1DX Mark III - Will Animal Eye Detection Be Added in a Firmware Update

[Unrelenting]

I am interested in purchasing the 1DX Mark III. I am disappointed the camera has eye and head dectection for human subjects but does not have animal eye detection for wildlife photography. Can Canon add animal eye detection in the future with a firmware update? If so, it that expected to happen?  I think many wildlife photogarphers, myself included, would be particularly interested in a response from Canon itself.

[ebiggs1]

"Can Canon add animal eye detection in the future with a firmware update?"

If it doesn't have it, I doubt seriously it will ever have it.

[jrhoffman75]

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@Unrelenting wrote:

I am interested in purchasing the 1DX Mark III. I am disappointed the camera has eye and head dectection for human subjects but does not have animal eye detection for wildlife photography. Can Canon add animal eye detection in the future with a firmware update? If so, it that expected to happen?  I think many wildlife photogarphers, myself included, would be particularly interested in a response from Canon itself.

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With the announcement relative to the R5 a firmware update for Mk III seems quite possible.

[Waddizzle]

I think animal eye detection is probably great for shooting video of the family pet in the backyard with a wide aperture lens.  I think it would be almost useless shooting wildlife out in the.real world.  Of course, it will depend upon the [wildlife], your focal length, and how close you are to it.  

However, shooting with an 400mm f/2.8 telephoto lens at a more distant subject than the family pet in the backyard, will capture the entire animal head and face in focus.  At [a] distance of 100 feet, your DoF will be roughly 4 feet.  

[EDIT: I hate spell checkers.}

[John_SD]

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@Waddizzle wrote:

I think animal eye detection is probably great for shooting video of the family pet in the backyard with a wide aperture lens.  I think it would be almost useless shooting wildlife out in the.real world.    

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I agree. But I also agree with John who suggests the capability may come as part of a firmware update. Probably useless in the wild, but may be OK for the family dog or semi-tame animals at the zoo. 

[Waddizzle]

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@John_SD wrote:

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@Waddizzle wrote:

I think animal eye detection is probably great for shooting video of the family pet in the backyard with a wide aperture lens.  I think it would be almost useless shooting wildlife out in the.real world.    

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I agree. But I also agree with John who suggests the capability may come as part of a firmware update. Probably useless in the wild, but may be OK for the family dog or semi-tame animals at the zoo. 

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I think he could be correct, too.  The 1Dx III seems more of a hybrid camera than a strict DSLR.  Although, the feature would be most useful shooting in Live View, due to the much greater number of AF points compared to the viewfinder.  

[ebiggs1]

"... the capability may come as part of a firmware update"

I still doubt a FW update will offer it. 

[jrhoffman75]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"... the capability may come as part of a firmware update"

I still doubt a FW update will offer it. 

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We'll have to see. I wouldn't expect it until the R5 is released (software finalized), but Canon upgraded the 1D X to f/8 focusing and completely redid the AF system via firmware 2.0, so it wouldn't be a precedent. 

[ebiggs1]

"...completely redid the AF system via firmware 2.0, so it wouldn't be a precedent."

Yes, it probably would be precedent setting.  Upgrading a system, like AF, that the 1D series already has is one thing but adding something it doesn't have is totally different.

[John_SD]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"... the capability may come as part of a firmware update"

I still doubt a FW update will offer it. 

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Well, N*kon added it to the Z6 and Z7 via firmare update, but I hear ya, this is Canon we're talking about.