Canon 1D X MII Review

Main Features

20MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 51200( expands to 50-409600)

3.2 Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

16.0 fps continuous shooting

4K (DCI) - 4096 x 2160 video

Built-in GPS

1530g. 158 x 168 x 83 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Canon 1D X

Replaced by Canon 1D X III

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Canon 1D X II Overview

Canon 1D X II Review - Editor's Note

First introduced in February 2016 , Canon EOS-1D X Mark II is a 20.0MP Pro DSLR camera with a Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor. Canon replaced the older Canon 1D X with this model and later 1D X MII was replaced with Canon 1D X III. Follow the links to compare these cameras in detail:
Compare Canon EOS-1D X Mark II vs Canon 1D X
Compare Canon EOS-1D X Mark II vs Canon 1D X III

Alternatively, try our multi-camera comparison to see all three cameras on one page:

Compare Canon EOS-1D X Mark II vs 1D X vs 1D X MIII

Canon 1D X II Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Lens Mount and Lenses
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Video
Other Features
Photography Type Scores
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

Canon 1D X II 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	Max FPS	Dimensions	Weight
Canon 1D X III Compare	2020	20.0MP - Full frame	20.0 fps	158 x 168 x 83mm	1440g
Canon 1D X II	2016	20.0MP - Full frame	16.0 fps	158 x 168 x 83mm	1530g
Canon 1D C Compare	2012	18.0MP - Full frame	14.0 fps	158 x 164 x 83mm	1500g
Canon 1D X Compare	2011	18.0MP - Full frame	14.0 fps	158 x 164 x 83mm	1340g
Canon 1D MIV Compare	2010	16.0MP - APS-H	10.0 fps	156 x 157 x 80mm	1230g

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

Canon 1D X II has an Overall Score of 79/100 and ranked #15 out of 206 in DSLR cameras (Top 10 DSLR), and ranked #44 out of 1212 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Canon 1D X II Type Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

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Canon 1D X II Compared to other DSLR Cameras

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

PROs

4K (DCI) Video

Touch Screen

Optical Built-in Viewfinder

Built-in GPS

Face Detection Focusing

20.0MP - High Resolution Sensor

51.200 Max ISO

61 Focus Points

Large 3.2 Screen

1.620k dots LCD Resolution

1/8000s High Shutter Speed

Autofocus at f8 using 61 focus points

16.0fps Shooting w/ Mechanical Shutter

Long Battery Life (1210 shots)

External Microphone Port

External Headphone Port

Environmental Sealing

0.76x magnification - Large Viewfinder

Good Low Light ISO - 3207

2 Storage Slots

Top LCD Display

Flash Sync Port

AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune)

High Shutter Life Expectancy - 400000 cycles

Dual-axis Electronic Level

Magnesium alloy body elements

Webcam Functionality

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CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Image Stabilization

No Articulating Screen

Heavy Body: 1530g

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Canon 1D X II Lens Mount and Lenses

Canon 1D X II has a Canon EF lens mount and currently there are 250 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 X II doesn't have a sensor based image stabilization system but 76 of these lenses already comes with Optical Image Stabilization. There are also 83 lenses with weather sealing for 1D X MII that you can couple with its weather sealed body.

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

Popular Canon EF Mount Lenses for Canon 1D X II

Model	Focal Length on 1D X MII	Coverage	Weight	Focusing	Street Price
Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II	50mm	35mm FF	130gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 24-105mm f4L IS USM	24-105mm	35mm FF	670gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 50mm f1.8 STM	50mm	35mm FF	159gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 15mm f2.8 Fisheye	15mm	35mm FF	330gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM	70-300mm	35mm FF	630gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 40mm f2.8 STM	40mm	35mm FF	130gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM	50mm	35mm FF	290gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS II USM	70-200mm	35mm FF	1490gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo

Check our Canon 1D X II Lenses page or use our Smart Lens Finder tool for more detailed lens search.

Canon 1D X II Sensor and Photography Features

Canon 1D X II has a 20.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Dual DIGIC 6+ processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 5472 x 3648 pixels with aspect ratios of and 3:2. 1D X MII has a native ISO range of 100 - 51200 which can be boosted to 50-409600 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Canon 1D X II is not the highest resolution Full frame camera. Sony A7R IV with its 61.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Canon 1D X II vs Sony A7R IV or take a look at Highest resolution DSLR cameras list.

Canon 1D X II DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. Canon 1D X II sensor has been tested by DxO Mark and got an overall score of 88 for its image quality. You can find the details of their analysis of Canon 1D X II here.

Let's look at how the size of the Canon 1D X II's Full frame sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Canon 1D X II Physical Specs

Canon 1D X II weighs 1530 g (3.37 lb / 53.97 oz) and has external dimensions of 158 x 168 x 83 mm (6.22 x 6.61 x 3.27″). Considering that the average weight of DSLR type cameras is 774g, Canon 1D X II is a significantly heavy camera for its class. With a thickness of 83mm, it has an average thickness.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Canon 1D X II

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Canon 1D X II

Min

Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Canon 1D X II with the dimensions:

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Canon 1D X II with its main competitors:

Canon 1D X II Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs 1D X MII	Thickness	vs 1D X MII
Canon 1D X III Compare	1440g	90g lighter	83mm	equal thickness
Canon 5D MIV Compare	890g	640g lighter	76mm	7mm thinner
Sony A7 III Compare	650g	880g lighter	74mm	9mm thinner
Canon 1D X Compare	1340g	190g lighter	83mm	equal thickness
Nikon D5 Compare	1415g	115g lighter	92mm	9mm thicker
Canon R Compare	660g	870g lighter	84mm	1mm thicker
Nikon D850 Compare	1015g	515g lighter	79mm	4mm thinner
Sony A7R III Compare	657g	873g lighter	74mm	9mm thinner

Weather Sealing

Canon 1D X II 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 X II will serve you well. If you attach one of these Canon 1D X II weather Sealed lenses to your camera, you will have a great all weather kit.

Canon 1D X II LCD and Viewfinder

Canon 1D X II has a Fixed Type 3.2 LCD screen with a resolution of 1,620k dots. The Canon 1D X II's 3.2 screen is larger than average and its resolution is up to the class standarts.

LCD is Touch screen type, so you can change the settings and set the focus point with your fingertips.

1D X MII has a built-in Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder. The viewfinder has a coverage of 100% and a magnification ratio of 0.76x. 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 X II Connectivity, Storage and Battery

You can connect 1D X MII to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec) port.

Battery

Canon 1D X II is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 1210 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of DSLR type cameras is 943 shots, Canon 1D X II has a good battery life for its class.

Battery Life Comparison in Pro DSLR Cameras

Canon 1D X II

Min

Average

Max

Nikon D3X with its 4400shots is the model with longest battery life among Pro DSLR cameras. Check the comparison of Canon 1D X II vs Nikon D3X or take a look at Longest Battery Life DSLR cameras list.

Canon 1D X II Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Canon 1D X III Compare	5472 X 2886	2850shots	Yes	No	No
Canon 5D MIV Compare	4096 x 2160	900shots	Yes	No	Yes
Sony A7 III Compare	3840 x 2160	610shots	Yes	Yes	Yes
Canon 1D X Compare	1920 x 1080	1120shots	No	No	No
Nikon D5 Compare	3840 x 2160	3780shots	No	No	No
Canon R Compare	3840 x 2160	370shots	Yes	Yes	No
Nikon D850 Compare	3840 x 2160	1840shots	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sony A7R III Compare	3840 x 2160	650shots	Yes	Yes	Yes

Canon 1D X II Video Features

With Canon 1D X II, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 4096 x 2160 at 60p,30p,25p,24p,23.98p fps and save in MPEG-4, H.264 and Motion JPEG formats. This means that Canon 1D X II provides 4K (Ultra-HD) video. Except some exotic 6K and 8K video recording cameras, 4K is the new standard in consumer video world.
It is also a big step up from its predecessor 1D X which has a max video resolution of 1920 x 1080 only. If you are thinking of upgrading your 1D X and shoot a lot of video, this is a big factor to consider in favor of 1D X MII.

1D X MII has a built-in Mono microphone and a Mono speaker. Canon 1D X II also has a port for an external microphone and a headphone port for connecting external headphones which make Canon 1D X II a very suitable camera high quality videography.

Canon 1D X II Other Features

Max Shutter speed

Canon 1D X II can shoot continuously at max speed of 16.0 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/8000 sec.

Flash

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

Focusing

Canon 1D X II features both Contrast Detection and Phase Detection autofocus (AF) systems which ensures speed and accuracy of focusing in most situations. The AF system has 61 points to choose from.

Canon 1D X II also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

What type of Photography is Canon 1D X II Good for?

In this section, we review and score Canon 1D X II in 5 different photography areas.

Canon 1D X II for Portrait Photography

Canon 1D X II has a score of 67 for Portrait Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Portrait Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Portrait Photography list.

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 of how we scored Canon 1D X II for Portrait Photography

Canon 1D X II for Street Photography

Canon 1D X II has a score of 63 for Street Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Street Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Street Photography list.

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
Large Body

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

Canon 1D X II for Sports Photography

Canon 1D X II has a score of 93 for Sports Photography which makes it an EXCELLENT candidate for this type of photography.

Fast Continuous Shooting: 16.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
61 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 1210 shots

Good Low Light ISO
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Anti Flicker feature
No Image Stabilization

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

Canon 1D X II for Daily Photography

Canon 1D X II has a score of 71 for Daily Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Daily Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Environmental Sealings
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Large Body

1530g
Body Thickness 83mm

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

Canon 1D X II for Landscape Photography

Canon 1D X II has a score of 49 for Landscape Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Landscape Photography list.

Live-view
Built-in GPS
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor

Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Canon 1D X II for Landscape Photography

Canon 1D X II Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Canon 1D X II compares with other DSLR cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of 1D X MII and the top 10 contenders in the same range. Hover your mouse on the bubbles to see the details of the cameras.

Read a more detailed analysis of Canon 1D X II alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Canon 1D X II

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

Canon 1D X III

Compare

Canon 5D MIV

Compare

Sony A7 III

Compare

Canon 1D X

Compare

Nikon D5

Compare

Canon R

Compare

Nikon D850

Compare

Sony A7R III

Compare

Canon 1D X II Alternatives in Mirrorless Cameras

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

Sony A7R IV

Compare

Sony A7R III

Compare

Fujifilm GFX 50R

Compare

Fujifilm GFX 50S

Compare

Canon R5

Compare

Panasonic S1R

Compare

Nikon Z7

Compare

Sony A9 II

Compare

Frequently Asked Questions about Canon 1D X II

Does the Canon 1D X II have Image Stabilization?
Does the Canon 1D X II have RAW support?
Does the Canon 1D X II have Weather Sealing?
Does the Canon 1D X II have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Canon 1D X II?
What is the Sensor Size of Canon 1D X II?
is the Canon 1D X II a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Canon 1D X II have Touch Screen?
Does the Canon 1D X II have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Canon 1D X II?

Canon EOS-1D X Mark II Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Canon
Model	Canon EOS-1D X Mark II
Announced	2016-02-02
Body Type	Large SLR
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Canon EF
Number of Lenses	250
Focal Length Multiplier	1x
Macro Focus Range	n/a
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Size	3.2
Screen Resolution	1,620k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.76
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	30s
Max Mechanical Shutter Speed	1/8000s
Continuous Shooting	16.0 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
Flash Modes	no built-in flash
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	88
DxO Color Depth	24.1
DxO Dynamic Range	13.5
DxO Low Light ISO	3207
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CMOS
Sensor Size	Full frame
Sensor Dimensions	36 x 24 mm
Sensor Area	864.00mm²
Sensor Resolution	20 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	5472 x 3648
Max Native ISO	51,200
Max Boosted ISO	409600
Min Native ISO	100
Min Boosted ISO	50
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	61
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	4096 x 2160 (60p, 30p, 25p, 24p, 23.98p), 1920 x 1080 (120p, 60p, 50p, 25p, 24p, 23.98p)
Max Video Resolution	4096 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264, Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Optional
HDMI
USB	USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	1530g
Physical Dimensions	158 x 168 x 83mm
Battery Life	1210 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	LP-E19
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes
Timelapse Recording
GPS	BuiltIn
Storage Slots	2