Side by Side: Canon 1D MarkIV Vs 1D MarkIII

On Today's post I will try to make side by side review of the new 1D MarkIV and the previous model 1D MarkIII.

the idea here is not to get a full review, as I think there are out there a lot of good people who will pull up a great technical review of the cameras. What I wanted to make was a simple approach to what are the main differences between the 2 cameras and help you get a clear view of them both.

The side by side will be for the all exterior body as well as to some of the menu changes.

I have also included 2 videos at the end of this side by side so you can take a live view of them and make your own personal opinions about the new camera.

Now, let's get this party started...



The first thing I noticed when I opened the kit was that the AC Adapter Kit ACK-E4 was no longer included with the 1D MarkIV. This kit would allow you to plug the camera right into a AC socket and let it work without any battery.

This would be a great thing if you want to make some time-lapse and also would be nice to include it since the MarkIV have video has this would help minimizing the change of batteries. No Kudos for Canon on this matter as a new one would cost around 160,00 euros :(



The Canon 1D MarkIV and the Canon 1D MarkIII boxes are almost the same even the design is the same except the 1D MarkIV box is a little smaller, maybe this has something to do with the fact that the AC Adapter Kit ACK-E4 is no longer included.



On the front you also notice the new logo at the same place has the previous one ;)



When side by side the cameras are exactly the same, the body has not change much as you can see in the above picture.

I've included a specs chart between the Canon 1D MarkIV & Canon 1D MarkIII for a better understanding on what have changed. (Just click on the images below for a better viewing).






Let's Take a closer look at the Canon 1D MarkIV front view.



And here is the Canon 1D MarkIV front view, as you can see not much has changed.



On the side we can see that now the rubberized sealing are much better and the 1D MarkIV (on the right side) has grown a little bit because of the Mic and the HDMI connectors. Also the Extension Terminal System to connect the WFT-E2/WFT-E2II is attached to the body instead of the older model that had some kind of a screw in cover that keep falling and this cost 18,00 euros a piece.



Here you can see the inside of the rubberized sealing the battery and charger are the same for the 2 cameras the Canon LP-E4 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery and it's charger the Canon LCE4 Battery Charger.



Here in detail the System Extension port cover and sealing. After a closer look the sealings are much better than the the ones on the 1D MarkIII.



Nothing has changed on the top part of the camera.



Not even the top LCD screen and buttons.



Here are the cameras side by side on the back part. Here you can start noticing some differences between them as canon has introduced a completely new LCD screen, but let's take a closer look.



When I first look at the back part of both cameras the LCD was what impress me. The new 3.0-inch ClearView II LCD monitor, 160° viewing angle, 920,000-dot VGA, reflection resistance with multi coating and high-transparency materials for bright and clear viewing is AWESOME!!!

So what is this new LCD screen, you might ask?

Here is Canon answer to your question:

"The new, high-resolution, 3.0-inch ClearView II VGA LCD has 920,000 dot resolution and provides a new level of clarity and sharpness with a 160° angle of view. Its performance is admirable, not only in confirming focus and composition, but in composing and shooting in Live View mode, or when shooting video. It features a tempered glass protective cover with an anti-reflective film and a new resin filling between the actual LCD and glass cover that helps minimize internal reflections and further improves visibility in bright viewing situations. During image playback, pressing the illumination button displays an LCD brightness screen, so brightness can be adjusted quickly and easily.



As opposed to the older mirror reflective one. I think it's clear here in the images that with the 1D MarkIII screen you see a lot of reflections as opposed to the darker one of the new 1D MarkIV. (Take a look at the videos, at the end of the page, for a better understanding of this)

And I can tell you that this is a Cristal clear screen to check pictures and to avoid glare when viewing them, even better than the one on the Canon 5D MarkII.



Another thing I noticed different, as I use a lot the AF-ON button on the back of the camera as my main AF button, was this button. It is a little longer than the previous one and has a bigger edge. Not tried it yet but noticed on the first impressions that now is much easier to press it than on the 1D MarkIII, also noticed that the touch for the auto focus is lighter with the new version. Will have to make some field tests to get into any final conclusions, but for the moment it feels much better.



Canon has added to the FEL button, near the exposure wheel, the ability to start and end recording of movie mode. This is a nice feature concerning that you will not need to activate the live view first and then start to record on the wheel button, but only time will tell if this would be a plus or another troubled button. As since Canon could not have another button, on this body, for this function (say like the Canon 7D has a dedicated button) then I think this could be a valuable option.



If you do not like using this feature you can always change it back to Default mode on the Custom Functions menu under the C.Fn.IV: Operation/Others - Start Movie Shooting (take a look at the image above)



The 1D MarkIV allows video so it was much needed the speaker so we can listen to the audio recordings. With the implementation of this speaker came also the possibility to listen to voice recordings (memos) that in the past were not possible to listen.

After taking a closer look at the holes I noticed that you can see, through them, the speaker so it feels like if you are on the field catching a lot of rain maybe some could go inside the speaker, but only time will tell about this. I think they could have placed the speaker at another place on the body so it would not be too much exposed to ambient conditions.

The Memo Microphone is at the same place as the 1D MarkIII.

I wish also that the On/Off switch would have changed has sometimes with mud and water it tends to be difficult to switch (this has happened to me also on the 5D MarkII)... oh well maybe on the next models ;)



On the front side right above the EOS-1 logo you have the video microphone. This is a monaural microphone for simple mono recording but stereo can be recorded through the self-powered external microphone connected to the stereo jack input port on the side of the 1D MarkIV.



The CF and SD card slots are the same except that now on the 1D MarkIV accept cards with UDMA speed.



On the menu a couple of things have changed between the 2 cameras. At first you will notice that the menu is much darker and do not have the annoying Clear Gray/Dark Gray horizontal bars, the new one is just like the 5D MarkII and 7D. The letters are much crispy and easy to read so overall the menu just feels much better.

The first menu I want to show you is the video mode. Now you can choose from NTSC or PAL and based on that option you will choose what you want to record based on that choice... Canon been dealing with video on their powershots for ages and never implemented this feature so that each region could have it's recording format and not be stuck at 30fps... SHAME ON YOU CANON!!!

If they are releasing an upgrade for the 5D MarkII, as promised, let's hope the G11 will get that luck too.



If you choose PAL then these are the movie options:

1920 x 1080 @ 25, 23.976 fps, 1280 x 720 @ 50 fps, 640 x 480 @ 50 fps



If you choose NTSC then you get these movie options:

1920 x 1080 @ 29.97, 23.976 fps, 1280 x 720 @ 59.94, 640 x 480 @ 59.94

It looks like if you want to make smaller videos out of this camera they did not gave us an option like the 5D MarkII at 640x480 @ 30 fps. They could have made this option available but now including the 640x480 @ 25fps. Not everyone that picks up this camera will be making HQ videos and sometimes on the field when you need to record a quick movie smaller ones are better even to send to the office.

Let's hope for a firmware update with this feature.



Another NEW feature is the possibility to have AF Point oriented has you turn the camera to a Landscape or Portrait Position. You can choose it on the C.Fn.III: Autofocus/Drive - 16 Orientation Linked AF Point



The new Peripheral Illumination Correction menu it's available right on the bottom of the Camera Menu (Red).



And you can correct each lenses with a much faster change on the menu.

And this stands for:

Matching the peripheral light falloff characteristics of more than 85 Canon EF lenses introduced over the past 22 years, the light level at the four corners of the image is automatically corrected, using a custom algorithm for each supported lens that reads the aperture in use and, when possible, the distance setting.
With JPEG images, the light falloff is corrected during image capture.
With RAW images, the correction can be done with Digital Photo Professional’s “Shot settings.” The degree of in-camera correction is about 70% of what can be done with Digital Photo Professional.

Lenses that do not have distance information cannot be corrected based on the shooting distance. With such lenses, the camera can make the correction only up to about 50 percent of DPP’s maximum.

Peripheral Illumination Correction

At high ISO speeds, noise along the image periphery is prone to increase. Therefore, the higher the ISO speed, the lower the peripheral illumination correction will be. The minimum correction will be about 20 percent of DPP's maximum. (With lenses not having distance information, it will be about 15 percent.)

Peripheral illumination correction data for up to 40 lenses can be registered in the camera. Upon factory shipment, the camera will have the correction data for approximately 29 lenses. The correction data can be registered or deleted from the camera with EOS Utility software. EOS Utility is updated as new EF lenses are introduced, thus ensuring forward compatibility.



The new JPG feature (RAW only with DPP) called Auto Lighting Optimizer function (ALO).

What is this you may be asking?

Well The Auto Lighting Optimizer function (ALO) automatically adjusts the picture during image processing to obtain optimal brightness and contrast. It corrects AE underexposure, flash underexposure, low contrast, or backlit underexposure (face detection). The algorithm works by optimally adjusting brightness and tone based on scene information, including the image histogram. This is the first time that the feature has appeared in an EOS-1 series camera.

The EOS-1D Mark IV’s ALO algorithm is one generation newer than that of the EOS 50D. It is improved in its handling of scenes without faces. For scenes with faces, the previous algorithm is employed. The default setting is Standard, but optional settings include Low, Strong and Disable.

ALO works with both JPEG and RAW images. With RAW images, photographers can choose the same settings that the camera offers when processing the images in the supplied DPP software. You can select from Standard, Low, Strong or Disable. With previous EOS DIGITAL cameras having ALO, the function worked only in the P, Tv, Av and CA modes. However, with the EOS-1D Mark IV, ALO now also works in the Manual mode and bulb as well, in keeping with the idea of enhanced JPEG workflow.




The External Speedlight Control menu has also changed to a much better position right on the second Camera Menu (Red) as opposed to the older position on the bottom of the 2nd Function Menu (Yellow).



The External Speedlight Control menu is the same as on the 1D MarkIII on which you can control your speedlights Custom Functions and settings as long as you have one attached to the hot shoe of your camera otherwise you will not be able to see these menus.




Here you can see the Flash Function Settings menu of the 1D MarkIV.



And in case you are using the wireless system here is the menu for it.



You also have the ability to set the flash Custom Functions while it sits on the camera hot shoe. This function was already possible with the Canon 1D MarkIII. This is an easier way to set your flash custom settings without having to know which number represents what on the flash. The menu tells you what C.Fn. you are changing and it correspondent name.



The Battery Info menu is the same for both cameras.




Another 2 new features are at the C.Fn.I:Exposure at Position 16 the AE Microadjustment and at position 17 the FE Microadjustment.

What Canon has to say about these features:

"Standard levels for Metering and flash exposure can be adjusted by the user via the AE and FE Microadjustment Custom Functions. With AE Microadjustment, the standard metering level can be adjusted by 1/8 EV step, max. +/- 1 step. With the FE microadjustment function (flash exposure standard level adjustment function), the flash exposure standard level can also be adjusted by 1/8 EV step, max. +/- 1 step.

When using multiple cameras at the same time, it is also possible to match minor individual differences accurately with these microadjustment functions."

After seeing some of the new menu features I decided to check a side by side between both cameras and see what really has changed on both menus. what new features canon has implemented on the menus so next you will see a side by side of the same menu on both cameras.




C.FnIII: Autofocus Drive - AF-assist beam firing has moved from position 14 to 15 and they had a new menu item 2: IR AF assist beam only

What Canon has to say about this new item:

"[C.Fn III-15: AF-assist beam firing] has had the [2: IR AF assist beam only] setting added. Set this to disable the series of small flashes fired as the AF-assist beam, as with Speedlite 270EX."





7 C.FnI: Exposure - Spot Meter Link to AF this is the same except that on the 1D MarkIV Canon had some more information.

"When AF point selection is set to 45 points, center spot area is used for spot metering". Meaning that if you choose the 45 points even that you enable this the metering will always be at the center point. Be careful to what you choose.




10 C.FnIII:Autofocus/Drive - Selectable AF Point

In this menu you can choose the different point for the AF system. Now Canon included the 45 against the 19 of the previous model.




11 C.FnIII:Autofocus/Drive - Autofocus Switch to Registered AF Point

Canon doesn't say much about this:

"For [C.Fn III-11: Switch to registered AF point], the [2: Only while is pressed] setting has been added. The setting name for 1 has been changed to [1: Switch with ]."




15 C.FnI:Exposure - Flash Sync. Speed in Av Mode

What Canon says about this:

"C.Fn I-15: Flash sync. speed in Av mode, the [1: 1/300 – 1/60 sec. auto] setting has been added. (If C.Fn I-15-1 or I-15-2 is set, high-speed sync will not be possible.)"




2 C.FnII:Image/Flash exp/Disp - High ISO speed Noise Reduct'n

What Canon say about the new ISO settings on this menu:

"Noise reduction at high ISO speeds is similar to that of the EOS-1D Mark III and other EOS Digital cameras going forward; however, the EOS-1D Mark III had only the “Disable/Enable” setting. The EOS-1D Mark IV now offers four settings: Standard, Low, Strong and Disable. The default setting(Standard) applies noise reduction.

With Dual DIGIC 4 Image Processor’s high image quality and high-speed processing, excellent noise reduction is executed at all ISO speeds while the image detail is well retained. Chromatic noise in the shadow areas and luminance noise are greatly reduced. The “Standard” setting obtains better noise reduction than the EOS-1D Mark III’s “Enable” setting.

Thanks to improved noise reduction, a CMOS sensor with a high S/N ratio, and the DIGIC 4 Image Processor's high-speed and low-noise image development, ISO 12,800 can be included in the normal ISO range and the ISO speed can be expanded to 25,600 (H1), 51,200 (H2) and 102,400 (H3)."




3 C.FnIII:Autofocus/Drive - AI Servo 1st/2nd img priority

Canon answers to what's on the menu with new features:

"C.Fn III-3: (AI Servo 1st/2nd image priority) has had the optional [3: Release/Tracking priority] setting added. Shutter-release priority (rather than focus priority) is given to the first shot. During continuous shooting (from the second shot onward), stable focus-tracking of the subject is given priority. This new setting, which was the only option for AI Servo AF release/tracking priority with the original EOS-1D, EOS-1D Mark II and EOS-1D Mark II N, was conspicuously absent on the EOS-1D Mark III. Now, EOS-1D Mark IV users will have the best of both worlds together with the new improvements to AF hardware and software."



On the table above you can find what each of the functions mean and what are their functions in the field.




8 C.FnIII:Auto Focus/Drive - AF Expansion w/Selected pt.


Here is what Canon has to say about the new features:

"With C.Fn III-8 and a manually-selected AF point, the effective size of the AF point can be expanded by using the AF points adjacent to the selected AF point. If the manually-selected AF point cannot achieve focus, focus can be achieved with one of the adjacent (expanded) AF points. The range of expandable AF points is shown in the diagram given here.
These settings can be effective for shooting a moving subject that is difficult to track with just one AF point, or with subjects that don’t have lots of detail or contrast. The [1: Left/right AF point] and
[2:Surrounding AF points] options are the same as the EOS-1D Mark III. These give the photographer a moveable “cluster” of either three (via option 1) or up to eight (via option 2) AF points, which can be moved freely around the AF coverage area. The [3:

All 45 points area] setting is a very powerful option that’s new to the 1D series. It effectively allows the photographer to manually select the starting point for focus detection while gaining the ability to track the subject anywhere it moves within the 45-point Area AF ellipse indicated on the focusing screen. (By comparison, when automatic focusing point selection is combined with AI Servo AF, the subject must
be initially detected with the center AF point.) In addition, C.Fn III-8-3 allows the camera to display the active focusing point in the viewfinder as it follows the subject during a burst shooting sequence. Here’s how it works: When C.Fn III-8-3 is combined with AI Servo AF, up to 18 AF points adjacent to the manually- selected AF point will become active.

Each time the subject moves to another AF point, the expanded AF points will also shift to surround the AF point covering the subject. In response to the subject’s movement, the AF point lit in red also shifts continuously. Since the clump of active focusing points can shift automatically according to subject movement, all 45 focusing points are effectively available for
burst mode shooting.

As long as the subject is within the Area AF frame, autofocusing of the subject will continue. This is the same logic as with automatic AF point selection. However, since the focusing is concentrated over a smaller area than during automatic AF point selection, focusing on a particular subject is easier. Also, if the main AF point loses the subject by a considerable amount during automatic AF point selection, all 45 AF points are used to search for the subject. With C.Fn III-8-3, the 18 expanded AF points are instead used to search for the subject.

For example, even if there is an object closer than the main subject, the camera can still quickly and securely track the main subject. If One-Shot AF is set and focus cannot be achieved with the manually-selected AF point, focus is executed with an expanded area of up to 44 AF points. Subject detection is done in three instant steps, with 6, 18, then 44 AF points. Because the manually-selected AF point is where the subject is supposed to be, focusing is easier and more accurate using the AF points closer to the main AF point. Better yet, DPP 3.7.3 and higher can display the active focusing point for each image when C.Fn III-8-3 is used together with manual focusing point selection, even when the active focusing point differs from the manually selected focusing point."




9 C.FnIV:Operation/Others - Record-Protect Button Function

On the MarkIV you now have the option to Play Memo since you now have a speaker to listen to it.




A new menu item was added to the 3rd yellow menu called Copyright Information.

this gives you the ability to have your name and copyright information right on the photos.



Here is the Copyright Details change menu.



Here is the Author's Name change menu.



This is how it displays on the Camera display.




Canon has also changed the name of the C.FnIV from Original Decision Data to Image Verification Data and moved from position 15 to 16 on the same Custom Function.

That's it...

We finally get to the bottom of all the new things you can find under the menus of both cameras.

You can check the details, specifications and accessories of each camera at Canon's webpage the direct links are:

Canon 1D MarkIII
Canon 1D MarkIV

And you can also Download the White Paper for each camera:
Canon EOS 1D MarkIII
Canon 1D MarkIV

Here are a two part video with all the new features and a side by side with some motor speed from both cameras.

PART 1


PART 2


If you like these 2 videos check also the unboxing of the 1D MarkIV on another article Canon 1D MarkIV Unboxing.

Hope you have enjoyed this side by side and stay tuned for more to come here on Lighting Mods.

Thank you for reading and watching.