Canon 1Ds Mark III versus Nikon D3S

The Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and the Nikon D3S are two professional cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2007 and October 2009. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 21 megapixel, whereas the Nikon provides 12.1 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 1Ds Mark III vs Nikon D3S

The physical size and weight of the Canon 1Ds Mark III and the Nikon D3S are illustrated 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 width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter. If you prefer, you can also use the toggle button to switch to a comparison in percentage terms (in this case, the camera on the left – the 1Ds Mark III – 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 D3S is somewhat larger (5 percent) than the Canon 1Ds Mark III. However, the D3S is markedly lighter (10 percent) than the 1Ds Mark III. 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. Yet, since both cameras are based around a full frame sensor, their respective lenses will tend to have similar dimensions and heft. You can find an overview of optics for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (1Ds Mark III) and the Nikon Lens Catalog (D3S).

Concerning battery life, the 1Ds Mark III gets 1800 shots out of its LP-E4 battery, while the D3S can take 4200 images on a single charge of its EN-EL4a 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.

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 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
	Nikon D3S«	6.3 in	6.2 in	3.5 in	43.7 oz	4200	Y	Oct 2009	5,199	-		Nikon D3S
	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 6D« »	5.7 in	4.4 in	2.8 in	27.2 oz	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	-		Canon 6D
	Canon 5D Mark III« »	6.0 in	4.6 in	3.0 in	33.5 oz	950	Y	Mar 2012	3,499	-		Canon 5D Mark III
	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 1D Mark IV« »	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	43.4 oz	1500	Y	Oct 2009	4,999	-		Canon 1D Mark IV
	Canon 5D Mark II« »	6.0 in	4.5 in	3.0 in	30.0 oz	850	Y	Sep 2008	3,499	-		Canon 5D Mark II
	Canon 1D Mark III« »	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	40.7 oz	2200	Y	Feb 2007	4,499	-		Canon 1D Mark III
	Canon 1Ds Mark II« »	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	42.9 oz	1200	Y	Sep 2004	7,999	-		Canon 1Ds Mark II
	Nikon D4S« »	6.3 in	6.2 in	3.6 in	47.6 oz	3020	Y	Feb 2014	6,499	-		Nikon D4S
	Nikon D4« »	6.3 in	6.2 in	3.6 in	47.3 oz	2600	Y	Jan 2012	5,999	-		Nikon D4
	Nikon D3X« »	6.3 in	6.2 in	3.5 in	44.4 oz	4400	Y	Dec 2008	7,999	-		Nikon D3X
	Nikon D700« »	5.8 in	4.8 in	3.0 in	37.9 oz	1000	Y	Jul 2008	2,999	-		Nikon D700
	Nikon D3« »	6.3 in	6.2 in	3.5 in	45.9 oz	4300	Y	Aug 2007	4,999	-		Nikon D3
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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 D3S was launched at a markedly lower price (by 35 percent) than the 1Ds Mark III, 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: Canon 1Ds Mark III vs Nikon D3S

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and 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.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

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

With 21MP, the 1Ds Mark III offers a higher resolution than the D3S (12.1MP), but the 1Ds Mark III has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 6.41μm versus 8.43μm for the D3S). Moreover, the D3S is a somewhat more recent model (by 2 years and 1 month) than the 1Ds Mark III, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

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 Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar image quality. 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 D3S indeed provides for movie recording, while the 1Ds Mark III does not. The highest resolution format that the D3S can use is 720/24p.

Feature comparison: Canon 1Ds Mark III vs Nikon D3S

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 1Ds Mark III and the D3S 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 1Ds Mark III, the Nikon D3S, and comparable cameras. If needed, the dpreview camera hub, for example, contains further detail on the cameras' specs.

Both the 1Ds Mark III and the D3S have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on eBay. The 1Ds Mark III was replaced by the Canon 1DX, while the D3S was followed by the Nikon D4.

Review summary: Canon 1Ds Mark III vs Nikon D3S

So how do things add up? Is the Canon 1Ds Mark III better than the Nikon D3S or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (21 vs 12.1MP) with a 32% higher linear resolution.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2007).

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D3S:

• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1 stops ISO advantage).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 720/24p video.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 230k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (4200 versus 1800) out of a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (35 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 1 month of technical progress since the 1Ds Mark III launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D3S is the clear winner of the contest (7 : 2 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 technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 1Ds Mark III or the D3S. 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 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 1Ds Mark III»	-	HiRec	4.5/5	-	-	Aug 2007	7,999	-		Canon 1Ds Mark III
	Nikon D3S«	-	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	5/5	Oct 2009	5,199	-		Nikon D3S
	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 6D« »	HiRec	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	-		Canon 6D
	Canon 5D Mark III« »	HiRec	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2012	3,499	-		Canon 5D Mark III
	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 1D Mark IV« »	-	89/100	-	5/5	-	Oct 2009	4,999	-		Canon 1D Mark IV
	Canon 5D Mark II« »	91/100	79/100	4/5	5/5	-	Sep 2008	3,499	-		Canon 5D Mark II
	Canon 1D Mark III« »	-	-	-	rev	-	Feb 2007	4,499	-		Canon 1D Mark III
	Canon 1Ds Mark II« »	-	HiRec	-	-	-	Sep 2004	7,999	-		Canon 1Ds Mark II
	Nikon D4S« »	-	-	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	6,499	-		Nikon D4S
	Nikon D4« »	-	-	4.5/5	-	4.5/5	Jan 2012	5,999	-		Nikon D4
	Nikon D3X« »	-	86/100	4/5	5/5	5/5	Dec 2008	7,999	-		Nikon D3X
	Nikon D700« »	89/100	HiRec	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2008	2,999	-		Nikon D700
	Nikon D3« »	-	HiRec	5/5	rev	4.5/5	Aug 2007	4,999	-		Nikon D3

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when refering to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. 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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