Last update 28 September’09 – Review and Sample Photos @ Photocrati
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III features:
- Full frame
- 21.1 megapixel
- Dual DIGIC III image processors
- 3-inch LCD
- Shoots up to 12 RAW or 56 JPEGs in a row at 5 frames/second
- 45 point autofocus system
- Shutter speed range of 30 – 1/8000 sec
- ISO range of 100 – 1600
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Read More Reviews – (updated 28 September’09)
Photocrati
“Still, we come back to this: The EOS 1Ds Mark III is a serious camera for the serious-minded. No pro has come to me complaining about this camera. Pros use it, and abuse it. In fact, given a choice between using a 1Ds and 5D on the job in the studio, pros pull out the 1Ds. They tell me it impresses their clients-no minor point in a highly competitive arena.”
DPReview has reviewed the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and they write -
“The Mark III’s main problem is cost; you’ve really got to need 21.1 megapixels to fork out $8000 on a body and heaven knows how many thousands on the lenses necessary to actually get the benefit of all that resolving power.”
Rating: 
KenRockwell has reviewed the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and they write -
“The Canon 1Ds Mk III is a pain compared to my Nikons, but for landscape and still work, the images are superior. Its a camera for pros and rich amateurs for use in the studio and in the field.”
Overall, Review was Favorable: 
ProPhoto has reviewed the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and they write -
“The 21% out of focus frames for the Canon 1DS MKIII shows it did not perform as well as the “good” Canon 1D MKIII in this test condition. The Canon 1Ds MkIII can shoot at 5 fps. This might give it a bit of an advantage compared to cameras with a faster frame rate, as it might tend to provide more time for the autofocus system to do its job.”
LetsGoDigital has reviewed the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and they write -
“And yes, I know that Nikon has crept up or already surpassed the EOS-1Ds Mark III as far as noise is concerned and that there will be a camera on the market soon with even more pixels on a full-frame. These are only challenging Canon to improve the 1Ds even further and we should be happy with competitors digging into Canon’s heels.”
Photo.net – 24 March’08 – reviews the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and states it’s tough enough to drive nails. Here’s a summary of their review -
“The 1Ds produces the best images for any handheld digital camera on the market. that quality comes with two caveats, a hefty weight and an even heftier price tag. About the only camera currently on the market that compares is the Nikon D3 which has a full frame sensor but half the resolution. The D3 is superior in high ISO performance.”
Shutterbug – 20 March’08 – reviews the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and noted that Canon now offers simple readable menus, finally. Here’s a summary of their review -
“Looks like the gap between medium format and DSLR has lessoned if not disappeared with the 1Ds. One big problem encounter by the review was the camera would lock up with exposures longer than 1 second. Canon reps indicated they were working on a firmware update to fix the problem. Apparently the problem appears with certain brands of CompactFlash cards. As the reviewer states, “what’s not to like about the 21 megapixel 1Ds powerhouse.”
CNET – 26 February’08 – reviews the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and warns wow, what a nice camera but boy is it expensive. Here’s a summary of their review -
“This camera is not for everyone, especially those short on cash. One of the great things about this camera is you comfortably produce great images across the entire ISO range. This isn’t to say there’s no noise in the images because as the review points out there is digital noise in the fine detail of the images, but not much. Its auto white balance does a remarkable job of maintaining color neutrality across a broad range of lighting situations.”
PopPhoto – 12 February’08 – reviews the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and thinks its image quality rivals or exceeds that of many medium-format. Here’s a summary of their review -
“Color accuracy is superb even up to ISO 1600. This cameras high burst rate and high ISO performance make this camera the perfect choice for the fast action low light photographer. An impressive viewfinder accuracy of 99 percent puts this camera in a class all its own.”
PhotoReview – 22 January’08 – reviews the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and points out it is big and complicated to use. Here’s a summary of their review -
“An easy mirror lock-up would have been appreciated, preferably with an easy to access button the review did not appreciate having to navigate through complicated menu systems just to lock the mirror. On the positive side this tool represents a top level competitor to medium format photography.”
CEN – 03 Januay’08 – reviews the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and felt that hands down this was the best camera they had ever held. Here’s a summary of their review -
“Having shot with everything from point-and-shoot to medium view cameras when they looked at the first image taken with the camera it was readily apparent the images from this camera were in a league all their own, in fact they were exquisite. Another impressive feature is the burst rate of 5 frames-per-second for up to 12 RAW images.”
The Digital Picture – 17 December’07 – reviews the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and was impressed with the 3,008 shots the LP-E4 battery delivered. Here’s an excerpt from their review -
“As I write this, the demand for this camera is huge – you basically need to get on a list to get one even after over 3 months of its initial release (unless you are willing to pay a huge premium). And I’m not surprised. Canon’s 1-Series bodies have consistently been a no-compromise solution featuring top-of-the-line performance in all aspects. The 1D III is no exception. Once you’ve use a 1-Series body, it is hard to go back. My only reservation with this model is the poor AI Servo AF accuracy under the narrow set of circumstances described earlier – and Canon has changed the AF Mirror Assembly to correct this problem. “
ProPhotoHome – 13 December’07 – reviews the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and to determine the cameras auto focus capability and reliability they used a test were the subject ran towards the camera and then reviewed how well the camera maintained a sharp focus throughout the entire sequence. Here’s an excerpt from their review -
“The 21% out of focus frames for the Canon 1DS MKIII shows it did not perform as well as the “good” Canon 1D MKIII in this test condition.
Remember that 20% or 21% is still a very respectable number of keepers from both cameras. You would expect to have about 8 out of 10 sharp images.”
ArtByPhil – 12 December’07 – reviews the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and would have really liked to have the ability to lock the mirror up. Here’s an excerpt from their review -
“After shooting with the camera with a few days under numerous conditions I can confidently say the Canon 1Ds Mark III is easily the most versatile full frame digital SLR currently available. Currently the only thing similar on the market is the camera it’s replacing. The 1Ds Mark II. In terms of pure image resolution the only cameras that come close are digital medium format bodies and backs. I’ve used a range of PhaseOne backs now and I know they can squeeze out more detail. That said you lose a lot of flexibility for that gain in resolution and in price point.”
Northlight Images – 10 December’07 – reviews the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and points out the viewfinder ius bigger , better, and brighter. Here’s an excerpt from their review -
“As a result of looking at quite a few of the shots I took this morning, hand held at 100 ISO, I’ve come to the conclusion that the 1Ds 3 shows up camera shake more – I also came to the conclusion that for most work where I’d shoot hand held, I really don’t care. When it does matter, I’ll just have to remember to take a bit more care, and maybe a few extra shots… Fortunately the improved performance at higher ISO ratings means I can easily consider 400 ISO for jobs I’d previously only shoot at 100.”
luminous-landscape – 07 December’07 – runs a head to head test of the Nikon D3 – Canon 1Ds – MKIII – Nikon D300 and points out that the cameras expense is justified by its top notch performance. Here’s an excerpt from their review -
“As I wrote a little while earlier, based on initial impressions of the D300, and now their first full-frame CMOS camera, the D3, Nikon is now back in the IQ game. Canon has enjoyed a deserved reputation for high image quality, especially at high ISO. But now with the D3 Nikon has upped the ante, producing a camera that appears to offer lower noise than Canon (at least against the flagship 1Ds MKIII), and higher available speeds as well.”
Luminous-Landscapes – 18 November’07 – reviews the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and on a recent photo shoot in Madagascar they commented the battery life is wonderful and the upper ISO performance is as good as any camera they’ve seen. Here’s an excerpt from their hands on preview -
” I haven’t yet done any side by side comparisons with the 5D, the D3, the 1Ds MKII, the P21, the P45, or any other camera for that matter. All I’ve had time for is travel half way round the world with the IIIs, shot from 4WD vehicles on dusty ox-cart trails, from canoes on the ocean, on sandy beaches, and in tropical jungles and forests. The camera has been dust covered, splashed with sea water, and bounced around on the floor of a Land Rover for hours at a time. So, sorry – no tests reports with graphs and comparison tables right now. Just five thousand plus frames of actual photography done in the harsh real world.
Based on that experience here then is the bottom line, at least as I see it. The 1Ds MKIII continues Canon’s deserved reputation for ruggedness. If you can take it, the camera likely can as well. I experienced no bugs, hiccups or anything else that prevented me from ever getting a shot. If I didn’t get it it was my fault, not the camera’s.”
Douglas Kirkland – prominent photographer – 30 October’07 – endorses the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III PhotoPlus Exp in New York -
Luminous-Landscapes – 20 October’07 – reviews the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and was particularly pleased with the new Lithium Ion battery. Here’s an excerpt from their hands on preview -
“I was very eager to shoot with the 1Ds MKIII (as you might imagine), but particularly because I am leaving on a 2 week long photo shoot in Madagascar in just a few days after this essay appears in mid-October. I needed to be able to determine that the particular camera which I was using was up-to-snuff, and that I could reply on it on what will likely be a very demanding shoot. After taking some 500 frames over a period of three days in Algonquin, and since, I am now confident of both the camera’s operational robustness and image quality potential.”
Sample Photos
[Sample Test Photos at Pbase]
[African Safari Photos by LetsGoDigital]
[Sample Test Photos at Luminous-Landscapes]
Specifications
[Official Canon Specifications]
Owners Manual
Press Release
Canon U.S.A.’s new line-leading, 21.1-megapixel, full-frame EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR keeps Canon at the top of the pro photo class.
Responsive, Ultra-High Resolution, Ultra-Low Noise CMOS Sensor and Dual “DIGIC III” Image Processors Power the EOS-1Ds Mark III Into the Realm of Medium-Format Digital Cameras, at a Fraction of the Cost Fast, New Ultra Wide-Angle 14mm Lens Is a Picture Perfect Match for the Camera’s Full Frame Sensor
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., August 20, 2007 The new 21.1-megapixel, full-frame Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR* camera brings the power of Canon U.S.A., Inc.’s professional imaging excellence and innovation into sharper focus than ever before. While Canon’s EOS-1D series has dominated the 35mm-based professional Digital SLR market for the past six years, the new EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR takes Canon’s pro-digital prowess into and the realm of high-fashion and commercial photo studios where bulkier, medium-format cameras previously reigned.
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