Canon EOS 1D Mark III vs Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II

This is a full comparison between the cameras Canon EOS 1D Mark III and Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

These cameras are both manufactured by Canon.

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Canon EOS 1D Mark III has a "Canon APS-H"-sensor while Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II has a "Canon Full Frame"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)

Resolution

Canon EOS 1D Mark III has a 10,1 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II has 16,6 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II has a 65 % larger resolution than Canon EOS 1D Mark III. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Canon EOS 1D Mark III has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II. Canon EOS 1D Mark III has an ISO range that stretches from 50 to 6400 while Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II has 50 to 3200.

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 1D Mark III
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Canon EOS 1D Mark III can shoot up to 10 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II can shoot up to 4 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

Though, neither Canon EOS 1D Mark III or Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II can shoot movies so if that is a functionality that you are really looking for you should look elsewhere.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II weighs 1565 gr (equal to 3.45 lb) which is 35% heavier than Canon EOS 1D Mark III and its 1155 gr (or 2.55 lb).

Canon EOS 1D Mark III vs Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Canon EOS 1D Mark III and Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product	Canon EOS 1D Mark III	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II
Name	Canon EOS 1D Mark III	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II
Manufacturer	Canon	Canon
Release Date and Price	Canon EOS 1D Mark III	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II
Release Year	2007	2004
Release Date	2007-02-22	2004-09-21
MSRP	3999 USD	7999 USD
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Camera Type	Canon EOS 1D Mark III	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II
Camera Type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor	Canon EOS 1D Mark III	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II
Sensor Size	APS-H (approx 27.9 x 18.6 mm)	Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm)
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	3888 x 2592 pixels	4992 x 3328 pixels
Megapixels	10,1 MP	16,6 MP
Image Processor	DUAL DIGIC 3	DIGIC 2
Image	Canon EOS 1D Mark III	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II
ISO Range	50 - 6400	50 - 3200
White Balance Presets	8	8
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	No	No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	0 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW
Optics & Focus	Canon EOS 1D Mark III	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous
Focus Points	19	45
Lens Mount	Canon EF See Compatible Lenses	Canon EF See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	APS-H Sensor 1.3x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 31 mm 50 mm becomes 65 mm 100 mm becomes 130 mm 200 mm becomes 260 mm	Full frame No multiplier Example: 24 mm remains 24 mm 50 mm remains 50 mm 100 mm remains 100 mm 200 mm remains 200 mm
Screen & Viewfinder	Canon EOS 1D Mark III	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II
Articulated LCD	Fixed	Fixed
Screen size	3”	2”
Screen dots	230000	230000
Touch screen	No	No
Screen type	N/A	N/A
Live view	Yes	No
Viewfinder Type	Optical (pentaprism)	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.76× (0.58× 35mm equiv.)	0.7×
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Canon EOS 1D Mark III	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II
Frames per second	10 fps	4 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/8000 seconds	1/8000 seconds
Built-in Flash	No	No
Built-in Flash Range	N/A	N/A
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	Yes	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot Partial	Multi Spot Partial
Exposure Compensation	+/- 3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)	+/- 3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features	Canon EOS 1D Mark III	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II
Video recording	No	No
Video format	N/A	N/A
Video resolution	N/A	N/A
Built-in Microphone	No	No
Built-in Speakers	No	No
Storage	Canon EOS 1D Mark III	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II
Memory Card	Compact Flash SD/SDHC	Compact Flash
Connectivity	Canon EOS 1D Mark III	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II
HDMI Output	No	No
Microphone Port	No	No
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	Yes Optional with WFT-E2 II	No
Remote Control	Yes (N3 connector)	Yes (N3 connector)
GPS	No	No
Body & Dimensions	Canon EOS 1D Mark III	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II
Enviromentally sealed	Yes	Yes
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	Battery Pack LP-E4	Ni-MH Pack NP-E3
Battery Life (CIPA)	2200 shots	1200 shots
Width	156 mm	156 mm
Height	157 mm	158 mm
Depth	80 mm	80 mm
Weight	1155 gram	1565 gram