Gadget7
Where your opinion countsCanon breaks into Medium Format Domain
Canon unveiled their upcoming flagship 21.1 Megapixel Digital SLR camera, the EOS 1Ds Mark III. Canon hopes to break into the high-end medium format camera market by offering a product that is lighter, easier to use and with more features than are currently available on medium format cameras while offering no compromise on image quality.
The camera features a full-frame 21.1 Megapixel sensor, dual Digic 3 Image Processors, amazing new features such as Live View, 45 Autofocus points and an integrated cleaning system. These features are currently not available in any of the medium format cameras or digital backs in the professional photography segment.
Professional photographers are increasingly using Hi-Resolution digital SLR cameras in lieu of their higher megapixel medium format cameras with digital backs due to the flexibility in size, and sometimes un-necessary excess file size of some of the hi-res backs.
By upping the ante in the resolution segment, Canon has also given Nikon a run for its money (as it traditionally has) Further fuelling the resolution wars (Nikon subsequently announced the release of their own full-frame 12.1 Megapixel CMOS powered D3 and their 12.3 Megapixel D300).
The EOS 1Ds Mark III is slated to hit the shelves in September at USD 7,999
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21.1 Mega pixels! tempting.. By the way what is Live View?
one thing is still a mystery for me, applying from some basic laws of optics from school days
- produce an image of an object on a screen (sensor in digiworld) using a lens to direct the light from the object onto the screen.
- now you use the same lens, same object, so light coming in is the same. Increase the size of the screen/ light gathering capability of the screen, is this increasing the MPx?
If yes, then sometimes arent you prone to more noise?
Or is it that post processing has evolved to a magnitude where the noise is canceled?
Vinay, in fact, the very opposite. More light means a higher signal/noise ratio, making for less sensor noise. It also means that you can have more photosites on a sensor, while keeping them less cramped up, meaning less interference from each other, again translating into less noise.
CMOS sensors are inherently less prone to noise, and Canon have been leaders in the the market for that reason. Nikon has only recently started using CMOS sensors, and that is because Sony (their sensor manufacturer) has invested a great deal in the CMOS sensor industry (Expect to see CMOS sensors in Sony Ericsson phones in the near future). Canon, however, make their own sensors, and excel at that. They’ve had the 16MPx 1Ds Mk 2 in the market for 3-4 years and has led the professional photography race. The D3 does not take them any closer at 12.1 MPx.
In-camera noise cancellation has also improved a great deal, and software does exist to reduce noise further, however, this is only an issue at very high ISOs (when you actually do want noise/grain to be seen), and CMOS sensors are a leader there too… with very low noise levels.
If you’re interested in photography, you could check out my blog at Photography Tip
@Kiran: DSLRs typically do not have the capacity to view the image on the LCD while framing. You need to view the image through the viewfinder. Live view enables on LCD viewing of the image, enabling you to take your eye away from the viewfinder. This typically means that the sensor will heat up, increasing noise levels (and making for a very un-professional way of taking photographs) but could be useful in certain cases when the camera is in a position that makes the viewfinder inaccessible (such as over your head). Nikon has announced this capability too with their new D3 and D300 cameras.