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Canon 1D Comparison Review

The Canon EOS-1D is a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera that was announced in September 2001 and is equipped with an APS-H sensor. It offers a resolution of 4.1 megapixel.

camera

Is the Canon 1D a good camera? The 1D has a Camera Elo of 1132. This rating puts the 1D below average of all digital single lens reflex cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (APS cameras), the 1D also ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 2.5-star performance rating. – Well, the Canon 1D is more than 22 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 2001.

Headline Specifications
Canon 1D
Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses
4.1 MP, APS-H Sensor
no Video
ISO 200 - 1 600 (100 - 3 200)
Optical viewfinder
2.0 LCD, 120k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
8 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body
500 shots per battery charge
156 x 158 x 80 mm, 1 585 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

The physical dimensions of the Canon 1D relative to a credit card are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

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

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Canon 1D 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 156 mm 158 mm 80 mm 1585 g 500 Y Sep 2001 6,499ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 1D X Mark III 158 mm 168 mm 83 mm 1440 g 2850 Y Jan 2020 6,499 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon 1D X Mark II 158 mm 168 mm 83 mm 1530 g 1210 Y Feb 2016 5,999ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 5D Mark IV 151 mm 116 mm 76 mm 890 g 900 Y Aug 2016 3,499 amazon.com
5.
 
Canon 5DS 152 mm 116 mm 76 mm 930 g 700 Y Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 1D C 158 mm 164 mm 83 mm 1545 g 1120 Y Apr 2012 14,999ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 1D X 158 mm 168 mm 83 mm 1551 g 1120 Y Oct 2011 6,799ebay.com
8.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark III 150 mm 160 mm 80 mm 1385 g 1800 Y Aug 2007 7,999ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 1D Mark II N 156 mm 158 mm 80 mm 1565 g 1200 Y Aug 2005 3,999ebay.com
10.
 
Canon 1D Mark II 156 mm 158 mm 80 mm 1535 g 1200 Y Jan 2004 4,499ebay.com
11.
 
Canon 1Ds 156 mm 158 mm 80 mm 1265 g 600 Y Sep 2002 8,999ebay.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 was launched in the US market at a price of $6,499. 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 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 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. 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 tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Canon 1D 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 among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality.

Canon 1D sensor measures

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 alternatives.

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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 APS-H 4.1 2496 1662none........
2.
 
Canon 1D X Mark III Full Frame 20.0 5472 36484K/60p24.214.5324891
3.
 
Canon 1D X Mark II Full Frame 20.0 5472 36484K/60p24.113.5320788
4.
 
Canon 5D Mark IV Full Frame 30.1 6720 44804K/30p24.813.6299591
5.
 
Canon 5DS Full Frame 50.3 8688 57921080/30p24.712.4238187
6.
 
Canon 1D C Full Frame 17.9 5184 34564K/24p24.313.0215585
7.
 
Canon 1D X Full Frame 17.9 5184 34561080/30p23.811.8278682
8.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark III Full Frame 21.0 5616 3744none24.012.0166380
9.
 
Canon 1D Mark II N APS-H 8.2 3504 2336none22.311.297566
10.
 
Canon 1D Mark II APS-H 8.2 3504 2336none22.311.1100366
11.
 
Canon 1Ds Full Frame 11.0 4064 2704none21.811.095463
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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It should be noted that unlike many modern cameras, the 1D does not provide the possibility to capture videos.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the 1D has an optical viewfinder that provides a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.55x. The adjacent tables list some of the other core features of the Canon 1D along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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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 1Doptical Y2.0 / 120 fixed n 1/16000s 8.0/s n n
2.
 
Canon 1D X Mark IIIoptical Y3.2 / 2100 fixed Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n n
3.
 
Canon 1D X Mark IIoptical Y3.2 / 1620 fixed Y 1/8000s 16.0/s n n
4.
 
Canon 5D Mark IVoptical Y3.2 / 1620 fixed Y 1/8000s 7.0/s n n
5.
 
Canon 5DSoptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
6.
 
Canon 1D Coptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 14.0/s n n
7.
 
Canon 1D Xoptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 14.0/s n n
8.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark IIIoptical Y3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
9.
 
Canon 1D Mark II Noptical Y2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 8.5/s n n
10.
 
Canon 1D Mark IIoptical Y2.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 8.3/s n n
11.
 
Canon 1Dsoptical Y2.0 / 120 fixed n 1/8000s 3.0/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 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 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 1DY- / ----FW---
2.
 
Canon 1D X Mark IIIYmono / monoYYmini3.1Y-Y
3.
 
Canon 1D X Mark IIYmono / monoYYmini3.0---
4.
 
Canon 5D Mark IVYmono / monoYYmini3.0YY-
5.
 
Canon 5DSYmono / monoY-mini3.0---
6.
 
Canon 1D CYmono / monoYYmini2.0---
7.
 
Canon 1D XYmono / -Y-mini2.0---
8.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark IIIYmono / ----2.0---
9.
 
Canon 1D Mark II NY- / ----1.1---
10.
 
Canon 1D Mark IIY- / ----1.1---
11.
 
Canon 1DsY- / ----FW---
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Further information on the features and operation of the 1D can be found in the free online Canon 1D Manual or on the Canon support site.

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Expert reviews

While the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the 1D 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 why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent 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]).

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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......+ +.... Sep 2001 6,499ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 1D X Mark III..+ +5/5..4.5/54/5 Jan 2020 6,499 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon 1D X Mark II....4.5/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2016 5,999ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 5D Mark IV4.5/5+ +4/587/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2016 3,499 amazon.com
5.
 
Canon 5DS..+..83/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 1D C............ Apr 2012 14,999ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 1D X5/5......4.5/54.5/5 Oct 2011 6,799ebay.com
8.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark III......+ +4.5/5.. Aug 2007 7,999ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 1D Mark II N............ Aug 2005 3,999ebay.com
10.
 
Canon 1D Mark II......+ +.... Jan 2004 4,499ebay.com
11.
 
Canon 1Ds......+ +.... Sep 2002 8,999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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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. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time 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.

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Canon 1D FAQ

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

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

The camera features a CCD (Charged Coupled Device) sensor.

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

Canon equipped the 1D with the DIGIC image processor.

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

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 100-3200.

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

Canon does not publish a shutter rating for the 1D. Yet, shutters in comparable cameras from other manufacturers are said to be good for at least 100 000 actuations. It should be noted, though, that this number represents a Mean Time before Failure. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust an expected shutter life of 100 000 shots over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.

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

Canon embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your 1D has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.

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

The 1D's flash sync speed is 1/500 sec.

Which battery does the Canon 1D use?

The camera gets its power from the NP-E3 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Canon 1D
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date September 2001
    Launch Price USD 6 499
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CCD
    Sensor Format APS-H Sensor
    Sensor Size 28.7 x 19.1 mm
    Sensor Area 548 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 34.5 mm
    Crop Factor 1.3x
    Sensor Resolution 4.1 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 2 496 x 1 662 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 11.56 μm
    Pixel Density 0.76 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability no Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 1 600 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 3 200 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.55x
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel
    LCD Size 2.0 inch
    LCD Resolution 120k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen
    Touch Input No touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking Feature
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/16000s
    Continuous Shooting 8 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse Photographyno Intervalometer
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium CF cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket
    USB Connector Firewire
    HDMI Port no HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi
    Body Specs
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed body
    Battery Type NP-E3 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)500 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 156 x 158 x 80 mm
    (6.1 x 6.2 x 3.1 in)
    Camera Weight 1 585 g (55.9 oz)

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