Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR Camera

Canon Updated: 2007-10-09
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR Camera

The Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III is an engineering tour de force which, true to the EOS-1 legacy, redefines the state of the art in no uncertain terms. An entirely new 21.1-megapixel full-frame Canon CMOS sensor delivers astounding image quality and creates new photographic possibilities. Dual "DIGIC III" Image Processors work in tandem to speed up data handling and camera operation, while further refining imaging performance. Tough, high-durability body and shutter designs, combined with the unique EOS Integrated Cleaning System, set new standards for professional dependability. Cutting-edge features-such as a large 3.0-inch LCD monitor with Live View Function, and a fast, precise 45-point AF system-make the EOS-1Ds Mark III powerful and versatile. And, of course, the EOS-1Ds Mark III is part of the unparalleled EOS System, which, with more than 50 EF lenses, 15 interchangeable focusing screens, and extensive wireless remote control and lighting accessories, is the most advanced and powerful digital photography system in the world.

Features

A New Full-Frame Performance Standard
Superb image quality: entirely new 21.1 Megapixel Full-Frame Canon CMOS Sensor, Highlight Tone Priority, and 14-bit A/D conversions for outstanding color tones.
The EOS-1Ds Mark III incorporates Canon's newest CMOS sensor, which delivers approximately 21.1 effective megapixels (5,632 x 3,750 pixels). The recording area of the sensor is 36 x 24mm, which is equivalent to the full-frame size of the 35mm film format. The tremendous pixel count delivers high-resolution images of exacting precision, with Photoshop™ file sizes over 60MB for outstanding quality at large print sizes and post-processing cropping flexibility. Despite the higher pixel density, Canon CMOS sensor technology ensures exceptionally low noise and the widest usable ISO range* (from 50 to 3200, using ISO range extension).

Highlight Tone Priority

Activated via a Custom Function on the EOS-1Ds Mark III, the unique Highlight Tone Priority feature takes full advantage of the camera's 14-bit per channel digital conversion to provide smoother gradations from the grays to the highlights and preserve greater detail in image highlight areas — a perennial problem for digital photographers, especially those who work in bright sunlight or contrasty studio lighting. Highlight Tone Priority expands the available range of capture in the highlights, yet it exacts no penalties in either shadow detail or other aspects of image capture.

Advanced 14-bit A/D Conversion
Whereas most other digital cameras use 12-bit A/D (analog-to-digital) converters, the EOS-1Ds Mark III employs superior 14-bit per channel converters to process the output of the imaging sensor. In each color channel, this means there are 16,384 distinct brightness steps from the darkest to brightest tone (vs. 4,096 previously). This ensures smoother tonal transitions and more natural gradations. RAW images are recorded at the full 14 bit, and once processed will preserve the entire range of tones when opened in Photoshop's 16-bit color space.

"Picture Style" settings
With another great feature, Picture Style technology, photographers can recreate characteristics of their favorite films. Color, saturation, sharpness and contrast settings create noticeable variation in the saved image. In addition to six preset Picture Style settings (Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful and Monochrome), users can create three additional settings for their particular photographic style.

Picture Style settings are applied directly to JPEG images, giving tremendous flexibility to shooters who prefer the ease of JPEG files.  If RAW images are processed in Canon's Digital Photo Professional software (v. 3.2 or higher) or RAW Image Task software, the versatile Picture Style settings can be modified or completely changed in the computer, without affecting the original file.