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Canon 1D X MIII vs Canon 90D Comparison

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Camera to replace
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Canon 1D X III

20 MP | Full frame (36 x 24 mm) CMOS Sensor

Canon 1D X III
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Canon 90D

33 MP | APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Canon 90D
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Canon 1D X III vs Canon 90D Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing 1D X MIII and 90D, two DSLR cameras by Canon. Canon EOS-1D X Mark III is a Pro DSLR class camera and Canon EOS 90D is a Advanced DSLR class camera.

Canon 1D X III was introduced to market in January 2020 and Canon 90D was launched in August 2019. There is only 4 months difference between 1D X MIII and 90D so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

This will be an interesting match up as even though these two cameras doesn't have the exact same body type, they are both ranked amongst Top 10 cameras in their classes. Canon 1D X III is ranked #2 out of 36 Pro DSLR cameras with an overall score of 82 whereas Canon 90D is ranked #7 out of 93 Advanced DSLR cameras with an overall score of 80.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon 1D X III and Canon 90D before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon 1D X III Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2020-01-07
  • 20MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 102400 ( expands to 50 - 819200)
  • Canon EF Mount
  • 3.20" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 20.0fps continuous shooting
  • 5.5K - 5472 x 2886 video resolution
  • 120fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • Built-in GPS
  • 1440g. 158 x 168 x 83 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Canon EOS-1D X Mark II Compare

Canon 90D Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2019-08-28
  • 33MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600 ( expands to 51200)
  • Canon EF/EF-S Mount
  • 3.00" Fully Articulated Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 11.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 701g. 141 x 105 x 77 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Canon EOS 80D Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon 1D X III and Canon 90D compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Canon EOS-1D X Mark III over Canon EOS 90D
Viewfinder Magnif.
0.76x vs 0.6x Larger Viewfinder
Max ISO
102.400 vs 25.600 300% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
191 vs 45 146 more focus points
Number of Cross Type Focus Points
155 vs 45 110 more cross type focus points
LCD Screen Size
3.2 vs 3 0.2 inches larger display
LCD Resolution
2.100k dots vs 1.040k dots 101% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
20.0fps vs 11.0fps 9 fps faster
Battery Life
2850 shots vs 1300 shots 1550 more frames with a single charge
Sensor Pixel Area
43.29µm2 vs 10.29µm2 320% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
5472 x 2886 vs 3840 x 2160 Higher Resolution Video
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
Shutter Life Expectancy
500000 cycles vs 200000 cycles Longer use without changing the shutter mechanism
Illuminated Buttons
Yes vs No Find the buttons easily in dark
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
Autofocus at f/8 aperture
191 point vs 27 point Autofocus with teleconverters
CFexpress Card Support
Yes (Type B) vs none Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds
CHECK 1D X MIII PRICE


Reasons to choose Canon EOS 90D over Canon EOS-1D X Mark III
LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Sensor Resolution
33 MP vs 20 MP 64% more pixels
Weight
701 g vs 1440 g 739 g lighter
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Selfie & Vlogger LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Focus Bracketing
Yes vs No Take multiple photos shifting focus point
Digital video stabilization
Yes vs No Stabilizes your videos in-camera
CHECK 90D PRICE

Common Strengths of Canon EOS-1D X Mark III and Canon EOS 90D
Wireless Connection
Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Touch Screen
Yes vs Yes Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Optical) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution
20 MP vs 33 MP Bigger prints and more details
Continuous Shooting
20.0fps vs 11.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Microphone Port
Yes vs Yes High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs Yes better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
Top LCD Display
Yes vs Yes Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Shutter Life Expectancy
500000 cycles vs 200000 cycles High Shutter Rating
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Webcam Function
Yes vs Yes Use your camera as a Webcam
Anti_flicker
Yes vs Yes Reduced uneven color and exposure under flickering light
Common Weaknesses of Canon EOS-1D X Mark III and Canon EOS 90D
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs Digital only No Built-in stabilization
Canon 1D X III vs Canon 90D: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Canon 1D X III and Canon 90D side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon 1D X III has external dimensions of 158 x 168 x 83 mm (6.22 x 6.61 x 3.27″) and weighs 1440 g (3.17 lb / 50.79 oz) (including batteries). Canon 90D has external dimensions of 141 x 105 x 77 mm (5.55 x 4.13 x 3.03″) and weighs 701 g (1.55 lb / 24.73 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon 1D X III and Canon 90D. Canon 90D is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 17mm narrower, 63mm shorter and 6mm thinner than Canon 1D X III.

Canon 1D X III vs Canon 90D Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Canon 1D X III and Canon 90D Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Canon 1D X III and Canon 90D.

Canon 1D X III vs Canon 90D Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Canon 1D X III and Canon 90D Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Canon 1D X III and Canon 90D.
Canon 1D X III vs Canon 90D Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Canon 1D X III and Canon 90D Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon 90D is significantly lighter (739g ) than the Canon 1D X III which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since Canon 1D X III has a Full frame sensor and Canon 90D has a smaller APS-C sensor, Canon 90D's lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will generally be lighter and smaller than the Canon 1D X III lenses.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

1D X MIII
90D
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

1D X MIII
90D
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Both 1D X MIII and 90D have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon 1D X III's 3.20" LCD screen is slightly larger than Canon 90D's 3 screen.

Canon 1D X III vs Canon 90D: Sensor Comparison

Canon 1D X III has a 20.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic X processor. On the other hand, Canon 90D has a 33.0MP APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features DIGIC 8 processor.

Canon 90D's sensor provides 13MP more than Canon 1D X III's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the 1D X MIII and 90D sensor size comparison.

Canon 1D X III vs Canon 90D Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon 1D X III and Canon 90D Cameras


As seen above, Canon 1D X III has a 2.6x Larger sensor area than Canon 90D. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Canon 1D X III vs Canon 90D Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Canon 90D has an advantage over Canon 1D X III There are 333 lenses for Canon 90D's Canon EF/EF-S mount, on the other hand there are only 257 lenses for Canon 1D X III's Canon EF lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 77 lenses for Canon EF mount and 113 lenses for Canon EF/EF-S mount with IS.

Lens Type # of Canon 1D X III Lenses # of Canon 90D Lenses
Standard Zoom 22 (22 Full Frame) 40
Standard Prime 19 (19 Full Frame) 21
Wideangle Zoom 20 (20 Full Frame) 37
Wideangle Prime 48 (48 Full Frame) 51
Telephoto Zoom 51 (51 Full Frame) 59
Telephoto Prime 44 (44 Full Frame) 44
SuperZoom 9 (9 Full Frame) 28
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 3 (3 Full Frame) 7
Macro Prime 24 (24 Full Frame) 28
Perspective Control Prime 16 (16 Full Frame) 16
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a 1
TOTAL 257 (256 Full Frame) 333


Now let's compare some sample lenses from each mount with typical Focal ranges for Canon 1D X III and Canon 90D to see how these lenses compares:

Fast Standard Zoom Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon 24-70mm f2.8L II USM Lens Canon 24-70mm f2.8L II USM
24 - 70mm 805gr 2245gr 113mm Amazon B&H Photo
Canon 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens Canon 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM
27.2 - 88mm 645gr 1346gr 111mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon EF 70-200 F2.8L IS III USM Lens Canon EF 70-200 F2.8L IS III USM
70 - 200mm 1440gr 2880gr 199mm Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM Lens Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM
80 - 240mm 1350gr 2051gr 198mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Normal Prime Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon 50mm f1.4 USM Lens Canon 50mm f1.4 USM
50mm 290gr 1730gr 51mm Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM Lens Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM
48mm 435gr 1136gr 63mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Wideangle Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III Lens Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III
16 - 35mm 790gr 2230gr 128mm Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 10-20mm F3.5 EX DC HSM Lens Sigma 10-20mm F3.5 EX DC HSM
16 - 32mm 520gr 1221gr 88mm Amazon B&H Photo
24-105mm f4 Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM Lens Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM
24 - 105mm 670gr 2110gr 107mm Amazon B&H Photo
Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM
24 - 136mm 575gr 1276gr 88mm Amazon B&H Photo
Super-Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C Lens Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C
150 - 600mm 1930gr 3370gr 290mm Amazon B&H Photo
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM
100 - 400mm 1590gr 2291gr 193mm Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Canon 1D X III and Canon 90D Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon 1D X III and Canon 90D for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Canon 1D X III for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Canon 90D for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 33.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Canon 1D X III for Street Photography

GOOD

Canon 90D for Street Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Canon 1D X III for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Canon 90D for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 20.0fps
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
155 Cross Type Focus sensors
191 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 2850 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 11.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
45 Cross Type Focus sensors
45 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 1300 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Anti Flicker feature
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Canon 1D X III for Daily Photography

GOOD

Canon 90D for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
1440g
Body Thickness 83mm
Read the details
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Anti Flicker feature
Large Body
701g
Body Thickness 77mm
Read the details

Canon 1D X III for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Canon 90D for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Built-in GPS
Read the details
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 33.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Canon 1D X III vs Canon 90D: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Canon 1D X III and Canon 90D, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Canon 1D X III and Canon 90D scores compare:

Canon 1D X III
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #2 out of 36 in Large SLR cameras
Ranked #44 out of 1244 in all Cameras
Canon 90D
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #7 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #57 out of 1244 in all Cameras

Canon 1D X III has a higher Overall Score than the Canon 90D and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Canon 1D X III
Canon 1D X III
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Canon 90D
Canon 90D
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Canon 90D vs Canon 1D X III Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon EOS-1D X Mark III Canon EOS 90D
Brand Canon Canon
Announced 2020-01-07 2019-08-28
Body Type Large SLR Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Full frame APS-C
Dimensions 36 x 24 mm 22.3 x 14.9 mm
Area 864.00mm2 332.27mm2
Megapixels 20 megapixels 33 megapixels
Max Resolution 5472 x 3648 6960 x 4640
Max Native Light sensitivity 102,400 ISO 25,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 819200 ISO 51200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 50 ISO -
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 191 45
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Canon EF Canon EF/EF-S
Number of Available Lenses 257 333
Screen
Type Fixed type Fully Articulated
Size 3.20" 3.00"
Resolution 2,100k dots 1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.76x 0.6x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s 1/8000s
Max Electronic Shutter n/a 1/16000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization No Digital only
Built-in Flash
Flash Range no built-in flash 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/250s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 20.0 fps 11.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 5472 x 2886 3840 x 2160
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264, H.265 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 1440g 701g
Dimensions 158 x 168 x 83mm 141 x 105 x 77mm
Battery Life 2850 shots 1300 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Built-in Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
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