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Canon 1D Review

  • Overview
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Canon 1D

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    Main Features

    • 4MP - APS-H CCD Sensor
    • ISO 100 - 3200
    • 2.00" Fixed Type Screen
    • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
    • 8.0fps continuous shooting
    • 1585g. 156 x 158 x 80 mm
    • Weather Sealed Body
    • Replaced by Canon 1D MII
    CHECK PRICE
    CHECK PRICE

    Canon 1D Overview

    First introduced in December 2001 , Canon EOS-1D is a 4.0MP Pro DSLR camera with a APS-H (28.7 x 19.1 mm ) sized CCD sensor, weather sealed body and Canon EF lens mount. Canon later replaced 1D with 1D MII. Follow the link to read our in-depth comparison of these cameras:
    Compare Canon EOS-1D vs Canon 1D MII

    Canon 1D Review - Click for Table of Contents

    1. Overview
    2. Pros and Cons
    3. Lens Mount and Lenses
    4. Sensor and Photography Features
    5. Physical Specs
    6. LCD and Viewfinder
    7. Connectivity, Storage and Battery
    8. Other Features
    9. Photography Type Scores
    10. Alternatives
    11. Popular Comparisons
    12. Frequently Asked Questions
    13. Detailed Specifications

    Canon 1D is a member of Canon's 1D series of cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this series and how their main specs have changed with each new version.

    Canon 1D Series History
    Model Release Date Sensor Dimensions Weight
    Canon 1D X III
    Compare
    2020 20.0MP - Full frame 158 x 168 x 83mm 1440g
    Canon 1D X II
    Compare
    2016 20.0MP - Full frame 158 x 168 x 83mm 1530g
    Canon 1D C
    Compare
    2012 18.0MP - Full frame 158 x 164 x 83mm 1500g
    Canon 1D X
    Compare
    2011 18.0MP - Full frame 158 x 164 x 83mm 1340g
    Canon 1D MIV
    Compare
    2010 16.0MP - APS-H 156 x 157 x 80mm 1230g

    Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series side by side:
    Canon 1D X MIII vs 1D X MII vs 1D C vs 1D X vs 1D MIV

    Alternative Model names found for Canon EOS-1D: EOS 1D Mark I, 1D Mark 1, 1D M1, 1D MI and EOS 1D I.


    **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.

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    Canon 1D PROs and CONs Review

    Now let's get in to more details of our Canon 1D review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

    PROs
    Optical Built-in Viewfinder
    45 Focus Points
    1/16000s High Shutter Speed
    Autofocus at f8 using center point
    8.0fps Max Continuous Shooting Speed
    Environmental Sealing
    Timelapse Recording
    0.72x magnification - Large Viewfinder
    Top LCD Display
    Flash Sync Port
    High Shutter Life Expectancy - 150000 cycles
    Magnesium alloy body elements
    Report a correction

    Buy Canon 1D from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO


    CONs
    No Wireless Connection
    No Sensor shift Image Stabilization
    No Articulating Screen
    No Full HD Video
    No Touch Screen
    No Face Detection Focusing
    Low Resolution Sensor: 4.0MP
    Max Sensitivity only ISO 3.200
    Small LCD Screen ( 2.00")
    Low Screen Resolution ( 120kdots )
    Heavy Body: 1585g
    No AF Micro Adjustment

    Report a correction


    Canon 1D Physical Specs
    Canon 1D weighs 1585 g (3.49 lb / 55.91 oz) and has external dimensions of 156 x 158 x 80 mm (6.14 x 6.22 x 3.15″). Considering that the average weight of DSLR type cameras is 773g, Canon 1D is a significantly heavy camera for its class. With a thickness of 80mm, it has an average thickness.
    Weight Comparison

    DSLR Cameras

    Canon 1D
    Min
    Average
    Max
    Thickness Comparison

    DSLR Cameras

    Canon 1D
    Min
    Average
    Max


    In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Canon 1D, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.


    Canon 1D Body Size Compared to a Credit card and a Battery
    Physical size of the Canon 1D Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery



    Below you can find the comparison of the weight and thickness of Canon 1D with its main competitors:

    Canon 1D Size Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Weight vs 1D Thickness vs 1D
    Canon EOS-1D Camera Canon 5D
    Compare
    895g 690g lighter 75mm 5mm thinner
    Canon EOS-1D Camera Canon 1D X
    Compare
    1340g 245g lighter 83mm 3mm thicker
    Canon EOS-1D Camera Canon 1D MII
    Compare
    1565g 20g lighter 80mm equal thickness
    Canon EOS-1D Camera Canon 5D MIV
    Compare
    890g 695g lighter 76mm 4mm thinner
    Canon EOS-1D Camera Canon 80D
    Compare
    730g 855g lighter 79mm 1mm thinner
    Canon EOS-1D Camera Nikon D1
    Compare
    1200g 385g lighter 85mm 5mm thicker
    Canon EOS-1D Camera Canon 700D
    Compare
    580g 1005g lighter 79mm 1mm thinner
    Canon EOS-1D Camera Nikon D1X
    Compare
    1200g 385g lighter 85mm 5mm thicker

    Weather Sealing

    Canon 1D has environmental sealings on its body which makes it a weather resistant camera, providing resistance against the water and dust getting in to the camera. If you like outdoors photography and want to be able to use your camera in extreme conditions, Canon 1D will serve you well. If you attach one of these Canon 1D weather Sealed lenses to your camera, you will have a great all weather kit.

    Canon 1D Lens Mount and Lenses

    Canon 1D has a Canon EF lens mount and currently there are 257 native lenses available for this mount. EF mount has the widest and most complete native lens offerings in the DSLR world which helps Canon to protect its place as the number 1 choice amongst professional photographers all over the world.

    Canon 1D doesn't have a sensor based image stabilization system but 77 of these lenses already comes with Optical Image Stabilization.

    Weather Sealed Lenses for Canon 1D

    There are 87 lenses with weather sealing for Canon 1D that you can couple with its weather sealed body.

    Here are some of the most popular Canon 1D Lenses on Camera Decision:

    Popular Canon EF Mount Lenses for Canon 1D
    Model Focal Length equiv. Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
    Canon EF 24-105mm f4L IS USM Lens Canon EF 24-105mm f4L IS USM
    31.2-136.5mm 35mm FF 670gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM Lens Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM
    91-390mm 35mm FF 630gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Canon EF 75-300mm f4.0-5.6 III Lens Canon EF 75-300mm f4.0-5.6 III
    97.5-390mm 35mm FF 480gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Canon EF 35-350mm f3.5-5.6L USM Lens Canon EF 35-350mm f3.5-5.6L USM
    45.5-455mm 35mm FF 1385gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS II USM Lens Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS II USM
    91-260mm 35mm FF 1490gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Canon EF 50mm f1.8 STM Lens Canon EF 50mm f1.8 STM
    65mm 35mm FF 159gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Canon EF 80-200mm f4.5-5.6 II Lens Canon EF 80-200mm f4.5-5.6 II
    104-260mm 35mm FF 250gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Canon EF 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III Lens Canon EF 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III
    45.5-104mm 35mm FF 175gr AF Amazon B&H Photo

    Here you can find the lenses that are compatible with 1D classified by suitability to certain photography types:

    • Best Canon EF Mount Lenses for Bird and Wildlife Photography
    • Best Canon EF Mount Lenses for Sports Photography
    • Best Canon EF Mount Lenses for Portrait Photography
    • Best Canon EF Mount Lenses for Travel Photography
    • Best Canon EF Mount Lenses for Street Photography
    • Best Canon EF Mount Lenses for Wedding Photography
    • Best Canon EF Mount Lenses for Vlogging
    • Best Canon EF Mount Lenses for Landscape Photography
    • Best Canon EF Mount Lenses for Macro Photography

    Check our Canon 1D Lenses page for more detailed lens search.

    Canon 1D Sensor and Photography Features

    Canon 1D has a 4.0MP APS-H (28.7 x 19.1 mm ) sized CCD sensor . You can shoot at maximum resolution of 2464 x 1648 pixels with aspect ratios of and 3:2. 1D has a native ISO range of 100 - 3200 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

    Canon 1D is not the highest resolution APS-H camera. Sigma Quattro H with its 45.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Canon 1D vs Sigma Quattro H or take a look at Highest resolution DSLR cameras list.

    Let's look at how the size of the Canon 1D's APS-H sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

    Canon 1D Sensor Size Comparison
    Comparison image of Canon 1D Sensor Size with other standard sensors



    Canon 1D LCD and Viewfinder

    Canon 1D has a Fixed Type 2.00-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 120k dots. At only 2.00", the screen is on the smaller side and 120kdot resolution is lower than most of the recent models in this class.



    Unfortunately Canon EOS-1D doesn't have a Selfie friendly screen. If this feature is important for your shooting style, check here the list of Best DSLR Cameras with Selfie Friendly LCD screen.


    1D has a built-in Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder, making it easier to shoot in direct sunlight and in other situations where it might be difficult to view the LCD monitor. The viewfinder has a coverage of 100% and a magnification ratio of 0.72x. 100% coverage ensures that what you see in the viewfinder while shooting matches exactly what you will get later in your image, helping accurate framing your shots and minimizes the need for cropping images later.

    Canon 1D Connectivity, Storage and Battery

    Canon 1D Features Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Max Video Battery Life Wi-fi Bluetooth NFC
    Canon EOS-1D Camera Canon 5D
    Compare
    None 800shots No No No
    Canon EOS-1D Camera Canon 1D X
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 1120shots No No No
    Canon EOS-1D Camera Canon 1D MII
    Compare
    None shots No No No
    Canon EOS-1D Camera Canon 5D MIV
    Compare
    4096 x 2160 900shots Yes No Yes
    Canon EOS-1D Camera Canon 80D
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 960shots Yes No Yes
    Canon EOS-1D Camera Nikon D1
    Compare
    None shots No No No
    Canon EOS-1D Camera Canon 700D
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 440shots No No No
    Canon EOS-1D Camera Nikon D1X
    Compare
    None shots No No No

    Canon 1D Other Features

    Max Shutter speed

    Canon 1D can shoot continuously at max speed of 8 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/16000 sec.

    Flash

    Unfortunately 1D doesn't have a built-in flash but it has a flash shoe for mounting external flashes.

    Focusing

    Canon 1D features a Phase Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 45 points to choose from.

    User Manual
    You can download Canon 1D's User Manual here



    What type of Photography is Canon 1D Good for?
    In this section, we review and score Canon 1D in 5 different photography areas.

    Canon 1D for Portrait Photography

    Canon 1D has a score of 45 for Portrait Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Portrait Photography list.
    Large APS-H (28.7 x 19.1 mm) sensor
    Optical Built-in Viewfinder
    Good Ergonomics&Handling

    Read the details of how we scored Canon 1D for Portrait Photography

    Canon 1D for Street Photography

    Canon 1D has a score of 40 for Street Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Street is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Street Photography list.
    Optical Built-in Viewfinder
    Large APS-H (28.7 x 19.1 mm) sensor

    Read the details of how we scored Canon 1D for Street Photography

    Canon 1D for Sports Photography

    Canon 1D has a score of 75 for Sports Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Sports Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Sports Photography list.
    Fast Continuous Shooting: 8.0fps
    Environmental Sealings
    Fast Max shutter speed: 1/16000s
    45 Focus Points
    Good Ergonomics&Handling
    Optical Built-in Viewfinder

    Read the details of how we scored Canon 1D for Sports Photography

    Canon 1D for Daily Photography

    Canon 1D has a score of 48 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Daily Photography list.
    Environmental Sealings
    Large APS-H (28.7 x 19.1 mm) sensor

    Read the details of how we scored Canon 1D for Daily Photography

    Canon 1D for Landscape Photography

    Canon 1D has a score of 27 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over the1D.
    Large APS-H (28.7 x 19.1 mm) sensor
    Environmental Sealings

    Read the details of how we scored Canon 1D for Landscape Photography
    Canon 1D Alternatives
    In this section, we analyse how Canon 1D compares with other DSLR cameras within a similar price range.
    Read a more detailed analysis of Canon 1D alternatives.

    Popular Comparisons of Canon 1D

    Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Canon 1D amongst Camera Decision readers.

    Canon 5D
    Canon 5D
    Compare
    Canon 1D X
    Canon 1D X
    Compare
    Canon 1D MII
    Canon 1D MII
    Compare
    Canon 5D MIV
    Canon 5D MIV
    Compare
    Canon 80D
    Canon 80D
    Compare
    Nikon D1
    Nikon D1
    Compare
    Canon 700D
    Canon 700D
    Compare
    Nikon D1X
    Nikon D1X
    Compare

    Canon 1D Alternatives in Mirrorless Cameras

    It would also be interesting to compare Canon 1D with Mirrorless Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked Mirrorless cameras in Canon 1D's price range.

    Sony A7R II
    Sony A7R II
    Compare
    Fujifilm X-S10
    Fujifilm X-S10
    Compare
    Fujifilm X-T200
    Fujifilm X-T200
    Compare
    Canon RP
    Canon RP
    Compare
    Sony A7 II
    Sony A7 II
    Compare
    Olympus E-M1 II
    Olympus E-M1 II
    Compare
    Panasonic G95
    Panasonic G95
    Compare
    Fujifilm X-T30 II
    Fujifilm X-T30 II
    Compare

    Canon 1D Conclusion and Scores

    Currently, Canon 1D has an Overall Score of 40/100 which is based on our evaluation of 69 different technical parameters. Our scores are dynamically updated whenever a new camera is added to our database or when we change our ranking algorithm and the maximum score is always 100. Canon EOS-1D is ranked #184 out of 209 in DSLR cameras (Top 20 DSLR), and ranked #717 out of 1259 in all Cameras (Top 20 Overall).

    #717 out of 1259 in Top Ranking Cameras
    #184 out of 209 in Top Ranking DSLR Cameras
    #27 out of 36 in Top Ranking Pro DSLR Cameras
    #7 out of 9 in Top Ranking APS-H Sensor Cameras
    #21 out of 23 in Top Ranking Canon12 Lens Mount Cameras
    #108 out of 379 in Largest Viewfinder Magnification Cameras (0.72x)
    #5 out of 6 in Lightest DSLR Cameras with APS-H sensor(1585g)
    #378 out of 918 in Top Ranking Cameras with Fixed Type Screen
    Geek Score: 0

    Main Scores
    Imaging
    Features
    Value for Money
    Portability
    Overall Score
    Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras.

    Frequently Asked Questions about Canon 1D
    Does the Canon 1D have Image Stabilization?
    Does the Canon 1D have RAW support?
    Does the Canon 1D have Weather Sealing?
    Does the Canon 1D have built-in GPS?
    What is the Max ISO of Canon 1D?
    What is the Sensor Size of Canon 1D?
    is the Canon 1D a Full Frame (FF) camera?
    Does the Canon 1D have Touch Screen?
    Does the Canon 1D have built-in Wireless?
    What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Canon 1D?
    What is the Weight of Canon 1D?
    What are the Dimensions of Canon 1D?
    Canon EOS-1D Detailed Specifications

    General
    Brand Canon
    Model Canon EOS-1D
    Announced 2001-12-13
    Body Type Large SLR
    Lens
    Manual Focus
    Lens Mount Canon EF
    Number of Lenses 257
    Focal Length Multiplier 1.3×
    Macro Focus Range n/a
    Screen
    Screen Type Fixed Type
    Screen Size 2.00"
    Screen Resolution 120k dots
    Live View
    Touch Screen
    Viewfinder
    Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism)
    Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Coverage 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.72x
    Photography Features
    Min Shutter Speed 30s
    Max Mechanical Shutter Speed 1/16000s
    Max Continuous Shooting 8.0 fps
    Shutter Priority
    Aperture Priority
    Manual Exposure Mode
    Exposure Compensation Yes
    Custom White Balance
    Image Stabilization
    Built-in Flash
    Flash Range no built-in flash
    Max Flash Sync 1/500s
    Flash Modes External
    External Flash
    AE Bracketing
    WB Bracketing
    Exposure Modes
    Multi-Segment
    Average
    Spot
    Partial
    AF-Area
    Center Weighted
    DxO Sensor Scores
    DxO Overall Score not tested
    DxO Color Depth not tested
    DxO Dynamic Range not tested
    DxO Low Light ISO not tested
    Report a correction

    Sensor
    Sensor Type CCD
    Sensor Size APS-H
    Sensor Dimensions 28.7 x 19.1 mm
    Sensor Area 548.17mm2
    Sensor Resolution 4 megapixels
    Max Image Resolution 2464 x 1648
    Max Native ISO 3,200
    Min Native ISO 100
    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
    Number of Cross Focus Points Unknown
    Video Features
    Max Video Resolution None
    Microphone Port
    Headphone Port
    Connectivity
    Wireless Connectivity None
    HDMI
    USB none
    Physical
    Environmental Sealing
    Water Proof
    Dust Proof
    Shock Proof
    Crush Proof
    Freeze Proof
    Weight 1585g
    Physical Dimensions 156 x 158 x 80mm
    Other Features
    Self Timer Yes (2 or 10 sec)
    Timelapse Recording
    GPS None
    Storage Type Compact Flash (Type I or II)
    Storage Slots 1


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