Reasons to choose EOS-1D Mark III
Released in 2007, EOS-1D Mark III has about 537 mm² of sensor area, 10.1 MP effective resolution, and a 1,335 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Canon EOS-1D Mark III
vs Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
VS
Sensor area
537 mm²
EOS-1D Mark III519 mm²
EOS-1D Mark IV- Area ratio
- 1.03:1
- Absolute difference
- 18 mm²
- Relative difference
- 3.4%
The EOS-1D 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 IIIMetricEOS-1D Mark IV
10.1 MPEffective pixels16.1 MP
28.7 × 18.7Sensor27.9 × 18.6
7.29 µmPixel pitch5.68 µm
53.14 µm²Pixel area32.23 µm²
1.88 MP/cm²Pixel density3.1 MP/cm²
1.26Crop factor1.29
—Maximum video—
1,335 gWeight1,230 g
Compact Flash (Type I or II), SD/SDHC cardStorageCompactFlash type I, CompactFlash type II, SDHC, Secure Digital
Lithium-Ion NB-4L battery 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-1D Mark III has the larger sensor area. The EOS-1D Mark IV has the lighter body. The EOS-1D Mark IV has the higher effective resolution. The EOS-1D Mark IV is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose EOS-1D Mark IV
Released in 2009, EOS-1D Mark IV has about 519 mm² of sensor area, 16.1 MP effective resolution, and a 1,230 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.