Canon launches the EOS 1D X Mark II

Get your position: The built in GPS chipset embedded into the top of the pentaprism stores location data in your photos and videos.

Traditional rivals Canon and Nikon are always trying to leapfrog each other when it comes to cameras, so when one comes out with a major camera, you can expect the other to follow with an even better camera.

This time it’s Canon’s turn to introduce a major new camera, namely the EOS-1D X Mark II, the company’s new flagship DSLR which comes with a new 20.2-megapixel CMOS image sensor with Dual Pixel Autofocus.

Dual Pixel AF means that each pixel on the image sensor is made up of two halves, where one half is slightly facing the left and the other slightly facing the right so each pixel not only captures the scene, but also does double duty by providing very accurate phase-detect autofocus when using Live View mode.

While the camera looks much like its predecessor, the EOS 1D X Mark II has one notable physical difference – the viewfinder pentaprism hump is a little more pronounced than before.

This extra hump actually houses a GPS chipset which allows the camera to embed the geolocation into each photo or video that you shoot as well as automatically set the time of the camera’s internal clock.

The 3.2in touchscreen LCD on the back of the EOS 1D X Mark II has a higher 1.62-million dot resolution than other Canon DSLRs.

The LCD screen on the back is a 3.2in touchscreen and most notably, Canon has significantly upgraded it to a higher-resolution 1.62-million dot screen.

Unfortunately, the touchscreen can only be used for selecting autofocus points when shooting in Live View and cannot be used for selecting menu items or to swipe through images in playback mode.

The camera’s 61-point autofocus covers more area vertically than on the company's other DSLRs while native ISO settings are from 100 to 51,200 and expandable to ISO409,600 in boost mode.

The EOS 1D X Mark II also features a 360,000-pixel metering sensor with Intelligent Tracking and Recognition, i.e. it not only reads light and colour intensity and makes metering recommendations, but it also helps the autofocus system track moving subjects.

Indeed, it’s all about speed with this DSLR – the camera can speed through still photos at up to 14-frames-per-second with autofocus and up to 16-frames-per-second with the mirror locked up.

As for video, the camera is capable of shooting 4K video at up to 60-frames-per-second in Motion JPEG format, and 1080p video at up to 120-frames-per-second.

The EOS 1D X Mark II features two slots – a CompactFlash slot and a CFast 2.0 slot.

While they look similar, CFast and CompactFlash cards are not compatible with each other so each slot will only accept the type of card meant for it.

No local pricing is available as yet, but in the United States, the camera has a recommended retail price of US$5,999 (about RM25,200) for the body only.