For my regular blog-stalkers and clients:

The following ramblings are a product review meant for photographers. Unless you’re interested in geeky technical photography talk, come back soon or scroll below to see all sorts of fancy photographs :) I try to avoid putting much of this stuff up here, but wanted to review a new product for some photographer friends…

Intro

As much as I try to avoid it, I'm often an early adapter to new technology. I'm not very easily sold by advertising, but when it comes to gadgets, I'm a sucker. So, here's a review of my 1D Mark, which I've been using for the past month now. I've used it for several shoots, including a few weddings, and have put it through all the normal paces that I do with my other cameras. So, this review is pretty specific to weddings and how I shoot. Your experience may vary, but then again you might be awesome or awful, so judge accordingly :).

Background

Over the past few years, I've shot with a number of Canon bodies including Rebels, 40D's, 5D's, 5D Mark II's, 1D Mark III's and now the 1D Mark IV. Up until now, I've been using two 5D Mark II's and a 5D. I love the 5 series. I don't think a 35mm digital camera has ever matched the image quality of an original 5D from ISO 100-400. I loved the 5D Mark II for its improved high ISO (low ISO maybe not so much), live view, screen, battery life and a few other features. About a year ago I bought a 1D Mark III to try it out. I loved the Autofocus capabilities as well as the dual-card slots (big for weddings) and I really liked having a 1.3 crop mixed with full-frame, since I shoot all prime lenses. It essentially doubled a few of my lenses. What I didn't like, however, were the files. I could never get the 1D images to look as good as the 5D images and I was really disappointed with anything above 800 ISO. So, I went to an all 5D lineup for almost all of 2009.

When the 1D Mark IV was announced, I was drawn to it because it improved on the high ISO capability and the files I saw looked really clean, with really fine grain. So, I sold one of my 5D Mark II's and am now back to having a 1.3 crop and a full-frame camera on my body while I shoot.

Again, this review is meant to compare the 1D Mark IV to some other 'wedding' specific cameras that I've used (5D, 5D Mark II, 1D Mark III). This isn't meant to be a full product review, but rather is meant to evaluate the camera for what I use it for, weddings and portraits.

The Things I Like

There's obviously quite a bit to like about this beast of a camera. Here's some of my favorite things. Some are improvements over the 1D Mark III, while others are standards with the 1-Series, but are great to have.

Image Quality
This is what I was hoping for. Around a year ago, I first tried the 1D Mark III. While there was a lot to like about the camera, I was turned off by it's image quality. Sure, there are plenty of people who swear by it, but I seriously doubt anyones sincerity who said that the 1D3 had better image quality than either the 5D Mark II or even the original 5D. Every time I edited files from both cameras, the 1D Mark III files just screamed 'crop sensor' to me. I also found it much noisier at ISO 800 and 1600 than both my 5D versions.

So, my biggest question when mulling over my 1D Mark IV purchase was if the image quality would look the same. I knew the ISO would be better (and it is much better), but there's just something smooth about the 5D files that the 1D Mark III couldn't match. I've been very, very happy with the 1D Mark IV files so far. At low ISO's, the images look like full-frame images, which is the biggest compliment I can give. In my opinion, ISO 800 & 1600 are still a slight weak point (more noise than they should have), but it's much improved. I feel like this blends seamlessly with my other files, whereas I always felt the 1D3 files needed special treatment.

In addition, the 1D Mark IV files are able to be pushed to a pretty remarkable degree. I've saved many shots that were 2 or 3 times underexposed, which I was very excited about. Lots of detail in there. See below for an example...

Focus Points
One of the things that I've tried to define my work with is excellent composition. Now, I've never been one to complain about the AF system in the 5D series. In fact, I've never had a problem with it. BUT, when I sold my 1D Mark III last year, I really, honestly started to miss the use of all the focus points. For me, the reasons are two fold. First, now I can compose an image, then set the focus point and shoot. With 'focus and recompose' (especially with extreme comps or close subjects), getting the focus can sometimes be much more difficult. Secondly, and more importantly, I can now use the outer points for moving subjects. If you've ever seen my work, you know that I rarely center anything. When a couple is walking towards or away from the camera, this usually means I have to crop the photo quite a bit. No more!!

So, here's the mandatory AF performance part. It's great! In natural light, I've had no problems in One Shot or in Servo Modes. When using flash, I've had a few issues, which I describe further below.

Custom Functions
This is nothing new for 1-series owners, but I love several things about the expanded custom functions. I love being able to restrict my modes to M and Av (all I use). I love being able to adjust the Burst mode amounts and almost every other little thing about the camera. But more than anything, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the....

ISO 'set' button
Hooray! I've been wanting this for a long time. The 1D Mark IV has the ability to use the camera's 'Set' button to adjust the ISO. Since this is my most adjusted setting on nearly all my sessions, I can't explain how much easier and faster this makes my shooting. It's so small a thing, but it makes such a big difference. It took me exactly .008342 seconds to get used to doing this. I love it.

Auto ISO
This is another 'Finally!' moment for me. As someone who generally hates anything in auto-mode, I've been itching to have a camera that properly implements an Auto ISO. While I won't use it often, all of us wedding shooters know how tricky it can be to have a bride walking down an aisle that meters at ISO 200 in some spots and ISO 3200 in others. Between this and the 'Set' button, I'm looking at lots more keepers. Woohoo!

Button Layout
Another subtle difference in the 1-Series is the top button layout. No need to say much except that all the buttons feel like they're where there supposed to be. The biggest benefit, though, is not having a camera dial that gets bumped all the time.

Silent Shutter
In the past week, I've had two instances where the noise of my shutter was an issue. The first was during a wedding ceremony where the officiant specifically asked us to be as non-intrusive as possible. The second was with a baby who was trying to go to sleep while I was shooting. Both times, I switched into silent shutter mode and was so happy to have it. Does it make an enormous difference? Probably not. But, when trying to please an officiant or new mother, it's certainly a nice feature to show off.

The Things I Don't Like

After a month with the 1D4, there's really only a few minor gripes that I have with it, as well as one that is much more important. Let's go in order, most important first...

Low Light AF-Assist Focusing
One thing I noticed with the first wedding I shot with my 1D Mark IV is it was MUCH SLOWER than my 5D or 5D Mark II when acquiring focus using the AF-assist beam of a flash. Yes, you read that right... Slower. So, you may be asking yourself, "Huh?". I did the same, and after some testing, I've been able to come to some resolutions that make me feel better, although not completely.

First, the 1D4 has a bully complex. For real. It knows it's better at focusing and it insists on proving it to you. So, when you get in a very low-light environment (like, um, a wedding reception), the camera seems to try to focus on its own, rather than using the AF-assist beam. Whereas the 5-series seems to say "I can't do this, where's my help?", the 1-series says "I got this, this is nothing, just watch me focus... Oh crap, can you help me?". Now, I understand these are complex technical terms, but the 1D just doesn't use the focus beam like it should.

Next, I never realized that the 580exII actually has 2 different focus beams in it. It has a very strong, narrow beam that gets sent when using the center focus point. Also, there's a much weaker, grid style beam while using outer focus points. So, the center point actually works quite well (almost as fast as the 5D's) with AF-assist. The outer points, however, really struggle to pick up the beams. Having been a 5-series user, I never tried the outer points and this never came up. It is a bit frustrating though.

So, the problems are really two-fold. First, a 5K camera should really have a smarter system for implementing flash focus. Second, the 580exII's flash beam needs improved. For now, my solutions are also two-fold. First, I've been using Servo mode if at all possible. Even in very dim (I'm talking ISO 12800) situations, using only Servo, I've been able to get focus early, often and quickly, avoiding the assist beam entirely. Second, when it gets just too dark, I stick with the center point. Is this what I've wanted? No. Is it usable? Certainly.

Entering Live View
For years now, people have made fun of Canon for having a 'Print' button on some of their camera bodies. The button was completely useless. Then, when the 5D Mark II came out, they enabled it to be assigned as the 'Live View' button. Perfect!

So here's the good and the bad with the 1D Mark IV. First, their is no dedicated print button (good), but there is also no way to use anything but the 'Set' button for Live View. Since I use the 'Set' button for ISO now as described above, that leaves me with menu controls to access Live View. Annoying. Secondly, the controls for video shooting (not that I really do it much) are much less intuitive than the 5D2. The focus however, is better via the contrast-detectors.

No Vertical Joystick
Not a big deal, but I like using the joystick to change my focus points. The Vertical grip doesn't have a way to do this unless you have really long and agile thumbs (lucky me) or a third hand (nope). They've never had this feature, but there's already a perfect place for it, right where the Card opening thingy currently resides.

White Balance w/ Gels
I shoot with gels a lot, particularly at weddings where color temperatures and consistency are huge time-savers. Most cameras stink with white balance in tungsten environments, but the 1D4 brings orangyness to a new level when using gels. No big deal when shooting RAW, but it is a little off-putting when you go to show someone an image and its an orange-fest.

A Love/Hate Relationship

There's one thing about the 1D Mark IV that I'm still not sure about. I simultaneously have all sorts of feelings about it. It also happens to be one of my main reasons for buying the camera and is also one of the reasons I could sell it in the future. And it is...

The Crop Factor
I've never been one to complain about the decisions of camera manufacturers. As consumers, we have the wonderful opportunity to just buy something else if we want. Lots of folks have wondered why Canon doesn't make the 1D full frame. To me, it seems pretty obvious that this would simultaneously hurt 2 of their current product lines. Couple that with the extra length that sports shooters probably like and I tend not to complain about such things.

With that said, as someone who's shot almost exclusively full frame for nearly 3 years, it's very strange to get used to a crop factor. I shoot wide a lot and the 1.3x crop really becomes obvious at wide angles. Particularly, I use my 35L more than any other lens. Getting used to a different focal length is hard. I'm still undecided on how I feel about it.

On the other hand, for telephoto shots, the crop is great. My 135L has essentially become a 175 2.0 lens. Pretty awesome. It makes me think twice before pulling out my 70-200. Plus, now (since I'm a prime shooter), I have essentially doubled my lenses when coupled with a full-frame camera. So, I guess I'll take the good with the bad and keep the 35L on the 5D most of the time. It works for me... I think.

ISO Comparison

The most talk surrounding this camera has been it's low-light ISO capabilities. I've seen lots of reviews and ISO comparisons, many of which are probably accurate. However, to me what matters is how the files look as I edit them and how they look as a finished product. I don't doubt people who show diagrams and pixel peep everything, but I honestly don't really care about that too much. Also, it would be pointless to compare this to the 1D Mark III in my opinion. I was very disappointed with the ISO range of that camera and both the 5D Mark II and the 1D Mark IV are in a different league altogether. So, here's my ISO comparison between the 1D Mark IV and the 5D Mark II...

ISO 100-400 - Very slight advantage to the 1D4 due to the 5D2's occasional shadow banding
ISO 800-1600 - Advantage 5D2. I always found the 1D3 to have significant noise at 800/1600. The 1D4 is a marked improvement, but comparing them side by side, I like the 5D2 still.
ISO 3200 - Even
ISO 6400-12800 - Advantage 1D4. Very impressed with these samples in real life. Don't let the pixel peepers mess with you, it's very, very good.

Summary

So, after all of that I guess the question is 'Would I recommend this to a wedding photographer?". Before I answer that, let's recap a few things about the camera. When I owned a 1D Mark III I loved almost everything about it, with two exceptions. First, I wasn't sure how I felt about the crop factor. Second, I hated the image quality. That's not an exaggeration. I thought it was quite a step down from even the original 5D.

To Canon's credit, they've made me do a 180 on the image quality. The 1D Mark IV has really nice files and I'd use it (if necessary) up to 12800 ISO. On top of that, they've added some really nice features. There are a few things that bug me a bit, but much less so than with most cameras I've owned. Even the things that bug me make me feel like I'm being picky for such a powerful and customizable machine.

For me, the deciding factor if you're looking at buying a 1D Mark IV to shoot weddings should be the crop factor. After a month, I still haven't decided how I feel about it. I'm glad to still be shooting with one full-frame camera, but I love it at other times. In general, this camera is the best camera I've ever used. For me, it's a winner if I can get used to the new focal lengths. If you can too (or if you shoot a lot of telephoto), I'd highly recommend it. For a wide, prime shooter, I'd definitely take it for a spin before buying if you can. You'll probably love it, but your lenses won't be quite the same. Not better or worse, just different.

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, corrections or thoughts, hit me in the comments...