Canon Launches 1D X Mark III

2020.01.06

After a preview in the form of a chassis at Photo Plus Expo, the new Canon EOS 1D X Mark III was just launched at CES 2020. This new flagship DSLR looks very similar to the 1D X Mark II which precedes it, as hinted by the chassis on exhibit last fall. This is a high-end action photography DSLR that delivers significant new features previously unseen among digital cameras, showing that DSLRs still have room to grow.

Built around a 20 megapixels Full-Frame Dual-Pixel CMOS sensor with optimized Low-Pass Filter designed to improve details while style preventing moire, the Canon 1D X Mark III offers a new 191-Point Phase-Detect AF system with 155 Cross-Type points! As always, this applies to OVF shooting as DSLRs were intended to be used. In Live-View, Canon's Dual-Pixel technology allows this DSLR to focus at 3869-Point around 90% of horizontal and 100% of vertical field-of-view coverage. New algorithms trained via machine-learning give the 1D X Mark III much better tracking capabilities.

This digital camera becomes the first to capture 10-bit images in HEIF format. These can be captured along with JPEG images or RAW files, although they provide a compromise in-between since the JPEG stores 8-bit-per-component while RAW stores 12-bits per-pixel and HEIF images take much less space than RAW files. The 1D X Mark III even offers in-camera conversion for experimenting as tooling for HEIF files is extremely limited at this time. With its fast Digic X processor, this DSLR can shoot continuous at 16 FPS with the OVF or 20 FPS in Live-View for over 1000 files, even in RAW+JPEG! This is an amazing achievement.

The 20 FPS sensor and Digic X processor together also allow the Canon 1D X Mark III to record 5.5K video at 60 FPS and in 12-bit RAW output. More conventional 4K Ultra-HD and Cinema 4K output can be down-scaled as 10-bit output at 60 FPS from there. Full 1080p HD is unsurprisingly possible at 120 FPS. All 4K video modes are recordable in All-Intra encoding to facilitate editing.

This professional DSLR sports two grips with dual control-dials on each, a huge number of customizable buttons and a innovating focus-point controls, all in a sturdy weatherproof body with dual CFExpress slots and a built-in GPS. Battery-life is rated at a spectacular 2850 shots-per-charge.

The Canon EOS 1D Mark III is scheduled to become available next month for $6500 USD. Both Adorama and B&H Photo are ready to accept pre-orders.

• CES