The new Canon EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR is an awesome camera. One of the landmark functions of the EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR is the introduction of a Live View shooting mode, tweaked to meet the needs of professional shooters.

Most photographers who use point-and-shoot digital cameras are familiar with looking at the LCD screen on the back of the camera to compose their images. Normally most single lens reflex camera cannot do this because the mirror that lets you look through the lens is in the way.

With the EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR, a photographer has several options in addition to conventional SLR through-the-lens viewing. If the camera is going to be close at hand, the new Live View shooting mode lets the user focus and compose on the extra-large 3.0-inch LCD screen and magnify the image 5x or 10x, to achieve the optimal focus. If a user is going to be several feet away from the camera, in a studio, for example, the camera can be connected to a computer with a USB 2.0 high-speed cable. New software included with the camera, EOS Utility 2.0, lets you view what the camera is seeing in real time and control its operation. If a professional photographer is going to be far away from the camera, say, on the other side of a racetrack or stadium, or if the camera is hidden or buried someplace inaccessible, the EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR can be operated wirelessly with the assistance of the new WFT- E2A Wireless File Transmitter.

This allows users to view images directly off the camera’s sensor in virtually real time with the ability to adjust many camera settings on the fly. As a side benefit, 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.

Although it is impressive, the only problem is that you can only use manual focus. Looks like optical view finders are here to stay.

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