Canon 1Ds MII has a
17.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Canon 5D MIII has a
22.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic 5+ processor.
Canon 5D MIII's sensor provides 5MP more than Canon 1Ds MII'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 1Ds MII and 5D MIII sensor size comparison.
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 5D MIII Cameras
Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 5D MIII have the same 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 33% larger pixel area compared to Canon 5D MIII, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.
DxOMark Sensor Scores
DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Canon 1Ds MII and Canon 5D MIII sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that 5D MIII has a better overall score of 81, 7 points higher compared to 1Ds MII's score of 74.
Model
Overall
Color Depth
Dynamic Range
Low-light ISO
Canon 1Ds MII
74
23.3 bits
11.3 Evs
1480 ISO
Canon 5D MIII
81
24.0 bits
11.7 Evs
2293 ISO
Sensor size sets the circle of confusion, so it drives how much depth of field each
of these bodies gives you at a given aperture. You can calculate it exactly for the
Canon 1Ds MII
or the
Canon 5D MIII ,
including hyperfocal distance.
