Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III and EOS 40D under water (22-08-2007)

On August 20 Canon announced the arrival of its next generation of advanced and pro-level DSLRs, the 10.1MP Canon EOS 40D ($1.299 body only street price) and the 21.1MP EOS 1Ds Mark III ($7,999 body only, street price).

Both of these cameras should be a big hit for underwater photography enthusiasts and pros, especially those who already own Canon lenses and compatible flash systems. In addition to overall improvements in image quality (higher resolution, better noise reduction, and greater dynamic range) and autofocusing performance, both cameras now feature a large 3-inch LCD with a live preview mode that lets you see the image through the lens.

The bad news, if you can call it that, is that the live view mode makes autofocus impossible, so you're on your own with manual adjustments. It also appears that some major and minor modifications will have to be made to existing housings that fit the older EOS 30D in order for the 40D to work (slightly different size, larger LCD port needed, but very similar button placement overall.)

Housings made for the older 16.7MP EOS 1Ds Mark II won't be backward compatible at all with the new EOS 1Ds Mark III. This camera has a body based on the newer 10.1MP EOS 1D Mark III, so those housings currently on the drawing board or recently announced for it might work after modifications to fit the slightly larger prism hump on top of the camera (required to house the viewfinder optics that cover its full-frame sensor.)

Read the rest of this article by Michael J. McNamara on DivePhotoGuide.com.

A first survey by DigiFish of several housing manufacturers including Aquatica, Ikelite, Sealux and Hugyfot shows that they are positive on the EOS 40D becoming a succes with underwater photography enthusiasts. For the 1Ds Mk III however, a limited number of pro user of this camera is expected and the companies state they will first need to assess the demand of the consumers and study the R&D costs of manufacturing before deciding whether they will create a housing. UK-GERMANY states that they will develop a 1Ds Mark III housing, and will decide upon the 40D later on.

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