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Canon 1D Mark IV Comparison Review

The Canon EOS-1D Mark IV is a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera that was officially introduced in October 2009 and is equipped with an APS-H sensor. It offers a resolution of 16 megapixel.

camera

Is the Canon 1D Mark IV a good camera? The 1D Mark IV has a Camera Elo of 1614. This rating puts the 1D Mark IV below average of all digital single lens reflex cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (APS cameras), the 1D Mark IV also ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 2.5-star performance rating. – Well, the Canon 1D Mark IV is more than 14 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 2009.

Headline Specifications
Canon 1D Mark IV
Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses
16 MP, APS-H Sensor
1080/30p Video
ISO 100 - 12 800 (50 - 102 400)
Optical viewfinder
3.0 LCD, 920k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
10 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body
1500 shots per battery charge
156 x 157 x 80 mm, 1 230 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

An illustration of the physical dimensions of the Canon 1D Mark IV vis-à-vis a credit card is provided in the side-by-side display below. 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.

Canon 1D Mark IV vs credit card front
1D Mark IV versus credit card top view
1D Mark IV and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Canon 1D Mark IV alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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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 IV 156 mm 157 mm 80 mm 1230 g 1500 Y Oct 2009 4,999ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 1D X Mark II 158 mm 168 mm 83 mm 1530 g 1210 Y Feb 2016 5,999ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 1D X 158 mm 168 mm 83 mm 1551 g 1120 Y Oct 2011 6,799ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 60D 145 mm 106 mm 79 mm 755 g 1100 Y Aug 2010 1,399ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 7D 148 mm 111 mm 74 mm 860 g 800 Y Sep 2009 1,699ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 5D Mark II 152 mm 114 mm 75 mm 850 g 850 Y Sep 2008 3,499ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 50D 146 mm 108 mm 74 mm 822 g 800 Y Aug 2008 1,299ebay.com
8.
 
Canon 1D Mark III 156 mm 157 mm 80 mm 1155 g 2200 Y Feb 2007 4,499ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark II 156 mm 158 mm 80 mm 1215 g 1200 Y Sep 2004 7,999ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon D4 160 mm 157 mm 91 mm 1340 g 2600 Y Jan 2012 5,999ebay.com
11.
 
Nikon D3S 160 mm 157 mm 88 mm 1240 g 4200 Y Oct 2009 5,199ebay.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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The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Canon 1D Mark IV was launched in the US market at a price of $4,999. 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.

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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Canon 1D Mark IV features an APS-H sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.3. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Canon 1D Mark IV among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality.

Canon 1D Mark IV sensor measures

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for most 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. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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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 IV APS-H 16.0 4896 32641080/30p22.812.0132074
2.
 
Canon 1D X Mark II Full Frame 20.0 5472 36484K/60p24.113.5320788
3.
 
Canon 1D X Full Frame 17.9 5184 34561080/30p23.811.8278682
4.
 
Canon 60D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.211.581366
5.
 
Canon 7D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.011.785466
6.
 
Canon 5D Mark II Full Frame 21.0 5616 37441080/30p23.711.9181579
7.
 
Canon 50D APS-C 15.1 4752 3168none21.811.469663
8.
 
Canon 1D Mark III APS-H 10.1 3888 2592none22.711.7107871
9.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark II Full Frame 16.6 4992 3328none23.311.3148074
10.
 
Nikon D4 Full Frame 16.2 4928 32801080/30p24.713.1296589
11.
 
Nikon D3S Full Frame 12.1 4256 2832720/24p23.512.0325382
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The 1D Mark IV indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the 1D Mark IV can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the 1D Mark IV has an optical viewfinder that provides a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.58x. The following tables report on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 1D Mark IV and comparable cameras.

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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 IVoptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 10.0/s n n
2.
 
Canon 1D X Mark IIoptical Y3.2 / 1620 fixed Y 1/8000s 16.0/s n n
3.
 
Canon 1D Xoptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 14.0/s n n
4.
 
Canon 60Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel n 1/8000s 5.3/s Y n
5.
 
Canon 7Doptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 8.0/s Y n
6.
 
Canon 5D Mark IIoptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 3.9/s n n
7.
 
Canon 50Doptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 6.3/s Y n
8.
 
Canon 1D Mark IIIoptical Y3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 10.0/s n n
9.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark IIoptical Y2.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 4.0/s n n
10.
 
Nikon D4optical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 11.0/s n n
11.
 
Nikon D3Soptical Y3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 11.0/s n n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One useful feature of the 1D Mark IV is a presence of 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.

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Connection 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 IV and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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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 IVYstereo / -Y-mini2.0---
2.
 
Canon 1D X Mark IIYmono / monoYYmini3.0---
3.
 
Canon 1D XYmono / -Y-mini2.0---
4.
 
Canon 60DYmono / monoY-mini2.0---
5.
 
Canon 7DYmono / -Y-mini2.0---
6.
 
Canon 5D Mark IIYmono / monoY-mini2.0---
7.
 
Canon 50DY- / ---mini2.0---
8.
 
Canon 1D Mark IIIY- / ----2.0---
9.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark IIY- / ----2.0---
10.
 
Nikon D4Ymono / monoYYmicro2.0---
11.
 
Nikon D3SYstereo / ---mini2.0---
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It is notable that the 1D Mark IV has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Further information on the features and operation of the 1D Mark IV can be found in the free online Canon 1D Mark IV Manual or on the Canon support site.

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Expert reviews

While the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the 1D Mark IV in practical situations. 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. This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
#    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 IV5/5....89/100.... Oct 2009 4,999ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 1D X Mark II....4.5/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2016 5,999ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 1D X5/5......4.5/54.5/5 Oct 2011 6,799ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 60D5/5+..79/1004/54.5/5 Aug 2010 1,399ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 7D5/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2009 1,699ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 5D Mark II4/591/100..79/1004/5.. Sep 2008 3,499ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 50D..+ +..+ +4.5/54.5/5 Aug 2008 1,299ebay.com
8.
 
Canon 1D Mark III............ Feb 2007 4,499ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark II......+ +.... Sep 2004 7,999ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon D4........4.5/54.5/5 Jan 2012 5,999ebay.com
11.
 
Nikon D3S5/5....89/1004.5/55/5 Oct 2009 5,199ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The review scores listed above should be treated 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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Canon 1D Mark IV FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the 1D Mark IV.

What is the technology behind the imaging sensor in the Canon 1D Mark IV?

The camera has a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor at its core.

Which image processing chip is used in the Canon 1D Mark IV to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Canon equipped the 1D Mark IV with the DIGIC IV image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Canon 1D Mark IV?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 50-102400.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV?

Canon mentions a shutter rating of 300 000 actuations for the 1D Mark IV. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the 1D Mark IV over, say, three years, one would have to take about 300 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Canon 1D Mark IV?

Canon embeds the number of shutter actuations in the camera firmware. You can check the number of shots that your 1D Mark IV has taken up to now by using a third-party app, as described on the Canon 1D Mark IV shutter count page.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Canon 1D Mark IV for flash photography?

The 1D Mark IV's flash sync speed is 1/300 sec.

Which battery does the Canon 1D Mark IV use?

The camera gets its power from the LP-E4 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just use the search menu below. An 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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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Canon 1D Mark IV
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date October 2009
    Launch Price USD 4 999
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-H Sensor
    Sensor Size 27.9 x 18.6 mm
    Sensor Area 519 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 33.5 mm
    Crop Factor 1.3x
    Sensor Resolution 16 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4 896 x 3 264 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 5.70 μm
    Pixel Density 3.08 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 12 800 ISO
    ISO Boost 50 - 102 400 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC IV
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 74
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 22.8
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.0
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1320
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.58x
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.0 inch
    LCD Resolution 920k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen
    Touch Input No touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking Feature
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 10 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy300 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse Photographyno Intervalometer
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium CF or SDHC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots
    UHS card support no
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port
    Wifi Support no Wifi
    Body Specs
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed body
    Battery Type LP-E4 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)1500 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 156 x 157 x 80 mm
    (6.1 x 6.2 x 3.1 in)
    Camera Weight 1 230 g (43.4 oz)

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