Responsive, Ultra-High Resolution, Ultra-Low Noise
CMOS Sensor and Dual "DIGIC III" Image Processors Power the EOS-1Ds
Mark III Into the Realm of Medium-Format Digital Cameras, at a Fraction
of the Cost
– Fast, New Ultra Wide-Angle 14mm Lens Is a Picture Perfect Match for the Camera's Full Frame Sensor –

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., August 20, 2007 – The new 21.1-megapixel,
full-frame Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR camera brings the power
of Canon U.S.A., Inc.'s professional imaging excellence and innovation
into sharper focus than ever before. While Canon's EOS-1D series has
dominated the 35mm-based professional Digital SLR market for the past
six years, the new EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR takes Canon's
pro-digital prowess into and the realm of high-fashion and commercial
photo studios where bulkier, medium-format cameras previously reigned.

The
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III's compact, lighter-weight magnesium alloy body
is rugged and versatile enough to take out of the studio and into the
field. The camera's fast, five-frame-per-second (fps) shooting rate for
bursts of up to 56 Large/Fine (21-megapixel) JPEGS or 12 RAW images is
unmatched in its class, making it the ideal instrument for capturing
the fluid motion and free-flowing lines of location-based fashion
photography as well as a wide range of other professional photographic
applications.

The Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III professional digital
single lens reflex camera is scheduled to begin shipping in November
and will have an estimated selling price of $7,999† (the same price as
its predecessor, the 16.7 megapixel EOS-1Ds Mark II).

"The
EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR camera is a prime example of the EOS
philosophy and Canon's ongoing commitment to providing photo
professionals with the tools they need to create the finest quality
images, " stated Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general
manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. "To continue our legacy,
we must provide not only the right professional tools, but also the
finest photo tools for the job, and do so consistently, whether we are
presenting this exemplary EOS-1Ds Mark III SLR camera, or any one of
the many fine specialty lenses, flashes and accessories that populate
the EOS professional photo system."

Revolutionary Resolution
Developed
and manufactured by Canon specifically for the EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital
SLR, the camera's new full-size 36 x 24 mm CMOS image sensor offers the
highest resolution in its class, and is comprised of approximately 21.1
million effective pixels (5632 x 3750) set at a pitch of 6.4 microns.
The user can select any one of six recording formats ranging from 21.0
megapixels in Large JPEG or RAW format, 16.6 or 11.0 megapixels in the
two medium JPEG sizes, or 5.2 megapixels in the small JPEG or "sRAW"
formats. In any JPEG format, the user can set one of ten compression
rates for each image size. In sRAW mode, the number of pixels is
reduced to one-fourth that of a standard RAW image and the file size is
cut in half, while retaining all of the flexibility and creative
possibilities associated with full-size, traditional RAW images.

Dual "DIGIC III" Image Processors
Fulfilling
the ultra-low noise, ultra-high image quality promise of the EOS-1Ds
Mark III Digital SLR camera requires handling the enormous signal
processing requirements of the camera's 21-megapixel resolution and top
continuous shooting speed of five fps. To accomplish this, Canon has
incorporated two identical DIGIC III imaging engines into the camera
for parallel (and hence, faster) signal processing. The CMOS sensor
reads out to the dual "DIGIC III" processors simultaneously in eight
channels. DIGIC III is the next generation of Canon's proprietary image
processing engine. This technology ensures the fine details and natural
colors of images are optimally recorded and, as an added bonus, is
responsible for the EOS-1Ds Mark III SLR's high-speed performance,
faster signal processing and more efficient energy consumption.

Adding
to the improved virtuosity of the images captured by the EOS-1Ds Mark
III Digital SLR camera is the camera's 14-bit Analog-to-Digital (A/D)
conversion process. Able to recognize 16,384 colors per channel (four
times the number of colors recognized by the EOS-1Ds Mark II Digital
SLR camera's 12-bit conversion capability), this line-leading model is
able to produce images with finer and more accurate gradations of tones
and colors. Additionally, given the significantly larger image file
sizes created by the EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR camera, Canon has
provided compatibility with the new Ultra Direct Memory Access (UDMA)
compact flash memory card specification, which enables ultra-high-speed
data transfer to the card. Utilizing a UDMA compliant card doubles the
data transfer speed compared to a conventional memory card, putting the
new EOS-1Ds Mark III on par with the 10.1-megapixel EOS-1D Mark III
camera, even though the pixel count of this new model is more than
twice as large.

Advanced Autofocus Technology
The
EOS-1Ds Mark III autofocus system - first introduced earlier this year
on the EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR - has 45 AF points including 19
high-precision cross-type points and 26 Assist AF points. This new
array allows the 19 cross-type points to be divided into groups of nine
inner and nine outer focusing points plus a center point, which makes
picking an individual focusing point much faster and easier than going
through all 45. During manual AF point selection, the AF point area is
expandable in two stages via Custom Function control.

At the
request of sports and wildlife photographers, a new micro-adjustment
feature allows for very fine changes in the AF point of focus for each
lens type in use, along with the addition of adjustable focus-tracking
sensitivity as another sophisticated new AF feature. Other new
components in the AF system include the reconfigured concave submirror
and the secondary image formation lens, both products of Canon's vast
expertise in optical engineering. Finally, the low-light sensitivity of
the new AF sensor has been doubled to EV-1 for superior performance,
compared with earlier EOS digital SLRs.

Live View
One
of the dynamic innovations incorporated into new EOS digital SLRs - and
optimized for professional shooters on the EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR
- is Canon's Live View shooting mode which provides photographers with
an expanded and exceedingly convenient set of shooting options beyond
the conventional SLR through-the-lens viewing. Framing and shooting
subjects using the camera's LCD screen affords the shooter the same 100
percent field of view provided by the optical viewfinder - this is a
full-frame Digital SLR after all - but Live View has the added
advantage of allowing the image to be more easily composed on the
camera's bright and brilliant 230,000-pixel, three-inch LED screen.
Additionally, the LCD-viewed image can be magnified by five or ten
times in order to ensure that the shot is optimally focused.

Live
View is at its best during tripod shooting, particularly for close-up
photography where precise focusing is imperative. As a side benefit,
the Live View shooting mode helps to reduce vibration by lifting the
reflex mirror out of the optical path well in advance of the exposure,
improving image quality at slow shutter speeds. Additionally, as the
release time lag is miniscule, even instantaneous movements like a bird
taking flight can be readily captured. The shutter charge sound can be
delayed and made quieter than normal in Live View mode to avoid
spooking wildlife or disturbing people nearby with unwanted camera
sounds.

If a user is going to be several feet away from the
camera, such as in some studio settings, the EOS-1Ds Mark III can be
connected by cable to a computer via its USB 2.0 High-Speed interface.
The camera can also be operated remotely at distances up to 492 feet
with the assistance of the optional Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E2A
which allows users to view images directly off the camera's sensor in
virtually real-time, with the ability to adjust many camera settings
quickly and easily.

Viewing Display
Easy to read, even
in outdoor conditions such as bright sunlight, the EOS-1Ds Mark III
Digital SLR camera features a three-inch, 230,000-pixel wide angle LCD
display screen. The TFT color liquid-crystal monitor features seven
user-settable brightness levels and a wide, 140-degree viewing angle,
both horizontally and vertically. An added advantage of the large,
three-inch display size is the ability to utilize a larger font size
for text, making it easier to read setting and menu options on the
screen.

Canon extends its "ease-of-reading" policy to the
EOS-1Ds Mark III's viewfinder as well. Bright and clear with zero
distortion and a 100 percent picture coverage and a magnification
factor of .75x, it is the finest viewfinder ever placed in an EOS
camera.

EOS Integrated Cleaning System
Another first
for a professional digital SLR of this caliber is Canon's complete dust
management solution, called the EOS Integrated Cleaning System. The new
CMOS image sensor is designed with a lightweight infrared absorption
glass cover that vibrates for 3.5 seconds when the camera is turned on
or off. This brief delay can be cancelled immediately upon start-up by
pressing the shutter button half way. Dust that has been shaken or
blown loose of the sensor is trapped by adhesive surfaces surrounding
the sensor unit housing, preventing the problematic particles from
reattaching themselves to the filter when the camera moves.

Like
its sibling, the EOS-1D Mark III, the shutter of the EOS-1Ds Mark III
Digital SLR camera carries a durability rating of 300,000 cycles and,
though it generates less dust, it still charges itself three times
during the manual cleaning process so that dust is shaken off the
shutter curtains as well. This cleaning system uses very little battery
power and can be turned off in the custom function menu.

The
second part of the dust management system is a software solution that
maps the location of any spots that may remain on the sensor. The
mapped information is saved as Dust Delete Data and attached to the
image file. Subsequently, the offending dust information is subtracted
from the final image during post processing, using the supplied Digital
Photo Professional software.

Rock Solid Reliability
The
entire body of the EOS-1Ds Mark III, including its internal chassis and
mirror box, is made of an advanced magnesium alloy for exceptional
strength and rigidity. Comprehensive weatherproofing at 76 locations on
the camera body ensures superior reliability, even when shooting in
harsh environments. Together with the 300,000-cycle shutter durability
rating, these features result in a camera that, even though it is six
ounces lighter than the EOS-1Ds Mark II, can truly withstand even the
most severe shooting conditions.

Improved Software
Among
the most valuable features of the EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR is its
compatibility with Canon's new Picture Style Editor 1.0 software. With
PSE, photographers can personalize the look of their photographs by
inputting their own preferred image processing parameters, including
custom tone curves. The EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR also ships with
the latest versions of Canon's powerful software applications,
including Digital Photo Professional 3.2 and EOS Utility 2.2, which
support the camera's Remote Live View and Dust Delete Data functions,
as well as incorporating a broad range of additional improvements
designed to improve image quality and speed up workflow. Particularly
noteworthy in DPP 3.2 is a new Lens Aberration Correction Function that
corrects various image defects such as chromatic aberration, color
blur, vignetting and distortion. Initially, the Lens Aberration
Correction Function will support images captured by the EOS-1Ds Mark
III and 11 other EOS Digital SLRs using any of 29 individual EF and
EF-S lenses. Also included are ZoomBrowser EX 6.0 and ImageBrowser 6.0
for easy browsing, viewing, printing and archiving with compatible
computer operating systems, including Microsoft Windows Vista and
Windows XP, as well as Mac OS X.

Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM Lens
Designed
primarily for discerning landscape and architectural photographers, the
Canon EF14mm f/2.8L II USM lens is ideally suited to the EOS-1Ds Mark
III's full-frame capability. Measuring 3.7 inches in length and
weighing in at under 23 ounces, this ultra-wide angle L-series prime
lens is well corrected for rectilinear distortion, provides a
114-degree diagonal angle of view, and delivers high-speed autofocus
with higher image quality overall including superior peripheral image
quality, compared to its predecessor, the stalwart EF 14mm f/2.8L USM
lens.

While its large diameter, high-precision aspherical and UD
elements, optimized lens element positioning, and flare and
ghost-reducing lens coating ensure that this lens delivers the top
optical performance in its professional class, Canon has added other
features photographers have been asking for - improved dust and water
resistance incorporated around the mount, switch panel and focusing
ring, and a round aperture that creates a nice background blur and
makes it easier to recognize an out-of-focus scene in less than
brightly lit conditions. Furthermore, Canon has created a new lens cap
specifically for the EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM that is held to the lens by
a stopper. The Canon EF14mm f/2.8L II USM lens is scheduled to begin
shipping to stores in October at an estimated selling price of $2,199†.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon
U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and industrial
imaging solutions. The Company is listed as one of Fortune's Most
Admired Companies in America and is on the 2006 BusinessWeek list of
"Top 100 Brands." Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), is a top
patent holder of technology, ranking third overall in the U.S. in
2006††, with global revenues of $34.9 billion. To keep apprised of the
latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed
by visiting www.usa.canon.com/pressroom.

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