With the announcement of the new 1D4 and the "compare & contrast" to the older 1D3 by various sources (Rob Galbraith's report comes to mind) I would like to know your thoughts and/or experiences with this new 1D4. I'd prefer to remove cost as a consideration given that this is usually a subjective evaluation based on individual circumstances and that we will be writing this body off on our taxes anyway. (And the dollar is dropping fast against foreign currencies....)
1) The new autofocus...any experience here, especially in low light / low contrast? Canon states that it is an especially good body for this kind of shooting. None of my 3 different 1D3 bodies were very good here. (The last one was nearly 100% in focus in high contrast / bright daylight and delivered fantastic IQ.) I would add, as a former programmer, that autofocus algorithms are not easy to design given the light situations we all encounter. These rules are, and probably will continue to be, evolving.
2) The increase in MP. The chip size is larger than the 7D's and it has less MP than the 7D. Overall, I would expect it to keep the IQ of my 1D3 especially given the positive IQ reports on the 7D (when compared to similarly chipped bodies). The sensor design on the 1D4 is supposed to be similar to the 7D. (I'd value the MP increase, if it keeps the IQ, since this would give me a really good 11x14 without much manipulation.)
3) Video. Nice to have but will we be able to adjust the volume during recording, record and send it to a monitor at the same time, use the OVF during recording or just the LCD and how will noise be handled in the low light / low contrast shooting to not just blur detail as with some cameras?
Anyone (other than me) upgrading?
Stu
