Canon 1D Comparison Review
The Canon EOS-1D is a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera that was announced in September 2001 and is equipped with an APS-H sensor. It offers a resolution of 4.1 megapixel.
Is the Canon 1D a good camera? The 1D has a Camera Elo of 1169. This rating puts the 1D below average of all digital single lens reflex cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (APS cameras), the 1D also ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 2.5-star performance rating. – Well, the Canon 1D is more than 22 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 2001.
Canon 1D |
---|
Digital single lens reflex |
Canon EF mount lenses |
4.1 MP, APS-H Sensor |
no Video |
ISO 200 - 1 600 (100 - 3 200) |
Optical viewfinder |
2.0 LCD, 120k dots |
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) |
8 shutter flaps per second |
Weathersealed body |
500 shots per battery charge |
156 x 158 x 80 mm, 1 585 g |
Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.
Body comparison with a credit card
The physical dimensions of the Canon 1D relative to a credit card are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Canon 1D alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.
Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 1D | 156 mm | 158 mm | 80 mm | 1585 g | 500 | Y | Sep 2001 | EUR 6 499 | ebay.com | |
2. | Canon 1D Mark II | 156 mm | 158 mm | 80 mm | 1535 g | 1200 | Y | Jan 2004 | EUR 4 499 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 1D Mark II N | 156 mm | 158 mm | 80 mm | 1565 g | 1200 | Y | Aug 2005 | EUR 4 199 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 1Ds | 156 mm | 158 mm | 80 mm | 1265 g | 600 | Y | Sep 2002 | EUR 8 999 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon 1Ds Mark III | 150 mm | 160 mm | 80 mm | 1385 g | 1800 | Y | Aug 2007 | EUR 7 999 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon 1D C | 158 mm | 164 mm | 83 mm | 1545 g | 1120 | Y | Apr 2012 | EUR 13 999 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon 1D X | 158 mm | 168 mm | 83 mm | 1551 g | 1120 | Y | Oct 2011 | EUR 6 299 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon 1D X Mark II | 158 mm | 168 mm | 83 mm | 1530 g | 1210 | Y | Feb 2016 | EUR 6 299 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon 1D X Mark III | 158 mm | 168 mm | 83 mm | 1440 g | 2850 | Y | Jan 2020 | EUR 7 299 | amazon.com | |
10. | Canon 5D Mark IV | 151 mm | 116 mm | 76 mm | 890 g | 900 | Y | Aug 2016 | EUR 4 065 | amazon.com | |
11. | Canon 5DS | 152 mm | 116 mm | 76 mm | 930 g | 700 | Y | Feb 2015 | EUR 3 499 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Canon 1D was launched in the US market at a price of $6,499. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.
Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide
The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
The Canon 1D features an APS-H sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.3. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Canon 1D among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality.
Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of alternatives.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 1D | APS-H | 4.1 | 2496 | 1662 | none | .. | .. | .. | .. | |
2. | Canon 1D Mark II | APS-H | 8.2 | 3504 | 2336 | none | 22.3 | 11.1 | 1003 | 66 | |
3. | Canon 1D Mark II N | APS-H | 8.2 | 3504 | 2336 | none | 22.3 | 11.2 | 975 | 66 | |
4. | Canon 1Ds | Full Frame | 11.0 | 4064 | 2704 | none | 21.8 | 11.0 | 954 | 63 | |
5. | Canon 1Ds Mark III | Full Frame | 21.0 | 5616 | 3744 | none | 24.0 | 12.0 | 1663 | 80 | |
6. | Canon 1D C | Full Frame | 17.9 | 5184 | 3456 | 4K/24p | 24.3 | 13.0 | 2155 | 85 | |
7. | Canon 1D X | Full Frame | 17.9 | 5184 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 23.8 | 11.8 | 2786 | 82 | |
8. | Canon 1D X Mark II | Full Frame | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 4K/60p | 24.1 | 13.5 | 3207 | 88 | |
9. | Canon 1D X Mark III | Full Frame | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 4K/60p | 24.2 | 14.5 | 3248 | 91 | |
10. | Canon 5D Mark IV | Full Frame | 30.1 | 6720 | 4480 | 4K/30p | 24.8 | 13.6 | 2995 | 91 | |
11. | Canon 5DS | Full Frame | 50.3 | 8688 | 5792 | 1080/30p | 24.7 | 12.4 | 2381 | 87 | |
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. |
It should be noted that unlike many modern cameras, the 1D does not provide the possibility to capture videos.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the 1D has an optical viewfinder that provides a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.55x. The adjacent tables list some of the other core features of the Canon 1D along with similar information for a selection of comparators.
Camera Model |
Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots) |
Control Panel (yes/no) |
LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots) |
LCD Attach- ment |
Touch Screen (yes/no) |
Max Shutter Speed * |
Max Shutter Flaps * |
Built-in Flash (yes/no) |
Built-in Image Stab |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 1D | optical | Y | 2.0 / 120 | fixed | n | 1/16000s | 8.0/s | n | n | |
2. | Canon 1D Mark II | optical | Y | 2.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 8.3/s | n | n | |
3. | Canon 1D Mark II N | optical | Y | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 8.5/s | n | n | |
4. | Canon 1Ds | optical | Y | 2.0 / 120 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 3.0/s | n | n | |
5. | Canon 1Ds Mark III | optical | Y | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | n | |
6. | Canon 1D C | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 14.0/s | n | n | |
7. | Canon 1D X | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 14.0/s | n | n | |
8. | Canon 1D X Mark II | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1620 | fixed | Y | 1/8000s | 16.0/s | n | n | |
9. | Canon 1D X Mark III | optical | Y | 3.2 / 2100 | fixed | Y | 1/8000s | 20.0/s | n | n | |
10. | Canon 5D Mark IV | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1620 | fixed | Y | 1/8000s | 7.0/s | n | n | |
11. | Canon 5DS | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | n | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One useful feature of the 1D is a presence of a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.
Connection comparison
For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS-1D and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 1D | Y | - / - | - | - | - | FW | - | - | - | |
2. | Canon 1D Mark II | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 1.1 | - | - | - | |
3. | Canon 1D Mark II N | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 1.1 | - | - | - | |
4. | Canon 1Ds | Y | - / - | - | - | - | FW | - | - | - | |
5. | Canon 1Ds Mark III | Y | mono / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Canon 1D C | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
7. | Canon 1D X | Y | mono / - | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Canon 1D X Mark II | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Canon 1D X Mark III | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.1 | Y | - | Y | |
10. | Canon 5D Mark IV | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | Y | Y | - | |
11. | Canon 5DS | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 3.0 | - | - | - |
Further information on the features and operation of the 1D can be found in the free online Canon 1D Manual or on the Canon support site.
Expert reviews
While the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the 1D in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).
Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 1D | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Sep 2001 | EUR 6 499 | ebay.com | |
2. | Canon 1D Mark II | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Jan 2004 | EUR 4 499 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 1D Mark II N | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Aug 2005 | EUR 4 199 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 1Ds | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Sep 2002 | EUR 8 999 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon 1Ds Mark III | .. | .. | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | .. | Aug 2007 | EUR 7 999 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon 1D C | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Apr 2012 | EUR 13 999 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon 1D X | 5/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2011 | EUR 6 299 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon 1D X Mark II | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 89/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2016 | EUR 6 299 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon 1D X Mark III | .. | + + | 5/5 | .. | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jan 2020 | EUR 7 299 | amazon.com | |
10. | Canon 5D Mark IV | 4.5/5 | + + | 4/5 | 87/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2016 | EUR 4 065 | amazon.com | |
11. | Canon 5DS | .. | + | .. | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2015 | EUR 3 499 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.
Canon 1D FAQ
Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the 1D.
What is the technology behind the imaging sensor in the Canon 1D?
The camera features a CCD (Charged Coupled Device) sensor.
Which image processing chip is used in the Canon 1D to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?
Canon equipped the 1D with the DIGIC image processor.
What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Canon 1D?
The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 100-3200.
What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Canon EOS-1D?
Canon does not publish a shutter rating for the 1D. Yet, shutters in comparable cameras from other manufacturers are said to be good for at least 100 000 actuations. It should be noted, though, that this number represents a Mean Time before Failure. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust an expected shutter life of 100 000 shots over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.
How do I find the shutter count on my Canon 1D?
Canon embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your 1D has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.
What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Canon 1D for flash photography?
The 1D's flash sync speed is 1/500 sec.
Which battery does the Canon 1D use?
The camera gets its power from the Canon NP-E3 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.
Camera to camera comparisons
In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.
Camera Model | Canon 1D | |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | |
Camera Lens | Canon EF mount lenses | |
Launch Date | September 2001 | |
Launch Price | USD 6 499 | |
Sensor Specs | ||
Sensor Technology | CCD | |
Sensor Format | APS-H Sensor | |
Sensor Size | 28.7 x 19.1 mm | |
Sensor Area | 548 mm2 | |
Sensor Diagonal | 34.5 mm | |
Crop Factor | 1.3x | |
Sensor Resolution | 4.1 Megapixels | |
Image Resolution | 2 496 x 1 662 pixels | |
Pixel Pitch | 11.56 μm | |
Pixel Density | 0.76 MP/cm2 | |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | |
Movie Capability | no Video | |
ISO Setting | 200 - 1 600 ISO | |
ISO Boost | 100 - 3 200 ISO | |
Image Processor | DIGIC | |
Screen Specs | ||
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.55x | |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | |
LCD Size | 2.0 inch | |
LCD Resolution | 120k dots | |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | |
Touch Input | No touchscreen | |
Shooting Specs | ||
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/16000s | |
Continuous Shooting | 8 shutter flaps/s | |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 100 000 actuations | |
Silent Shooting | no E-Shutter | |
Time Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | |
Storage Medium | CF cards | |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | |
Connectivity Specs | ||
External Flash | Hotshoe | |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | |
USB Connector | Firewire | |
HDMI Port | no HDMI | |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | |
Body Specs | ||
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | |
Battery Type | Canon NP-E3 power pack | |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 500 shots per charge | |
Body Dimensions |
156 x 158 x 80 mm (6.1 x 6.2 x 3.1 in) |
|
Camera Weight | 1 585 g (55.9 oz) |
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