Canon 1Ds MII vs Nikon 1 S2

Its time to look more closely at the Canon 1Ds MII versus Nikon 1 S2, one being a Pro DSLR and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Canon and Nikon. The resolution of the 1Ds MII (17MP) and the 1 S2 (14.2MP) is fairly similar but the 1Ds MII (Full frame) and 1 S2 (1") posses different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The 1Ds MII was released 9 years prior to the 1 S2 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Canon 1Ds MII being a Large SLR camera and the Nikon 1 S2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight to a detailed comparison, here is a concise summary of how the 1Ds MII matches up versus the 1 S2 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II and Nikon 1 S2. The complete galleries are viewable at Canon 1Ds MII Gallery and Nikon 1 S2 Gallery.

When you are planning to lug around your camera frequently, you need to factor in its weight and volume. The Canon 1Ds MII has physical measurements of 156mm x 158mm x 80mm (6.1" x 6.2" x 3.1") having a weight of 1565 grams (3.45 lbs) while the Nikon 1 S2 has sizing of 101mm x 61mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 1.1") with a weight of 190 grams (0.42 lbs).

Look at the Canon 1Ds MII versus Nikon 1 S2 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you use at the time. The following is a front view proportions comparison of the 1Ds MII and the 1 S2.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the 1Ds MII and 1 S2 is 50 and 93 respectively.

Often, it is hard to imagine the gap between sensor measurements simply by reviewing a spec sheet. The visual here will help provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the 1Ds MII and 1 S2.

As you can see, each of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The 1Ds MII due to its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF less difficult and the Canon 1Ds MII will deliver extra detail as a result of its extra 2.8MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The older 1Ds MII is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.