Canon EOS 1D X vs Nikon D4 | Features and Performance | Full Specs Compared
Canon EOS 1D X is a great full frame camera that was announced in the end of 2011, while the Nikon D4 is the latest Nikon full frame camera in the market. The Nikon D4 was released on January 6th 2012, and the Canon 1D X is scheduled to be released in March, 2012. Both of these cameras are professional DSLR cameras, which costs several thousand of dollars.
Comparison of Nikon D4 vs Canon EOS 1D X
Resolution of the camera
Resolution of the camera is one of the main facts a user must look into when buying a camera. This is also known as the megapixel value. The 1D X features an18.1 Megapixels of resolution built into a 36 x 24 mm CMOS sensor. The D4 features a 16.3 Megapixel 36 x 24 CMOS Nikon FX format sensor. The resolution of the D4 is lower than the 1D X.
ISO performance
ISO value range is also an important feature. The ISO value of the sensor means how much sensitive the sensor is to a given quantum of light. This feature is very important in night shots and sports and action photography. But increasing the ISO value causes a noise in the photograph. The D4 features a great ISO range from ISO 100 – 12800 with extended settings to ISO 204800. The 1D X has an ISO range of 100 to 51200 ISO with a boost of ISO 204800. The ISO performance of the 1D X is better than that of the D4.
Frames per second rate
Frames per second rate or more commonly known as the FPS rate is also an important aspect when it comes to sports, wildlife and action photography. FPS rate means the mean number of photos the camera can shoot per second on a certain setting. The D4 has an11 frames per second rate. The EOS 1D X has a frame rate of 14 frames per second. This is because the D4 possesses an Expeed 3 processor and the 1D X possesses a dual DIGIC 5 processor, which are very good image processors.
Shutter lag and recovery time
A DSLR would not take the picture as soon as the shutter release is pressed. In most of the conditions, the auto focusing and auto white balancing would take place after the button is pressed. Therefore, there is a time gap between the press and the actual photo taken. This is known as the shutter lag of the camera. Both the D4 and the 1D X have very small shutter lag or no shutter lag at all.
Number of autofocus points
Autofocus points or AF points are the points which are built into the memory of the camera. If the priority is given to an AF point, camera will use its autofocus ability to focus the lens to the object in the given AF point. The 1D X a whopping 61 point AF system, the selection of AF points is very flexible. Features such as AF micro adjustment are also included in the system. The D4 has a 51 point autofocus system with flexible point selection and very advanced focusing methods.
High definition movie recording
High definition movies or HD movies correspond to movies having resolution higher than standard definition movies. HD movie modes are 720p and 1080p. 720p has dimensions of 1280×720 pixels while the 1080p has dimensions of 1920×1080 pixels. Both cameras have 1080p high definition video recording.
Weight and dimensions
The Canon 1D X reads a dimension set of 158 x 164 x 83 mm and weighs 850 g with the battery. The Nikon D4 dimensions read as 160 x 157 x 91 mm and weighs 1340 g with the battery. Both of these cameras are full frame large DSLR cameras.
Storage medium and capacity
In DSLR cameras, the inbuilt memory is almost negligible. An external storage device is required to hold images. Both the cameras support Compact flash cards. While the Nikon has two card slots, the Canon can handle Type II Compact flash cards.
Battery life
The battery life of a camera is very important. It tells us the approximate number of photos that can be taken in a single charge. This is really important in outdoor photography where power is not readily available. The battery lives of these two cameras are not yet announced.
Live view and flexibility of the display
Live view is the ability to use the LCD as a viewfinder. This can be convenient because the LCD gives a clear preview of the picture in good colors. Both cameras have live view with fixed LCDs.
Conclusion
Both of these cameras are fully professional DSLR cameras which are capable of taking photos in any extreme condition. While the Nikon D4 is available in the market for about 6000 USD, the Canon 1D X has not been released to the market yet.