Canon 1D MII vs Leica S2

Let's look a bit more in depth at the Canon 1D MII vs Leica S2, both Pro DSLR cameras by companies Canon and Leica. There exists a big gap among the resolutions of the 1D MII (8MP) and S2 (38MP) and the 1D MII (APS-H) and S2 (Medium format) offer different sensor dimensions.

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The 1D MII was revealed 5 years prior to the S2 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras have the same body design (Large SLR).

Before delving right into a in-depth comparison, here is a brief view of how the 1D MII scores versus the S2 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Canon EOS-1D Mark II and Leica S2. The full galleries are viewable at Canon 1D MII Gallery and Leica S2 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to travel with your camera frequently, you will need to factor in its weight and size. The Canon 1D MII features outside measurements of 156mm x 158mm x 80mm (6.1" x 6.2" x 3.1") with a weight of 1565 grams (3.45 lbs) and the Leica S2 has specifications of 160mm x 120mm x 81mm (6.3" x 4.7" x 3.2") having a weight of 1410 grams (3.11 lbs).

Compare the Canon 1D MII vs Leica S2 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are working with during that time. Underneath is a front view measurement comparison of the 1D MII versus the S2.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the 1D MII and S2 is 50 and 52 respectively.

Quite often, it is tough to visualize the difference in sensor dimensions just by looking through a spec sheet. The image here will offer you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the 1D MII and S2.

As you can see, both the cameras have different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The 1D MII with its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF more difficult and the Leica S2 will provide you with more detail because of its extra 30 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more aged 1D MII will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.