It has been close to five years since Canon’s flagship
model, the 1D-X, was launched and alas there is a successor. Its blazing fast
burst shutter rate of 12 frames per second and insanely high ISO range made the
1D-X a hot commodity for demanding photographers. However, the 1D-X was quite expensive
and this new model (Canon EOS-1D X Mark
II) is no exception. This beast, at a price of $6,000, is not for amateurs
looking to take pictures of their cats and post them to Facebook. With a couple
of new features added to the camera such as 4K HD video, a touch-screen,
built-in GPS, and a maximum ISO of 409600, one big question comes to mind; is
this camera worth the money? My answer is no.
Before I begin explaining why I think there are better
choices for professional photographers, there is one thing I will say about the
camera – this is a very capable machine. For those who are looking for the
absolute best, you will struggle to find anything else better for the job. Its
burst shutter rate has been bumped up to 16 frames per second thanks to its new
Dual DIGIC 6+ image processors. The ISO range (expansion to ISO 409600) allows
for shooting in just about any type of light while producing little noise or
grain. Canon has also improved the autofocus performance with its new 61-point
High Density Reticular AF II system and 41 cross-type points. Essentially what
this translates to is maximum control over what subjects will be in focus. The
video capabilities have also been improved to record up to 4K HD resolution
video at 60 fps and full 1080p video at 120 fps for slow motion capture.
Despite all of the great features that this camera has to
offer, I struggle to see the value and justification behind the $6,000 price
tag. If nature or sports photography is your niche, then yes this is the
perfect camera for the job. Its blazing fast burst shutter makes it ideal for
capturing the “perfect shot.” However, there are also plenty of other options
that not only take higher resolution pictures (i.e. Canon 5DS) and offer the
same processing power as the 1D-X Mark
II (i.e. Canon EOS 7D Mark II), but perform just as well under low-light conditions. If the 16 fps burst shutter rate is something you can
live without, save yourself about $3,000 and get a Canon 5D Mark III instead.
