Canon 1DX Mark III review: Hands on

CANON 1DX Mark III is Canon’s latest flagship DSLR intended for high-end sports, wildlife photographers and photojournalism. Launched on 7th Jan 2020, it is aimed at the photographers whose main job is to photograph the World Cup and the Olympic Games.

 Main specs: canon 1dx mark ii vs 5d mark iii

	Canon 1DX Mark III	Canon 1DX Mark II
Release	2020-1	2016-1
Sensor	New 20.10MP full-frame megapixel CMOS sensor	20.2MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
Processor	Digic X image processor	Dual Digic 6+ image processor
ISO Range	ISO 100-102100  (ISO 50 - ISO 819200 extended)	ISO 100-51200  (ISO 50 - ISO 409600 extended)
Burst Shooting	up to 16 fps (optical viewfinder), up to 20 fps (Live View mode)	up to 14 fps (Live View mode), up to 16 fps (Live View mode)
Videos	5.5k raw video;  4k/60p	4k/60p
Autofocus	191 Point / max of 155 cross	61 Point / max of 41 cross
Lcd	210MP 3.2 inch touch screen	160MP 3.0 inch touch screen
Storage Type	CF express card slots	CFAST+ CF

From the comparison, we can see that the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III didn't increase its resolution, but it has optimized and upgraded the camera features in many other ways. Canon says the 20.1 megapixels is the perfect balance for this camera. Thanks to the new DIGIC x processor, there is a huge improvement in both shooting and focusing performance. And the battery life has extended amazingly up to 2,850 shots.

Design & Build Quality

IDX Mark III's integrated body design is a traditional Canon EOS-1D series styling. It feels very well built, thanks to a solid magnesium alloy construction and ample weather-sealing. The handle of Canon EOS-1D x Mark III is extra wide. It's 90 grams lighter  (including batteries and memory cards)  than IDX Mark II, so it's actually lighter to hold.

   

Smart Controller

Another cool new feature is the new Smart Controller on the rear of the camera. Built into the surface of the AF-ON button, this touch-sensitive control provides the user instantaneous AF point adjustment. It can also be used to pan around a shot in Playback Mode while magnified-in on an image.

Backlighting Function

There are seven buttons on the camera body with the backlighting function. For easier playback operations in dark conditions, select buttons on the back of the EOS-1D X Mark III camera illuminate when checking settings before and after shooting.

The left: Ports, Connectivity & Battery

The left side is occupied by the wealth of ports with thick rubber flaps for protection. The wide Ethernet has been upgraded from a hundred megabits a gigabit and the USB to a 3.1 gen2 type-c port.all as you expect. Although you cant charge or power the camera over USB and oddly considering the size of the camera. cannon stuck with mini rather than full-size HDMI. Meanwhile alongside the microphone and headphone jacks is an n3 remote terminal and the dedicated port to connect the optical WFT 9v accessory extend the wireless performance.

Battery:

The LP-E19 battery, which looks like the same one as the EOS-1D x Mark II, has been significantly improved in hardware, making the Canon's EOS-1D x Mark III even more robust, with a range of 2,850. The Canon 1DX Mark III employs the same LP e 19 battery packers before but now squeezes greater filter from it with canon quoting almost 3000 shots per charge the life, of course, varies with use but during my time with the mark 3 shooting long fast bursts I achieved well over 3000 shots and that also included a few minutes of video and plenty of LiveView.

Image Quality and Shooting features:

ISO Range

Canon EOS-1D x Mark III supports the ISO 100-102400 and can be extended to ISO 50-819200. It offers images with higher sensitivity, sharpness without post-processing.

By far Canon EOS 1Dx Mark III is the most powerful high-sensitivity camera.

Autofoucs:

Video:

The 1DX Mark III now offers full-width 4k video via 5.5k raw video. You can now record internal 12-bit 4k DCI raw add up to 60 frames per second. The Canon EOS-1D X Mark III also provides better enhancements in video performance. Obviously, Canon doesn't just want the EOS-1D x Mark III to be the best still shot camera, it intends to be an unbeatable video camera. 

Final Thoughts:

 

FOR:	AGAINST:
Super-fast 20fps	No IBIS
burst shooting	High Price
Virtually unlimited buffer
Rock-solid build quality

Sample Images:

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