Canon working on EOS-1D X Mark III SLR camera

Canon announces development of the EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR. The new SLR camera is aimed at sports and nature photographers. Canon promises, among other things, improved autofocus and an improved 4k movie function. It is not yet clear when the camera will be released.

Canon has not yet provided details on the image sensor of the EOS-1D X Mark III. Announced in early 2016, the 1D X Mark II features a full-frame 20.2-megapixel sensor. The manufacturer does promise a higher shooting speed. The new model achieves 16fps using the mirror and optical viewfinder. In Live View mode with the mirror up, that’s 20fps. Use can be made of both the mechanical and the electronic shutter. The predecessor achieved speeds of 14fps and 16fps respectively.

Canon puts a lot of emphasis on the improved autofocus that the 1D X Mark III gets. The focus system employed when using the optical viewfinder uses a sensor with ’28 times the resolution’ of that in the 1D X Mark II. Canon also says that the camera can focus better in poor lighting conditions and that the AF system uses deep learning to improve focus. It is not yet clear how many focus points are available.

The image sensor also gets Dual Pixel AF, or phase-detection pixels on the sensor. They will cover 90 percent of the surface horizontally and the full height. There are 525 autofocus zones to choose from.

The 1D X Mark III should also be able to shoot longer bursts at high speed. Canon says it can shoot five times longer in RAW format. Photos are stored on CF Express cards and there are two slots for that memory type. New is the option to save photos in heif format, which is a file format with 10bit display and compression. Apple also uses this for its iPhones. The new format is available next to the raw and jpg options.

Furthermore, the 1D X Mark III should become the best Canon DSLR for video. The SLR will be able to record in 4k resolution with a maximum of 60fps. The recordings are written in 10bit with 4:2:2 encoding. Canon’s C-Log profile is also built in. The device has an Ethernet connection and can be equipped with an optional WiFi module.

Canon has not yet disclosed details about when the camera will be released and what it will cost. Canon’s 1D X line is primarily aimed at professional sports photographers. A release around the 2020 Olympics would be plausible. The 1D X Mark II from 2016 cost 6400 euros at release and is currently in the Pricewatch for 5900 euros.