Canon 1D Mark III vs 2000D

The Canon EOS-1D Mark III and the Canon EOS 2000D (labelled Canon T7 in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2007 and February 2018. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-H (1D Mark III) and an APS-C (2000D) sensor. The 1D Mark III has a resolution of 10.1 megapixels, whereas the 2000D provides 24 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 III		Canon 2000D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
10.1 MP – APS-H sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-3,200 (50 - 6,400)		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
10 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
2200 shots per battery charge		500 shots per battery charge
156 x 157 x 80 mm, 1155 g		129 x 101 x 78 mm, 475 g

Check 1D Mark III offers at
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Check 2000D price at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS-1D Mark III and the Canon EOS 2000D? 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

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 1D Mark III and the Canon 2000D. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 2000D is considerably smaller (47 percent) than the Canon 1D Mark III. Moreover, the 2000D is substantially lighter (59 percent) than the 1D Mark III. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 1D Mark III is splash and dust resistant, while the 2000D does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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. A larger imaging sensor (as in the 1D Mark III) will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, while more compact options are available for the smaller-sensor camera (2000D). You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 1D Mark III gets 2200 shots out of its Canon LP-E4 battery, while the 2000D can take 500 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E10 power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the 1D Mark III has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 1D Mark III	156 mm	157 mm	80 mm	1155 g	2200	Y	Feb 2007	4,499	ebay.com
2.		Canon 2000D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark II	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1535 g	1200	Y	Jan 2004	4,499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1565 g	1200	Y	Aug 2005	3,999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D Mark IV	156 mm	157 mm	80 mm	1230 g	1500	Y	Oct 2009	4,999	ebay.com
6.		Canon 1Ds	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1265 g	600	Y	Sep 2002	8,999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	150 mm	160 mm	80 mm	1385 g	1800	Y	Aug 2007	7,999	ebay.com
8.		Canon 5D Mark II	152 mm	114 mm	75 mm	850 g	850	Y	Sep 2008	3,499	ebay.com
9.		Canon 5D Mark III	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	950 g	950	Y	Mar 2012	3,499	ebay.com
10.		Canon 5DS R	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
11.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
12.		Canon 200D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
13.		Canon 1300D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
14.		Canon 4000D	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
15.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D2Xs	158 mm	150 mm	86 mm	1252 g	3800	Y	Jun 2006	4,699	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D3	160 mm	157 mm	88 mm	1300 g	4300	Y	Aug 2007	4,999	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 2000D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 90 percent) than the 1D Mark III, 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and 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 tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 1D Mark III features an APS-H sensor and the Canon 2000D an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the 2000D is 37 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.3 and 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the 2000D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 4+) than the 1D Mark III (DIGIC III), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the 2000D offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 10.1 MP of the 1D Mark III. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 7.21μm for the 1D Mark III). However, it should be noted that the 2000D is much more recent (by 11 years) than the 1D Mark III, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 2000D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 2000D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 1D Mark III are 19.4 x 13 inches or 49.4 x 32.9 cm for good quality, 15.6 x 10.4 inches or 39.5 x 26.3 cm for very good quality, and 13 x 8.6 inches or 32.9 x 21.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS-1D Mark III has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200, which can be extended to ISO 50-6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 2000D are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-12800.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

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 Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 1D Mark III	APS-H	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.7	11.7	1078	71
2.		Canon 2000D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	11.9	1009	71
3.		Canon 1D Mark II	APS-H	8.2	3504	2336	none	22.3	11.1	1003	66
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	APS-H	8.2	3504	2336	none	22.3	11.2	975	66
5.		Canon 1D Mark IV	APS-H	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	22.8	12.0	1320	74
6.		Canon 1Ds	Full Frame	11.0	4064	2704	none	21.8	11.0	954	63
7.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	none	24.0	12.0	1663	80
8.		Canon 5D Mark II	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	1080/30p	23.7	11.9	1815	79
9.		Canon 5D Mark III	Full Frame	22.1	5760	3840	1080/30p	24.0	11.7	2293	81
10.		Canon 5DS R	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.6	12.4	2308	86
11.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
12.		Canon 200D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
13.		Canon 1300D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
14.		Canon 4000D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
15.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
16.		Nikon D2Xs	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	none	22.2	10.9	489	59
17.		Nikon D3	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	none	23.5	12.2	2290	81

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The 2000D indeed provides for movie recording, while the 1D Mark III does not. The highest resolution format that the 2000D can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 1D Mark III and the 2000D 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 viewfinder in the 1D Mark III offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the 2000D (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the 1D Mark III has a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.50x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 1D Mark III and Canon 2000D in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		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 Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
2.		Canon 2000D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 1D Mark II	optical	Y	2.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	n	n
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.5/s	n	n
5.		Canon 1D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon 1Ds	optical	Y	2.0 / 120	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	n
7.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
8.		Canon 5D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.9/s	n	n
9.		Canon 5D Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	n
10.		Canon 5DS R	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
11.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon 200D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon 1300D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon 4000D	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon D2Xs	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
17.		Nikon D3	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the 1D Mark III, but is missing on the 2000D is 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.

The 1D Mark III writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDHC cards, while the 2000D uses SDXC cards. The 1D Mark III features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 2000D 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 III and Canon EOS 2000D and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 1D Mark III	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon 2000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon 1D Mark II	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
5.		Canon 1D Mark IV	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 1Ds	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
7.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 5D Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 5D Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon 5DS R	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon 200D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Canon 1300D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Canon 4000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Nikon D2Xs	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Nikon D3	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the 2000D offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the 1D Mark III does not provide wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 1D Mark III (unlike the 2000D) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The 2000D is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the 1D Mark III has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the 1D Mark III was succeeded by the Canon 1D Mark IV. Further information on the features and operation of the 1D Mark III and 2000D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 1D Mark III Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 2000D Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 1D Mark III and the Canon 2000D? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon EOS-1D Mark III:

• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.50x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (2200 versus 500) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2007).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 2000D:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 10.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 54%.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 4+ vs DIGIC III).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/30p video.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (920k vs 230k dots).
• More compact: Is smaller (129x101mm vs 156x157mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 680g or 59 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (90 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 11 years of technical progress since the 1D Mark III launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the match-up finishes in a tie (11 points each). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 III and the Canon 2000D 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 incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 1D Mark III or the 2000D perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 1D Mark III	..	..	..	..	..	..	Feb 2007	4,499	ebay.com
2.		Canon 2000D	3/5	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark II	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Jan 2004	4,499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2005	3,999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D Mark IV	5/5	..	..	89/100	..	..	Oct 2009	4,999	ebay.com
6.		Canon 1Ds	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2002	8,999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	..	..	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	Aug 2007	7,999	ebay.com
8.		Canon 5D Mark II	4/5	91/100	..	79/100	4/5	..	Sep 2008	3,499	ebay.com
9.		Canon 5D Mark III	..	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2012	3,499	ebay.com
10.		Canon 5DS R	5/5	+	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
11.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
12.		Canon 200D	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
13.		Canon 1300D	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
14.		Canon 4000D	2.5/5	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
15.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D2Xs	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2006	4,699	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D3	..	..	..	+ +	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	4,999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) 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. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time 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.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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