How would you change Canon's EOS-1D Mark IV DSLR?

We know, you're packing furiously for your next shoot tomorrow, but look -- you need to sit back for 12 seconds, give this article a once-over, chime in below and take one of the biggest sighs of your life. As unprepared as you feel, everything's going to be alright. We promise. Now that we've got you in a proper state of mind, we're curious to know how you'd change Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. The outfit's latest and greatest professional DSLR has come out shining in nearly every review we've seen, and while it's rather massive in stature, it's loaded with features. For nearly five grand, we suspect that you'll be pretty critical on it, and that's exactly how it should be. Is the low-light performance satisfactory? How's the speed and handling? Has it revolutionized your business? Are you a Canon fanboy (or girl) for life now? Spill all down below, cool?

[Punch Rockgroin Posted Mar 27th 2010 10:59AM]

@moonbase2 Yeah, I realize that about losing range, just a faker, that 50 thing there, but don't know much about using filters. Never shoot studio, so I very very very rarely have problems like these. What software do you use? My life kinda change on the editing front after getting used to Capture One Pro. I never use anything else, unless I need to manipulate badly.

[moonbase2 Posted Mar 27th 2010 11:04AM]

I use CaptureOne also for capture and processing.

[XXXSB Posted Mar 27th 2010 12:19PM]

36x24mm full frame with same 16mp
that is what make this camera perfect


surely,same price !

[Photoman Posted Mar 27th 2010 2:37PM]

FULL FRAME

[collywobbles Posted Mar 27th 2010 3:06PM]

I'd make one that shoots film.

[SiG Posted Mar 27th 2010 3:38PM]

I'd like all the focus points to be cross sensors.
I'd like to trade some resolution for reduced noise ... I don't need 16MP for my work.
I'd like to have dual UDMA CF cards.
I'd like to have two "joy sticks" one for use in landscape (already there) and a second for when in portrait (where the card slot release lever currently resides).

That's about it.
The camera is pretty damn good for sport's photography.

[Preyen Posted Mar 27th 2010 4:13PM]

*sigh* wish it was mine!
I think what I was really expecting to see was a combo of the 5dmkii and this things body, but with a nice 25mpx sensor to regain its crown in the megapixel war...hopefully there will be a 1ds mkIV though. I dont think the 35mm digital sensors should go past 25mpx though. I have the 5dmkII, and 21mpx is awesome on a full frame sensor. I'm a pro photographer though http://www.loopphoto.co.za

[Blakberi Posted Mar 27th 2010 4:38PM]

Make it full frame

[df1977 Posted Mar 27th 2010 6:10PM]

MAKE IT FULLFRAME! Canon introduced 1.3x as a cost savings measure, and promoted the "extra reach" of the crop as some kind of advantage. Well, they could have just kept the same pixel pitch and made this camera fullframe, and that "reach" is negated. Marketing BS.

Victory, D3s.

p.s. I shoot A900, so I'm a fanboy of neither.

[calgrad2000 Posted Mar 27th 2010 6:48PM]

The spot AF restricted to long lenses issue
On my mkII In manual metering I could reverse the main dial so that one I had esteablished my exposure rotating both dials in the same direction the same number of clicks would result in not net exposure change so I could shift easily from 1/125 f/16 to 1/500 f/8. On the IV You can reverse the dial but not in manual exposure mode.
Going back even father I would like to see the DEP exposure mode brought back (used to find the focus pooint and apature to get two points in focus)
Finally add a couple more customizable buttons hat could be used for anything the user wants (live view mode, mirror lock up etc) - no need to tie them to a specific function.

[flea925 Posted Mar 27th 2010 7:04PM]

Make it less XBOX HUGE

[calgrad2000 Posted Mar 27th 2010 7:53PM]

I agree with the joysticks as long as a second one wouldn't make the camera uncomfortable to hold in landscape. I've gotten used to using the joystick to change AF point in landscape mode and really miss it when I switch to portrait.

[Punch Rockgroin Posted Mar 27th 2010 8:12PM]

Yeah, the joystick is annoying, I find myself fumbling for it when shooting vertical, unable to find it. Never had problems using the wheels before, but this joystick thing is annoying, because you get used to it pretty quickly. They should move the joystick and set button around. Available from anywhere. Don't know if anyone uses the set button while shooting though, I never have.

[ChanTheMagicMan Posted Mar 28th 2010 3:40AM]

Honestly, Full Frame would obviously be nice. Also, I really don't see why WiFi transferring and GPS tagging aren't built in at this price. I'd love to see those features on a professional end body.

[Mike V Posted Mar 28th 2010 5:21AM]

This camera should be Full frame.

1.3x crop is a dinosaur that should be relegated to history.

[rk8801 Posted Mar 28th 2010 11:10AM]

Having a professional camera, costing $5k, without a full-frame sensor is a joke. It's hurt their low-light performance.

They need to go full-frame, lower the resolution, and include a new Digic V processor or two.

Nice extras could include RAW video and WiFi capabilities allowing for live uploading of RAW images to an internet server.

[unlyke Posted Mar 28th 2010 11:50AM]

Ok i keep seeing the comment that the size of the sensor is "hurting it's low light performance". Now maybe I'm tripping but has anyone looked at clips or pics of this thing shooting at 1600, 3200, and 6400?

http://vimeo.com/8851579

http://vimeo.com/9091821

http://vincentlaforet.smugmug.com/Laforet-Videos/Nocturne-Canon-1DMKIV-Video/10024122_sqhwE#686345820_EeDCa-L-LB

Am I missing something here? Thats far better than what I've seen from the 5d

[Punch Rockgroin Posted Mar 28th 2010 12:50PM]

@unlyke How dare you question the expert users of this camera!

[unlyke Posted Mar 28th 2010 1:46PM]

@Punch Rockgroin LOL. I know right? I was just curious had anybody seen those before they said the smaller sensor would cripple its low-light abilities.

also there is this video too

http://vimeo.com/9964144

[mello151 Posted Mar 28th 2010 7:20PM]

Give it better ergonomics. Shooting with this camera feels like taking pictures with a cereal box.

[TheColonel Posted Mar 29th 2010 8:25AM]

True story about the new mkIV:
A few weeks after it was first announced I was chatting with Donal in the Pro Shop at Jacobs, New Oxford Street (basically the last remaining professional camera shop in London) and asked him about pre-orders for the mkIV.
"They've been awful" he said. "The week it was announced I had two press shooters come in and switch to Nikon"
I was amazed; on paper the camera looked amazing. The one single reason why the pros didn't want it? It's not full frame. Donal went on to say that they had repeated this line to Canon on numerous occasions, but they just didn't listen.
Last month I went back to Jacobs and picked up a Canon S90 (incredible little camera btw). As Donal was putting it through the till a large box arrived from Nikon. What's that?, I asked. "Another photographer switching to Nikon. There's £19,000 worth of Nikon D3S gear in that box". Talking about it more he said that for every mk4 he sells, he sells between 3 to 4 D3Ses.
And that's pretty much the rub; the mk4 is an amazing professional camera that actual professionals don't want. They want full frame, and nothing else. If you don't believe me, Google Jacobs, phone Donal yourself and ask. As a camera salesman all he wants to do is sell more cameras, so as you can imagine, he'd rather Canon gave his customers what they actually want.

[ajpn Posted Apr 13th 2010 8:22PM]

I own the Mark III, which I purchased back in July '07. I also own the 7D. At the time I started using the Mark III I swore I would never go back to any other Canon for a main body than the 1D series.

The significant difference between the two cameras is that the 1D feels a hundred times more technically advanced. The shutter sound is like comparing a Rolex to a Timex. I initially used the 7D as a backup. But then one day I had to send in the 1D to have it cleaned (after a severe trip in the desert) and I was forced to use the 7D.

I have not returned to the 1D since other than a few times when I prefer changing bodies in the studio rather than lenses.

I seriously would like to own the Mark IV, except for one thing. They're too heavy. I remember climbing Half Dome with my 1D in my backpack and the ridiculousness of it. Why should I buy a 5K camera (again) when a 1.7K camera does nearly as well. I can always use my Mark III for AMGEN if I need the extra 2 FPS, but otherwise, what gives?

If they could make it lighter and less expensive I might consider purchasing one.

Oh, and if they could promise we wouldn't have to live down another debacle as we did last time with that silly mirror box fiasco.

For the price they should add GPS tracking, Internal IS, some kind of wirelss sync and available uploading of files from anywhere in a reasonable population.

Just my 2 cents.