JerseyJay
10-11-2005, 8:56 PM
Read full review here (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos1dsmkii/)
Overall conclusion
The EOS-1Ds was the first digital SLR released with a full frame 35 mm size sensor and the first digital SLR with double-digit megapixel count. Two years later and the new EOS-1Ds Mark II raises the megapixel count by 5.6 million pixels, which equates to a 23% increase in horizontal and vertical pixel count. It shows too, the EOS-1Ds Mark II delivers a level of detail unmatched by any other current digital SLR (excluding the more 'exotic' medium format backs). The 1Ds Mark II also demonstrates a level of per-pixel sharpness which is often so difficult to achieve with Bayer pattern sensors.
If I had never reviewed an EOS-1D series digital SLR before then I could easily go on for several paragraphs about how well put together it is and how impressive the environmental sealing is and how it's likely to be so robust as to out-live the photographer several generations over. However all of that really goes without saying and most professionals already know the qualities of this cameras body.
Performance is another area which impresses, of course we all expect a professional digital SLR (especially one with this price tag) to operate quickly and be instantly responsive to our every request. But when you consider that this camera wasn't designed for the fast-shooting sports market it's equally amazing to use it and realize that in many ways it is just as capable at continuous shooting as it is at delivering superb resolution. Four sixteen megapixel frames per second for 41 frames without stopping is something mighty.
Weaknesses? Well none that were really engineered into the camera, but the EOS-1Ds Mark II is a very unforgiving camera when it comes to lenses. That ultra high resolution and full size 35 mm sensor mean that not only does the camera use all of the glass in a lens but it can reproduce it in minute detail, warts and all. A direct A-B comparison with a cropped sensor camera (such as the Nikon D2X) soon demonstrates that you really have to be careful selecting your lens and stopping it down sufficiently so as to avoid soft corners. You'll also have to (generally speaking) spend more on your lenses than you would for a cropped sensor camera.
So this brings us to our conclusion, surprisingly it wasn't as straightforward as you may think. In my opinion both the EOS-1Ds Mark II iand D2X represent the ultimate in current digital SLR technology. The EOS-1Ds Mark II's problem however is its big price tag. In our review of the Nikon D2X we clearly demonstrated that it is more than a match for the EOS-1Ds despite a deficit of 4.4 megapixels. So if you're building an entire new system the D2X will be an attractive proposition.
However for the professional (especially if they already own Canon lenses) to whom price is not a deciding factor and who wants the ultimate in high resolution, a full frame sensor, professional features, build quality, speed and reliability the choice is simple.
Overall conclusion
The EOS-1Ds was the first digital SLR released with a full frame 35 mm size sensor and the first digital SLR with double-digit megapixel count. Two years later and the new EOS-1Ds Mark II raises the megapixel count by 5.6 million pixels, which equates to a 23% increase in horizontal and vertical pixel count. It shows too, the EOS-1Ds Mark II delivers a level of detail unmatched by any other current digital SLR (excluding the more 'exotic' medium format backs). The 1Ds Mark II also demonstrates a level of per-pixel sharpness which is often so difficult to achieve with Bayer pattern sensors.
If I had never reviewed an EOS-1D series digital SLR before then I could easily go on for several paragraphs about how well put together it is and how impressive the environmental sealing is and how it's likely to be so robust as to out-live the photographer several generations over. However all of that really goes without saying and most professionals already know the qualities of this cameras body.
Performance is another area which impresses, of course we all expect a professional digital SLR (especially one with this price tag) to operate quickly and be instantly responsive to our every request. But when you consider that this camera wasn't designed for the fast-shooting sports market it's equally amazing to use it and realize that in many ways it is just as capable at continuous shooting as it is at delivering superb resolution. Four sixteen megapixel frames per second for 41 frames without stopping is something mighty.
Weaknesses? Well none that were really engineered into the camera, but the EOS-1Ds Mark II is a very unforgiving camera when it comes to lenses. That ultra high resolution and full size 35 mm sensor mean that not only does the camera use all of the glass in a lens but it can reproduce it in minute detail, warts and all. A direct A-B comparison with a cropped sensor camera (such as the Nikon D2X) soon demonstrates that you really have to be careful selecting your lens and stopping it down sufficiently so as to avoid soft corners. You'll also have to (generally speaking) spend more on your lenses than you would for a cropped sensor camera.
So this brings us to our conclusion, surprisingly it wasn't as straightforward as you may think. In my opinion both the EOS-1Ds Mark II iand D2X represent the ultimate in current digital SLR technology. The EOS-1Ds Mark II's problem however is its big price tag. In our review of the Nikon D2X we clearly demonstrated that it is more than a match for the EOS-1Ds despite a deficit of 4.4 megapixels. So if you're building an entire new system the D2X will be an attractive proposition.
However for the professional (especially if they already own Canon lenses) to whom price is not a deciding factor and who wants the ultimate in high resolution, a full frame sensor, professional features, build quality, speed and reliability the choice is simple.