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.

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

  • Denis

    Good overview, Arkady. But there are no “full-size” cameras in nature. The Brick Ds is a small format full frame camera.
    As for the controls and ergonomics - a matter of habit, there is simply a slightly different logic than in Nikons or other "soap boxes" from Canon.
    Whoever tried to shoot with “bricks” at least once, no matter which model, will not return to micro cameras)))

  • Koba

    A few days ago, I accidentally got a Canon 1Ds III, after processing the files I was just shocked - I have never seen such pleasant-looking files (even the Nikon D3s does not reach it, especially if you shoot up to ISO1600 [I wonder how often people shoot at ISO3200 and above?]). Very deep colors and a clean picture, extremely voluminous, although some people find this term annoying. The camera itself is very pleasant to work with, the ergonomics are also better than the Nikon D3s, especially when used vertically. Of course, in some parameters it lags far behind Nikon D3s, but definitely not in the quality of the resulting image. With the right processing, you can safely use ISO3200 ... Not surprisingly, now it costs the same as Nikon D3s. I am writing all this because there is no review here, everyone used it, but no one provided dear Arkady for testing. And so I think - old lenses are discussed here, they are always tested on various modern cameras, so this old Canon 1ds Mark III would probably be the best host for testing old lenses, and new ones too. If anyone finds it in good condition, take it without even thinking.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      You can do a little post about her so that people know. I will post.

      • Koba

        I’ll try, but I didn’t take photos for publication, somehow I didn’t expect and didn’t think that such results would turn out, I would try to take it again and make a small reviewer in the near future. By the way, you also do not have a review on the super-famous 5D Mark3, which I also have, and with some reservations, is also a normal camera. Here I have more than enough files from him, after all, and I made two albums precisely with his help.

      • Koba

        By the way, it is surprising that megapopular cameras such as 5D Mark2 and 7D Mark2 haven’t come to your attention for review.

        • Arkady Shapoval

          Well, I often rent 5d mark 3 for rent, like 5d and so on, but I didn’t do any reviews, as these are already well-known cameras

          • Koba

            Well, I see, then I will find time to take 1Ds III again and make a note about it.

          • Michael

            It's a pity, because the "encyclopedicity" is lost. Yes, and an unbiased review still needs to be found)

            • Koba

              Mikhail, you are right, on the Internet, especially when reviews are made immediately after the release of the camera, they are all paid for, even before the release of the camera, marketers carefully plan future reviews of bloggers and respected magazines. In general, recently famous bloggers have been ripping off just a lot of money from manufacturers (the cost of reviews costs FROM $ 6000). But after the cameras are discontinued, new reviews do not appear on them, in the end, yes, it is very difficult to find non-biased reviews, but it is possible. This site of the respected Arkady is just that. Another resource can be called the video blogs of Ken Weller, a peculiar person, but who knows photographic equipment very well (by the way, he also knows Russian, he lived in Russia and was engaged in scientific work in physics at some institute). It is also a pity that not all cameras have been provided to Arkady so far, but let's hope that this situation will improve over time ...

  • Pokemon

    1Ds_mk3 bought, now bought 1Ds_mk2 with low mileage for such an age camera.
    Now I just have to buy a park of decent lenses (sad smile) and I hope that ... it won't carry me anywhere further and that I can stop at what I have.

  • Gennady

    Thanks ! Very useful information !!!

  • Pokemon

    "In the menu, you can expand the range to ISO L, equivalent to ISO 50."
    Colleagues, tell me, on the account of iso low on old units. I read different opinions, but basically the advice was not to fool around and shoot on iso 100, since there will be no profit from iso low in highlights / shadows.
    *
    “For owners of any Nikon CLC, the Canon 1Ds will seem like hell in terms of ergonomics.”
    Yes, the ergonomics of 1Ds_mk2 also annoyed me a bit, as did the battery operation at + 5-8C.
    1Ds_mk3 somehow also holds the battery better and the ergonomics are nicer, the menu is more convenient.
    *
    In focus, too, 1Ds_mk2 and 1Ds_mk3 differ markedly - 3 is noticeably faster and more accurate.

    • Roman

      All Lo / Hi values ​​indicate a program shift in one direction or another after amplifiers and ADCs have worked. So shoot at 100.

  • Andrei

    Photo from Sonnar 85mm.

    • Andrei

      1DS

      • Something like this

        You look and don’t understand whether it’s shot on a top-end (albeit old) fullframe with good glass, or on a budget mobile phone of 2016. Once again I am convinced that the level of technology does not mean absolutely nothing.

        • Roman

          Well, this is not the plot that will open on aperture 2 or there are 2.8 of the old blurry lens. You need to shoot something. And do not hope that everyone around is idiots and only the magic of the lens will work for you, which does not work for anyone else.

        • Mr. Boggy

          I will note one difference - the picture from the phone will never reach the large-matrix camera, the fault of a small pixel and aggressive noise reduction, devouring color and sharpness, after which ugly sharpening is applied. I also wanted to use a smartphone instead of a soap dish, but thank you ... It's not even a soap dish, it's an insta-shit, even smartphones can't swim to the old top-end soap dish with 6-8 megapixels. Something like that…

          • Dima

            Mr. Boggy agrees, if he has a 16-year-old mobile phone, well, then it’s even good) The same thing, I got the old canon ixus 80, I took it off, I was stunned by the color, not a single mobile phone can reach the detail. Even modern phones are very far from soap dishes how many times I was convinced and yes, this bastard algorithm when noises are aggressively suppressed on a very small matrix and then a wild sharp is superimposed. It turns out plasticine mushy something. In good light, even more less, a little shadow and that's it. Mobile photos only look good on mobile.

        • Dima

          You are lucky since the difference is not visible, you can click on your mobile phone and rejoice.

      • B. R. P.

        This, apparently, is a wish for all more green cabbage in the coming year.

  • kolodiazniy

    In the third paragraph when listing old models
    the index (for some reason!) uses the letter "o" instead of "0" - D3o and D6o.
    This is confusing and confusing!

  • Salavat

    And still relatively recently I used the Canon 1D carcass when the weather conditions were terrible. Basically, these were reconstructions of the battles of the Great Patriotic War and the May Victory Parades during torrential rains, as well as parades of vintage cars, races of the Paris-Beijing type. The editorial office had no complaints about the quality of the photos. And I was amazed by the colors - I recalled the emotions of those times when I worked for Kiev 88 TTL and Salyut S. And not the most convenient interface only increased the feeling of the historical process. And although I now use modern so-called fullframes from Nikon, respect for this mastodon, weighing 2,7 kilograms with a flash, does not diminish. Especially when Olympus owners start to crowd around you, groan, clatter, goggle their eyes. And they look at you like a psycho))).

  • Salavat

    And a riot of greenery.

  • Mr. Boggy

    Due to the age of the camera, there is one drawback in the matrix or exposure meter, as soon as you take it a little higher into the sky, how the subject of photography on the ground becomes very dark, right up to marriage, in the same way it is corrected somehow, but it looks like the cameras of mobile phones of the mid-zero type Nokia 6300 or soap dishes. Narrow DD ...

  • Mr. Boggy

    I still love and will love this camera, a classic thing, it was created in an era when, for the sake of photography, its proximity to reality, they were ready for uncompromising decisions ... To me, the picture from the camera reminds me of Kodak Gold film.

  • Artem

    I bought my 1D partner 1Ds. It will get warmer and I'll get out on the photo shoots to compare their 4.2 and 11 Mp.
    Regarding the inconvenience of control, I will say that it is very intuitive, although you need to hold down a couple of buttons and turn the wheel, Nikon is a little more complicated. I love Nikon for the quality of the photo and the chic DD. Over time, I plan to sell the remnants of canons and use only Nikon. I'll see how 1Ds will show itself. Perhaps I will wait until they cost like 1D, I don’t want to sell such a solid old man FF for a penny)

    • Artem

      I could not resist, I checked out the camera at home.
      Preliminary conclusions: the phone shoots better, there is noise very similar to film grain (may be useful for lovers of “classics”), DD is very bad, some shots, especially in twilight, go into a greenish haze, control, in general, is simple and convenient. We also need to think about where the camera can be used. Perhaps only to simulate the film.

      • Dima

        It’s cool that they didn’t set up the camera from the floundering bay, they clicked at home and made conclusions)

  • The World

    Please tell me how to set up black and white shooting on mark 2 eos 1 ds? Thank you.

  • Dima

    We found an almost new one at our flea market (even the flash shoe is not overwritten) with a mileage of 16 thousand. For $ 200, does it make sense to take one for today?

    • Dmitry Kostin

      He needs a diagnosis.
      Older units have a bit of a peculiar control.
      If you are not even embarrassed by the weight and dimensions, then the question remains about the batteries - it is not easy to get them for old cameras at a flea market and you will have to order from aliexpress.

      • Dima

        He writes that the new 1000+ batteries are holding ... tempting.

        Strongly idiosyncratic? I shot a lot on 1dm3. By the way, the color of the camera is also chic ...

        • Dmitry Kostin

          1 Ds_mk3 has a much more convenient menu and camera control in general than 1Ds_mk2.
          As for 1Ds, I honestly don’t know, but I suspect that something is at the level of 1Ds_mk2.
          Batteries - maybe Chinese, then how lucky. For 1Ds_mk3 - you can find good capacious ones, no worse than relatives, IMHO. But for 1Ds_mk2 - new Chinese ones, not everyone masters 400 frames. Bought from different manufacturers on aliexpress.

          • Dmitry Kostin

            If you just play around, you can take it, but from a practical point of view, 5D_mk2 will be more convenient.

            • Dima

              clearly, the first 5d is better then)

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