 The EOS-1D Mark II n viewfinder is bright and comfortable, with good eye relief. Data displays below and to the right of the image are easy to see without straining. Fine black lines outline a small circle at the center of the frame for the center spot metering area, and they outline a larger vaguely elliptical shape, which shows the area in which the 45 autofocus sensors are arranged. The black lines are always visible, but the red rectangle indicating the autofocus sensor sites will not light up until the AF point selection button is pressed.
Exposure scales for both ambient light and flash run vertically to the right of the screen. A two-digit number below the scales shows the maximum burst that the buffer can accommodate. The number varies, depending on the image size, image quality, and how many images are already in the buffer. A JPEG icon lights up if the camera is set to write JPEGs.
The data displayed below the screen are modal: not all the following indicators are visible simultaneously. They include: aperture and shutter speed, focus confirmation, AE lock, manual mode indicator, flash ready light, warning for improper flash exposure, high-speed sync mode, autofocus point selection mode, flash exposure lock, “Busy” indicator, active memory card indicator, ISO, white balance correction, shots remaining, and self-timer countdown.
It sounds like a huge amount of potentially distracting information, but in regular shooting all you see is the exposure scales, aperture, shutter speed, shots left on the card, and shots left in the buffer.
LCD Screen (7.75)
Color LCD
 A primary modification on the Mark II n is the improved LCD display. Up from the 2-inch screen applied to the earlier 1D Mark II, the EOS-1D Mark II n offers a 2.5-inch, 230,000 pixel color LCD for image review. The size is adequate for reviewing images for sharpness, and provides plenty of room to peruse menu options. Just as Canon's marketing claims, the LCD is visible over a wide range of angles, and the color and contrast are better than average. We found the screen to have a much wider angle of view to the sides than when viewed from above or below, but it still offers more visibility than many LCDs applied to professional level DSLRs. The screen’s only major deficiency was its inability to handle bright conditions. Under direct sunlight or strong overhead illumination, images on the screen became washed out and visibility was almost entirely lost.
Monochrome LCD
The monochrome LCD on the back of the EOS-1D Mark II n shows a range of shooting data. The indicators are large and readable, and the display itself is sharp and full of contrast. The data shown are:
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White Balance
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Shows icons for built-in settings or for custom white balance, or a Kelvin temperature for a dialed-in white balance
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Color correction
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Provides color adjustment along a blue-to-amber axis and a green-to-magenta axis
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File number and folder number
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Shows the numbers, but not the alphabetic prefixes
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Image Size
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Shows file format – RAW, the various sizes of JPEG, or combinations of RAW and JPEG
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Memory Cards
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Shows whether there are memory cards in the camera, whether the CF and SD cards are being written to, and whether RAW images are being written to either the SD or CF card
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Data Transfer
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Shows whether the camera is transferring data via USB or FireWire connection
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The top LCD panel on the EOS-1D Mark II n shows shooting information that would be familiar to film shooters. The data relates to the mechanical aspects of the camera, rather than digital components.
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Aperture
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EF lenses share this information electronically
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Exposure Mode
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Shows if the camera is in Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual
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Metering Mode
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Shows if the camera is in Evaluative, Partial, Spot, and Averaging
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Battery status
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Shows four steps, from fully charged to empty
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Shutter speed
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Shows shutter speed as set on the camera, but also shows a timer when the shutter is set to Bulb, timing how long the user keeps the shutter open
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Autofocus point selection mode
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Indicates whether the autofocus point is manually selected
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ISO
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Shows ISO speed
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FE lock
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Indicates if flash exposure is locked
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Busy/ Error
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Shows camera status
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Shots remaining
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Shows shots remaining based on current settings
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AF mode
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Clarifies if the camera is in One-shot or AI Servo
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Drive mode
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Indicates if the camera is in Single, Low-speed continuous, High-speed continuous, or Self-timer (2 or 10 seconds)
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Exposure compensation
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Shows selected compensation, or bracketing amounts
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AEB
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Demonstrates Auto-Bracketing status (on or off)
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Flash exposure compensation
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Icon shows if compensation is set to something other than zero; press flash exposure compensation button to show the compensation value
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Personal Function
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Icon shows if any of the personal customizations have been set to non-default settings
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Flash (8.0)
The EOS-1D Mark II n does not have a built-in flash. It's compatible with Canon's EOS-dedicated, EX-series flashes, and offers the following flash control options.
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E-TTL II Autoflash
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Uses lens focus distance information as well as light metering to determine exposure
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High-speed sync
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Enables sync at all shutter speeds
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FE Lock
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Locks flash exposure
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Flash exposure compensation
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Lets the user set exposure compensation up or down 3 stops, in 1/3-stop increments
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FEB
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Stands for flash exposure bracketing, letting the user adjust it up and down up to 3 stops, in 1/3-stop increments
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E-TTL II wireless autoflash with multiple speedlights
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Multiple EX-series flashes can be controlled wirelessly
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Metered manual flash
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The camera will determine the proper exposure based on a pre-flash
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It's impressive that the EOS-1D Mark II n is compatible with all the EX flashes – they go way back. It's as if you could mount a Model T steering wheel on the latest Ford. Nikon flashes, in contrast, don't maintain nearly as much compatibility.
Lens (9.0)
 The EOS-1D Mark II n is not marketed with a kit lens, but our sample came with a 16-35 mm f/2.8 EF USM lens, which, with the EOS-1D Mark II n's 1.3x magnification factor, looks like a 21-45mm on 35mm body. Canon's EF lenses have a great reputation, and no manufacturer makes a broader variety of autofocus lenses for their cameras.
The 16-35mm lens is sharp and full of good contrast. The ultrasonic motor in the lens zipped it into focus very quickly. Of course, the camera's autofocus mechanism is primarily responsible for that, but the lens is clearly not a drag on the system.
Click here to view a list of all compatible Canon EF autofocus lenses.
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