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Canon's first pro camera, the Canon EOS-1D, turns 20 years old

Canon EOS-1D

Canon’s first professional DSLR marked a major step forward. On its 20th birthday, we take a look back at the Canon EOS-1D\

On 24 September 2001, Canon announced the Canon EOS-1D. This was the first “all-Canon” DSLR marketed specifically to professional photographers.

What did “all-Canon'' mean? Previously, Canon DSLRs had been produced in conjunction with Kodak – resulting in cameras like the Canon EOS D2000, which was essentially a Kodak digital camera’s innards housed in a Canon film SLR’s body. The firm had struck out on its own the previous year with the introduction of the Canon EOS D30, which had been largely well received, but was an enthusiast’s camera, not a professional’s, with an APS-C sensor.

• Read more: Best Canon cameras

So, a year later, in comes the Canon EOS-1D. It used the APS-H sensor format (not full-frame, but larger than APS-C), had faster-than-ever burst shooting, and was built like a tank. It looked like Canon professional photographers who had been patiently waiting to make the jump to digital finally had their prayers answered. Was the EOS-1D everything they’d wanted and more?

Canon EOS-1D: Specifications

• 4.15MP APS-H CCD sensor

• Canon EF lens mount (crop factor 1.3x)

• 45 AF points

• Shutter speeds: 1/16,000 to 30 sec

• High-speed continuous burst: 8fps

• 2-inch fixed LCD monitor, 120,000 dots