Canon EOS 1D Mark IV vs Canon EOS 1D Mark II

This is a full comparison between the cameras Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and Canon EOS 1D 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

Both these cameras have the same sorts of sensor (called "Canon APS-H") which means that if you compare these cameras side by side the lenses will also have the same experienced focal length. Neither of the cameras has a Full frame sensor which means that you will get a "crop factor" where the camera's sensor size affect the focal length with a multiplier.

** 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 IV has a 16,1 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS 1D Mark II has 8,2 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Canon EOS 1D Mark IV has a 95 % larger resolution than Canon EOS 1D Mark II. 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 IV has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS 1D Mark II. Canon EOS 1D Mark IV has an ISO range that stretches from 50 to 102400 while Canon EOS 1D 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 IV
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 1D 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 IV can shoot up to 10 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 1D Mark II can shoot up to 8,5 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

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

When comparing these two cameras there is only one of them that can shoot movies and that is Canon EOS 1D Mark IV. Unfortunately Canon EOS 1D Mark II does not support recording movies and movie clips.

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 1D Mark II weighs 1565 gr (equal to 3.45 lb) which is 27% heavier than Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and its 1230 gr (or 2.71 lb).

Canon EOS 1D Mark IV vs Canon EOS 1D Mark II Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and Canon EOS 1D 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 IV	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Name	Canon EOS 1D Mark IV	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Manufacturer	Canon	Canon
Release Date and Price	Canon EOS 1D Mark IV	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Release Year	2009	2004
Release Date	2009-10-20	2004-01-29
MSRP	4999 USD	4499 USD
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Camera Type	Canon EOS 1D Mark IV	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Camera Type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor	Canon EOS 1D Mark IV	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Sensor Size	APS-H (approx 27.9 x 18.6 mm)	APS-H (approx 27.9 x 18.6 mm)
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	4896 x 3264 pixels	3504 x 2336 pixels
Megapixels	16,1 MP	8,2 MP
Image Processor	DIGIC 4	DIGIC 2
Image	Canon EOS 1D Mark IV	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
ISO Range	50 - 102400	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 IV	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous
Focus Points	45	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	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
Screen & Viewfinder	Canon EOS 1D Mark IV	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Articulated LCD	Fixed	Fixed
Screen size	3”	2”
Screen dots	920000	230000
Touch screen	No	No
Screen type	TFT LCD	N/A
Live view	Yes	No
Viewfinder Type	Optical (pentaprism)	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.76× (0.58× 35mm equiv.)	0.72× (0.55× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Canon EOS 1D Mark IV	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Frames per second	10 fps	8,5 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	Multi Center Weighted 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 IV	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Video recording	Yes	No
Video format	H.264	N/A
Video resolution	1280 x 720 1920 x 1080	N/A
Built-in Microphone	Yes	No
Built-in Speakers	No	No
Storage	Canon EOS 1D Mark IV	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Memory Card	Compact Flash SD/SDHC	Compact Flash SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Canon EOS 1D Mark IV	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
HDMI Output	Yes	No
Microphone Port	Yes	No
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	Yes Optional , Eye-Fi Connected and Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E2	No
Remote Control	Yes (N3 connector)	Yes (N3 connector)
GPS	No	No
Body & Dimensions	Canon EOS 1D Mark IV	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Enviromentally sealed	Yes	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	Lithium-Ion LP-E4 rechargeable battery & charger	Ni-MH pack NP-E3
Battery Life (CIPA)	1500 shots	N/A
Width	156 mm	156 mm
Height	157 mm	158 mm
Depth	80 mm	80 mm
Weight	1230 gram	1565 gram