Canon 1D vs Leica M8

The Canon EOS-1D and the Leica M8 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2001 and September 2006. The 1D is a DSLR, while the M8 is a rangefinder-focusing mirrorless camera. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-H sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 4.1 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 10.4 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 1D		Leica M8
Digital single lens reflex		Rangefinder camera
Canon EF mount lenses		Leica M mount lenses
4.1 MP – APS-H sensor		10.4 MP – APS-H sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 200-1,600 (100 - 3,200)		ISO 160-2,500
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
2.0" LCD – 120k dots		2.5" LCD – 230k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
8 shutter flaps per second		2 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
500 shots per battery charge		550 shots per battery charge
156 x 158 x 80 mm, 1585 g		139 x 80 x 37 mm, 591 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS-1D and the Leica M8? 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 and the Leica M8 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M8 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the 1D 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 Leica M8 is considerably smaller (55 percent) than the Canon 1D. Moreover, the M8 is substantially lighter (63 percent) than the 1D. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 1D is splash and dust resistant, while the M8 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. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (1D) and the Leica M Lens Catalog (M8).

Concerning battery life, the 1D gets 500 shots out of its Canon NP-E3 battery, while the M8 can take 550 images on a single charge of its Leica BLI-312 power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the 1D has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 1D	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1585 g	500	Y	Sep 2001	US$ 6 499	ebay.com
2.		Leica M8	139 mm	80 mm	37 mm	591 g	550	n	Sep 2006	US$ 5 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark II	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1535 g	1200	Y	Jan 2004	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1565 g	1200	Y	Aug 2005	US$ 3 999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D Mark III	156 mm	157 mm	80 mm	1155 g	2200	Y	Feb 2007	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
6.		Canon 1D Mark IV	156 mm	157 mm	80 mm	1230 g	1500	Y	Oct 2009	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 1Ds	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1265 g	600	Y	Sep 2002	US$ 8 999	ebay.com
8.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	150 mm	160 mm	80 mm	1385 g	1800	Y	Aug 2007	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
9.		Canon 1D C	158 mm	164 mm	83 mm	1545 g	1120	Y	Apr 2012	US$ 14 999	ebay.com
10.		Canon 1D X	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1551 g	1120	Y	Oct 2011	US$ 6 799	ebay.com
11.		Canon 1D X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 5 999	ebay.com
12.		Canon 1D X Mark III	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1440 g	2850	Y	Jan 2020	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
13.		Canon XTi	127 mm	84 mm	65 mm	556 g	370	n	Aug 2006	US$ 799	ebay.com
14.		Leica M9	139 mm	80 mm	37 mm	585 g	550	n	Sep 2009	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
15.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	US$ 6 599	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D80	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	668 g	600	n	Aug 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic L10	135 mm	96 mm	78 mm	556 g	450	n	Aug 2007	US$ 599	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The M8 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 15 percent) than the 1D, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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

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. 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 tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-H sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the M8 is 11 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.3. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the M8 offers a higher resolution of 10.4 megapixels, compared with 4.1 MP of the 1D. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 6.84μm versus 11.56μm for the 1D). However, it should be noted that the M8 is much more recent (by 4 years and 11 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. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the M8 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Leica M8 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the M8 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 19.7 x 13.2 inches or 50 x 33.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 15.7 x 10.5 inches or 40 x 26.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 13.1 x 8.8 inches or 33.3 x 22.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 1D are 12.5 x 8.3 inches or 31.7 x 21.1 cm for good quality, 10 x 6.6 inches or 25.4 x 16.9 cm for very good quality, and 8.3 x 5.5 inches or 21.1 x 14.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS-1D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 100-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica M8 are ISO 160 to ISO 2500 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CCD (Charged Coupled Device) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

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

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	1662	none	..	..	..	..
2.		Leica M8	APS-H	10.4	3936	2630	none	21.1	11.3	663	59
3.		Canon 1D Mark II	APS-H	8.2	3504	2336	none	22.3	11.1	1003	66
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	APS-H	8.2	3504	2336	none	22.3	11.2	975	66
5.		Canon 1D Mark III	APS-H	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.7	11.7	1078	71
6.		Canon 1D Mark IV	APS-H	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	22.8	12.0	1320	74
7.		Canon 1Ds	Full Frame	11.0	4064	2704	none	21.8	11.0	954	63
8.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	none	24.0	12.0	1663	80
9.		Canon 1D C	Full Frame	17.9	5184	3456	4K/24p	24.3	13.0	2155	85
10.		Canon 1D X	Full Frame	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	23.8	11.8	2786	82
11.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207	88
12.		Canon 1D X Mark III	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.2	14.5	3248	91
13.		Canon XTi	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.0	664	62
14.		Leica M9	Full Frame	18.1	5212	3472	none	22.5	11.7	884	69
15.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
16.		Nikon D80	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.1	11.2	524	61
17.		Panasonic L10	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.3	10.8	429	55
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 1D and the M8 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 following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 1D, the Leica M8, and comparable cameras.

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	optical	Y	2.0 / 120	fixed	n	1/16000s	8.0/s	n	n
2.		Leica M8	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	2.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 1D Mark II	optical	Y	2.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	n	n
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.5/s	n	n
5.		Canon 1D Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon 1D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
7.		Canon 1Ds	optical	Y	2.0 / 120	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	n
8.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
9.		Canon 1D C	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
10.		Canon 1D X	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
11.		Canon 1D X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0/s	n	n
12.		Canon 1D X Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	n
13.		Canon XTi	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Leica M9	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.0/s	n	n
15.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
16.		Nikon D80	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
17.		Panasonic L10	optical	n	2.5 / 207	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the 1D, but is missing on the M8 is 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.

The 1D writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the M8 uses SDXC 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 and Leica M8 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
2.		Leica M8	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 1D Mark II	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
5.		Canon 1D Mark III	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 1D Mark IV	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 1Ds	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
8.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 1D C	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon 1D X	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon 1D X Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
13.		Canon XTi	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Leica M9	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
16.		Nikon D80	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Panasonic L10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 1D (unlike the M8) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 1D and the M8 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 1D was replaced by the Canon 1D Mark II, while the M8 was followed by the Leica M9. Further information on the features and operation of the 1D and M8 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 1D Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica M8 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 1D or the Leica M8 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS-1D:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/16000s vs 1/8000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 2 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.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2001).

Reasons to prefer the Leica M8:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (10.4 vs 4.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 58%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• 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 (139x80mm vs 156x158mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 994g or 63 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (15 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 11 months of technical progress since the 1D launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the M8 comes out slightly ahead of the 1D (9 : 8 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 1D or the M8 perform in practice. 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.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 1D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2001	US$ 6 499	ebay.com
2.		Leica M8	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2006	US$ 5 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark II	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Jan 2004	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2005	US$ 3 999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D Mark III	..	..	..	..	..	..	Feb 2007	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
6.		Canon 1D Mark IV	5/5	..	..	89/100	..	..	Oct 2009	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 1Ds	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2002	US$ 8 999	ebay.com
8.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	..	..	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	Aug 2007	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
9.		Canon 1D C	..	..	..	..	..	..	Apr 2012	US$ 14 999	ebay.com
10.		Canon 1D X	5/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2011	US$ 6 799	ebay.com
11.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 5 999	ebay.com
12.		Canon 1D X Mark III	..	+ +	5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2020	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
13.		Canon XTi	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	4/5	Aug 2006	US$ 799	ebay.com
14.		Leica M9	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	..	Sep 2009	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
15.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 6 599	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D80	..	+	..	+ +	o	4.5/5	Aug 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic L10	..	85/100	..	+	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2007	US$ 599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

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. 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. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

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