CameraLore
Side-by-side comparison

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

Archive illustration for Canon EOS-1D Mark II N

Canon / 2005

EOS-1D Mark II N

Full specifications
VS
Archive illustration for Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

Canon / 2007

EOS-1Ds Mark III

Full specifications

Sensor area

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548 mm²
EOS-1D Mark II N
864 mm²
EOS-1Ds Mark III
Area ratio
1.58:1
Absolute difference
316 mm²
Relative difference
57.6%

The EOS-1Ds Mark III has the larger sensor area. More area usually means greater light-gathering potential, though real image quality still depends on sensor architecture and generation.

These cameras were released 2 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.

Key specification differences

EOS-1D Mark II NMetricEOS-1Ds Mark III
8.2 MPEffective pixels21.1 MP
28.7 × 19.1Sensor36 × 24
8.18 µmPixel pitch6.4 µm
66.85 µm²Pixel area40.95 µm²
1.5 MP/cm²Pixel density2.44 MP/cm²
1.26Crop factor1
—Maximum video—
1,565 gWeight1,385 g
Compact Flash (Type I or II), SD cardStorageCompactFlash type I, CompactFlash type II, Microdrive, SDHC Secure Digital
Canon Lithium-Ion Li-ion batteryBatteryLithium-Ion LP-E4 rechargeable battery Li-ion battery

Amber marks the value that is generally preferable in this comparison context. It is not an overall camera score.

How to choose between these cameras

The EOS-1Ds Mark III has the larger sensor area. The EOS-1Ds Mark III has the lighter body. The EOS-1Ds Mark III has the higher effective resolution. The EOS-1Ds Mark III is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.

Reasons to choose EOS-1D Mark II N

Released in 2005, EOS-1D Mark II N has about 548 mm² of sensor area, 8.2 MP effective resolution, and a 1,565 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.

Reasons to choose EOS-1Ds Mark III

Released in 2007, EOS-1Ds Mark III has about 864 mm² of sensor area, 21.1 MP effective resolution, and a 1,385 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.

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