D1 and D1S?

Another interesting interpretation of what is supposed to be a real leak (shortened version) from FM forums. People wonder if Edwin Puts broke the NDA (non disclosure agreement):

Here’s my short ‘interpretation’ of the leak by Edwin Puts, which I understand to be very close to reality I think he has broken his NDA (or someone has)

What he calls the D1 doesn’t have the 5D’s sensor (too slow in data transfer for more than the 3 FPS in the 5D) but does have a much faster FF sensor of similar resolution to the 5D by using a next generation CMOS design. This has larger micro-lenses (as per 400D) and modified electrics to reduce the noise and increased sensitivity at a hardware level allowing higher ISO at acceptable noise levels.

When Edwin refers to the “mysterious comment that the 1D has no memory buffer”, this is not quite true. It does in fact have an very sophisticated memory buffer. What it does have (thanks to the speed of DIGIC III) is the ability to write unlimited continuous JPEG at full frame rates as long as the memory card transfer rate is fast enough. Ideal for sports / action shooters. The buffer kicks in for slower memory cards or thing like RAW + JPEG etc.

When Edwin states that “Canons statement that from now on there will be no more 1.3 crop sensors” I understand that the missing item that Canon will be emphasising is their dynamic crop mode which delivers the equivalent of the 1.25 crop from the FF sensor on demand for that extra sense of reach….

Similarly what Edwin calls the “D1s” is a next generation low noise sensor etc like the “D1” above but with much higher resolution and all the features to be a serious challenge to MF (which is why Edwin is excited)… As you would expect, noise performance while very good, is not quite up to the new “D1” as the area of each pixel sensor is almost half that of the “D1” However the ISO 3200 is very usable indeed (think similar to the 400D at 1600.

And yes, my “understanding” is that Canon have tried very hard to make these two cameras have everything that could be keeping a top end film photographer from moving to digital…. You can expect a range of accessories / grips etc to match..