Canon 1D Mark III versus Nikon D3

The Canon EOS-1D Mark III and the Nikon D3 are two professional cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2007 and August 2007. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-H (1D Mark III) and a full frame (D3) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 10.1 megapixel, whereas the Nikon provides 12.1 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Canon 1D Mark III vs Nikon D3

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 1D Mark III and the Nikon D3. 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. You can also toggle the display to switch to a percentage comparison if you prefer that the measures are being expressed in relative terms (in this case, the camera on the left side – the 1D Mark III – represents the basis for the calculations across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D3 is somewhat larger (3 percent) than the Canon 1D Mark III. Moreover, the D3 is markedly heavier (13 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 will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can find an overview of optics for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (1D Mark III) and the Nikon Lens Catalog (D3).

Concerning battery life, the 1D Mark III gets 2200 shots out of its LP-E4 battery, while the D3 can take 4300 images on a single charge of its EN-EL4a power pack.

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 III»	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	40.7 oz	2200	Y	Feb 2007	4,499	-		Canon 1D Mark III
	Nikon D3«	6.3 in	6.2 in	3.5 in	45.9 oz	4300	Y	Aug 2007	4,999	-		Nikon D3
	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 5D Mark III« »	6.0 in	4.6 in	3.0 in	33.5 oz	950	Y	Mar 2012	3,499	-		Canon 5D Mark III
	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 5D Mark II« »	6.0 in	4.5 in	3.0 in	30.0 oz	850	Y	Sep 2008	3,499	-		Canon 5D Mark II
	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« »	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	54.1 oz	1200	Y	Jan 2004	4,499	-		Canon 1D Mark II
	Canon 1Ds« »	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	44.6 oz	600	Y	Sep 2002	8,999	-		Canon 1Ds
	Nikon D4« »	6.3 in	6.2 in	3.6 in	47.3 oz	2600	Y	Jan 2012	5,999	-		Nikon D4
	Nikon D3S« »	6.3 in	6.2 in	3.5 in	43.7 oz	4200	Y	Oct 2009	5,199	-		Nikon D3S
	Nikon D700« »	5.8 in	4.8 in	3.0 in	37.9 oz	1000	Y	Jul 2008	2,999	-		Nikon D700
	Nikon D2Xs« »	6.2 in	5.9 in	3.4 in	44.2 oz	3800	Y	Jun 2006	4,699	-		Nikon D2Xs
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The camera’s price is obviously a critical decision-making factor. 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 1D Mark III was somewhat cheaper (by 10 percent) than the D3 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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: Canon 1D Mark III vs Nikon D3

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 Nikon D3 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the D3 is 64 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.3 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors.

With 12.1MP, the D3 offers a higher resolution than the 1D Mark III (10.1MP), but the D3 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 8.43μm versus 7.21μm for the 1D Mark III) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the D3 is a somewhat more recent model (by 5 months) than the 1D Mark III, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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. Of the two cameras under consideration, the D3 has a markedly higher DXO score than the 1D Mark III (overall score 10 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 0.8 bits higher color depth, 0.5 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.1 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Feature comparison: Canon 1D Mark III vs Nikon D3

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 1D Mark III and the D3 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 adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 1D Mark III and Nikon D3 along with similar information for a selection of comparators. If needed, the dpreview camera hub, for example, contains further detail on the cameras' specs.

Both the 1D Mark III and the D3 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 D3 was followed by the Nikon D4.

Review summary: Canon 1D Mark III vs Nikon D3

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 1D Mark III and the Nikon D3? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS-1D Mark III:

• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 145g or 11 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2007).

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D3:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (12.1 vs 10.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 9%.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (10 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1.1 stops ISO advantage).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (922k vs 230k dots).
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (4300 versus 2200) out of a single battery charge.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (5 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D3 is the clear winner of the contest (6 : 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.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 1D Mark III or the D3. 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. This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). You can find the full text of the reviews by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

Review Scores

	Camera Model						Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon 1D Mark III»	-	-	-	rev	-	Feb 2007	4,499	-		Canon 1D Mark III
	Nikon D3«	-	HiRec	5/5	rev	4.5/5	Aug 2007	4,999	-		Nikon D3
	Canon 5DS R« »	Rec	83/100	5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699			Canon 5DS R
	Canon 5D Mark III« »	HiRec	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2012	3,499	-		Canon 5D Mark III
	Canon 1D Mark IV« »	-	89/100	-	5/5	-	Oct 2009	4,999	-		Canon 1D Mark IV
	Canon 5D Mark II« »	91/100	79/100	4/5	5/5	-	Sep 2008	3,499	-		Canon 5D Mark II
	Canon 1Ds Mark III« »	-	HiRec	4.5/5	-	-	Aug 2007	7,999	-		Canon 1Ds Mark III
	Canon 1D Mark II« »	-	HiRec	-	rev	-	Jan 2004	4,499	-		Canon 1D Mark II
	Canon 1Ds« »	-	HiRec	-	-	-	Sep 2002	8,999	-		Canon 1Ds
	Nikon D4« »	-	-	4.5/5	-	4.5/5	Jan 2012	5,999	-		Nikon D4
	Nikon D3S« »	-	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	5/5	Oct 2009	5,199	-		Nikon D3S
	Nikon D700« »	89/100	HiRec	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2008	2,999	-		Nikon D700
	Nikon D2Xs« »	-	-	-	rev	-	Jun 2006	4,699	-		Nikon D2Xs

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, 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 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.

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. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool. If you cannot find the camera you are interested in, please send me an email, and I will try to update the database with the necessary infos.

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