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Canon G1 X III vs Nikon D3 Comparison

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Canon G1 X III

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

Canon G1 X III
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Nikon D3

12 MP | Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon D3
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Canon G1 X III vs Nikon D3 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Canon G1 X III, which was introduced in October 2017 is a Large Sensor Compact camera with a 24.0MP APS-C sensor whereas Nikon D3, which was introduced in April 2008 is a Pro DSLR camera with a 12.0MP Full frame sensor. As you can see, D3 is 9 years older than G1 X III. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Comparing a DSLR camera to a Fixed Lens camera is not an easy task but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon G1 X III and Nikon D3 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon G1 X III Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2017-10-25
  • 24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • 24-72 mm F2.8-5.6 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3 Fully Articulated Screen
  • 2360k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 9.0 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 399g. 115 x 78 x 51 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II Compare

Nikon D3 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2008-04-18
  • 12MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 200 - 6400 ( expands to 100-25600)
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 11 fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 1300g. 160 x 157 x 88 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Nikon D3 was replaced by Nikon D3S. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D3S vs Nikon D3
Nikon D3S vs Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon G1 X III and Nikon D3 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III over Nikon D3
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
Image Stabilization
Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 12 MP 100% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 6.400 300% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution
1.040k dots vs 922k dots 12% higher resolution screen
Weight
399 g vs 1300 g 901 g lighter
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs None Higher Resolution Video
Built-in ND Filter
3.0-stops vs No Use larger aperture under strong light
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone


Reasons to choose Nikon D3 over Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III
Number of Focus Points
51 vs 49 2 more focus points
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
11.0fps vs 9.0fps 2 fps faster
Battery Life
4300 shots vs 200 shots 4100 more frames with a single charge
Sensor Pixel Area
71.40µm2 vs 13.84µm2 415% larger pixel area
Top LCD
Yes vs No Help viewing and changing settings easily
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot

Common Strengths of Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III and Nikon D3
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Optical) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs Yes creative shooting
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III and Nikon D3
Canon G1 X III vs Nikon D3: 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 G1 X III and Nikon D3 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon G1 X III has external dimensions of 115 x 78 x 51 mm (4.53 x 3.07 x 2.01″) and weighs 399 g (0.88 lb / 14.07 oz) (including batteries). Nikon D3 has external dimensions of 160 x 157 x 88 mm (6.3 x 6.18 x 3.46″) and weighs 1300 g (2.87 lb / 45.86 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon G1 X III and Nikon D3. Canon G1 X III is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 45mm narrower, 79mm shorter and 37mm thinner than Nikon D3. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Canon G1 X III has a built-in lens but Nikon D3 doesn't. Once you put a lens on D3, its thickness will increase significantly.

Canon G1 X III vs Nikon D3 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Canon G1 X III and Nikon D3 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Canon G1 X III and Nikon D3.

Canon G1 X III vs Nikon D3 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Canon G1 X III and Nikon D3 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Canon G1 X III and Nikon D3.
Canon G1 X III vs Nikon D3 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Canon G1 X III and Nikon D3 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon G1 X III is significantly lighter (901g ) than the Nikon D3 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on D3, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Both G1 X III and D3 have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon G1 X III and Nikon D3's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.

On the other hand, Canon G1 X III sports a Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over the head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. Nikon D3's LCD screen is a fixed type which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to G1 X III.
Canon G1 X III vs Nikon D3: Sensor Comparison

Canon G1 X III has a 24.0MP APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features DIGIC 7 processor. On the other hand, Nikon D3 has a 12.0MP Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed processor.

Canon G1 X III's sensor provides 12MP more than Nikon D3'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 G1 X III and D3 sensor size comparison.

Canon G1 X III vs Nikon D3 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon G1 X III and Nikon D3 Cameras


As seen above, Nikon D3 has a 2.6x Larger sensor area than Canon G1 X III. 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.

What types of Photography are Canon G1 X III and Nikon D3 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon G1 X III and Nikon D3 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 G1 X III for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Nikon D3 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Canon G1 X III for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Nikon D3 for Street Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Canon G1 X III for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D3 for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Fast Continuous Shooting: 9.0fps
Environmental Sealings
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
72 mm Tele Lens
Read the details
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 11.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
15 Cross Type Focus sensors
51 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 4300 shots
Good Low Light ISO
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Canon G1 X III for Daily Photography

GOOD

Nikon D3 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Compact Body
Environmental Sealings
399g
Body Thickness 51mm
3.0X Optical Zoom
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
1300g
Body Thickness 88mm
Read the details

Canon G1 X III for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D3 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Read the details

Canon G1 X III vs Nikon D3: 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 G1 X III and Nikon D3, 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 G1 X III and Nikon D3 scores compare:

Canon G1 X III
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #6 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #134 out of 1221 in all Cameras
Nikon D3
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #13 out of 36 in Large SLR cameras
Ranked #266 out of 1221 in all Cameras

Canon G1 X III has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon D3. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that G1 X III trails behind the D3: Imaging.
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Nikon D3. If not, we recommend the Canon G1 X III.

Canon G1 X III
Canon G1 X III
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Nikon D3
Nikon D3
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Nikon D3 vs Canon G1 X III Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III Nikon D3
Brand Canon Nikon
Announced 2017-10-25 2008-04-18
Body Type Large sensor compact Large SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size APS-C Full frame
Dimensions 22.3 x 14.9 mm 36 x 23.9 mm
Area 332.27mm2 860.40mm2
Megapixels 24 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 4256 x 2832
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 6,400 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 25600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 200 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity - 100 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 49 51
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens Nikon F
Lens Focal Range 24-72 mm (3x) no lens
Max Aperture F2.8-5.6 no lens
Macro Focus Range 10cm no lens
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Fixed type
Size 3 3"
Resolution 1,040k dots 922k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Resolution 2,360k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.7x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 9.00 m (at Auto ISO) no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/250s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 9.0 fps 11.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 None
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 399g 1300g
Dimensions 115 x 78 x 51mm 160 x 157 x 88mm
Battery Life 200 shots 4300 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 81
DxO Color Depth not tested 23.5
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 12.2
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 2290
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