Canon EOS 1D X

The Canon EOS 1D X is a full-frame DSLR released in 2011. Its maximum burst rate is 14fps, and the autofocus system offers 61 points.

This is a large, heavy camera: the body weighs 1530g and measures 158 x 164 x 83mm, so it demands a substantial bag and a firm grip on long days. It takes Canon EF lenses.

Weather sealing helps the body cope with dust and moisture, and the dual card slots hold two cards at once. Wi-Fi is also built in.

At the heart of the camera sits an 18.1MP full-frame CMOS sensor behind the Canon EF lens mount. The full-frame format means EF lenses render at their intended field of view.

Speed is a headline specification. The maximum burst rate is 14fps, with Dual Digic 5+ image processors on board. A top shutter speed of 1/8000s is the fastest exposure setting for freezing fast motion.

Autofocus is handled by 61 points, and the ISO range runs from 100 up to 51200, so sensitivity can be raised considerably as ambient light levels fall.

There is no in-body stabilisation, so camera shake at slower shutter speeds relies on steady technique, lens-based stabilisation where available, or other support. The optical pentaprism viewfinder gives a direct, real-time view of the scene as it unfolds.

Video recording is supported, with Full HD as the maximum resolution. Because Full HD is the ceiling, there is no 4K recording option.

Footage records in MOV format, and the maximum frame rate reaches 60fps.

Framing for video is done in live view on the 3.2in rear screen. Because the screen is fixed, low and high camera angles take more effort to set up and check.

There is no built-in timelapse mode, so timelapse sequences would need to be produced by other means if you want them.

The rear screen is a 3.2in TFT LCD with about 1.04 million dots. It is fixed in place and has no touch control, so menu and setting changes go through the camera's physical controls.

The weather sealing is a useful trait for outdoor shooting, though it does not make the camera waterproof.

Wi-Fi is built in, while Bluetooth is absent. There is no GPS, so the camera itself does not tag files with location data. The body has no built-in flash, with lighting instead coming from an external flash unit.

Live view is available, feeding the same rear screen for composition.

Two card slots take CompactFlash Type I or II cards with UDMA support, and with both loaded the camera holds two cards at once rather than one.

Because both slots take the same CompactFlash media, spare cards for the camera do not need to be split between different formats.

Power comes from an LP-E4N battery pack. There is no USB charging, so topping the battery up over a cable is not an option, and carrying a charged spare is the simple way to extend shooting time.