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Canon 1Ds MII vs Canon 1Ds MIII

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Canon 1Ds MII

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

Canon 1Ds MII
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Canon 1Ds MIII

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

Canon 1Ds MIII
Canon 1Ds MII vs Canon 1Ds MIII Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing 1Ds MII and 1Ds MIII, two Pro DSLR cameras by Canon. Both cameras have Full frame sensors but Canon 1Ds MII has a 17.0 MP and Canon 1Ds MIII has a 21.0 MP resolution.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon 1Ds MII Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2005-10-11
  • 17MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Canon EF Mount
  • 2″ Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 4 fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 1565g. 156 x 158 x 80 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Canon EOS 1Ds Compare

Canon 1Ds MIII Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2008-08-18
  • 21MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 50 - 3200
  • Canon EF Mount
  • 3″ Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 1385g. 150 x 160 x 80 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II Compare

Canon 1Ds MII was replaced by Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III vs Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III vs Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

Canon 1Ds MIII was replaced by Canon EOS 1D X. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon EOS 1D X vs Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
Canon EOS 1D X vs Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

Reasons to choose Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II over Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
Sensor Pixel Area 52.02µm2 vs 41.08µm2 26% larger pixel area
Reasons to choose Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III over Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II
Max Sensor Resolution 21 MP vs 17 MP 23% more pixels
LCD Screen Size 3″ vs 2″ 1 inches larger display
Continuous Shooting 5.0fps vs 4.0fps 1 fps faster
Weight 1385 g vs 1565 g 180 g lighter
Color Depth 24.0 vs 23.3 higher color depth
Dynamic Range 12.0 vs 11.3 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO 1663 vs 1480 better High ISO performance
Shutter Life Expectancy 300000 cycles vs 200000 cycles Longer use without changing the shutter mechanism
Common Strengths of Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II and Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
External Flash Shoe Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Optical) Better framing and control
RAW Support Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Max Resolution 17 MP vs 21 MP Bigger prints and more details
Environmental Sealing Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording Yes vs Yes creative shooting
Top LCD Display Yes vs Yes Help viewing and changing settings easily
Flash Sync Port Yes vs Yes Connect off-camera flash
AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune) Yes vs Yes Adjust each lens for accurate focusing
Shutter Life Expectancy 200000 cycles vs 300000 cycles High Shutter Rating
Common Weaknesses of Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II and Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
Image Stabilization No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Articulating Screen No vs No No flexible viewing angles
Built-in Flash No vs No Require external flash
LCD Screen Resolution 230k dots vs 230k dots Low resolution screens
AE Bracketing No vs No Not good for multi-exposure HDR
Canon 1Ds MII vs Canon 1Ds MIII: Physical Specs Comparison

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII.

Canon 1Ds MII vs Canon 1Ds MIII Camera Size Comparison - Front View

Canon 1Ds MII vs Canon 1Ds MIII Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon 1Ds MIII is 180g lighter than the Canon 1Ds MII but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

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 both Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII have the same Full frame sized sensor, their lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will be similar in size and weight.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

1Ds MII
1Ds MIII
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Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

1Ds MII
1Ds MIII
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Average
Max
Canon 1Ds MII vs Canon 1Ds MIII: Sensor Comparison

Canon 1Ds MII has a 17.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Canon 1Ds MIII has a 21.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the 1Ds MII and 1Ds MIII sensor size comparison.

Canon 1Ds MII vs Canon 1Ds MIII Sensor Size Comparison


Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Canon 1Ds MII has 26% larger pixel area compared to Canon 1Ds MIII, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

What types of Photography are Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII 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 1Ds MII for Portrait Photography
GOOD

Canon 1Ds MIII for Portrait Photography
GOOD
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 17.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 21.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Canon 1Ds MII for Street Photography
AVERAGE

Canon 1Ds MIII for Street Photography
AVERAGE
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Canon 1Ds MII for Sports Photography
EXCELLENT

Canon 1Ds MIII for Sports Photography
EXCELLENT
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
45 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
45 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 1800 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Canon 1Ds MII for Daily Photography
GOOD

Canon 1Ds MIII for Daily Photography
GOOD
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
1565g
Body Thickness 80mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
1385g
Body Thickness 80mm
Read the details

Canon 1Ds MII for Landscape Photography
AVERAGE

Canon 1Ds MIII for Landscape Photography
GOOD
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 17.0MP
Environmental Sealings
No Live-view
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 21.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Canon 1Ds MIII vs Canon 1Ds MII Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. In this case, both Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII have the same Canon EF lens mount so have 271 native lenses available. But be careful that only 242 of these lenses can cover the full frame sensors of these cameras.

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 65 lenses with Image stabilization for Canon EF mount.

Lens Type # of Canon 1Ds MII Lenses # of Canon 1Ds MIII Lenses
Standard Zoom 25 (22 Full Frame) 25 (22 Full Frame)
Standard Prime 16 (16 Full Frame) 16 (16 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom 28 (19 Full Frame) 28 (19 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime 44 (44 Full Frame) 44 (44 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom 52 (49 Full Frame) 52 (49 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime 41 (41 Full Frame) 41 (41 Full Frame)
SuperZoom 17 (9 Full Frame) 17 (9 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 3 (3 Full Frame) 3 (3 Full Frame)
Macro Prime 25 (23 Full Frame) 25 (23 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime 16 (16 Full Frame) 16 (16 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime 1 (0 Full Frame) 1 (0 Full Frame)
TOTAL 271 (242 Full Frame) 271 (242 Full Frame)
Canon 1Ds MII vs Canon 1Ds MIII: 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 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 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 1Ds MII and Canon 1Ds MIII scores compare:

Canon 1Ds MII
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #6 out of 24 in Large SLR" cameras
Ranked #442 out of 1175 in all Cameras
Canon 1Ds MIII
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #4 out of 24 in Large SLR" cameras
Ranked #295 out of 1175 in all Cameras

Canon 1Ds MIII is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon 1Ds MII in all criterias.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Canon 1Ds MII
Canon 1Ds MII

Canon 1Ds MIII
Canon 1Ds MIII

Canon 1Ds MIII vs Canon 1Ds MII Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
Brand Canon Canon
Announced 2005-10-11 2008-08-18
Body Type Large SLR" Large SLR"
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Full frame Full frame
Dimensions 36 x 24 mm 36 x 24 mm
Area 864.00mm2 864.00mm2
Megapixels 17 megapixels 21 megapixels
Max Resolution 4992 x 3328 5616 x 3744
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 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 45 45
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Canon EF Canon EF
Number of Available Lenses 271 271
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 2″ 3″
Resolution 230k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.7 0.76
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed 1/8000s 1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Max Flash Sync 1/250s 1/250s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 4.0 fps 5.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution None None
Video Formats n/a n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 1565g 1385g
Dimensions 156 x 158 x 80mm 150 x 160 x 80mm
Battery Life n/a 1800 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 74 80
DxO Color Depth 23.3 24.0
DxO Dynamic Range 11.3 12.0
DxO Low Light ISO 1480 1663
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