Canon 1D Mark III vs 70D

The Canon EOS-1D Mark III and the Canon EOS 70D are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2007 and July 2013. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-H (1D Mark III) and an APS-C (70D) sensor. The 1D Mark III has a resolution of 10.1 megapixels, whereas the 70D provides 20 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 70D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
10.1 MP – APS-H sensor		20 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-3,200 (50 - 6,400)		ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
2200 shots per battery charge		920 shots per battery charge
156 x 157 x 80 mm, 1155 g		139 x 104 x 79 mm, 755 g

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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 70D? 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 70D. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions 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 70D is considerably smaller (41 percent) than the Canon 1D Mark III. Moreover, the 70D is substantially lighter (35 percent) than the 1D Mark III. 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. 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 (70D). 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 70D can take 920 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6 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. In order to provide similar functionality for the 70D, Canon provides the BG-E14 vertical grip as an optional accessory (see here on ebay).

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

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 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.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 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
12.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	1,399	ebay.com
13.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
14.		Canon G3 X	123 mm	77 mm	105 mm	733 g	300	Y	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D2Xs	158 mm	150 mm	86 mm	1252 g	3800	Y	Jun 2006	4,699	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D3	160 mm	157 mm	88 mm	1300 g	4300	Y	Aug 2007	4,999	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D7100	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	950	Y	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The 70D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 73 percent) than the 1D Mark III, which puts it into a different market segment. 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.

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.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 1D Mark III features an APS-H sensor and the Canon 70D an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the 70D is 36 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 70D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 5+) than the 1D Mark III (DIGIC III), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the 70D offers a higher resolution of 20 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 4.11μm versus 7.21μm for the 1D Mark III). However, it should be noted that the 70D is much more recent (by 6 years and 4 months) 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 70D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 70D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 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 70D has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

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 70D are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. 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 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
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 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
12.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
13.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
14.		Canon G3 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	521	63
15.		Nikon D2Xs	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	none	22.2	10.9	489	59
16.		Nikon D3	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	none	23.5	12.2	2290	81
17.		Nikon D7100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.7	1256	83

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The 70D indeed provides for movie recording, while the 1D Mark III does not. The highest resolution format that the 70D 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 70D 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 70D (98%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. On the other hand, the viewfinder of the 70D has a higher magnification (0.59x vs 0.58x), 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 70D 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 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/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 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3/s	Y	n
13.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon G3 X	optional	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
15.		Nikon D2Xs	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
16.		Nikon D3	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
17.		Nikon D7100	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The 70D has a touchscreen, while the 1D Mark III has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The 1D Mark III writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDHC cards, while the 70D 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 70D only has one slot. The 70D supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the 1D Mark III cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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 70D 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 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	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 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Canon G3 X	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Nikon D2Xs	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Nikon D3	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Nikon D7100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the 70D 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 70D) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 1D Mark III and the 70D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 1D Mark III was replaced by the Canon 1D Mark IV, while the 70D was followed by the Canon 80D. Further information on the features and operation of the 1D Mark III and 70D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 1D Mark III Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 70D Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon 1D Mark III better than the Canon 70D or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon EOS-1D Mark III:

• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 98%).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 7 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 920) on a single battery charge.
• 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 70D:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20 vs 10.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 41%.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 5+ vs DIGIC III).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/30p video.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.59x vs 0.58x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 230k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More compact: Is smaller (139x104mm vs 156x157mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 400g or 35 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.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (73 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 6 years and 4 months of technical progress since the 1D Mark III launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 70D is the clear winner of the contest (16 : 7 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision 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 III and the Canon 70D 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 1D Mark III or the 70D 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 following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera 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 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.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 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
12.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	1,399	ebay.com
13.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
14.		Canon G3 X	3.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D2Xs	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2006	4,699	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D3	..	..	..	+ +	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	4,999	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D7100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

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