Next Generation of FF Bodies

[jrw]

As a non-video user of cameras I do find the improvements to be nowhere near enough to entice me to upgrade.
The biggest upgrade I am seeing is in the price point. Here the 1Dx is selling for just over $5k while the mark II is listed at $8k. Is it just me or is that a rather steep increase for what amounts to small increments of improvement for use as a still camera?
Are the video improvements enough to justify the increase for those applications? Are the video specs that much better than what Sony and Black Magic offer, amongst others, to more than double the price tag?

[Kayaker72]

As a non-video user of cameras I do find the improvements to be nowhere near enough to entice me to upgrade.
The biggest upgrade I am seeing is in the price point. Here the 1Dx is selling for just over $5k while the mark II is listed at $8k. Is it just me or is that a rather steep increase for what amounts to small increments of improvement for use as a still camera?
Are the video improvements enough to justify the increase for those applications? Are the video specs that much better than what Sony and Black Magic offer, amongst others, to more than double the price tag?

It really depends on what you are upgrading from. 1Dx to 1DxII for stills? Pretty similar and, honestly, for people ready to upgrade right now, the 1Dx at its current price point should be tempting. But there are some very nice features that may make it worth it depending upon what you shoot. As I said above, several minor things when added together can become major. Two more MP, 2 more fps, EV = -3, f/8 at all points, I am curious if the new battery also drives faster AF (not just fps), also an improvement to Al servo AF.

But, then there is IQ. The disclaimer, I am not one of those people that expects to pull a shot taken with a lens cap on and have it look like the daylight, but there have been times with my 5DIII where I properly expose on something like a waterfall and find color noise and even banding in the shadows. Very small percentage of shots.

So, I just saw reference to the first push/pull torture test (5 stops) with the 1DxII comparing it to the 1Dx. These are jpegs a beta model, but it does show a noticeable improvement over the already very good 1Dx.

Personally, I'll be more interested in higher ISO comparisons (this was ISO 100), but at least it is an indication of sensor improvements as well.

[HDNitehawk]

Here the 1Dx is selling for just over $5k while the mark II is listed at $8k. Is it just me or is that a rather steep increase for what amounts to small increments of improvement for use as a still camera?
Are the video improvements enough to justify the increase for those applications? Are the video specs that much better than what Sony and Black Magic offer, amongst others, to more than double the price tag?

My 7D II is dedicated to video now. One of my complaints with the 7D II is that it didn't have the touch screen to focus with. Using the toggle is a pain in the rear when you are trying to focus on something. It is faster than the older models with live view AF but still not ideal. In other words to me the 7D II is almost where it needs to be to be comfortable to use, but still not quite there.

The 1Dx II looks like it might finally make it to that plain. The point where I feel like video is comfortable with a DSLR.

This includes not only video but live view as well.

Is it worth spending more than those other bodies for video, maybe not if video is your only thing. If you are into video that much wouldn't you be looking at one of the Cinema cameras instead of world class stills camera?