Canon EOS 1D Mark II is an excellent professional digital camera, which was announced in February 2004. Then it became one of the best cameras in the world. And 12 years later, his worthy descendant appeared - Canon EOS 1D X Mark II, a review of which is given at the end of the article.
Major changes
What is most surprising about the Canon EOS 1D Mark II Body? Characteristics of photos at high ISO. Up to ISO 400 photographs with almost no noise, ISO 800 also shows a very good result and ISO 1600 is quite tolerable. Basically, this camera is great for shooting in low light.
The lack of noise reassured many users who purchased the device after 10D, which allows you to take very even pictures - the result that made the camera beloved by many photographers. But it took a long time to overcome his fear.
1D was released long before its successor, the Canon EOS 1D Mark II. The characteristics of 1D were considered by many to be better than those of 10D - and in many ways this is indeed so. However, sample images for many did not seem quite flawless. In addition, users desired more than a 6 megapixel image.
Another concern regarding the Canon EOS 1D Mark II was its clarity. The image he gets is very sharp. The detail is very good, and it remains consistent in different situations. Landscape photographers will especially appreciate the details captured by this camera. When comparing similar images of distant trees and shrubs, the results of 1D MKII are noticeably more detailed than those of 10D.
The size
“More” is one of the first adjectives that comes to mind after getting to know the Canon EOS 1D Mark II. The characteristics have largely changed in the direction of increase compared to the digital SLR cameras 10D and D60, which appeared two years before the model in question.
Of course, physical size is the first "bigger" that you can notice. But even with larger sizes, the 1D MKII is better in the hands than 10D. The camera in the capture is not thick, but high. Tactile sensations are very good - it is tenacious. Mark II is also heavier, but it rather helps to hold it more securely when shooting.
Viewfinder
The viewfinder is another “big” innovation in the camera. Bright and large, it was a long-awaited update, although for owners of 1D it did not give anything new. No more wondering what is shown on the part of the frame that did not enter the viewfinder. True, you need to get used to it. Users who have learned to capture images that go beyond the scope of the 10D viewfinder now have to forget this skill.
At Canon EOS 1D Mark II, the review is not so large, and the viewfinder is not as bright as its predecessor. This, of course, is due to the use of a 1.3 times smaller sensor than that of a full-format camera, and also to the fact that, thus, the image fed to the reticle is smaller, and therefore less bright. Those who are used to 10D or another 6-megapixel camera will find the viewfinder bright and large, but the same 1D, it is significantly inferior in this regard.
At Canon EOS 1D X Mark II, the review is due to a 0.76-fold increase and a full-size sensor.
Display
The LCD on the back has also become large - it has grown to 2.0 "from 1.8", and it seems even larger. Of course, an increase in the number of pixels from 118 to 230 thousand cannot go unnoticed. The captured image is displayed very quickly on the display after the shutter is released. But we must hurry so as not to miss the 2-second display of the picture. The screen will have less greasy traces of touching the nose, since the eyecup is now set further than the 10D.
In the modification of the Canon EOS 1D Mark II N, the display characteristics have been improved. Its size increased to 2.5 inches, and the screen itself became brighter and clearer.
For comparison: the Canon EOS 1D X Mark II has a diagonal of 3.2 ".
The only "more" that did not please buyers was the price of the camera.
Performance
Faster is another pertinent epithet for the Canon EOS 1D Mark II.
First of all, the shutter began to fire faster - it acts almost instantly. The descent is very smooth and acts just as fast. The inclusion is almost instantaneous (0.5 s). The function menu also appears quickly. No more waiting.
Burst speed is 8.5 fps for 40 frames (or 20 in RAW-CR2 format). You can practically shoot a video. Well, not quite a video, but for its time, this SLR camera had the fastest autofocus and captured 8.2 megapixels with every shot. CompactFlash / SD memory cards can be filled up very quickly.
In the modification of the Canon EOS 1D Mark II N (Body only), the speed did not change, but the buffer size increased to 48 pictures in JPEG format or to 22 in RAW format.
Definition
In addition, the sensor has increased the number of megapixels - up to 8. Of course, the image size has increased and required more capacity and computing resources. As a result, a 16-bit TIFF file weighs about 48 MB.
Memory cards
Previously, when shooting on film, the speed reached 8 fps, but then the cassette ended in 4 seconds. This significantly limited the possibilities of photographers who rarely could afford such pleasure for financial reasons, not to mention the fear of being left without a film when working in hard-to-reach places.
A Canon EOS 1D Mark II camera with a 4 GB card can capture the equivalent of 10 film cassettes (375 frames), but after every 20-40 frames you should wait for a while to clear the buffer. But the costs associated with shooting completely disappeared, since the footage taken in a few minutes can be copied to the laptop’s hard drive, and the card can be used again.
Users can choose between CompactFlash or SD memory cards. Or you can use both standards at the same time. The rear card slot is much easier to see when the camera is hanging around the neck than the 10D side slot. Connectors are also available when the camera is in an open case.
Dynamic range
There are more and ISO settings. The camera allows you to select ISO equal to one third of the standard division of the scale of values. Settings can be expanded to a range from 50 to 3200. 9 steps is more than any other Canon EOS series before. The 10D has 8 divisions. Implementation, of course, may differ, but quantitative indicators are always convenient to compare.
Is a decrease in contrast a consequence of this? Since white is (255,255,255) and black is (0,0,0), when displaying or printing more information in the same range, the colors in the middle range become closer to each other. The result is a slightly reduced image contrast, unless, of course, the logic circuitry of the camera processor adds the correct curves to the image. It is not known whether such an algorithm is used in it at all and whether it includes correction of curves, but users like the result. And contrast can be easily corrected during post-processing. Keep in mind that some image formats support higher contrast than others.
More focus points
At Canon EOS 1D Mark II, the number of focal points increased from 7 in 10D to 45 (as in 1D). This helps a lot when tracking an object in AI Servo mode with an open aperture. In this case, you can select the desired point. In EOS 1D, a separate microprocessor is dedicated specifically for autofocus. This greatly simplified the shooting process and allowed to increase the percentage of high-quality images.
Battery life
The battery life of the camera’s battery power is extraordinary. The manufacturer estimates its 1200 frames. True, this was made possible by doubling the price and tripling the size compared to the 10D battery. According to user reviews, after shooting 800 photos with a lot of image views, the battery still shows a full charge. It is completely discharged after 1300 pictures and a huge number of views of the camera captured on the LCD screen. According to users, the indicator indicates a full charge, even when the battery is almost completely discharged.
In this model, there was a transition from lithium-ion power sources to nickel-metal hydride. Batteries require a little more attention - more frequent cycles of complete discharge and charging, so that their optimal performance lasts as long as possible. Since the capacity of the 1D II battery is very decent, users are ready to put up with this slight inconvenience. The reason for the transition to a new technology is a wider range of operating temperatures and better indicators of the charge cycle.
Control
There are more clicks. Many functions require pressing two buttons at the same time, and most settings require them to be kept pressed while changing the selected value. Users find this less logical than a single press in 10D, but hope that they can get used to it soon.
Crop factor
Another significant difference between the 1D MKII was the 1.3x crop factor. Photography enthusiasts and landscape photographers liked the 1.6x 10D crop. The innovation has become a compromise between traditional and professional full-format cameras and the Canon semi-professional DSLR line with 1.6x. According to the owners, their zoom lenses now fall into a more usable range of focal lengths.
Another change associated with a decrease in the angle of view of the lens is a decrease in the depth of field for such objects with the same optics and settings. The closer the distance from the camera to the subject being photographed, the less depth of field becomes (with the previous settings). Since you now have to approach the subject to get the same frame with a 1.3-fold crop factor, the depth will be less. Of course, if you leave the distance the same, then it will remain. But cropping the image will be different, and the subject will be smaller. The result can be both good and bad - it all depends on what effect the user is trying to achieve.
Wildlife enthusiasts can view the reduced field of view in this way. An 8-megapixel image can be cropped to 6 megapixels and get the same 1.6x crop factor. Sacrificing quality, you can return to the previous 6-megapixel resolution, but enjoy other advantages of the camera.
Flash
No built-in 10D flash. According to users, there is nothing to regret. Many people almost never use the built-in flash, and more often by mistake they come across a sticky button. In addition, cleaner, higher ISOs can do without flash much more often.
The Mark II metering system has also been improved. In this case, information on the distance from the lens is taken into account when calculating the mixed conditions of natural light and the use of the flash. The E-TTL II seems a step forward after the E-TTL. A white wedding dress will still need a positive correction of the flash exposure, and black suits are likely to require some negative compensation, but after the initial installation, the results from photograph to photograph appear unchanged.
Video
In 1D and 1Ds, video output was not provided. At Mark II he appeared. This innovation was liked by photographers working in the studio - they got the opportunity to view the captured images on the TV screen.
Input and output
The FireWire connection on the Mark II became a 4-pin instead of a 6-pin one. This made room for both the USB 1.1 connector (for direct printing) and the video output.
The FireWire port speed has increased from 40 Mbps on 1D and 60 Mbps on 1Ds to 100 Mbps on the Mark II.
External white balance sensor
The Mark II does not have an external white balance sensor. All data is obtained from the image sensor, and not from a separate sensor on the camera body, which measures the illumination, as in 1Ds. It is not clear whether this is good or bad. Users shooting with both cameras note that 1Ds balance is set more correctly. True, shooting in RAW format allows you to adjust it during subsequent processing. But those photographers who use the JPG format should study this issue in more detail.
IPTC in JPG format
Photojournalists may be interested in the fact that MKII is now recording IPTC data in JPG format, rather than in RAW files. The camera also now supports the EXIF 2.21 standard, which adds Adobe RGB to color space information. This means that Photoshop automatically detects that the file is in Adobe RGB space.
Texture
Canon EOS 1D Mark II (Body) reviews are considered more smooth and rubberized by the customer, which provides a more confident grip on the camera, even when your hands are a little wet.
Strap
Oddly enough, the box lacks a handheld strap. According to users, it should be a mandatory attribute of all cameras of the series 1 due to their weight - it will be the first accessory that they will purchase after buying the device.
Software
RAW image conversion software has been updated and improved.
The first thing users notice is that the EVU (EOS Viewer) and DPP (the “professional” of digital photography) save the RAW settings in a .CR2 file. If earlier photographers who were not happy with the result had to redo the conversion many times, each time starting over again, because the settings were not saved, now you can simply change them to achieve the desired result. Another advantage is that there is no need to complete the process in one sitting. You can go through all the pictures once and return to them at another time to make sure that the eyes saw exactly what they were supposed to see. Interrupting the post-conversion process does not mean that everything should be started anew.
Owners liked the DPP interface, its greater speed and better functionality than the EVU. But, according to some, the result of processing RAW files in EVU is better. Users recommend paying attention to the fact that DPP sharpening settings are stronger than EVU.
The new software is significantly faster than the outdated FVU file viewer utility. According to owners, the speed increased by 2 times.
Canon software now boasts a Windows recycle bin. It is strange why this has not been done before, but such changes are welcome. Now there is no need to use a special program to recover accidentally deleted RAW files.
Canon EOS 1D Mark II Camera: customer feedback
The owners are not very happy that they need to press four buttons to lock and unlock the mirror. Some owners complain about the loss of dramatic frames. For example, when photographing the dawn with a 500 mm lens with a shutter speed of 1/2 second, even with a heavy tripod, cardan mount and stabilization turned on due to mirror vibration, the frame clearly shows a double image. Since the lighting changed too quickly, due to the need to wade through all screens and press the buttons necessary to lock the mirror, valuable time could be lost.
In addition, the displeasure is the need to break away from the viewfinder in order to change the ISO. At the same time, tracking the subject or waiting for the right moment for the frame and looking at the top LCD screen is very inconvenient.
Users hope that they will not need protection from moisture and dust, but they are pleased to have such an opportunity.
Not all the innovations and functionalities that characterize the Canon EOS 1D Mark II digital camera, the owners' reviews are successful. One of the biggest disappointments in the 1D II was the vertical release button. She is extremely sensitive and has almost no movement. Pressing the shutter to focus without taking a photo is almost impossible. This is a serious mistake that could have been easily avoided. The horizontal (normal) shutter release works just fine - as you would expect. Although you can get used to such an uncomfortable auxiliary descent, many still do not like it.
In addition, users note that the camera is extremely sensitive to bright red color. They advise when shooting red objects not to go too far to the right in the histogram.
Photographers practicing macro photography or landscape enthusiasts using tiny aperture openings will not be happy to know that dust on the sensor is still an unresolved problem. Owners note even more dust on 1D than on 10D.
Verdict
In general, the owners are impressed by the changes that Canon has made in this model.
Is the 1D II designed exclusively for professionals? Surely not. The possibility of obtaining frames of excellent quality resonated with a large number of photography enthusiasts. Just remember that bad pictures can be taken even with the very best devices. But the Canon EOS 1D Mark II digital camera was able to raise quality to unimaginable heights.
Worthy descendant
In 2004, one could only dream about the characteristics of cameras in 2016. The latest flagship Canon EOS 1D X Mark II has become a worthy successor to the line. The model has set another quality standard among the best cameras in the world. Canon EOS 1D X Mark II reviews are praised for its improved autofocus system, significantly increased dynamic range and literally unlimited RAW buffer when shooting with CFAST cards. In addition, the camera is capable of shooting 170 RAW frames at speeds up to 16 fps, as well as excellent quality 4K video at 60 fps or Full HD at 120 fps. In combination with the AF-leading system in its class, shooting sports, movements and important events will also be available to non-professionals.
In addition to the 20.2-megapixel full-format CMOS sensor and dual DIGIC 6+ processor, the camera has a 61-point AF system, a wide dynamic range of ISO 100-51200 and a reduced noise level. An ISO extension of up to 50–409600 is also available. In addition, for the first time in the 1D series, a 360,000-pixel RGB + IR sensor appeared that improves face recognition and motion tracking. There is built-in GPS, USB 3.0, HDMI, headphone and microphone jacks, the ability to wirelessly and remotely control.