4K video at 60fps! Pro puts new 1DX II’s video capabilities to the test in Norway

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posted Wednesday, February 3, 2016 at 12:44 PM EDT

Award-winning Australian cinematographer Abraham Joffe recently put the newly-announced Canon EOS-1D X Mark II through its paces in Norway, including testing its 4K capabilities.

Coming out this April, only a few months before this summer's Olympic games in Rio, the 4K-capable Canon 1DX II features high-end specs and a robust professional-quality camera body. Compared to the original 1DX, the 1DX II features a slight increase in resolving power from 18 megapixels to 20.2 megapixels and includes a new processor. The autofocus system still includes 61 points, but it is more sensitive than the 1DX and includes more AF features and modes (see William Brawley's hands-on preview for much more information).

While many of its new features look excellent, this article is really about video, and there are some big changes to be found here. First, the 1DX II includes the first full-frame sensor with Canon's Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology. By using Dual Pixel AF, the 1DX II will be able to autofocus much more quickly and smoother when recording video, which should provide a more cinematic appearance. Secondly, you will no longer need to shell out the big bucks (although the 1DX II is not what I would call "inexpensive" at $6000 USD) for a 1D C or C500 video camera to record 4K video, as the 1DX II can now record video at up to 4096 x 2160 resolution (also known as DCI 4K). Not only can the 1DX II record DCI 4K video, but it can record it at an impressive 60 frames-per-second. Surprisingly, you cannot record UHD (3840 x 2160) video in-camera, so you'd have to optimize video for UHD HDTVs in post-processing. Check out Abraham Joffe's video published by Canon Australia below, and be sure to watch it in 4K!

The Canon 1DX Mark II's video performance is certainly impressive, as Joffe attests to above. With both Canon and Nikon's new flagship DSLR cameras offering 4K video, how do they compare? See here to refresh your memory on the Nikon D5's 4K video performance.