EOS-1Ds Mark II major features include:

• A 17.2 million pixel, Canon-designed and manufactured CMOS image sensor with a 7.2µm pixel pitch, bayer pattern RGB filter array, high-efficiency microlenses and multi-layer optical low pass filter which generates 16.61 million actual image pixel photos. The sensor's data is read out simultaneously through 8 different channels, clearing the sensor quickly enough to allow for the camera's maximum 4 fps shooting rate
  
  
• Sensor is 36 x 24mm in size, the same dimensions as a frame of 35mm film
  
  
• 12 bits per colour image capture (converted to 8 or 16 bits per colour, depending on file format and processing)
  
  
• The EOS-1Ds Mark II is the third Canon digital SLR to incorporate the DIGIC II imaging processing engine (the EOS-1D Mark II and EOS 20D are the others). It utilizes DDR-SDRAM memory, similar to that found in today's fastest computers
  
  
• File format options are JPEG (ten levels of compression), losslessly-compressed RAW .CR2 format and simultaneous RAW + JPEG
  
  
• Maximum file resolution, when the camera is set to RAW .CR2 or Large JPEG, is 4992 x 3328 pixels (16.61MP). Three reduced resolution JPEG settings are also included: [M1] is 3600 x 2400 pixels (8.64MP); [M2] is 3072 x 2048 (6.29MP); [S] is 2496 x 1664 (4.15MP). Full resolution image data is resampled down to achieve the M1, M2 and S resolutions. A different amount of JPEG compression, in 10 increments, can be selected for each resolution setting
  
  
• 32 frame JPEG buffer and 11 frame RAW .CR2 buffer at ISO 100. The JPEG buffer drops as the ISO rises above 100; for example, at ISO 3200 the JPEG buffer is 19 frames. When set to RAW, the buffer is 10 frames at ISO 200 and up, as well as at ISO 50. And when the camera is shooting RAW+JPEG, it's a 9 frame buffer at all ISO settings. These burst depth numbers are based on a brief test of a preproduction body
  
  
• Magnesium alloy body with extensive seals and gaskets

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II - cutaway

• 45-point Area AF, with 7 AF points acting as cross-type with f/2.8 or faster lenses (the centre AF point acts as a cross-type to f/4, and as a single-line sensor to f/8). Two dedicated AF microprocessors enable quicker acquisition of focus before the first frame in a sequence or in single shot operation, as well as improved AF prediction in sequence shooting (relative to the EOS-1D and EOS-1Ds). Though the AF hardware in the EOS-1Ds Mark II is identical to that of the EOS-1D Mark II, the algorithm controlling AI Servo tracking in the new camera has been adjusted to improve performance at the camera's slower 4 fps shooting rate
  
  
• 200,000+ cycle shutter (derived from, but not identical to, the shutter used in the EOS-1V and EOS-1Ds)
  
  
• 0.3 second camera startup time
  
  
• 4 fps firing rate
  
  
• A Canon-specified 55ms shutter lag (when aperture chosen is within 3 stops of maximum); shutter lag can be shortened to 40ms via Personal Function 26 (this shortened shutter lag is only guaranteed when the attached lens is set to its maximum aperture). We've tested the EOS-1D Mark II's standard shutter lag to be 59ms
  
  
• Canon's Active Mirror Control provides a brief 87ms mirror blackout time (at shutter speeds of 1/60 or faster)
  
  
• A top shutter speed of 1/8,000; a standard top flash sync speed of 1/250 (plus full TTL flash at up to 1/8000 with a compatible EX-series Speedlite set to High Speed Sync). It won't be possible to cheat the flash sync well above the standard top flash sync speed with non-dedicated strobes; this capability was unique to the EOS-1D in Canon's lineup
  
  
• ISO range of 100-1600 in 1/3 step increments, plus 50 and 3200
  
  
• 21-zone Evaluative metering of ambient light; centre-weighted, partial (8.5% of viewfinder area at centre) and spot metering (2.4% of viewfinder area at centre or around active AF point) also available
  
  
• Flash exposure metering using 17 of the 21 metering segments; TTL flash calculation uses a revised algorithm, called E-TTL II, for promised improved flash exposure consistency even when scene is predominantly light or dark, and even when focusing and recomposing. E-TTL II does in fact improve flash exposure consistency and accuracy with the EOS-1D Mark II
  
  
• Powered by removable, rechargeable 12V, 1650mAH NP-E3 NiMH battery pack
  
  
• Built-in microphone for recording WAV format sound clips of up to 30 seconds in length
  
  
• Viewfinder shows approximately 100% of image captured
  
  
• Orientation sensor indicates whether the camera is horizontal or vertical (90° left or 90° right) at the time the picture is taken; the image file is tagged with this information. Canon EOS Viewer Utility, Digital Photo Professional and other compatible software will automatically orient photos right way up
  
  
• Five Color Matrix settings allow for the selection of different colour looks; camera also includes two additional user-configurable Color Matrix settings that combine the user's preference for output colour space, saturation intensity and skin tone rendering
  
  
• Auto White Balance (AWB) range is 3000K to 7000K; AWB is calculated exclusively based on data from the image sensor. Camera also includes 6 manual White Balance settings for standard light sources, plus Kelvin (2800 to 10,000K in 100K steps). White Balance Correction allows for adjustment of blue/amber bias (to warm or cool the photo) and magenta/green bias (to improve the colour when shooting under artificial light sources), in +/-9 steps. Photo at right shows the EOS-1D Mark II's White Balance Correction function. The EOS-1Ds Mark II is expected to include the identical interface
  
  
• Up to 3 Personal White Balance settings may be loaded into the camera from Canon's EOS Viewer Utility software
  
  
• Contrast is adjusted by a tone curve (Standard, plus 3 additional user-created curves can be loaded into the camera) and a 5-increment Contrast control which increases or decreases the contrast of the active tone curve
  
  
• In-camera sharpening options are none plus 5 manual increments
  
  
• Parameter sets (Tone Curve, Contrast and Sharpness) can be set up in the camera; in addition to the Standard set, three additional sets can be configured and selected
  
  
• Camera includes both a CompactFlash Type I/II slot and a SD card slot (as shown at right in the EOS-1D Mark II); photos can be written to each card simultaneously, or the user can manually select one or the other card to write photos to. It's not possible to write RAW .CR2 files to one card and JPEGs to the other. Opening the card door while photos are being written pauses the write operation; writing is resumed once the door is closed.
  
  
• 4-pin FireWire port for tethered operation. Also included is a USB 1.1 port for direct connection to compatible printers only (CP Direct, Direct Photo and PictBridge protocols supported)
  
  
• Video out supports NTSC and PAL
  
  
• GPS not supported
  
  
• Playback is via 2.0", 230,000-dot TFT LCD with white LED backlighting; brightness is adjustable in 5 increments. It's not possible to zoom or scroll through photos while photos are being written to a card, which is the same as the EOS-1D Mark II
  
  
• Playback modes include a 15-step, 1.5x to 10x zoom as well as separate brightness and RGB histogram views
  
  
• Menus on the rear LCD monitor have been revamped since the EOS-1Ds, and are essentially the same as the EOS-1D Mark II (a menu grab from that camera is shown below). EOS-1Ds users that want to have a peek at other menu grabs that should be representative of the EOS-1Ds Mark II (with the exception of C.Fn 21, which doesn't exist in the new camera), check out our EOS-1D Mark II preview report

• Virtually all camera settings may be saved as a settings file for future use or to load into other EOS-1Ds Mark II cameras
  
  
• Optional DVK-E2 Data Verification Kit v2.1 can verify that EOS-1D MKII, EOS-1Ds Mark II, EOS 20D and EOS-1Ds image files have not been altered
  
  
• EXIF 2.2.1 and DCF 2.0 file specifications are supported; this enables photos processed into the Adobe RGB colour space to be marked as such (through a clunky method that does not use ICC profiles and requires viewing software that also supports EXIF 2.2.1 and DCF 2.0)
  
  
• Canon EOS Viewer Utility 1.2, EOS Capture 1.2 and Digital Photo Professional 1.5 software for Mac and Windows are to be bundled with the camera. Digital Photo Professional 1.5 adds several new features, including a crop tool and ability to simulate certain CMYK printing environments. It also can process RAW files from the Powershot Pro1, in addition to the EOS-1Ds Mark II, EOS-1D Mark II, EOS-1D, EOS 20D, EOS 10D and Digital Rebel/300D
  
  
• Hinted at with the announcement of first the EOS-1D Mark II and then the EOS 20D, Canon has now made it official. The Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E1/WFT-E1A is an 802.11b/g Wi-Fi transmitter that's compatible with the aforementioned cameras and the EOS-1Ds Mark II. This device is described in detail on the Feature Highlights page