Canon EOS-1DS Review

According provided by Canon EOS-1DS Digital camera huge thanks to Bogdan.

Canon EOS-1DS Review

Canon EOS-1DS Review

The Canon EOS 1Ds is Canon's first full-frame DSLR, introduced on September 24, 2002 (ie 12 years ago at the time of this review).

Canon's older line of cameras is called 'Canon Eos-1'for example Canon Eos-1 DS (look at the front of the camera) or Canon Eos-1 D Mark IV, etc., because this line is called 'single'from' EOS-1'. Usually the 'EOS' prefix is ​​omitted and they talk about the cameras '1D', '1DS', '1DX', '1DC' and their modifications, the so-called Mark'and.

The 1Ds is Canon's 4th 'native' DSLR in total, the first three being the Canon D3o crop (Kf = 1.6x, not to be confused with Canon 30D), D6o (Kf = 1.6x, not to be confused with Canon 60D) and Canon 1D (Kf = 1.3x).

Canon in just two years, since the release of the Canon D30 (May 17, 2000), which had a cropped sensor, was able to create a full-frame camera. It was a very big step for both camera building and photography.

Example photo on Canon 1Ds

Example photo on Canon 1Ds

Essentially Canon EOS 1Ds was second full-frame camera in the world. The first was Contax N Digital, introduced at the end of 2000, but went on sale much later. But after the advent of Canon 1Ds, Nikon users had to wait another 5 years, until August 23, 2007, the first full-frame camera from Nikon was presented - Nikon D3. Sony's first full-frame camera A900 presented even later - September 9, 2008. Pentax K1 - February 17, 2016.

If you look a little deeper into history, you can find earlier Canon digital cameras:

  • Canon EOS DCS5 - March 1995, 1.3 MP, Kf = 2.6x. It's funny, but this camera is not listed in Canon Camera Archive. Perhaps because of the very large crop factor.
  • Canon EOS DCS3 (was in 3 modifications: 3s, 3m, 3IR) - July 1995, APS-C Kf = 1.6x, 1.3 MP.
  • Canon EOS DCS1 - December 1995, APS-H Kf = 1.3x, 6 MP. Imagine a camera could only operate at ISO 50 to 100.
  • Canon EOS D2000 - May 1998, APS-C Kf = 1.6x, 2 MP, with a 1.8 ″ display.
  • Canon EOS D6000 - Dec 1998, APS-H Kf = 1.3x, 6 MP, with a 1.8 ″ display.

All of these cameras were actually based on Canon EOS-1n film with different digital backs from Kodak called DCS (Digital Camera System), but sold under the Canon brand. It is not customary to talk about them as about “real” Canon DSLR cameras. In those early days, Kodak made backs for both Nikon and Canon cameras, as well as the same matrices that could be found in Nikon and Canon. But the story played a trick on Kodak :(

Canon 1DS

Canon 1DS

The '1Ds' line includes only 3 cameras: 1Ds, 1Ds Mark II and 1Ds Mark III, which are no longer in production due to the release of the Canon EOS-1DX / 1DC and a change in the '1D' and '1DS' lineup. The 1Ds body is made on the basis of the Canon EOS-1D, which was born in November 2001 and in turn was built on the basis of the Canon EOS-1V professional film camera.

When you take 1Ds in your hands, you immediately feel the full power of the device - 1600 grams in a dust- and moisture-resistant case. The camera sits very well in the hand, is made in a combo case (with a vertical grip), there are a lot of rubber inserts on the camera that allow you to hold it very tenaciously in your hands.

Canon 1DS

Canon 1DS

The camera came to me without a rubber eyecup, but despite the loss, 1Ds pleases big and pleasant JVI with 100% coverage and 0.7X magnification. As befits senior cameras, in JVI there are two information lines - below and on the right.

1Ds has two monochrome displays for quick setup of basic parameters. The main color display is only 2 inches with 120.000 pixels. View the footage on such a display is very difficult. When viewing the material, you can set a quick increase in the fragment of the picture, but only for pictures in JPEG mode.

Unlike modern cameras, the 1Ds does not shoot in the “classic” RAW format used by Canon cameras. When you set the quality of RAW images, the 1Ds saves them not in 'CR2' format, but in TiF format with 12-bit color depth. The TIF format is also unusual, it can only be opened with RAW converters, for example Adobe Camera RAW. Such files weigh on average from 6 to 16 MB. To shoot in RAW + JPEG format, select RAW mode on the monochrome display and select “RAW + JPEG rec.” In the camera menu. select 'RAW + JPEG with desired quality'. I was also very surprised blue backlight both monochrome displays :) The backlight can be turned on with a special button.

Example photo on Canon 1Ds

Example photo on Canon 1Ds

The camera can shoot at a speed 3 frames per secondat the same time with any image quality settings in buffer only 10 pictures are always fit. Attention: 1Ds writes data to the memory card very slowly. The camera has one card slot CF and, even with a very fast memory card, recording 10 RAW images takes almost a full minute. Of course, with such “brakes” there can be no talk of shooting dynamic events, and it is generally accepted that a 1Ds is a camera for a studio. Also, when recording pictures to a memory card, you cannot use the camera menu; you can only view the first picture in a series.

If you use cards larger than 8 GB, the camera will “see” them but will format them so that only 8 GB is available. I ran an experiment on my 16GB and 32GB cards. Therefore, there is no point in buying a capacious memory card for 1Ds. The exact same mechanism works on all Canon cameras up to Canon 350D.

Example photo on Canon 1Ds

Example photo on Canon 1Ds

Management at 1Ds seemed to me extremely inconvenient and There is no Russian-language menu... Learning to navigate the menus is not easy - you need to hold down the 'Menu' or 'Select' button and rotate the large wheel on the back. Confirmation of menu items is generally stupidly organized, the usual 'ok' button is sorely lacking, not to mention the joystick for convenient navigation or selection of focus points. If you do not set the task of adjusting the camera through the menu, then the presence of a vertical handle with duplicated controls helps a lot and facilitates the shooting process. Owners of any Nikon CZK camera Canon 1Ds seem like a living hell in terms of ergonomics.

Example photo on Canon 1Ds

Example photo on Canon 1Ds

1Ds uses a full frame CMOS sensor on 11 MP (the output image is 4064 X 2704 pixels), this amount of MP is enough even nowadays for a huge number of tasks. ISO range is very meager - from ISO 100 to ISO 1250. In the menu, you can expand the range to ISO L, equivalent ISO 50.. There is no automatic ISO control. Usually full-frame cameras can shoot at high ISOs without much noise, but with 1Ds this focus will not work. However, we must give credit to this camera - even after 12 years, it continues to create high-quality images at low ISO values.

Example photo on Canon 1Ds

Example photo on Canon 1Ds

The 1Ds uses a 45-point focusing system, and there are quite a few highlighted items in the Custom Functions menu to set up autofocus. For more information on focusing systems on Canon EOS Digital cameras, see 'Canon EOS Camera Focus Sensors'. For shooting sample photos, I used two manual lenses - Nikon 180mm 1: 2.8 ED AF Nikkor и Yashica Lens ML 28mm 1: 2.8, and the camera often underexposed the picture during shooting in AV mode. As befits top-level cameras, the 1Ds shutter works with shutter speeds from 30 seconds to 1/8000 s + excerpt by hand. Flash sync - 1/250 sec, high speed sync supported.

Example photo on Canon 1Ds

Example photo on Canon 1Ds

You can add an audio comment to the captured photos for up to 30 seconds in * .WAV format, with a frequency of 8 khz and a bitrate of 64 kbps.

Here download link for RAW files with Canon 1Ds (230 MB). You can find more sample photos on Canon 1Ds at Canon Zoom Lens EF 24-70mm 1: 2.8 L USM Lens Review.

Another weakness of the camera is the use of a Ni-MH battery, which is much faster deteriorating than Li-on. This is a common problem for older cameras. Although I managed to take about 200-300 shots on one charge of such a battery. The camera has a PC-sync connector for controlling studio flash, a remote control connector, and an IEEE 1394 (Firewire) connector for data transfer. By the way, Firewire at that time was quite a sought-after thing.

Currently Canon EOS-1DS and Canon EOS 5D are the cheapest full-frame CZKs. Unfortunately, they can only be bought used. Due to their low suitability for serious shooting, I see no reason to buy a heavy monster Canon EOS-1DS, where his endurance would be useful. For creative ideas and for simple shooting, in my opinion, Canon EOS 5D fits much better.

Example photo on Canon 1Ds

Example photo on Canon 1Ds

Prices for modern Canon cameras in popular stores can look at this link.

In comments Can I ask you a question on the topic and you will answer, and you can also express your opinion or describe your experience. Many little things for a photo can be found on AliExpress.


My impressions

The 1Ds is a great camera, even nowadays it can do a good job for people who don't need modern "gadgets" of new cameras and who want to indulge in a full frame for a small amount of money. RAW files are very weak in the editor, but the camera creates images with pleasant, unobtrusive colors, and noise at high ISO values ​​slightly resembles film grain, which helps to create “vivid” photos. I found it damn inconvenient to change some basic parameters, for example, to change the ISO value, the metering method exposure, shooting mode, focus mode, you need to simultaneously press two buttons and rotate the main selector. For review, I took photographs on a very cold winter day, and with gloves it’s quite difficult to press two buttons at the same time. In terms of managing 1Ds, it seemed to me one of the most uncomfortable I've ever used.

Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram

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Comments: 190, on the topic: Canon EOS-1DS review

  • Urobot4

    Really. There are online utilities that return mileage from a mishandled raw file. Google to the rescue.

  • anonym

    I tried this online utility to see the 30d mileage - nothing shows ...
    D7000 identified without problems!
    Can you tell me exactly what?

  • Dmitry K

    Guys, stop toying with garbage. In RAV files, only nikon and unity from canon write mileage (by the way, not all). For the rest of the canons (all dimes, all XX and XXX models) you need to take the camera, attach it to the computer with a cable and see the special program mileage from the main camera fotik. Remotely do this.

  • Stas

    In 5D, you can't tell the mileage ...

  • Yaroslav

    I still waved d7k to this car :)
    Guys, can anyone know which scattering circle this device has?
    Even nowhere I can find the Old ...

    • anonym

      privet !!! s takoy klavoy mnogo ne napicheh.davay vayber posvistim sam vzal 3 dna nazad smenal na 40d moy nomer +330671533599 eto frrrr esli est 'jelanie budu rad !!! Vlad

    • anonym

      The scattering circle happens to the lens. The camera has no such concept.

  • Yaroslav

    Well, almost a year since I use it!
    Taking pictures of people is a pleasure. Skinton with my ex-d7k cannot even be compared!
    No powder, clay or pouring.
    Removed in a rabbi, opened in the DPP, BB corrected everything. No editors required!
    Photo on paper from this 20x30 camera is really a Bomb!

  • Alexey

    Read read ... And I also decided to say and speak.
    Today I have a Fuji S5PRO with rave reviews from Arcadia.SH, I have a Sony Aplha 7 II in conjunction with a Canon FD 85 1.2L (Pearl of optics), I have a couple of Canon EF, FD 50 1.2L…. and a whole safe of optics and cameras since I trade it…. In general, I did not pick up the camera yesterday. Bought this dinosaur a week or two ago
    I agree with all the negative reviews about the small screen and the like, batteries .. etc.
    BUT! The 1Ds camera was made by the whole world, a huge effort of engineers was invested, when there was no modern view of the buyer as a bag of money, but did it in the name of CANON.
    1Ds caused a sea of ​​emotions! neither Fuji, nor 6D, nor 5D ii, nor 5D III, nor SONY made such an impression of color.
    So the matrix gives absolutely non-contrasting, but very accurate and detailed lamp color. And the MOST important thing is SHADOWS and TONE !!! No failures !!! RAV is wonderful! I forgot the light room altogether! Doesn't last ??? Arkady ... why? I spread in Photoshop 11 camera raw is turned on and how is it there, maximum exposure and temperature, that's what you need for a picture from one.
    Been 1D on CCD is not bad! very ... but alas 4mp. I'm critical.
    1Ds II is not suitable for outsole 1Ds. matter in color !!!! matrices are different !!! there is no sky on 1Ds II!
    White shroud as on 6D. On 1Ds, it is supposedly secret and secretive but the matrices are from KODAk.

    • Oleg

      They poured a lot of water, but there are no examples from the word at all ...

      • Alexey

        it doesn’t upload high-quality photos. give soap and you will be

        • Arkady Shapoval

          Well, let's and II’ll upload it to a file hosting service, let others look too.

          • Alexey

            OK. only later a little. stray night

            • Alexey

              I will fill in jpeg from the camera, show shadows and details, and color. Everything was filmed on the manual Canon FD 50 1.2L
              Ps target show color, shadow, tone.

              • anonym

                No colors, no details, no shadows are visible, in fact, like the promised examples ...

  • Alexey

    Arkady sent by mail.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Nothing yet.

      • Alexey

        Arkady write the mail address. I sent files to you yesterday :(

        • Arkady Shapoval

          arkadiishapoval@gmail.com

          • Alexey

            resent. shows in sent. F

            • Alexey

              1Ds file

              • anonym

                And from and from there ...

  • Yaroslav

    I completely agree with Alexey about 1Ds.
    This camera is 100% open with Elks. I tried my own with 70-200 - I really liked it.

    I don’t know how to insert a link to the Yandex album here ((.

  • Alexey

    Here you are, dear readers. Two days ago I bought a Canon 1Ds mark III, and everything seems to be super, live view,
    21mp, Resolution, iso better…. everything is BETTER! special Akb. The camera is great !!! Even refused to Change to 5D mark III, ... .. BUT how I miss the pictures from the first Ds. That's what you want to say, but on ds3 it is different, more contrasting and oversaturated: (somehow I adjusted the camera parameters, which does not look much like 1Ds.
    But alas, not to the end, mark 3 is a great camera, on ds 1 another song

    • Be

      I recently said goodbye to 1ds3 and am working on modern 1dx and even newer 5d4. How did you find this article? It has been three weeks since I sold the old unit and I miss it for three weeks. I could not stand it))) and here I read that 1dc is three worse than the first one. I’m just flowing. Buy something. It's a shame that modern cameras are both Wi-Fi and touchscreen and so on, but the main thing is gone without a trace.

      • Be

        I wanted to say better.

      • anonym

        And in terms of color, what do you prefer 1Dx or 5D mk4?
        The fourth penny is very much praised for its color and dd ...

  • Valery

    Dear fellow photographers! Tell me how to see the mileage after all? What I have looked at - showexif and exif pilot pro and Acdsee - are not displayed anywhere! I found the Shutter Count Viewer program - it displays, but completely different numbers not related to the pictures taken - either 35 or 000. Maybe it depends on the software version in the camera? I have 60

    • Oleg

      on kenon, it’s difficult, as a result, he himself could not find out. In kenon, the number of shots is reflected in the camera, not in exif. There is some kind of program where you need to connect the camera to a computer and it shows the number of shots. I don’t remember the name, I accidentally ran into some forum. By that time he got cold and did not bother with her

  • Valery

    Found! First, I compared EXIF ​​of adjacent frames, and eventually I found a parameter that increases by one. Now I don't remember in which line - there are many groups of numbers in a row. But the main thing is that I found an online resource that determines the mileage from the uploaded photo, and everything there coincided with these figures. - camerashuttercount.com of course this is not an advertisement

    • Yaroslav

      I tried through this site. Still lying.
      You’d better look at the wheel next to the shutter button: if it clicks clearly, then it’s not dead. If through time with a single slip (like my 30d), then it’s already heavily used. Surely for 60-100000 mileage.

  • Valery

    Not sure how to enlarge images when viewing?

    • Igor

      increasing in the early units you still will not see anything, but as they say you will come home and you will be happy. At the expense of enlarging the picture on the screen, the installation disk is in the box, so there is an ea function for installation on the device, I wrote to the officers in due time .canon site, they didn’t help me either, marketing is marketing, they don’t drive old cameras, it’s not profitable for them.

  • Igor

    I collected all three deescu back in 2012 and somehow I don’t feel like selling. The first color has its own. 1Ds + 200mm f / 1.8L

    • Igor

      And which one do you find more preferable in color - 1ds or 1ds mk2?
      I have a dilemma, I want to get something spiritual a la film, but I can not decide.
      I know that the first version is much slower and noisier than the second, but this is not important for me.

      • Igor

        They are different and the matter is not in the resolution, but in the color reproduction and something else that speaks of the advantage and color of the first, it should be noisy of all three, which means that the color is also close to the kodak film. Working and not more than 400. In 2002, there was no idea to create a universal combine, namely because the canon of the students does not have a single ISO car. And Nikon is possible, plus you sometimes pick up this feature and understand it, it helps, for example, D3x.

  • Alexey

    Yesterday I compared the picture of 1Ds and Sony7 mark II ... .. in neutral mode ... the colors are almost identical !!!
    Canon FD 50 1.2L Lens
    Of course, Sony drives by DD, and there are much more details ... BUT 1 camera in 2002 ... guys 15 YEARS !!!
    and the picture is no worse than sony, but somewhere better!
    like this

    • anonym

      This is what, from the fact that the camera is 15 years old, I have to have ecstasy. It should be borne in mind that now the photographer does not even think about his sensitivity of -800 ISO or 1600. Nothing compares with this fact.

  • Foto_Lens

    I sometimes wonder how such photographers with a name compare the picture of Canon 1Ds and the First Five-pence pen and say that a penny is preferable. It's just tin! No nickel colors! The marsh hue palette, in contrast to the very pure color of the Unit, has not grown to 1D per CCD, but the tones are noticeably better, the color is softer.
    Here you have the photographers.
    In general, just tin ... ...

    • Igor

      I would not say the first nickle with a very honorable color, but in it the matrix is ​​already its own Canon, and not from Kodak or Sony. Here, of course, the canon decided to play it safe in case of interruptions in sensory supplies and bankrupt companions.

  • Valera

    Forgive me please, or maybe you can change the words - "But from Pentax, with its MZ-D (MR-52), we still did not wait for anything to this day." Pentax has already released the full-frame Pentax K-1 camera, so maybe it can be included in the list? ...

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Fixed

  • Alexander

    Tell me, is it worth taking 1Ds with 160k mileage for $ 400? I’m renting mostly portraits. I have 1D mark 2N and I want FF.

    • а

      https://krsk.au.ru/8687625/

      • anonym

        Space price tag.

        • 1

          Show people in this condition, not expensive

          • anonym

            Have you looked at the comment dates?

  • Mr. Boggy

    Nice camera, I like how the film comes out! It's a pity the iso is not enough, and it is noisy already at 400. The color is good, so bold, shiny. Ravs in native software and also Windows sees. Old lenses come to life, breathe drawing spaces filled with light dissolved in the ether ...

    • Vania

      Most importantly, do not breathe ether. Space is good, but you don't need ether.
      I agree with the main idea, it makes sense in the camera.

      • Mr. Boggy

        Yes, I just went over the antique literature.))) I love fat-pixel cameras and bought 1ds precisely because of 11mp on the FF frame. I thought about 1ds MK2, but examples of images on the network with a noticeable feature of a 17 megapixel matrix and a slightly different color, as well as an overpriced price for this also not a young camera, played in favor of the first one. I'm an amateur nostalgic for film. Back in 2002, I was 14 years old.)))

    • Slavik

      Why 400? The camera loves the light.
      And for high iso there are remodels))))

      • Mr. Boggy

        Sometimes there is a need to shoot in the evening, ISO 1250 is certainly noisy, but for amateurishness sometimes it turns out nothing like that. Flash is not always appropriate everywhere, some people or animals become blind from impulses, get scared ...

  • Maksim

    I finally got myself this. The menu out of habit was very surprising: at first I thought that the wheel was not working, then I decided that the file format and resolution could not be changed. Understood. Why it is so difficult to change the settings, it’s clear: the main thing is not to accidentally knock anything down, and then you get used to the features.

    Why I was looking for this model. The fact is that only two full-frame digital cameras support old Sigma lenses with EF mount: Canon EOS-1Ds and the rarest Kodak DSC Pro SLR / c. I’ll also catch him somehow for a reasonable price, but for now I’ll shoot on a “one”. The park of old Sigma lenses I already have is quite extensive, fortunately, they are sold inexpensively: precisely because of the lack of compatibility with new cameras.

    • Yaroslav

      What kind of sigma lenses?

  • Vlad

    Do not tell me models of sigma lenses from the old ones that are compatible with one?

    To know what to look for.

    • anonym

      They say that EF

  • Vadim

    Please tell me what you need to turn on the Canon EOS 1Ds in the camera so that it sees the manual lenses. A friend has 3 lenses, but they are through adapters with chips, and here Zeis Rolyaevsky bought a Canon mount without a chip, and the camera gives an error. The menu is in English, he can not figure it out.

    • anonym

      I do not include anything. He sees everything even on the cheapest adapters without chips.
      Maybe the camera is malfunctioning?

    • Be

      In the menu, the item is called shutter release without lens - put on enable

  • Natashi san

    Thank you very much for your work! For absolutely beginner amateur photographers like me, your blog is just a photo bible. Thanks!

  • Timur

    Tell me, I tried several different m42-eos adapters with a chip and none confirms the focus (on manual lenses), can someone come across such a problem?

  • Dmitriy

    Arkady, was there an opportunity to work with 1Ds_mk2 / mk3? If so, is there any point in buying such equipment in 2018? Not for work, but for the soul? How can you evaluate them in relation to the first track you use? Maybe briefly write your impressions.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Mark 2 has a good color, better than 5d. Mark 3 in general can still be a workhorse, and not just for the soul.

      • Dmitriy

        Thanks a lot for your answer!

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