Pro Photogs Take Note: Canon Announces EOS-1D X Mark II

Hot on the heels of Nikon's D5 announcement, Canon is updating its flagship SLR.

The new EOS-1D X Mark II looks and feels a lot like its predecessor, the 1D X , but features a new image sensor, an improved autofocus system, and 4K video support. It's a pro camera through and through—in features and price.

The 1D X Mark II has the same body design as previous entries in the series. It's a big, hefty camera with an integrated vertical shooting grip, and more physical controls than you can shake a stick at. Photographers who feel at home with the 1D X won't have to make any adjustments; Canon kept the buttons, dials, and levers in the same place. That's a little surprising, as I expected to see the focus mode select lever from the 7D Mark II ($1,499.00 at Dell) show up here, but a Canon representative stated that pro shooters the company polled preferred that no changes be made to the body.

But there are changes internally. The 1D X's 18-megapixel resolution has been upped to 20 megapixels, still full-frame. The sensor has a native ISO 100 to 51200 sensitivity, and can be pushed to ISO 409600 in expanded mode.

The 1D X Mark II is powered by dual Digic 6 image processors. Its shutter and 61-point autofocus system are able to track and photograph subjects at an outstanding 14 frames per second. That's the same number of focus points as the previous model, but they are spread out a bit more across the frame, each is selectable, and each can focus with an f/8 lens. The dedicated RGB Meter has a 360k pixel resolution, which allows the camera to focus using face detection when shooting using the optical viewfinder. If you shoot with the mirror locked up (in Live View mode) the shooting rate improves to 16fps, albeit without the sophisticated predictive autofocus system at play.

In order to keep up with the faster shooting rate, a fast memory card is required. The 1D X Mark II has dual card slots—one supports CFast and the other standard CompactFlash. CFast cards are the same size as CF media, but use a different data connection that supports faster transfers. Canon states that the 1D X Mark II can capture up to 170 Raw images when using CFast media, and an unlimited number of JPGs.

The 1D X Mark II is a power-hungry camera. Canon has developed a new battery to power it, and has managed to squeeze an extra 10 percent of capacity into it when compared with the battery for the 1D X. To support photographers with multiple 1D X batteries, the new camera is backwards compatible with the older power packs, but is limited to shooting at 12fps (14fps in Live View) when using an older battery. You can also charge the older batteries using the 1D X Mark II's charger, but you cannot charge the 1D X Mark II battery via the older 1D X charger.

The body is built to withstand the rigors of professional use. It's fully sealed against the elements, and features a full mag-alloy chassis. There are no changes to the optical viewfinder, which is one of the best you'll find in a digital SLR to begin with. The information displayed in the viewfinder has been enhanced, however—now every focus point is illuminated in red when active.

From a video perspective, the 1D X Mark II has received a significant overhaul. The image sensor features Canon's Dual Pixel AF tech, which has proven to deliver smooth, quick focus in models like the 7D Mark II. The camera supports 4K capture at up to 60 frames per second and can captures 1080p footage at standard speeds, as well as 120fps.

The 1D X Mark II doesn't include in-camera Wi-Fi, but it does have a GPS. A standard Ethernet port is available for wired transfer, useful when covering live events. If wireless transer is required, you can add the Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E8A accessory to the body—it supports the latest 802.11ac transfer protocol. Pricing for the WFT-E8A is not yet available.

The 1D X Mark II is set to go on sale in April. It's priced at $5,999 as a body only, or at $6,299 with a bundled 64GB CFast card and USB card reader.