Canon 1D versus Canon 30D

The Canon EOS-1D and the Canon EOS 30D are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2001 and February 2006. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-H (1D) and an APS-C (30D) sensor. The 1D has a resolution of 4.1 megapixel, whereas the 30D provides 8.2 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 vs Canon 30D

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 1D and the Canon 30D is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side 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 – 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 Canon 30D is considerably smaller (38 percent) than the Canon 1D. Moreover, the 30D is substantially lighter (50 percent) than the 1D. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 1D is splash and dust resistant, while the 30D 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 (as in the 1D) will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, while more compact options are available for the smaller-sensor camera (30D). You can find a comprehensive overview of suitable optics in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 1D gets 500 shots out of its NP-E3 battery, while the 30D can take 750 images on a single charge of its BP-511A power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the 1D has a battery grip build in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. In order to provide similar functionality for the 30D, Canon provides the BG-E2N vertical grip as an optional accessory (see here on eBay).

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, just select a new right or left comparator from among the camera models in the table. Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons 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»	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1585 g	500	Y	Sep 2001	6,499	-		Canon 1D
	Canon 30D«	144 mm	106 mm	74 mm	785 g	750	n	Feb 2006	1,399	-		Canon 30D
	Canon 1D X Mark II« »	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	5,999			Canon 1D X Mark II
	Canon 5D Mark IV« »	151 mm	116 mm	76 mm	890 g	900	Y	Aug 2016	3,499			Canon 5D Mark IV
	Canon 5DS« »	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699			Canon 5DS
	Canon 5DS R« »	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699			Canon 5DS R
	Canon 70D« »	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	1,199	-		Canon 70D
	Canon 1D C« »	158 mm	164 mm	83 mm	1545 g	1120	Y	Apr 2012	14,999	-		Canon 1D C
	Canon 1D X« »	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1551 g	1120	Y	Oct 2011	6,799	-		Canon 1D X
	Canon 7D« »	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	1,699	-		Canon 7D
	Canon 1Ds Mark III« »	150 mm	160 mm	80 mm	1385 g	1800	Y	Aug 2007	7,999	-		Canon 1Ds Mark III
	Canon 40D« »	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	750	n	Aug 2007	1,299	-		Canon 40D
	Canon 1D Mark II N« »	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1565 g	1200	Y	Aug 2005	3,999	-		Canon 1D Mark II N
	Canon 350D« »	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	899	-		Canon 350D
	Canon 1D Mark II« »	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1535 g	1200	Y	Jan 2004	4,499	-		Canon 1D Mark II
	Canon 20D« »	144 mm	106 mm	72 mm	770 g	700	n	Aug 2004	1,499	-		Canon 20D
	Canon 1Ds« »	156 mm	157.6 mm	80 mm	1265 g	600	Y	Sep 2002	8,999	-		Canon 1Ds
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The 30D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 78 percent) than the 1D, 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: Canon 1D vs Canon 30D

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. 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 tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 1D features an APS-H sensor and the Canon 30D an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the 30D is 38 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.3 and 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the 30D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 2) than the 1D (DIGIC), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the 30D offers a higher resolution of 8.2 megapixel, compared with 4.1 MP of the 1D. This megapixel advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 6.42μm versus 11.56μm for the 1D). However, it should be noted that the 30D is much more recent (by 4 years and 4 months) than the 1D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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.

Feature comparison: Canon 1D vs Canon 30D

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 1D and the 30D 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 and Canon 30D along with similar information for a selection of comparators. If needed, the dpreview camera hub, for example, contains further detail on the cameras' specs.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The 30D has one, while the 1D does not. While the build-in flash of the 30D is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

Both the 1D and the 30D write their imaging data to Compact Flash cards. The 1D features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 30D only has one slot.

Both the 1D and the 30D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on eBay. The 1D was replaced by the Canon 1D Mark II, while the 30D was followed by the Canon 40D.

Review summary: Canon 1D vs Canon 30D

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 1D or the Canon 30D – has the upper hand? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS-1D:

• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (16000/sec vs 8000/sec) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• 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.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2001).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 30D:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (8.2 vs 4.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 40%.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 2 vs DIGIC).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (2.5" vs 2.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (230k vs 120k dots).
• More compact: Is smaller (144x106mm vs 156x158mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 800g or 50 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (750 versus 500) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (78 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 4 months of technical progress since the 1D launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 30D is the clear winner of the contest (10 : 6 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision.

In any case, 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 and the 30D in practical situations. 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 why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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»	-	HiRec	-	-	-	Sep 2001	6,499	-		Canon 1D
	Canon 30D«	HiRec	HiRec	rev	rev	-	Feb 2006	1,399	-		Canon 30D
	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 5D Mark IV« »	HiRec	87/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	3,499			Canon 5D Mark IV
	Canon 5DS« »	Rec	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699			Canon 5DS
	Canon 5DS R« »	Rec	83/100	5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699			Canon 5DS R
	Canon 70D« »	HiRec	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	1,199	-		Canon 70D
	Canon 1D C« »	-	-	-	-	-	Apr 2012	14,999	-		Canon 1D C
	Canon 1D X« »	-	-	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2011	6,799	-		Canon 1D X
	Canon 7D« »	HiRec	84/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	1,699	-		Canon 7D
	Canon 1Ds Mark III« »	-	HiRec	4.5/5	-	-	Aug 2007	7,999	-		Canon 1Ds Mark III
	Canon 40D« »	HiRec	HiRec	4.5/5	rev	4.5/5	Aug 2007	1,299	-		Canon 40D
	Canon 1D Mark II N« »	-	-	-	-	-	Aug 2005	3,999	-		Canon 1D Mark II N
	Canon 350D« »	80/100	HiRec	rev	rev	-	Feb 2005	899	-		Canon 350D
	Canon 1D Mark II« »	-	HiRec	-	rev	-	Jan 2004	4,499	-		Canon 1D Mark II
	Canon 20D« »	-	HiRec	-	rev	-	Aug 2004	1,499	-		Canon 20D
	Canon 1Ds« »	-	HiRec	-	-	-	Sep 2002	8,999	-		Canon 1Ds

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. 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.

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 a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting. If you do not see the camera that you are looking for, kindly get in touch, and I will try to locate and add the respective data to the application.

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