Canon T1i vs 1Ds

The Canon EOS Rebel T1i (called Canon 500D in some regions) and the Canon EOS-1Ds are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in March 2009 and September 2002. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (T1i) and a full frame (1Ds) sensor. The T1i has a resolution of 15.1 megapixels, whereas the 1Ds provides 11 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon T1i		Canon 1Ds
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
15.1 MP – APS-C sensor		11 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/20p Video		no Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 100-1,250
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 920k dots		2.0" LCD – 120k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3.4 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
400 shots per battery charge		600 shots per battery charge
129 x 98 x 62 mm, 520 g		156 x 158 x 80 mm, 1265 g

Check T1i offers at
ebay.com
Check 1Ds offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS Rebel T1i and the Canon EOS-1Ds? 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 T1i and the Canon 1Ds. 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 the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 1Ds is considerably larger (95 percent) than the Canon T1i. Moreover, the 1Ds is substantially heavier (143 percent) than the T1i. It is noteworthy in this context that the 1Ds is splash and dust-proof, while the T1i 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. A larger imaging sensor (as in the 1Ds) will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, while more compact options are available for the smaller-sensor camera (T1i). You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the T1i gets 400 shots out of its Canon LP-E5 battery, while the 1Ds can take 600 images on a single charge of its Canon NP-E3 power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the 1Ds has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. In order to provide similar functionality for the T1i, Canon provides the BG-E5 vertical grip as an optional accessory (see here on ebay).

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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 T1i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
2.		Canon 1Ds	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1265 g	600	Y	Sep 2002	8,999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark III	156 mm	157 mm	80 mm	1155 g	2200	Y	Feb 2007	4,499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D Mark IV	156 mm	157 mm	80 mm	1230 g	1500	Y	Oct 2009	4,999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1215 g	1200	Y	Sep 2004	7,999	ebay.com
6.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	150 mm	160 mm	80 mm	1385 g	1800	Y	Aug 2007	7,999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 5D	152 mm	113 mm	75 mm	895 g	400	Y	Aug 2005	3,299	ebay.com
8.		Canon T2i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	530 g	440	n	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
9.		Canon T3i	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
10.		Canon T4i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
11.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
12.		Canon T6	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
13.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
14.		Canon T100	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
15.		Canon XSi	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	524 g	500	n	Jan 2008	799	ebay.com
16.		Canon XT	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
17.		Canon XTi	127 mm	84 mm	65 mm	556 g	370	n	Aug 2006	799	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 retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The T1i was launched at a markedly lower price (by 91 percent) than the 1Ds, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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

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. 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 T1i features an APS-C sensor and the Canon 1Ds a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the 1Ds is 158 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of chip-set technology, the T1i uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 4) than the 1Ds (DIGIC), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Canon T1i offers a higher resolution of 15.1 megapixels, compared with 11 MP of the Canon 1Ds. 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 4.69μm versus 8.83μm for the 1Ds). However, it should be noted that the T1i is much more recent (by 6 years and 6 months) than the 1Ds, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The resolution advantage of the Canon T1i implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the T1i for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23.8 x 15.8 inches or 60.4 x 40.2 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 19 x 12.7 inches or 48.3 x 32.2 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.8 x 10.6 inches or 40.2 x 26.8 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 1Ds are 20.3 x 13.5 inches or 51.6 x 34.3 cm for good quality, 16.3 x 10.8 inches or 41.3 x 27.5 cm for very good quality, and 13.5 x 9 inches or 34.4 x 22.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS Rebel T1i has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS-1Ds are ISO 100 to ISO 1250, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-1250.

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.

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 imaging performance. 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 T1i	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
2.		Canon 1Ds	Full Frame	11.0	4064	2704	none	21.8	11.0	954	63
3.		Canon 1D Mark III	APS-H	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.7	11.7	1078	71
4.		Canon 1D Mark IV	APS-H	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	22.8	12.0	1320	74
5.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	Full Frame	16.6	4992	3328	none	23.3	11.3	1480	74
6.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	none	24.0	12.0	1663	80
7.		Canon 5D	Full Frame	12.7	4368	2912	none	22.9	11.1	1368	71
8.		Canon T2i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	784	66
9.		Canon T3i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
10.		Canon T4i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
11.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
12.		Canon T6	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
13.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
14.		Canon T100	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
15.		Canon XSi	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	none	21.9	10.8	692	61
16.		Canon XT	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
17.		Canon XTi	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.0	664	62

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The T1i indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the 1Ds does not. The highest resolution format that the T1i can use is 1080/20p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The T1i and the 1Ds 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 viewfinder in the 1Ds offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the T1i (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the 1Ds has a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.54x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon T1i and Canon 1Ds along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 T1i	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.4/s	Y	n
2.		Canon 1Ds	optical	Y	2.0 / 120	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 1D Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 1D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	optical	Y	2.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
7.		Canon 5D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	n
8.		Canon T2i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
9.		Canon T3i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
10.		Canon T4i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon T5	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon T6	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon T100	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon XSi	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
16.		Canon XT	optical	n	1.8 / 115	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
17.		Canon XTi	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The T1i has one, while the 1Ds does not. While the built-in flash of the T1i is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The T1i writes its imaging data to SDHC cards, while the 1Ds uses Compact Flash 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 Rebel T1i and Canon EOS-1Ds 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 T1i	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon 1Ds	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
3.		Canon 1D Mark III	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 1D Mark IV	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 5D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon T2i	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon T3i	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon T4i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon T6	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Canon T100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Canon XSi	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Canon XT	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Canon XTi	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 1Ds (unlike the T1i) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the T1i and the 1Ds have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 1Ds was replaced by the Canon 1Ds Mark II, while the T1i was followed by the Canon T2i. Further information on the features and operation of the T1i and 1Ds can be found, respectively, in the Canon T1i Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 1Ds Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon T1i or the Canon 1Ds – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS Rebel T1i:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (15.1 vs 11MP) with a 17% higher linear resolution.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 4 vs DIGIC).
• Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 1080/20p movies.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (920k vs 120k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3.4 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (129x98mm vs 156x158mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 745g or 59 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (91 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 6 years and 6 months of technical progress since the 1Ds launch.

Advantages of the Canon EOS-1Ds:

• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (0.5 stops ISO advantage).
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.54x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (600 versus 400) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2002).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the T1i comes out slightly ahead of the 1Ds (11 : 10 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 wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 T1i and the Canon 1Ds 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the T1i and the 1Ds in practical situations. 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon T1i	..	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
2.		Canon 1Ds	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2002	8,999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark III	..	..	..	..	..	..	Feb 2007	4,499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D Mark IV	5/5	..	..	89/100	..	..	Oct 2009	4,999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2004	7,999	ebay.com
6.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	..	..	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	Aug 2007	7,999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 5D	..	88/100	..	+ +	o	..	Aug 2005	3,299	ebay.com
8.		Canon T2i	..	+ +	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
9.		Canon T3i	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
10.		Canon T4i	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
11.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
12.		Canon T6	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
13.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
14.		Canon T100	..	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
15.		Canon XSi	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	799	ebay.com
16.		Canon XT	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
17.		Canon XTi	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	4/5	Aug 2006	799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

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

Check T1i offers at
ebay.com
Check 1Ds offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

~

Check T1i offers at
ebay.com
Check 1Ds offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.