Canon finally produce a hybrid DSLR worthy of a podium place!
The Canon EOS-1D X Mark III is a professional "hybrid" DSLR. This means it will shoot both 20.1 megapixel stills up to 20fps plus up to 5.5K RAW video. It does this using a new DIGIC X image processor and Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus recording to dual CFEexpress cards. Price is $6,499 body only.
I have to say that barring a full flippy out screen, the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III has just about everything I could dream of in a DSLR. This is almost enough for me to want to switch back from mirrorless for my video work...almost. A full HDMI connection would have been nice too.
This camera is a beast, there is no denying that. It has all the specs that I wanted to see in the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV but couldn't wait this long! When you look at the specs below, it has pretty much everything both stills shooters and videographers need.
However, for me it is a bit bulky for the type of video work I do. I guess this is still a stills camera with (excellent) video specs!
For stills shooters, myself included, this is a dream machine. Let's look at the main specs:
Downsides of the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III
Canon EOS-1D X Mark III vs Canon EOS-1D X Mark II
CAMERA BODY | EOS-1D X MARK III | EOS-1D X MARK II |
|---|---|---|
Sensor | 20.1 megapixel CMOS | 20.2 megapixel CMOS |
ISO Sensitivity | 100-102,400 (H: ISO 819,200) | 100-51,200 (H: ISO 409,600) |
Cont Shooting (OVF/LIVE) | 16/20 fps | 14 fps/16 fps* no AF tracking |
AF Points (OVF/LV) | 191/3869 | 61/2583 |
AF Lowest EV | -4 EV/-6 EV Live view | -3 |
Battery Life | 2850 | 1210 |
File Formats | CR3 (RAW), JPEG, HEIF | CR2 (RAW), JPEG |
Wireless Connectivity | Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built in/WFT-E9 | Wi-Fi via adapter WFT-E8 |
Wired Connectivity | High speed Gigabyte Ethernet and USB C | Gigabyte ethernet and USB 3 |
Shutter Life | 500,000 | 400,000 |
Video Resolutions | 5.5K RAW (60p), 4K DCI (60p), 4K UHD (60p), Full-HD (120p) | 4K video (60p), Full HD (120p) |
Crop Factor in Video | Full width DCI, 1.3x crop | 1.3x |
Video RAW Recording | Yes | No |
Storage | 2x CFexpress | 1x Cfast 1x Compact flash |
GPS | Yes, Built in | Yes, Built in |
Weight | 1440 g | 1530 g |
Personally, and if I had the money to spare, I would buy the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III in a shot. It is an amazing camera and I look forward to seeing results in the real world. Both stills and video. More info at Canon UK.
If you do video why don’t you buy a video camera?
Good question. I love to shoot stock and I never know what I might see when out and about. It may be “stills-worthy” or it may be better as 4K video. Therefore a decent hybrid camera has always been a dream of mine and this is pretty much it.
Also, for a lot of people starting in business, splashing out separately for a good stills DSLR and decent 4K video camera might be a stretch.
However, I do agree that a professional DSLR purely for stills, and dedicated video camera for footage is the way to go.
I bought the 5D Mark IV purely for stills and rarely use it for video. I bought the Panny GH5 purely for video and rarely use it for stills.