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Canon EOS 5D Mark III  DXOMARK Sensor ScoresOverall Score 81 Portrait (Color Depth) 24 bits Landscape (Dynamic Range) 11.7 Evs Sports (Low-Light ISO) 2293 ISO Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III DXOMARK Sensor ScoresOverall Score 80 Portrait (Color Depth) 24 bits Landscape (Dynamic Range) 12 Evs Sports (Low-Light ISO) 1663 ISO The Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III are two professional cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2007 and March 2012. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The 1Ds Mark III has a resolution of 21 megapixels, whereas the 5D Mark III provides 22.1 MP. Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison. Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.
Body comparisonThe side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 1Ds Mark III and the Canon 5D Mark III. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter. If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 5D Mark III is notably smaller (27 percent) than the Canon 1Ds Mark III. Moreover, the 5D Mark III is markedly lighter (31 percent) than the 1Ds Mark III. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments. The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog. Concerning battery life, the 1Ds Mark III gets 1800 shots out of its LP-E4 battery, while the 5D Mark III can take 950 images on a single charge of its LP-E6 power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the 1Ds Mark III has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. In order to provide similar functionality for the 5D Mark III, Canon provides the BG-E11 vertical grip as an optional accessory (see here on ebay). The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there. Body Specifications # Camera Model Camera Width Camera Height Camera Depth Camera Weight Battery Life Weather Sealing Camera Launch Launch Price (USD) Street Price 1. Canon 1Ds Mark III 150 mm 160 mm 80 mm 1385 g 1800 Y Aug 2007 7,999ebay.com2. Canon 5D Mark III 152 mm 116 mm 76 mm 950 g 950 Y Mar 2012 3,499ebay.com3. Canon 1D X Mark III 158 mm 168 mm 83 mm 1440 g 2850 Y Jan 2020 6,499 amazon.com4. Canon 1D X Mark II 158 mm 168 mm 83 mm 1530 g 1210 Y Feb 2016 5,999ebay.com5. Canon 5D Mark IV 151 mm 116 mm 76 mm 890 g 900 Y Aug 2016 3,499 amazon.com6. Canon 5DS 152 mm 116 mm 76 mm 930 g 700 Y Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com7. Canon 5DS R 152 mm 116 mm 76 mm 930 g 700 Y Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com8. Canon 1D C 158 mm 164 mm 83 mm 1545 g 1120 Y Apr 2012 14,999ebay.com9. Canon 6D 145 mm 111 mm 71 mm 770 g 1090 Y Sep 2012 2,099ebay.com10. Canon 1D X 158 mm 168 mm 83 mm 1551 g 1120 Y Oct 2011 6,799ebay.com11. Canon 5D Mark II 152 mm 114 mm 75 mm 850 g 850 Y Sep 2008 3,499ebay.com12. Canon 1D Mark III 156 mm 157 mm 80 mm 1155 g 2200 Y Feb 2007 4,499ebay.com13. Canon 1Ds Mark II 156 mm 158 mm 80 mm 1215 g 1200 Y Sep 2004 7,999ebay.com14. Nikon D3X 160 mm 157 mm 88 mm 1260 g 4400 Y Dec 2008 7,999ebay.com Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The 5D Mark III was launched at a markedly lower price (by 56 percent) than the 1Ds Mark III, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.
Sensor comparisonThe size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider , and have richer than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses. Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2. While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the 5D Mark III offers a slightly higher resolution of 22.1 megapixels, compared with 21 MP of the 1Ds Mark III. This megapixels advantage translates into a 3 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the 5D Mark III has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a of 6.25μm versus 6.41μm for the 1Ds Mark III). However, it should be noted that the 5D Mark III is much more recent (by 4 years and 6 months) than the 1Ds Mark III, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. The Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 50-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 5D Mark III are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400. Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras. Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras. Sensor Characteristics # Camera Model Sensor Class Resolution (MP) Horiz. Pixels Vert. Pixels Video Format DXO Portrait DXO Landscape DXO Sports DXO Overall 1. Canon 1Ds Mark III Full Frame 21.0 5616 3744none24.012.01663802. Canon 5D Mark III Full Frame 22.1 5760 38401080/30p24.011.72293813. Canon 1D X Mark III Full Frame 20.0 5472 36484K/60p24.214.53248914. Canon 1D X Mark II Full Frame 20.0 5472 36484K/60p24.113.53207885. Canon 5D Mark IV Full Frame 30.1 6720 44804K/30p24.813.62995916. Canon 5DS Full Frame 50.3 8688 57921080/30p24.712.42381877. Canon 5DS R Full Frame 50.3 8688 57921080/30p24.612.42308868. Canon 1D C Full Frame 17.9 5184 34564K/24p24.313.02155859. Canon 6D Full Frame 20.0 5472 36481080/30p23.812.123408210. Canon 1D X Full Frame 17.9 5184 34561080/30p23.811.827868211. Canon 5D Mark II Full Frame 21.0 5616 37441080/30p23.711.918157912. Canon 1D Mark III APS-H 10.1 3888 2592none22.711.710787113. Canon 1Ds Mark II Full Frame 16.6 4992 3328none23.311.314807414. Nikon D3X Full Frame 24.4 6048 4032none24.713.7199288 Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The 5D Mark III indeed provides for movie recording, while the 1Ds Mark III does not. The highest resolution format that the 5D Mark III can use is 1080/30p.
Feature comparisonApart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 1Ds Mark III and the 5D Mark III are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the 1Ds Mark III has a higher magnification than the one of the 5D Mark III (0.76x vs 0.71x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 1Ds Mark III and Canon 5D Mark III along with similar information for a selection of comparators. Core Features # Camera Model Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots) Control Panel (yes/no) LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots) LCD Attach- ment Touch Screen (yes/no) Max Shutter Speed * Max Shutter Flaps * Built-in Flash (yes/no) Built-in Image Stab 1. Canon 1Ds Mark IIIoptical Y3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n 2. Canon 5D Mark IIIoptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s n n 3. Canon 1D X Mark IIIoptical Y3.2 / 2100 fixed Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n n 4. Canon 1D X Mark IIoptical Y3.2 / 1620 fixed Y 1/8000s 16.0/s n n 5. Canon 5D Mark IVoptical Y3.2 / 1620 fixed Y 1/8000s 7.0/s n n 6. Canon 5DSoptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n 7. Canon 5DS Roptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n 8. Canon 1D Coptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 14.0/s n n 9. Canon 6Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 fixed n 1/4000s 4.5/s n n 10. Canon 1D Xoptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 14.0/s n n 11. Canon 5D Mark IIoptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 3.9/s n n 12. Canon 1D Mark IIIoptical Y3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 10.0/s n n 13. Canon 1Ds Mark IIoptical Y2.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 4.0/s n n 14. Nikon D3Xoptical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
The 1Ds Mark III writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDHC cards, while the 5D Mark III uses Compact Flash or SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails.
Connectivity comparisonFor some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and Canon EOS 5D Mark III and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer. Input-Output Connections # Camera Model Hotshoe Port Internal Mic / Speaker Microphone Port Headphone Port HDMI Port USB Port WiFi Support NFC Support Bluetooth Support 1. Canon 1Ds Mark IIIYmono / --2.0- 2. Canon 5D Mark IIIYmono / monoYYmini2.0- 3. Canon 1D X Mark IIIYmono / monoYYmini3.1Y-Y 4. Canon 1D X Mark IIYmono / monoYYmini3.0- 5. Canon 5D Mark IVYmono / monoYYmini3.0YY- 6. Canon 5DSYmono / monoY-mini3.0- 7. Canon 5DS RYmono / monoY-mini3.0- 8. Canon 1D CYmono / monoYYmini2.0- 9. Canon 6DYmono / monoY-mini2.0Y 10. Canon 1D XYmono / -Y-mini2.0- 11. Canon 5D Mark IIYmono / monoY-mini2.0- 12. Canon 1D Mark IIIY- / --2.0- 13. Canon 1Ds Mark IIY- / --2.0- 14. Nikon D3XY- / ---mini2.0---
Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers. Both the 1Ds Mark III and the 5D Mark III have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 1Ds Mark III was replaced by the Canon 1DX, while the 5D Mark III was followed by the Canon 5D Mark IV. Further information on the features and operation of the 1Ds Mark III and 5D Mark III can be found, respectively, in the Canon 1Ds Mark III Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 5D Mark III Manual.
Review summarySo how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 1Ds Mark III or the Canon 5D Mark III – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below. Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III:
Advantages of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III:
If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 5D Mark III is the clear winner of the contest (9 : 4 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one. 1Ds Mark III 04:09 5D Mark III How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 1Ds Mark III and the Canon 5D Mark III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop. In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the 1Ds Mark III and the 5D Mark III in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. Expert reviewsThis is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice. Expert Camera Reviews # Camera Model AP score CL score DCW score DPR score EPZ score PB score Camera Launch Launch Price (USD) Street Price 1. Canon 1Ds Mark III......+ +4.5/5.. Aug 2007 7,999ebay.com 2. Canon 5D Mark III..+ +..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2012 3,499ebay.com 3. Canon 1D X Mark III..+ +5/5..4.5/54/5 Jan 2020 6,499 amazon.com 4. Canon 1D X Mark II....4.5/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2016 5,999ebay.com 5. Canon 5D Mark IV4.5/5+ +4/587/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2016 3,499 amazon.com 6. Canon 5DS..+..83/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com 7. Canon 5DS R5/5+..83/1005/54.5/5 Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com 8. Canon 1D C............ Apr 2012 14,999ebay.com 9. Canon 6D5/5+ +..83/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 2,099ebay.com 10. Canon 1D X5/5......4.5/54.5/5 Oct 2011 6,799ebay.com 11. Canon 5D Mark II4/591/100..79/1004/5.. Sep 2008 3,499ebay.com 12. Canon 1D Mark III............ Feb 2007 4,499ebay.com 13. Canon 1Ds Mark II......+ +.... Sep 2004 7,999ebay.com 14. Nikon D3X......86/1004/55/5 Dec 2008 7,999ebay.com Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts. Other camera comparisonsDid this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
Specifications: Canon 1Ds Mark III vs Canon 5D Mark IIIBelow is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features. |
