Canon Introduces Its Fastest Camera Ever: The 1D X Mark II

February 2, 2016

By Laura Brauer

Canon’s new 1D X Mark II can shoot still photos so fast that it’s almost like recording video. The new flagship DSLR clocks in at 14 fps with autofocus for an unlimited number of JPEG images (basically until your memory card fills up) or up to 173 RAW images, when using a CFast memory card.

That’s fast!

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The 1D X Mark II will deliver several major upgrades from the older model, including internal 4K video recording at up to 60p and a higher resolution image sensor.

Canon’s new flagship will boasts a new 20.2 megapixel full frame CMOS sensor with a native ISO range of 100 – 51,200 with expansion options for 50 and 409,600 available.

A pair of DIGIC 6+ image processors give the camera some serious speed–the 1D X Mark II clocks in at up to 14 fps with AF engaged and up to 16fps in live view mode when shooting to the camera’s CFast memory card (there’s also a card slot for CompactFlash cards).

As for video, Canon will deliver in-camera 4K recording (496 x 2160) at 60 fps in camera when recording to CFast. Full HD frame rates will top off at a motion-slowing 120 fps. There’s a built-in headphone jack for audio monitoring and a new 4K frame grab feature that lets you isolate 8.8-megapixel still images from your 4K video in the camera.

You’ll also find the company’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF system for continuous autofocusing during video recording. The 1D X Mark II will have a 3.2-inch touch screen display with touch-focusing capability, too, so you can touch a portion of the display during video recording to quickly change the focus point.

Speaking of autofocus, the 1D X Mark II has a new 61-point AF system with 41 cross-type points. All the AF points are selectable and supported to f/8. Canon said its tweaked its algorithms to deliver better accuracy in Servo (or continuous) mode and the AF points will now stay red in the camera’s viewfinder to better assist in composition.

The 1D X Mark II will have an internal digital lens optimizer feature that lets you fix optical aberrations in camera, rather than in software.

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Additional features include:

  • weather-resistant build
  • built-in GPS
  • AF sensitivity in low light is now available down to EV -3 at the center AF point when the camera is set to One-Shot AF
  • 360,000-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor

There’s no built-in Wi-Fi, but the camera will work with the optional Wireless File Transmitter (WFT-E8) to enjoy 802.11ac speeds when sending images and videos to connected devices.

The 1D X Mark II body will sell for $5,999 and be available in April. It is available for pre-order now. Canon will also bundle a CFast card and card reader in a Premium Kit for $6,299.

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