Canon 1D versus Nikon D7200

The Canon EOS-1D and the Nikon D7200 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, 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. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures 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 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 adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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»	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	55.9 oz	500	Y	Sep 2001	6,499	-		Canon 1D
	Nikon D7200«	5.4 in	4.2 in	3.0 in	27.0 oz	1110	Y	Mar 2015	1,199	-		Nikon D7200
	Canon 5D Mark IV« »	5.9 in	4.6 in	3.0 in	31.4 oz	900	Y	Aug 2016	3,499			Canon 5D Mark IV
	Canon 80D« »	5.5 in	4.1 in	3.1 in	25.8 oz	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199			Canon 80D
	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 5DS R« »	6.0 in	4.6 in	3.0 in	32.8 oz	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699			Canon 5DS R
	Canon 5DS« »	6.0 in	4.6 in	3.0 in	32.8 oz	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699			Canon 5DS
	Canon 1D C« »	6.2 in	6.5 in	3.3 in	54.5 oz	1120	Y	Apr 2012	14,999	-		Canon 1D C
	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 1Ds Mark III« »	5.9 in	6.3 in	3.1 in	48.9 oz	1800	Y	Aug 2007	7,999	-		Canon 1Ds Mark III
	Canon 1D Mark II N« »	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	55.2 oz	1200	Y	Aug 2005	3,999	-		Canon 1D Mark II N
	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« »	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	44.6 oz	600	Y	Sep 2002	8,999	-		Canon 1Ds
	Nikon D7500« »	5.4 in	4.1 in	2.9 in	25.4 oz	950	Y	Apr 2017	1,299			Nikon D7500
	Nikon D500« »	5.8 in	4.5 in	3.2 in	30.3 oz	1240	Y	Jan 2016	1,999			Nikon D500
	Nikon D3300« »	4.9 in	3.9 in	3.0 in	15.2 oz	700	n	Jan 2014	499	-		Nikon D3300
	Nikon D7100« »	5.4 in	4.2 in	3.0 in	27.0 oz	950	Y	Feb 2013	1,199	-		Nikon D7100
Convert to Metric

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 tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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.

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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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 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 are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. 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 following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 1D, the Nikon D7200, and comparable 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 how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 1D or the Nikon D7200 – has the upper hand? 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).

Arguments in favor 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 number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D7200 is the clear winner of the contest (11 : 4 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.

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 D7200 handle or perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The full reviews are available 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
	Nikon D7200«	HiRec	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2015	1,199	-		Nikon D7200
	Canon 5D Mark IV« »	HiRec	87/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	3,499			Canon 5D Mark IV
	Canon 80D« »	HiRec	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199			Canon 80D
	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 5DS R« »	Rec	83/100	5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699			Canon 5DS R
	Canon 5DS« »	Rec	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699			Canon 5DS
	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 1Ds Mark III« »	-	HiRec	4.5/5	-	-	Aug 2007	7,999	-		Canon 1Ds Mark III
	Canon 1D Mark II N« »	-	-	-	-	-	Aug 2005	3,999	-		Canon 1D Mark II N
	Canon 1D Mark II« »	-	HiRec	-	rev	-	Jan 2004	4,499	-		Canon 1D Mark II
	Canon 1Ds« »	-	HiRec	-	-	-	Sep 2002	8,999	-		Canon 1Ds
	Nikon D7500« »	HiRec	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2017	1,299			Nikon D7500
	Nikon D500« »	HiRec	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,999			Nikon D500
	Nikon D3300« »	Rec	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	499	-		Nikon D3300
	Nikon D7100« »	HiRec	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	1,199	-		Nikon D7100

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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. 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. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored. If you cannot find the camera you are interested in, please send me an email, and I will try to add information on that model to the database.

You are here:  Home  »  CAM-parator  »  Canon 1D vs Nikon D7200