The latest Canon 1D camera, the 1D-C, will likely not make it to the DSLR best-seller list with its $11,999 price tag, but it's out.

The new digital camera from Canon has just hit stores in Japan, and a fair number of people are expected to invest in the new gadget despite its hefty price tag. The Canon 1D-C is an extremely versatile 18-megapixel 4K digital camera, boasting EOS lens compatibility and a full-frame sensor to boot.

It may cost a small fortune, but at least a few pro shooters or overly enthusiastic hobbyists will line up to get it. And while $11,999 is certainly not accessible for anyone, Canon's top-of-the-line camera was actually expected to sell for roughly $15,000, which makes the sub-$12,000 price tag a nice surprise.

High-end Canon cameras have never been for everybody, and those who seek quality and want the latest gadget are usually willing to pony up hefty amounts of cash to satisfy their needs or desires.

Just keep in mind, however, that the costs don't stop at the $11,999 price tag. Users will further need to invest in a bunch of high speed (at least 100MB/s) CF cards. According to the camera's instruction manual, the Canon 1D-C shoots 4096 x 2160 video at 24 frames per second (fps), with an approximate file size of 3.76 gigs per minute of footage.

The EOS 1D-C has already hit stores in Japan, and it is expected to arrive in the United States later this week. A few lucky shooters managed to get their hands on the new digital camera already, and they have been busy capturing demo reels for the past few weeks. Some of that footage is available on a Pardo commercial, a Fito Pardo clip, or from United Film Works.

Those who have $12,000 lying around and want to purchase the new Canon EOS 1D-C can place an order at Texas Media Systems, which promises to ship the unit in roughly 10 days, or from Canon Japan. Meanwhile, those who just want to browse the instructions manual and see what the camera is all about can do so at this link.