Canon 1D Mark III vs Leica S1
The Canon EOS-1D Mark III and the Leica S1 Pro are two professional cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2007 and August 1996. The 1D Mark III is a DSLR, while the S1 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-H (1D Mark III) and a medium format (S1) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 10.1 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 26.4 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS-1D Mark III and the Leica S1 Pro? 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 III and the Leica S1 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. 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 Leica S1 is considerably larger (196 percent) than the Canon 1D Mark III. Moreover, the S1 is substantially heavier (116 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 S1 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 will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (1D Mark III) and the Leica R Lens Catalog (S1). Mirrorless cameras, such as the S1, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.
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 adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.
# | 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. | Leica S1 | 339 mm | 214 mm | 119 mm | 2500 g | .. | n | Aug 1996 | 21,490 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 5DS R | 152 mm | 116 mm | 76 mm | 930 g | 700 | Y | Feb 2015 | 3,699 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 5D Mark III | 152 mm | 116 mm | 76 mm | 950 g | 950 | Y | Mar 2012 | 3,499 | 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 5D Mark II | 152 mm | 114 mm | 75 mm | 850 g | 850 | Y | Sep 2008 | 3,499 | 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 1D Mark II N | 156 mm | 158 mm | 80 mm | 1565 g | 1200 | Y | Aug 2005 | 3,999 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon 1D Mark II | 156 mm | 158 mm | 80 mm | 1535 g | 1200 | Y | Jan 2004 | 4,499 | ebay.com | |
10. | Canon 1Ds | 156 mm | 158 mm | 80 mm | 1265 g | 600 | Y | Sep 2002 | 8,999 | ebay.com | |
11. | Leica CL | 131 mm | 78 mm | 45 mm | 403 g | 220 | n | Nov 2017 | 2,795 | ebay.com | |
12. | Leica TL2 | 134 mm | 69 mm | 33 mm | 399 g | 250 | n | Jul 2017 | 1,950 | ebay.com | |
13. | Leica Q Typ 116 | 130 mm | 80 mm | 93 mm | 640 g | 300 | n | Jun 2015 | 4,249 | ebay.com | |
14. | Leica S2 | 160 mm | 120 mm | 80 mm | 1410 g | .. | Y | Sep 2008 | 22,995 | ebay.com | |
15. | Nikon D3 | 160 mm | 157 mm | 88 mm | 1300 g | 4300 | Y | Aug 2007 | 4,999 | ebay.com | |
16. | Nikon D2Xs | 158 mm | 150 mm | 86 mm | 1252 g | 3800 | Y | Jun 2006 | 4,699 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A6400 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 50 mm | 403 g | 410 | Y | Jan 2019 | 899 | amazon.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 1D Mark III was launched at a markedly lower price (by 79 percent) than the S1, 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.
Sensor comparison
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 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its 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 Leica S1 a medium format sensor. The sensor area in the S1 is 147 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.3 and 0.85. The sensor in the 1D Mark III has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the S1 offers a 1:1 aspect.
With 26.4MP, the S1 offers a higher resolution than the 1D Mark III (10.1MP), but the S1 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 7.01μm versus 7.21μm for the 1D Mark III). Yet, the 1D Mark III is a much more recent model (by 10 years and 5 months) than the S1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the S1 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.
The resolution advantage of the Leica S1 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the S1 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.7 x 25.7 inches or 65.3 x 65.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.6 x 20.6 inches or 52.2 x 52.2 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.1 x 17.1 inches or 43.5 x 43.5 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 Leica S1 Pro are ISO 50 to ISO 1600 (no boost).
In terms of underlying technology, the 1D Mark III is build around a CMOS sensor, while the S1 uses a CCD imager. 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 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 comparators.
# | 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. | Leica S1 | Medium Format | 26.4 | 5140 | 5140 | none | .. | .. | .. | .. | |
3. | Canon 5DS R | Full Frame | 50.3 | 8688 | 5792 | 1080/30p | 24.6 | 12.4 | 2308 | 86 | |
4. | Canon 5D Mark III | Full Frame | 22.1 | 5760 | 3840 | 1080/30p | 24.0 | 11.7 | 2293 | 81 | |
5. | Canon 1D Mark IV | APS-H | 16.0 | 4896 | 3264 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 12.0 | 1320 | 74 | |
6. | Canon 5D Mark II | Full Frame | 21.0 | 5616 | 3744 | 1080/30p | 23.7 | 11.9 | 1815 | 79 | |
7. | Canon 1Ds Mark III | Full Frame | 21.0 | 5616 | 3744 | none | 24.0 | 12.0 | 1663 | 80 | |
8. | Canon 1D Mark II N | APS-H | 8.2 | 3504 | 2336 | none | 22.3 | 11.2 | 975 | 66 | |
9. | Canon 1D Mark II | APS-H | 8.2 | 3504 | 2336 | none | 22.3 | 11.1 | 1003 | 66 | |
10. | Canon 1Ds | Full Frame | 11.0 | 4064 | 2704 | none | 21.8 | 11.0 | 954 | 63 | |
11. | Leica CL | APS-C | 24.1 | 6014 | 4014 | 4K/30p | 24.0 | 13.3 | 1788 | 82 | |
12. | Leica TL2 | APS-C | 24.1 | 6014 | 4014 | 4K/30p | 23.9 | 13.3 | 1753 | 82 | |
13. | Leica Q Typ 116 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.3 | 12.7 | 2221 | 85 | |
14. | Leica S2 | Medium Format | 37.5 | 7500 | 5000 | none | 23.9 | 12.5 | 2224 | 82 | |
15. | Nikon D3 | Full Frame | 12.1 | 4256 | 2832 | none | 23.5 | 12.2 | 2290 | 81 | |
16. | Nikon D2Xs | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | none | 22.2 | 10.9 | 489 | 59 | |
17. | Sony A6400 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.0 | 13.6 | 1431 | 83 | |
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. |
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 1D Mark III and the S1 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 table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 1D Mark III and Leica S1 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.
# | 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. | Leica S1 | optical | n | none / none | none | n | .. | 0.01/s | n | n | |
3. | Canon 5DS R | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | n | |
4. | Canon 5D Mark III | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 6.0/s | n | n | |
5. | Canon 1D Mark IV | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | n | |
6. | Canon 5D Mark II | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 3.9/s | n | n | |
7. | Canon 1Ds Mark III | optical | Y | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | n | |
8. | Canon 1D Mark II N | optical | Y | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 8.5/s | n | n | |
9. | Canon 1D Mark II | optical | Y | 2.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 8.3/s | n | n | |
10. | Canon 1Ds | optical | Y | 2.0 / 120 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 3.0/s | n | n | |
11. | Leica CL | 2360 | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | n | |
12. | Leica TL2 | optional | n | 3.7 / 1230 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | n | n | |
13. | Leica Q Typ 116 | 3680 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | Y | 1/2000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
14. | Leica S2 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 1.5/s | n | n | |
15. | Nikon D3 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 11.0/s | n | n | |
16. | Nikon D2Xs | optical | Y | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | n | |
17. | Sony A6400 | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | Y | 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 S1 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 S1 uses external storage.
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 Leica S1 Pro 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 Mark III | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
2. | Leica S1 | - | - / - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
3. | Canon 5DS R | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 3.0 | - | - | - | |
4. | Canon 5D Mark III | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
5. | Canon 1D Mark IV | Y | stereo / - | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Canon 5D Mark II | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
7. | Canon 1Ds Mark III | Y | mono / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Canon 1D Mark II N | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 1.1 | - | - | - | |
9. | Canon 1D Mark II | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 1.1 | - | - | - | |
10. | Canon 1Ds | Y | - / - | - | - | - | FW | - | - | - | |
11. | Leica CL | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | - | - | Y | - | - | |
12. | Leica TL2 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 3.0 | Y | - | - | |
13. | Leica Q Typ 116 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
14. | Leica S2 | Y | - / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
15. | Nikon D3 | Y | - / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
16. | Nikon D2Xs | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
17. | Sony A6400 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y |
It is notable that the 1D Mark III has a hotshoe, while the S1 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.
Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 1D Mark III (unlike the S1) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.
Both the 1D Mark III and the S1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The S1 was replaced by the Leica S2, while the 1D Mark III was followed by the Canon 1D Mark IV. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon and Leica websites.
Review summary
So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon 1D Mark III better than the Leica S1 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.
Advantages of the Canon EOS-1D Mark III:
- Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
- Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
- Rear screen: Has a backside LCD (3.0") for image review and settings control.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 0.01 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- More compact: Is smaller (156x157mm vs 339x214mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
- Less heavy: Is lighter (by 1345g or 54 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
- More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
- Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
- Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
- Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (79 percent cheaper at launch).
- More modern: Reflects 10 years and 5 months of technical progress since the S1 launch.
Reasons to prefer the Leica S1 Pro:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (26.4 vs 10.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 56%.
- Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
- More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
- More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
- More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in August 1996).
If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 1D Mark III is the clear winner of the match-up (12 : 5 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 Leica S1 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.
In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 1D Mark III or the S1. 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.
Expert reviews
This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-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]). 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.
# | 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. | Leica S1 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Aug 1996 | 21,490 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 5DS R | 5/5 | + | .. | 83/100 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2015 | 3,699 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 5D Mark III | .. | + + | .. | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2012 | 3,499 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon 1D Mark IV | 5/5 | .. | .. | 89/100 | .. | .. | Oct 2009 | 4,999 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon 5D Mark II | 4/5 | 91/100 | .. | 79/100 | 4/5 | .. | Sep 2008 | 3,499 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon 1Ds Mark III | .. | .. | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | .. | Aug 2007 | 7,999 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon 1D Mark II N | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Aug 2005 | 3,999 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon 1D Mark II | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Jan 2004 | 4,499 | ebay.com | |
10. | Canon 1Ds | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Sep 2002 | 8,999 | ebay.com | |
11. | Leica CL | .. | .. | 4.2/5 | .. | .. | 4/5 | Nov 2017 | 2,795 | ebay.com | |
12. | Leica TL2 | 3.5/5 | .. | 3/5 | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Jul 2017 | 1,950 | ebay.com | |
13. | Leica Q Typ 116 | 5/5 | .. | .. | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2015 | 4,249 | ebay.com | |
14. | Leica S2 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Sep 2008 | 22,995 | ebay.com | |
15. | Nikon D3 | .. | .. | .. | + + | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2007 | 4,999 | ebay.com | |
16. | Nikon D2Xs | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Jun 2006 | 4,699 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A6400 | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jan 2019 | 899 | amazon.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. 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, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.
- Canon 1D C vs Leica S1
- Canon 1D Mark III vs Nikon D4S
- Canon 1D Mark III vs Panasonic GF3
- Canon 1D Mark III vs Panasonic LX7
- Canon 1D Mark III vs Panasonic ZS100
- Canon 1D Mark III vs Sony A77 II
- Canon 1D Mark III vs Sony HX90V
- Canon M vs Leica S1
- Leica S1 vs Leica S3
- Leica S1 vs Nikon D3200
- Leica S1 vs Nikon D850
- Leica S1 vs Sony RX1R II
Specifications: Canon 1D Mark III vs Leica S1
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.
Camera Model | Canon 1D Mark III | Leica S1 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | Canon EF mount lenses | Leica R mount lenses |
Launch Date | February 2007 | August 1996 |
Launch Price | USD 4,499 | USD 21,490 |
Sensor Specs | Canon 1D Mark III | Leica S1 |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | CCD |
Sensor Format | APS-H Sensor | Medium Format Sensor |
Sensor Size | 28.1 x 18.7 mm | 36.0 x 36.0 mm |
Sensor Area | 525.47 mm2 | 1296 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 33.8 mm | 50.9 mm |
Crop Factor | 1.3x | 0.85x |
Sensor Resolution | 10.1 Megapixels | 26.4 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 3888 x 2592 pixels | 5140 x 5140 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 7.21 μm | 7.01 μm |
Pixel Density | 1.92 MP/cm2 | 2.04 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | no AA filter |
Movie Capability | no Video | no Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 3,200 ISO | 50 - 1,600 ISO |
ISO Boost | 50 - 6,400 ISO | no Enhancement |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 71 | .. |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 22.7 | .. |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 11.7 | .. |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 1078 | .. |
Screen Specs | Canon 1D Mark III | Leica S1 |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Optical viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.58x | |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | no Top Display |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | |
LCD Resolution | 230k dots | |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | |
Shooting Specs | Canon 1D Mark III | Leica S1 |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | Manual Focus |
Continuous Shooting | 10 shutter flaps/s | 0.01 shutter flaps/s |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | no On-Board Flash |
Storage Medium | CF or SDHC cards | external |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | Single SSD |
Connectivity Specs | Canon 1D Mark III | Leica S1 |
External Flash | Hotshoe | no Hotshoe |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | no PC Sync |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | no USB |
HDMI Port | no HDMI | no HDMI |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | no Wifi |
Body Specs | Canon 1D Mark III | Leica S1 |
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | not weather sealed |
Battery Type | Canon LP-E4 | Leica external |
Body Dimensions |
156 x 157 x 80 mm (6.1 x 6.2 x 3.1 in) |
339 x 214 x 119 mm (13.3 x 8.4 x 4.7 in) |
Camera Weight | 1155 g (40.7 oz) | 2500 g (88.2 oz) |
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