Canon 1D Mark IV vs Pentax K-1 II

The Canon EOS-1D Mark IV and the Pentax K-1 II are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in October 2009 and February 2018. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-H (1D Mark IV) and a full frame (K-1 II) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 16 megapixels, whereas the Pentax provides 36.2 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 IV		Pentax K-1 II
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Pentax K mount lenses
16 MP, APS-H Sensor		36.2 MP, Full Frame Sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 100-12800 (50-102400)		ISO 100-819200
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD, 920k dots		3.2" LCD, 1037k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)
10 shutter flaps per second		4.4 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
1500 shots per battery charge		670 shots per battery charge
156 x 157 x 80 mm, 1230 g		137 x 110 x 86 mm, 1010 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV and the Pentax K-1 II? 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 physical size and weight of the Canon 1D Mark IV and the Pentax K-1 II are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. 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.

The K-1 II can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the 1D Mark IV is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Pentax K-1 II is considerably smaller (38 percent) than the Canon 1D Mark IV. Moreover, the K-1 II is markedly lighter (18 percent) than the 1D Mark IV. 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. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the 1D Mark IV gets 1500 shots out of its LP-E4 battery, while the K-1 II can take 670 images on a single charge of its D-LI90 power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the 1D Mark IV 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 K-1 II, Pentax provides the D-BG6 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 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 IV»	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	43.4 oz	1500	Y	Oct 2009	4,999	-		Canon 1D Mark IV
	Pentax K-1 II«	5.4 in	4.3 in	3.4 in	35.6 oz	670	Y	Feb 2018	1,999			Pentax K-1 II
	Canon 1D X Mark II« »	6.2 in	6.6 in	3.3 in	54.0 oz	1210	Y	Feb 2016	5,999			Canon 1D X Mark II
	Canon 1D X« »	6.2 in	6.6 in	3.3 in	54.7 oz	1120	Y	Oct 2011	6,799	-		Canon 1D X
	Canon 60D« »	5.7 in	4.2 in	3.1 in	26.6 oz	1100	Y	Aug 2010	1,399	-		Canon 60D
	Canon 7D« »	5.8 in	4.4 in	2.9 in	30.3 oz	800	Y	Sep 2009	1,699	-		Canon 7D
	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 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
	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 Mark II« »	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	42.9 oz	1200	Y	Sep 2004	7,999	-		Canon 1Ds Mark II
	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
	Panasonic S1R« »	5.9 in	4.3 in	3.8 in	35.8 oz	380	Y	Feb 2019	3,699			Panasonic S1R
	Pentax K-1« »	5.4 in	4.3 in	3.4 in	35.6 oz	760	Y	Feb 2016	1,799	-		Pentax K-1
	Sony A7R III« »	5.0 in	3.8 in	2.9 in	22.9 oz	650	Y	Oct 2017	3,199	-		Sony A7R III
	Sony A99 II« »	5.6 in	4.1 in	3.0 in	29.9 oz	490	Y	Sep 2016	3,199			Sony A99 II
	Sony A850« »	6.1 in	4.6 in	3.2 in	31.6 oz	880	Y	Aug 2009	1,999	-		Sony A850
Convert to Metric
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 K-1 II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 60 percent) than the 1D Mark IV, 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 sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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 IV features an APS-H sensor and the Pentax K-1 II a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the K-1 II is 66 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 36.2MP, the K-1 II offers a higher resolution than the 1D Mark IV (16MP), but the K-1 II has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.88μm versus 5.70μm for the 1D Mark IV). Yet, the K-1 II is a much more recent model (by 8 years and 4 months) than the 1D Mark IV, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the K-1 II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Pentax K-1 II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the K-1 II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 36.8 x 24.6 inch or 93.5 x 62.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 29.4 x 19.6 inch or 74.8 x 49.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 24.5 x 16.4 inch or 62.3 x 41.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 1D Mark IV are 24.5 x 16.3 inch or 62.2 x 41.5 cm for good quality, 19.6 x 13.1 inch or 49.7 x 33.2 cm for very good quality, and 16.3 x 10.9 inch or 41.5 x 27.6 cm for excellent quality prints.

Unlike the 1D Mark IV, the K-1 II has the capacity to capture high quality composite images by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Canon EOS-1D Mark IV has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 50-102400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Pentax K-1 II are ISO 100 to ISO 819200 (no boost).

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the K-1 II provides a faster frame rate than the 1D Mark IV. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60i, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 1D Mark IV and the K-1 II 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 viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the K-1 II has a higher magnification than the one of the 1D Mark IV (0.70x vs 0.58x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 1D Mark IV, the Pentax K-1 II, and comparable cameras.

One feature that differentiates the K-1 II and the 1D Mark IV is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The K-1 II reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the 1D Mark IV has to rely on optical image stabilization in OIS-equipped lenses to achieve the same effect.

The Pentax K-1 II has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The 1D Mark IV writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDHC cards, while the K-1 II uses SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. The K-1 II supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the 1D Mark IV 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 IV and Pentax K-1 II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the K-1 II has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

The K-1 II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Pentax. In contrast, the 1D Mark IV has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the 1D Mark IV from Canon. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon and Pentax websites.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon 1D Mark IV better than the Pentax K-1 II or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 4.4 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 (1500 versus 670) on a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in October 2009).

Reasons to prefer the Pentax K-1 II:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (36.2 vs 16MP), which boosts linear resolution by 50%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60i versus 1080/30p).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.58x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 920k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (137x110mm vs 156x157mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 220g or 18 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• 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 (60 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 8 years and 4 months of technical progress since the 1D Mark IV launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the K-1 II is the clear winner of the contest (22 : 5 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. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 IV and the Pentax K-1 II 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 IV or the K-1 II perform in practice. 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 (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). 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.

Review Scores

	Camera Model						Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon 1D Mark IV»	-	89/100	-	5/5	-	Oct 2009	4,999	-		Canon 1D Mark IV
	Pentax K-1 II«	-	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	1,999			Pentax K-1 II
	Canon 1D X Mark II« »	-	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	5,999			Canon 1D X Mark II
	Canon 1D X« »	-	-	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2011	6,799	-		Canon 1D X
	Canon 60D« »	+	79/100	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	1,399	-		Canon 60D
	Canon 7D« »	+ +	84/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	1,699	-		Canon 7D
	Canon 5D Mark II« »	91/100	79/100	4/5	5/5	-	Sep 2008	3,499	-		Canon 5D Mark II
	Canon 1D Mark III« »	-	-	-	o	-	Feb 2007	4,499	-		Canon 1D Mark III
	Canon 1D Mark II« »	-	+ +	-	o	-	Jan 2004	4,499	-		Canon 1D Mark II
	Canon 1Ds Mark II« »	-	+ +	-	-	-	Sep 2004	7,999	-		Canon 1Ds Mark II
	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
	Panasonic S1R« »	-	89/100	4.5/5	-	4.5/5	Feb 2019	3,699			Panasonic S1R
	Pentax K-1« »	-	84/100	5/5	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2016	1,799	-		Pentax K-1
	Sony A7R III« »	+ +	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	5/5	Oct 2017	3,199	-		Sony A7R III
	Sony A99 II« »	-	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	3,199			Sony A99 II
	Sony A850« »	-	75/100	-	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2009	1,999	-		Sony A850
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (-) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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.

Specifications: Canon 1D Mark IV vs Pentax K-1 II

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.

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