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| Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III (top) and Nikon D3. |
It's not just their bigger, tougher bodies that put Canon and Nikon's new pro-level DSLRs at the top of the roster. Or their estimated street prices -- $8,000 (body only) for the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and $5,000 (body only) for the Nikon D3. It's also their faster speeds, greater flexibility, more precise control, and broader set of skills. And perhaps most of all, their full-frame sensors that differentiate these two models from their advanced-amateur teammates.
We're eager to see how they perform in the field and in the Pop Photo Lab. Look for our Certified Test Results in future issues of the magazine and on PopPhoto.com.
The Canon and Nikon's new CMOS sensors, similar in size to a frame of 35mm film, eliminate the 1.6X or 1.5X lens factor (so your wide-angle lenses are truly wide) and allow for larger pixels and increased sensitivity to light.
While Canon's older EOS-1Ds Mark II and semi-pro EOS 5D both sport full-frame sensors, the new IDs Mark III outflanks them with a 21.1-megapixel chip. That's more than twice as many pixels as on the 1D Mark III, released earlier this year, and almost as many as you'd get on a 22MP medium-format digital camera back.
Nikon calls its big new sensor the FX format. The smaller, APS-sized sensor in other Nikon DSLRs is the DX. Although at 12.1MP, it will undoubtedly produce images with less resolution than the Canon, Nikon claims an advantage in burst speed. (There is, after all, less data to process with each shot.) The Nikon's burst rate: 9 frames per second versus 5 fps for the Canon.
With fewer pixels in the same full-frame real estate, the D3 may also have another image-quality advantage: Each of the 12.1 million cells measures 8.5 microns across (compared with 6.4 microns on the Canon). Nikon's goal with its fewer-is-better approach is increased light sensitivity and lower noise levels at higher ISOs. To prove the point, this camera's regular ISO range is 200 to 6400 (compared with 100 to 3200 on the Canon), with an extended ISO range all the way up to 25,600. Talk about shooting in the dark...
Both cameras pack equally impressive metering systems, image-quality controls, custom functions, and tough, weathersealed bodies. They also boast improved AF systems, 3-inch LCDs with live view, 300,000-shot shutter mechanisms, multiple memory-card slots, and long-life lithium ion batteries.
The Canon 1Ds Mark III body and 45-point AF system are nearly identical to the 1D Mark III, and that's good news. The AF system includes 19 cross-type sensors that are active with f/2.8 or brighter lenses. Images in live view can be magnified up to 10X for more precise manual focus. And its 3-inch LCD has 230,000-pixel resolution and a 140-degree viewing angle. There's a CF card slot (UDMA-compatible), as well as an SD card slot (SDHC-compatible), and you can simultaneously write files to both cards as well as to a connected external hard drive.
The Nikon D3 has a completely new body, like the D300, and a new 51-zone AF system with 15 cross-type sensors that are active with all Nikkor lenses (f/5.6 or brighter). It has two AF modes for use in live view (one for handheld shooting, one for tripod) and a Scene Recognition mode that tracks a subject by color. A virtual horizon indicator that helps you level the camera is viewable in the optical viewfinder or on the LCD.
And what an LCD it is -- 307,000 pixels behind a tempered glass screen, delivering unprecedented image detail with a 170-degree viewing angle. There are twin CF card slots (compatible with high-speed UDMA cards), and an HDMI connector so you can show stills in 1080i on a high-def TV.
Lens compatibility is a major point of difference. Canon shooters won't be able to use the less-expensive EF-S digital-only lenses on the 1Ds Mark III. On the other hand, the Nikon D3 works with all DX-series digital lenses, automatically switching the field of view in the viewfinder to a 1.5X crop.
Both models can be controlled from a computer using software supplied with the camera. Canon includes a free, advanced RAW processing utility, while Nikon supplies a basic NEF RAW file utility and charges $129 extra for its Capture NX Advanced software.
Pros and serious amateurs (with serious budgets) who are willing to spend what it takes to get the most durable, high-performance DSLRs have a lot to look forward to in the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and Nikon D3. The tests aren't in yet, but records will be shattered.
-- Michael J. McNamara
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