Canon 1D versus Nikon D7200

The Canon EOS-1D and the Nikon D7200 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2001 and March 2015. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-H (1D) and an APS-C (D7200) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 4.1 megapixel, whereas the Nikon provides 24 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 Nikon D7200

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 1D and the Nikon D7200. 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. You can also use the toggle button 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 – the 1D – represents the basis or 100 percent 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 Nikon D7200 is considerably smaller (41 percent) than the Canon 1D. Moreover, the D7200 is substantially lighter (52 percent) than the 1D. 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. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can find an overview of optics for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (1D) and the Nikon Lens Catalog (D7200).

Concerning battery life, the 1D gets 500 shots out of its NP-E3 battery, while the D7200 can take 1110 images on a single charge of its EN-EL15 power pack.

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.

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 D7200 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 82 percent) than the 1D, which puts it into a different market segment. 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.

Sensor comparison: Canon 1D vs Nikon D7200

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. 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 tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 1D features an APS-H sensor and the Nikon D7200 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the D7200 is 33 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.3 and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the D7200 offers a higher resolution of 24 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 3.91μm versus 11.56μm for the 1D). However, it should be noted that the D7200 is much more recent (by 13 years and 5 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 D7200 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The D7200 indeed provides for movie recording, while the 1D does not. The highest resolution format that the D7200 can use is 1080/60p.

Feature comparison: Canon 1D vs Nikon D7200

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 1D and the D7200 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 table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 1D and Nikon D7200 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras. If needed, the dpreview camera hub, for example, contains further detail on the cameras' specs.

Both the 1D and the D7200 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on eBay. The 1D was replaced by the Canon 1D Mark II, while the D7200 was followed by the Nikon D7500.

Review summary: Canon 1D vs Nikon D7200

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon 1D better than the Nikon D7200 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS-1D:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (16000/sec vs 8000/sec) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2001).

Advantages of the Nikon D7200:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 4.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 140%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/60p video.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 2.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 120k dots).
• More compact: Is smaller (136x107mm vs 156x158mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 820g or 52 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1110 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 (82 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 13 years and 5 months of technical progress since the 1D launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D7200 is the clear winner of the contest (11 : 4 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 comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 1D or the D7200. 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 table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known 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							Camera Launch (year)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (amazon)	Used Price (ebay)
	Canon 1D (⇒ rgt)	-	HiRec	-	-	-	2001	6,499	discont.	check
	Nikon D7200 (⇒ lft)	HiRec	84/100 Silver	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	2015	1,199	discont.	check
	Canon 5D Mark IV (⇒ lft | rgt)	HiRec	87/100 Gold	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	2016	3,499	latest	check
	Canon 80D (⇒ lft | rgt)	HiRec	84/100 Silver	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	2016	1,199	latest	check
	Canon 1D X Mark II (⇒ lft | rgt)	-	89/100 Gold	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	2016	5,999	latest	check
	Canon 5DS R (⇒ lft | rgt)	Rec	83/100 Silver	5/5	5/5	4.5/5	2015	3,699	latest	check
	Canon 5DS (⇒ lft | rgt)	Rec	83/100 Silver	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	2015	3,699	latest	check
	Canon 1D C (⇒ lft | rgt)	-	-	-	-	-	2012	14,999	discont.	check
	Canon 1D X (⇒ lft | rgt)	-	-	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	2011	6,799	discont.	check
	Canon 1Ds Mark III (⇒ lft | rgt)	-	HiRec	4.5/5	-	-	2007	7,999	discont.	check
	Canon 1D Mark II N (⇒ lft | rgt)	-	-	-	-	-	2005	3,999	discont.	check
	Canon 1D Mark II (⇒ lft | rgt)	-	HiRec	-	reviewed	-	2004	4,499	discont.	check
	Canon 1Ds (⇒ lft | rgt)	-	HiRec	-	-	-	2002	8,999	discont.	check
	Nikon D7500 (⇒ lft | rgt)	HiRec	86/100 Silver	5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	2017	1,299	latest	check
	Nikon D500 (⇒ lft | rgt)	HiRec	91/100 Gold	4.5/5	5/5	5/5	2016	1,999	latest	check
	Nikon D3300 (⇒ lft | rgt)	Rec	77/100 Silver	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	2014	499	discont.	check
	Nikon D7100 (⇒ lft | rgt)	HiRec	85/100 Gold	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	2013	1,199	discont.	check

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, 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

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