Canon 1D Mark II vs 1D

The Canon EOS-1D Mark II and the Canon EOS-1D are two professional cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2004 and September 2001. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-H sensor. The 1D Mark II has a resolution of 8.2 megapixels, whereas the 1D provides 4.1 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 1D Mark II		Canon 1D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
8.2 MP, APS-H Sensor		4.1 MP, APS-H Sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 100-1600 (50-3200)		ISO 200-1600 (100-3200)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
2.0" LCD, 230k dots		2.0" LCD, 120k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
8.3 shutter flaps per second		8 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
1200 shots per battery charge		500 shots per battery charge
156 x 158 x 80 mm, 1535 g		156 x 158 x 80 mm, 1585 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS-1D Mark II and the Canon EOS-1D? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 1D Mark II and the Canon 1D is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

In this particular case, the Canon 1D Mark II and the Canon 1D have exactly the same width and height, and, thus, have identically-sized bodies. However, the 1D is slightly heavier (3 percent) than the 1D Mark II. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

As can be seen in the images above, both cameras have a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, just use the right or left arrows in the table to switch to the respective camera. Alternatively, you can also navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from the full list of cameras there.

Camera Body Specifications

	Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life (CIPA)	Weather Sealing (yes/no)	Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon 1D Mark II»	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	54.1 oz	1200	Y	Jan 2004	4,499	-		Canon 1D Mark II
	Canon 1D«	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	55.9 oz	500	Y	Sep 2001	6,499	-		Canon 1D
	Canon 1D X Mark II« »	6.2 in	6.6 in	3.3 in	54.0 oz	1210	Y	Feb 2016	5,999			Canon 1D X Mark II
	Canon 5DS« »	6.0 in	4.6 in	3.0 in	32.8 oz	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699			Canon 5DS
	Canon 5DS R« »	6.0 in	4.6 in	3.0 in	32.8 oz	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699			Canon 5DS R
	Canon 1D C« »	6.2 in	6.5 in	3.3 in	54.5 oz	1120	Y	Apr 2012	14,999	-		Canon 1D C
	Canon 1D X« »	6.2 in	6.6 in	3.3 in	54.7 oz	1120	Y	Oct 2011	6,799	-		Canon 1D X
	Canon 1D Mark IV« »	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	43.4 oz	1500	Y	Oct 2009	4,999	-		Canon 1D Mark IV
	Canon 1D Mark III« »	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	40.7 oz	2200	Y	Feb 2007	4,499	-		Canon 1D Mark III
	Canon 1Ds Mark III« »	5.9 in	6.3 in	3.1 in	48.9 oz	1800	Y	Aug 2007	7,999	-		Canon 1Ds Mark III
	Canon 1D Mark II N« »	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	55.2 oz	1200	Y	Aug 2005	3,999	-		Canon 1D Mark II N
	Canon 5D« »	6.0 in	4.4 in	3.0 in	31.6 oz	400	Y	Aug 2005	3,299	-		Canon 5D
	Canon 1Ds Mark II« »	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	42.9 oz	1200	Y	Sep 2004	7,999	-		Canon 1Ds Mark II
	Canon 1Ds« »	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	44.6 oz	600	Y	Sep 2002	8,999	-		Canon 1Ds
Convert to Metric
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 1D Mark II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 31 percent) than the 1D, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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 tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-H sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.3. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of chip-set technology, the 1D Mark II uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC II) than the 1D (DIGIC), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the 1D Mark II offers a higher resolution of 8.2 megapixels, compared with 4.1 MP of the 1D. This megapixels advantage translates into a 40 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the 1D Mark II has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 8.17μm versus 11.56μm for the 1D). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the 1D Mark II is much more recent (by 2 years and 4 months) than the 1D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 1D Mark II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 1D Mark II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 17.5 x 11.7 inch or 44.5 x 29.7 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 14 x 9.3 inch or 35.6 x 23.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 11.7 x 7.8 inch or 29.7 x 19.8 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 1D are 12.5 x 8.3 inch or 31.7 x 21.1 cm for good quality, 10 x 6.6 inch or 25.4 x 16.9 cm for very good quality, and 8.3 x 5.5 inch or 21.1 x 14.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS-1D Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 50-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS-1D are ISO 200 to ISO 1600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-3200.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 1D Mark II and the 1D are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), as well as the same magnification (0.55x). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 1D Mark II, the Canon 1D, and comparable cameras.

The 1D Mark II writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SD cards, while the 1D uses Compact Flash cards. The 1D Mark II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 1D only has one slot.

Connectivity 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 Mark II and Canon EOS-1D and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Both the 1D Mark II and the 1D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on eBay. The 1D was replaced by the Canon 1D Mark II, while the 1D Mark II was followed by the Canon 1D Mark II N. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon website.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 1D Mark II or the Canon 1D – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS-1D Mark II:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (8.2 vs 4.1MP) with a 40% higher linear resolution.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC II vs DIGIC).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (230k vs 120k dots).
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1200 versus 500) on a single battery charge.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (31 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 4 months of technical progress since the 1D launch.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS-1D:

• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/16000s vs 1/8000s) to freeze action.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2001).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 1D Mark II is the clear winner of the match-up (7 : 2 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 1D Mark II and the Canon 1D place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 1D Mark II or the 1D. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Review Scores

	Camera Model						Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon 1D Mark II»	-	+ +	-	o	-	Jan 2004	4,499	-		Canon 1D Mark II
	Canon 1D«	-	+ +	-	-	-	Sep 2001	6,499	-		Canon 1D
	Canon 1D X Mark II« »	-	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	5,999			Canon 1D X Mark II
	Canon 5DS« »	+	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699			Canon 5DS
	Canon 5DS R« »	+	83/100	5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699			Canon 5DS R
	Canon 1D C« »	-	-	-	-	-	Apr 2012	14,999	-		Canon 1D C
	Canon 1D X« »	-	-	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2011	6,799	-		Canon 1D X
	Canon 1D Mark IV« »	-	89/100	-	5/5	-	Oct 2009	4,999	-		Canon 1D Mark IV
	Canon 1D Mark III« »	-	-	-	o	-	Feb 2007	4,499	-		Canon 1D Mark III
	Canon 1Ds Mark III« »	-	+ +	4.5/5	-	-	Aug 2007	7,999	-		Canon 1Ds Mark III
	Canon 1D Mark II N« »	-	-	-	-	-	Aug 2005	3,999	-		Canon 1D Mark II N
	Canon 5D« »	88/100	+ +	o	o	-	Aug 2005	3,299	-		Canon 5D
	Canon 1Ds Mark II« »	-	+ +	-	-	-	Sep 2004	7,999	-		Canon 1Ds Mark II
	Canon 1Ds« »	-	+ +	-	-	-	Sep 2002	8,999	-		Canon 1Ds
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (-) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

Specifications: Canon 1D Mark II vs Canon 1D

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

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