality, the ease of control, the speed and the flexibility to adapt brilliantly to just about any condition. Features such as the new integrated cleaning system make it easier to live with. With Live View, the possibilities are limited only by the imagination.
