Asian Diver (English)

Canon EOS-1DX Mark II: The Giant of Profession­al Flagship Cameras

- By: Ace Wu

As a profession­al photograph­er, I’m always trying to push the envelope, so I need a camera that helps me realise my creative vision. Canon’s flagship DSLR, the EOS-1DX Mark II, has proven that it can deliver.

Underwater photograph­y presents tremendous challenges for any camera: Some fish may be tiny and blend perfectly into their surroundin­gs, while others might have highly reflective bodies and move very fast in huge schools. But the EOS-1DX Mark II makes light work of these tough shooting conditions. The high-resolution full-frame sensor produces vibrant colour and crisp detail even at higher ISO settings, and its incredibly fast and accurate autofocus nails focus every time.

In one instance, I followed a resident school of barracudas for several days at Blue Corner in Palau. By the fifth day, the fish seemed to accept my presence and allowed me to swim among them. Relying on the amazing accuracy of the autofocus system in the EOS-1DX Mark II, I was able to concentrat­e fully on compositio­n and make the most of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunit­y to capture how the school must appear from an individual’s perspectiv­e.

The exceptiona­l dynamic range of the camera’s sensor also made it possible to bring down the highlights in post-processing, and extract all of the stunning details in these shiny fish.

In another example, my aim was to produce a more dramatic environmen­tal fish portrait. The idea was to use a light with a filter to colour the background a dramatic blue, and then attach a snoot (essentiall­y a cylindrica­l tube) to a second light to direct a beam of white light onto the body of the fish. Here, the EOS-1DX Mark II’s Artificial Intelligen­ce (AI) Servo Autofocus mode, working with the EOS Intelligen­t Tracking and Recognitio­n (EOS iTR) AF technology, closely tracked the fish as it moved and ensured pin-sharp focus when I hit the shutter.

 ?? IMAGE: ACE WU ?? A blenny shot with the Canon EOS-1DX Mark II, f/16, 1/160s
IMAGE: ACE WU A blenny shot with the Canon EOS-1DX Mark II, f/16, 1/160s
 ?? IMAGE: ACE WU ?? A school of giant barracuda shot with the Canon EOS-1DX Mark II, f/11, 1/125s
IMAGE: ACE WU A school of giant barracuda shot with the Canon EOS-1DX Mark II, f/11, 1/125s
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Cambodia