Canon 1D X Mark II vs 1DC

The Canon EOS-1D X Mark II and the Canon EOS-1D C are two professional cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2016 and April 2012. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The 1DX Mark II has a resolution of 20 megapixels, whereas the 1DC provides 17.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon 1D X Mark II		Canon 1D C
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
20 MP – Full Frame sensor		17.9 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/60p Video		4K/24p Video
ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 409,600)		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.2" LCD – 1620k dots		3.2" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
16 shutter flaps per second		14 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
1210 shots per battery charge		1120 shots per battery charge
158 x 168 x 83 mm, 1530 g		158 x 164 x 83 mm, 1545 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II and the Canon EOS-1D C? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 1D X Mark II and the Canon 1D C. 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 1D C is somewhat smaller (2 percent) than the Canon 1D X Mark II. However, the 1DC is slightly heavier (1 percent) than the 1DX Mark II. 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. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 1DX Mark II gets 1210 shots out of its Canon LP-E19 battery, while the 1DC can take 1120 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E4N power pack. As can be seen in the images above, both cameras have a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power.

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, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

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 X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
2.		Canon 1D C	158 mm	164 mm	83 mm	1545 g	1120	Y	Apr 2012	14,999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	150 mm	160 mm	80 mm	1385 g	1800	Y	Aug 2007	7,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D X	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1551 g	1120	Y	Oct 2011	6,799	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D X Mark III	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1440 g	2850	Y	Jan 2020	6,499	amazon.com
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	152 mm	114 mm	75 mm	850 g	850	Y	Sep 2008	3,499	ebay.com
7.		Canon 5D Mark III	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	950 g	950	Y	Mar 2012	3,499	ebay.com
8.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
9.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
11.		Nikon D5	160 mm	159 mm	92 mm	1415 g	3780	Y	Jan 2016	6,499	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

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 1DX Mark II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 60 percent) than the 1DC, 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.

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

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of chip-set technology, the 1DX Mark II uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 6+ (Dual)) than the 1DC (DIGIC 5+ (Dual)), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the 1DX Mark II offers a higher resolution of 20 megapixels, compared with 17.9 MP of the 1DC. This megapixels advantage translates into a 6 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the 1DX Mark II has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 6.57μm versus 6.95μm for the 1DC). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the 1DX Mark II is much more recent (by 3 years and 9 months) than the 1DC, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 1D X Mark II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 1DX Mark II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 1D C are 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The 1DX Mark II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS-1D X Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-409600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS-1D C are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) 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.

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 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 X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207	88
2.		Canon 1D C	Full Frame	17.9	5184	3456	4K/24p	24.3	13.0	2155	85
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	none	24.0	12.0	1663	80
4.		Canon 1D X	Full Frame	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	23.8	11.8	2786	82
5.		Canon 1D X Mark III	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.2	14.5	3248	91
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	1080/30p	23.7	11.9	1815	79
7.		Canon 5D Mark III	Full Frame	22.1	5760	3840	1080/30p	24.0	11.7	2293	81
8.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
9.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
11.		Nikon D5	Full Frame	20.7	5588	3712	4K/30p	25.1	12.3	2343	88
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the 1DX Mark II provides a higher frame rate than the 1DC. It can shoot video footage at 4K/60p, while the 1DC is limited to 4K/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 1DX Mark II and the 1DC 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 viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), as well as the same magnification (0.76x). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 1D X Mark II, the Canon 1D C, 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 X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0/s	n	n
2.		Canon 1D C	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 1D X	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 1D X Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.9/s	n	n
7.		Canon 5D Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	n
8.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
9.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
11.		Nikon D5	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The 1DX Mark II has a touchscreen, while the 1DC has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The 1DX Mark II writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or CFast cards, while the 1DC uses Compact Flash cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails.

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 X Mark II and Canon EOS-1D C 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 X Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon 1D C	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 1D X	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 1D X Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 5D Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Nikon D5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the 1DX Mark II has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the 1DX Mark II and the 1DC have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 1DX Mark II was replaced by the Canon 1DX Mark III, while the 1DC does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the 1DX Mark II and 1DC can be found, respectively, in the Canon 1D X Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 1D C Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon 1D X Mark II better than the Canon 1D C or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (20 vs 17.9MP) with a 6% higher linear resolution.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 6+ (Dual) vs DIGIC 5+ (Dual)).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/60p versus 4K/24p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1620k vs 1040k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (16 vs 14 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (60 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 9 months of technical progress since the 1DC launch.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS-1D C:

• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in April 2012).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 1DX Mark II is the clear winner of the match-up (11 : 1 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. 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 1D X Mark II and the Canon 1D C place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 1DX Mark II or the 1DC. 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 why hands-on reviews by experts are important. 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
2.		Canon 1D C	..	..	..	..	..	..	Apr 2012	14,999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	..	..	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	Aug 2007	7,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D X	5/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2011	6,799	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D X Mark III	..	+ +	5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2020	6,499	amazon.com
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	4/5	91/100	..	79/100	4/5	..	Sep 2008	3,499	ebay.com
7.		Canon 5D Mark III	..	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2012	3,499	ebay.com
8.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
9.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
11.		Nikon D5	..	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	6,499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated 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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

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