- Conclusion Get the lowdown
- Features How it compares
- Performance Real world benchmarks
- Differences Technical showdown
- Reviews Word on the street
- Competition Others to consider
- Discussion Answers and opinions
Canon EOS 1D X
- 17.9 MP
- Full frame CMOS
- 3.2" LCD
#1 in DSLRs
Released March, 2012
Rated 100% by by Gary-W.-Meyer (Oct, 2012)focus system the best ever from Canon IQ is the best i have seen easy menu system great build on the bodyvery happy with the camera use for wildlife shooting and with the full frame for landscape also...I can see this would be a fantastic camera for weddings also.
Conclusion Check out the Canon EOS 1D X
First reviewed March, 2012
Features Key features of the Canon EOS 1D X
17.9 MP
Full frame
Rated 90% by by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)The back of the camera is fitted with a fixed 3.2in Clear View II LCD screen that offers a super sharp 1,040k-dot resolution and further benefits from toughened glass and an anti-glare coating that makes use of the camera in bright sunlight much easier.
megapixels
| 0 MP | 24 MP    | 30 MP |
EOS 1D X by Primus (Dec, 2012)I used the 5D2 alongside the 1D4 in Jasper and found the 1D4 images were crisper, had better color and were overall more pleasing even though the megapixels are less.
EOS 1D X by Barry-F.-Shaffer--Photogeek21 (Aug, 2012)Subtle textures are rendered with such great detail that doesn't make me miss the extra megapixels of the 5D.
sensor size
EOS 1D X by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)The term ‘full-frame’ refers to the physical size of the sensor, and basically means that it is the same size (and therefore contains the same surface area) as a single frame from a 35mm strip of film.
EOS 1D X by Stephen-M.-Lerch (Aug, 2012)I wanted to upgrade from crop sensor Canon to full frame Canon.
viewfinder size
EOS 1D X by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)Thankfully, the 1D X’s viewfinder is superb with a big, bright window providing 100% frame coverage, a 0.76x magnification and the usual diopter correction controls.
EOS 1D X by Mark-Kitaoka (Aug, 2012)Apparently the exposure will change based upon the red illumination points and vary again depending on where that point is in the viewfinder.
body size
158 x 164 x 83 mm
95 x 57 x 24 mm
106 x 61 x 30 mm
EOS 1D X by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)While seasoned pros should be used to the size and weight, well-heeled enthusiasts looking for the best camera money can buy may well find it a bit cumbersome.
EOS 1D X by Stephen-M.-Lerch (Aug, 2012)If you are a sports photographer, a wildlife photographer, or similar, weigh the price of this camera against the potential for needing to purchasing faster glass.
focus points
| 0 | 61 | 200 |
EOS 1D X by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)The 1D X’s AF system is almost identical to the one used by the EOS-5D Mk III and benefits from a total of 61 AF-points, 41 of which are cross-type sensors for faster and more accurate focusing regardless of whether the camera is being held in portrait of landscape orientation.
EOS 1D X by Don-E.-Beeler--dbeeler (Oct, 2012)The other minor issue is the focus points are black, and most sports photographers use spot focus.
Performance Real world tests of Canon EOS 1D X
DxOMark image quality
EOS 1D X by Stephen-M.-Lerch (Aug, 2012)Not sure how well that would work on subjects moving in the dark, as it might mess up your night vision (though red is the color least likely to break your night vision).
EOS 1D X by Barry-F.-Shaffer--Photogeek21 (Aug, 2012)Canon's flagship doesn't disappoint here, I found images to have great color rendition and excellent resolution.
DxOMark low light performance
EOS 1D X by Barry-F.-Shaffer--Photogeek21 (Aug, 2012)I mainly shoot high school football which, if you don't know, is mainly played at night in about the worst lighting you should ask a camera to shoot action sports in.
continuous shooting
EOS 1D X by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)Used in Case 3 and firing off a burst of shots just as the subject entered the frame we managed to attain an exceptionally high hit-rate of pin-sharp images.
EOS 1D X by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)This has enabled Canon (and other camera manufacturers) to boost the continuous shooting speeds of these cameras well above what their high-resolution, full-frame models were capable of.
battery life
1,500 photos
230 photos
2,600 photos
EOS 1D X by lankynibbs (Apr, 2013)Battery life is less than optimal, so count on bringing a second battery to your typical model shoot... you get a little over 1100 pics per fully charged battery pack.
EOS 1D X by T.-Cayton--photographer (Aug, 2012)The battery charger hasn't received much press, but it has multiple LEDs to let you know battery charge status (50%, 80% and fully charged), and supports charging two batteries, although you only get one battery with the camera.
Our analysis How does it stack up against its top 10 competitors
pros
-
Contrast detection focusing system -
HD video -
Generic -
Full frame -
Gives you more flexibility when framing your shot -
14 fps -
204,800 ISO -
3.2" -
41 -
61 -
0.76x -
Opaque -
2,786 ISO -
1,500 -
1/8000 s
cons
-
82.0 -
11.8 ev -
23.8 bits -
17.9 MP -
None -
The screen is fixed in place -
Oct, 2011 -
Taking quality photos in low-light will require external hardware -
No geotagging included -
No automatic stitching -
1,530 g -
158 x 164 x 83 mm
Reviews Word on the street
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 | Rated by 23 users at amazon.com Rated 100% by by T.-Cayton--photographer (Aug, 2012) Rated 100% by by Stephen-M.-Lerch (Aug, 2012) Rated 100% by by T.-Cayton--photographer (Aug, 2012) |
Focus
Canon EOS 1D X | Rated 60% by by Don-E.-Beeler--dbeeler (Oct, 2012)When the subject is running I will get groups of pictures that are in perfect focus and groups of pictures that are not in focus.
Canon EOS 1D X | Rated 80% by by G.-Jones (Sep, 2012)FOCUS is accurate and super sharp in good light.
Canon EOS 1D X | Rated 90% by by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)The camera offers a range of AF modes including user defined single-point AF, automatic AF and AF tracking.
Sensor
Canon EOS 1D X | Rated 100% by by T.-Cayton--photographer (Aug, 2012)There are some good articles that explain the value of pixel size, and the almost 7 micron pixel size on this camera provides great results both for pictures and video.
Canon EOS 1D X | Rated 90% by by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)One reason manufacturers such as Canon have, in the past, tended to use slightly smaller sensors with less overall resolution for their more performance-orientated professional DSLRs is that the image files they produce are significantly smaller in size, which in turn makes them faster to process.
Canon EOS 1D X | Rated 90% by by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)Just as impressive is the way the 1D X’s sensor manages to resolve detail at high ISOs, particularly up to ISO 25,600.
Photography
Canon EOS 1D X | Rated 100% by by Seth-Sanchez (Feb, 2013)I started to shoot sports and began falling in love with sports photography.
Canon EOS 1D X | Rated 100% by by Stephen-M.-Lerch (Aug, 2012)And with AI Servo, capturing that one sport shot you've always wanted, the bird in flight, the dog mid-jump... whatever fast action you want to grab, I can almost guarantee you'll have an easier time capturing it with this camera.
Canon EOS 1D X | Rated 90% by by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)At around £5300 for the body only though, the 1D X is very much a serious tool designed for professional use.
Autofocus
Canon EOS 1D X | by c|net (Oct, 2011)Dubbed High Density Reticular AF, it's increased to 61 points, with different configurations depending upon where a point is on the grid.
Canon EOS 1D X | Rated 100% by by Stephen-M.-Lerch (Aug, 2012)In my mind, the argument made thus far about why it is setup the way it is, is for AF and light metering.
Canon EOS 1D X | Rated 100% by by Stephen-M.-Lerch (Aug, 2012)The workaround that I've found that is serviceable, is to hit the AF point button, have all the points light up, choose my AF point and compose my shot keeping this point in mind.
Image quality
Canon EOS 1D X | Rated 100% by by David-WilsonIf you engage in low-light photography or action photography, this is the body for you (though of course low light levels and high frame rate are mutually exclusive in the real world).
Canon EOS 1D X | Rated 60% by by S.-Meyer--Wedding-Photographer (Jul, 2012)1DX noise looks more like film grain and cleans up better than 5DII noise.
Canon EOS 1D X | Rated 100% by by Stephen-M.-Lerch (Aug, 2012)It's only a matter of time before the big camera manufacturers can offer the 204,800 ISO and actually have it usable...In terms of contrast, dynamic range and color, even discounting the 6 MP advantage over my XSi, the 1Dx provides some of the best dynamic range I've ever had the pleasure to see from a DSLR.
Competition What else you should consider
 | 1 | Nikon D7000 Good benchmarked shot to shot times Nikon D7000 vs Canon EOS 1D X |
 | 2 | Nikon D4 Fastest to start up Nikon D4 vs Canon EOS 1D X |
 | 3 | Canon EOS 5D Mark III 3-way tie: Largest sensor 5D Mark III vs 1D X |
 | 4 | Sony SLT-A99 Highest resolution screen Sony SLT-A99 vs Canon EOS 1D X |
 | 5 | Olympus OM-D E-M5 Has a touch screen Olympus OM-D E-M5 vs Canon EOS 1D X |
 | 6 | Nikon 1 J2 Fastest rapid fire mode Nikon 1 J2 vs Canon EOS 1D X |
 | 7 | Canon EOS-1D Mark IV 6-way tie: Shoots video in 24p EOS-1D Mark IV vs EOS 1D X |
New duel?
Let the battle continue or dare to compare.
Unanswered Questions
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December 24, 2012
Is the 1D better for video? Not just picture quality but audio
Also is the Menu more 'custom functionable' than the 5D III? Do the audio levels have to be reset each time recording is stopped and prior to resuming?
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