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Home / News / Canon gets serious about 4K with the EOS-1D X Mark II

Canon gets serious about 4K with the EOS-1D X Mark II

Lightning-fast continuous shooting should please sport and wildlife pros too

The EOS-1D X Mark II might just be the ultimate digital SLR – it’s Canon’s latest professional-grade camera and the first to take 4K video seriously.

It might not match the 50.6MP 5DS and 5DS R for raw pixel count, but full-frame, 20.2MP sensor and two DIGIC 6+ image processors let it shoot UHD video at a full 60 frames per second.

That’s a big step up over the EOS-1D C, which could only manage 24fps, and also gives it the edge over Nikon’s similarly high-end D5 – that’s limited to 30fps shooting.

All that video processing power helps when it comes to shooting stills, too. The 1D-X Mk II can manage an incredible 14fps with full AF tracking, or 16fps in Live View. Basically, it’s perfect for fast-moving action or snapping skittish wildlife.

Shoot in RAW, and you’ll be able to take an amazing 170 pictures without having to wait to buffer, too.

Canon’s overhauled its 61-point autofocus system, with 41 cross-type points that are tuned for low-light shooting. The highest ISO sensitivity of 51,200 can be expanded up to 409600, which is better than carrot-only diet for seeing the dark.

The bulky shape, fixed LCD display and secondary screen on the top plate are all trademark DSLR, but Canon’s added a few 21st century extras including GPS, Ethernet and USB3 file transfers. You’ll still need the optional adaptor to add Wi-Fi, though.

The EOS-1D X MK II is set to arrive in May, but at £5,200 it’s going to be strictly the domain of professional photographers and filmmakers. That doesn’t mean we don’t really, really want one, though…

Profile image of Tom Morgan-Freelander Tom Morgan-Freelander Deputy Editor

About

A tech addict from about the age of three (seriously, he's got the VHS tapes to prove it), Tom's been writing about gadgets, games and everything in between for the past decade, with a slight diversion into the world of automotive in between. As Deputy Editor, Tom keeps the website ticking along, jam-packed with the hottest gadget news and reviews.  When he's not on the road attending launch events, you can usually find him scouring the web for the latest news, to feed Stuff readers' insatiable appetite for tech.

Areas of expertise

Smartphones/tablets/computing, cameras, home cinema, automotive, virtual reality, gaming

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