Canon EOS-1D Mark III

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The Canon EOS-1D Mark III has revolutionised the D-SLR market by including not one but two of Canon’s superb DIGIC III processors. This is part of the reason why the Mark III is capable of handling 10 frames-per-second (fps) for 110 JPEGs from a 10MP sensor – an outstanding achievement by anyone’s standards.

Rather than feature a full-frame sensor like the EOS-1Ds Mark II or EOS 5D, or an APS-C sensor like the other Canon D-SLRs, the Mark III uses the larger APS-H size CMOS sensor. This means that the lenses used get an effective 1.3x focal length increase, which makes wide-angle views easier to achieve than on APS-C sensors but does rule out all EF-S (digital only) lenses. The rear screen has been increased to a massive 3in LCD that dominates the back of the camera.

The Mark III also takes the built-in, self-cleaning sensor device from the EOS 400D to help cut down on the photographer’s nightmare of black spots on images. The camera features dual CF/SD card slots so you can either double up your storage or write JPEGs to one card and RAWs to the other.

The autofocus system has had a major overhaul and had lots of new technology added. There’s a single processing unit dedicated to the focusing system and it’s claimed that the Mark III is around three times faster than its predecessor. Coupled with this, there are scores of user-customisable settings for the autofocus systems, allowing you to make the camera suit your needs.

The menu and quick options are now navigated by using the small nipple joystick and command dials, freeing up your left hand completely – just like most other cameras on the market. The Mark III has a much smaller battery than the other EOS-1D models. In fact, it’s very similar to those used in the Nikon D2 series and contributes to the weight drop of just over 200g from the Mark II.

The basic design of the camera remains virtually unaltered from the long tradition of the EOS 1 shape, which is several generations old now. This doesn’t compare too favourably to the Mark III’s Nikon rivals though, and prevents the Mark III from getting top marks for handling.

There are some great additions to the menu system, including a My Menu option that allows you to add certain options you use regularly onto a quick list to help you access them more quickly.

The Live View function works really well compared to other models we’ve seen. The large 3in monitor gives you a clear look at your images and by digitally enlarging the view you can perform minute focus tweaks – probably more accurately than you could by just using the optical viewfinder, thanks to the 10x magnification.

The new battery, despite being smaller than that featured on the Mark II, is far more efficient. This makes it possible to get over 800 shots before the display changes to show its come off full charge.

The autofocus system of the Mark II was highly regarded by pros around the world and the Mark III is likely to cause even more excitement. It is extremely accurate and its tracking on moving subjects is even better than before, which is no mean feat.

The dual DIGIC III processors do a tremendous job of dealing with all the information from the 10MP sensor in lightning-fast time. It is possible to clog up the buffer and bring up the hated ‘Busy’ screen but you really have to be going some in order to get there.

There are no prizes for guessing that the results from the Mark III are stunning. The low ISO settings are superb and noise is very well controlled indeed, and even up at the highest settings the results display plenty of colour saturation and the minimum of noise compared to many other D-SLRs. 

It’s always hard to justify spending around £3000 on a camera if photography is your hobby or even a part time money-maker for you. But the EOS-1D Mark III really pushes that limit and is crying out for you to purchase it. Unlike its predecessors, the Mark III will appeal to photographers from almost all fields and the price point makes it an even more desirable camera than even the EOS-1Ds Mark II.

Once you’ve had a play with the Mark III, none of Canon’s other D-SLRs (with the exception of the EOS-1Ds Mark II) will be able to match what it offers, and it’s very easy to get attached to it. Canon has certainly put a lot of thought into the evolution of the EOS-1D cameras. Expect to see a lot of new features trickling through onto the lower price models soon.

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