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Canon 1Ds MIII

 
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III front
 
Portability
51
Imaging
64
Features
52
Overall
59

Canon 1Ds MIII overview

Canon 1Ds MIII is Canon's Pro DSLR camera initially released on August of 2008. The camera includes a 21MP, CMOS Full frame sized sensor and has a peak resolution of 5616 x 3744.

Canon released this camera to upgrade the earlier Canon 1Ds MII (Read Full Comparison) and subsequently brought out the newer Canon 1D X (Read Full Comparison) in an effort to upgrade this model.

The 1Ds MIII is scored #15 out of 35 in Pro DSLR cameras and all around #330 out of 1465 for cameras in our list. You can try our Smart camera filter to get camera rankings based on your personal criteria.

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Here is a chart of specific criteria used in the scoring system.

Canon 1Ds MIII family

The Canon 1Ds MIII comes with a history of related cameras. Below, you can look at all past and newer models alongside important specs.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Canon-EOS-1D-X-Mark-III front thumbnailCanon 1D X III
1Ds MIII vs 1D X III
20MPFull frame20.0 fps2020
Canon-EOS-1D-X-Mark-II front thumbnailCanon 1D X II
1Ds MIII vs 1D X II
20MPFull frame16.0 fps2016
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Canon-EOS-1D-C front thumbnailCanon 1D C
1Ds MIII vs 1D C
18MPFull frame14.0 fps2012
Canon-EOS-1D-X front thumbnailCanon 1D X
1Ds MIII vs 1D X
18MPFull frame14.0 fps2011
Canon-EOS-1Ds-Mark-III front thumbnailCanon 1Ds MIII21MPFull frame5.0 fps2008
Canon-EOS-1Ds-Mark-II front thumbnailCanon 1Ds MII
1Ds MIII vs 1Ds MII
17MPFull frame4.0 fps2005
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Canon-EOS-1Ds front thumbnailCanon 1Ds
1Ds MIII vs 1Ds
11MPFull frame3.0 fps2002

Canon 1Ds MIII Pros and Cons

Below is a checklist of advantages and disadvantages of the Canon 1Ds MIII based on aspects which are often seen as important in a camera.

2 card slots
does have Top LCD display
exports RAW files
good sized screen (3 inches)
great min ISO (50)
has manual focus
high shutter speed (1/8,000 seconds)
megapixel count good (21 megapixels)
sensor size is big (Full frame)
supports phase detect auto focus
switch lenses (Canon EF mount)
weather proofing
display isn't selfie friendly
lack of image stabilization
lack of video recording
low battery power (1,800 shots)
low resolution screen (230 thousand dots)
no external mic support
no HDMI out
no headphone support
screen is fixed
slow continuous shooting (5.0 fps)
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Canon 1Ds MIII Sensor info

The sensor dimension on the Canon 1Ds MIII is 36mm x 24mm (Full frame). The 864 mm² sensor has the capability to resolve 5616 x 3744 pixels at aspect ratios of 3:2.

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The CMOS sensor boasts 21 megapixels and features a native ISO range of 50 to 3200. RAW photos are supported so you have wider room to maneuver in post.

The image underneath displays the 1Ds MIII's sensor dimensions when compared to other common sizes. The 1Ds MIII sensor comes with a crop factor of 1 and is pointed out in green.

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To get an understanding of specific aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Canon 1Ds MIII dimensions

Canon 1Ds MIII is 3.05 lb (1,385 grams / 48.85 oz) and features exterior dimensions of 150mm x 160mm x 80mm (5.9" x 6.3" x 3.1"). The weight of general Pro DSLR camera is 1,280 grams and the Canon 1Ds MIII is very similar when compared with its rivals.

Photography Glossary

Here is a image of the Canon 1Ds MIII besides a softdrink so you're able to have a feel for its scale.

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III dimensions scale

The top view just below will show you the button design on the 1Ds MIII.

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III topview buttons dials

Canon 1Ds MIII Lens info

The 1Ds MIII fits the Canon EF mount and has 306 lenses available for sale. Below is a small number of the lenses we have in our database which will work with the 1Ds MIII.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Canon-EF-85mm-f1.2L-II-USM lensCanon EF 85mm f1.2L II USM85mmf/1.2 1025g
Samyang-MF-85mm-F1.4-Mk2-EF lensSamyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk285mmf/1.4548g
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Sigma-150-500mm-F5-6.3-DG-OS-HSM-Canon-EF lensSigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM150-500mmf/5.0-6.3 1780g
Samyang-24mm-f1.4-ED-AS-UMC-Canon-EF lensSamyang 24mm f1.4 ED AS UMC24mmf/1.4 580g
Samyang-8mm-F3.5-Aspherical-IF-MC-Fisheye-Canon-EF lensSamyang 8mm F3.5 Aspherical IF MC Fisheye8mmf/3.5 443g
Canon-EF-24-105mm-f4L-IS-USM lensCanon EF 24-105mm f4L IS USM24-105mmf/4.0 670g
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Tamron-SP-90mm-F2.8-Di-VC-USD-1-1-Macro-Canon-EF lensTamron SP 90mm F2.8 Di VC USD 1-1 Macro90mmf/2.8 550g
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Canon 1Ds MIII Connectivity

The 1Ds MIII has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes

Cameras that contain NFC and Bluetooth compatibility can easily be controlled wirelessly by smartphones. You can transfer photos and in some cases adjust settings with no need to connect straight to the camera.

A few applications even allow a Liveview and press the shutter if you aren't close to the camera. If the camera features a HDMI out, it could be hooked up to an external screen. Nearly all cameras enable you to charge the battery using the USB socket.

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Canon 1Ds MIII Video info

Canon 1Ds MIII doesn't record video. If you are searching for a camera to take only images, this is not a concern.

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Canon 1Ds MIII Weather Sealing

Canon 1Ds MIII comes with weather sealing making it a good pick to use for tricky climates. This can be especially valuable in case you are unsure about the conditions you might encounter for outdoor photography.

Canon 1Ds MIII Display and Viewfinder

The Canon 1Ds MIII includes a 3 inch fixed display boasting a resolution of 230 thousand dots.

Unfortunately the display is not a touch screen. The 1Ds MIII also comes with a Top LCD display so you're able to quickly see your settings.

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III screen and viewfinder Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month

The ViewFinder specs regarding Canon 1Ds MIII are the following:

  • ViewFinder Optical (pentaprism)
  • ViewFinder Coverage 100%
  • ViewFinder Magnification 0.76x

In those sunny outdoor conditions which make the camera screens washed out and tough to view, viewfinders will be pretty helpful.

Canon 1Ds MIII Shutter info

Canon 1Ds MIII has the capability to shoot continuously at 5.0 fps. The highest shutter speed is 1/8000 seconds.

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Canon 1Ds MIII Flash and Hot shoe info

Canon 1Ds MIII includes external flash ability but with missing integrated flash. The highest flash sync is 1/250 seconds.

Canon 1Ds MIII Autofocusing info

Canon 1Ds MIII includes both Phase Detect AF along with Contrast Detect AF. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot more snappier & precise compared with Contrast Detect autofocusing.

The AF system includes 45 focus points to choose from. Canon 1Ds MIII has manual focus when required for low light situations or you need more exact control on focus.

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Canon 1Ds MIII Battery life

The battery power for the Canon 1Ds MIII is designed to last for 1800 clicks based on the CIPA specifications making it lower as compared with its rivals. The typical Pro DSLR camera battery life is 2438. Nikon D3X offers the highest (4400) battery life for this kind of cameras.

Below is a number of Pro DSLR cameras with the strongest battery life:

Canon 1Ds MIII for varying categories of photography

The following chart displays a analysis of the Canon 1Ds MIII for varying categories of photography. To read more, visit the specific paragraph underneath.

Canon 1Ds MIII Portrait photography highlights

The Canon 1Ds MIII has a points total of 78 which is tremendous, and means the camera is a outstanding choice for portrait photography. Shooting portraits favors greatly towards sensor dimensions, RAW support and potential to use off-camera lighting.

Photography Glossary
has manual focus
sensor resolution is decent (21 megapixels)
sensor size is great (Full frame)
delivers RAW files

Canon 1Ds MIII as a Street photography camera

Coming in at a decent rating of 56, the Canon 1Ds MIII is fairly adequate to buy for street photography. A decent street photography camera gives a perfect balance of picture quality plus portability.

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sensor size is big (Full frame)
saves RAW formats
weather proof
no articulating screen
no image stabilization

Canon 1Ds MIII as a Sports photography camera

A very good sports photography score of 63 suggests the Canon 1Ds MIII is a fine option for shooting sports. A camera really should have fantastic autofocus plus fast shutter speeds for sports photography.

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high shutter speed (1/8,000 seconds)
MP count good (21MP)
big sensor size (Full frame)
environment sealing
comes with phase detect AF
slow fps (5.0 frames/s)
does not have image stabilization
bad battery life (1,800 shots)

Canon 1Ds MIII Travel photography features

Portability is pretty crucial in buying a camera for travel. Over-all, the Canon 1Ds MIII gets a moderate 53 for a travel camera which makes it reasonably suited to take with you on your travels.

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weather proofing
resolution is good (21 megapixels)
bad battery power (1,800 CIPA)
doesn't offer selfie friendly display

Canon 1Ds MIII Landscape photography features

When you are looking to purchase a digital camera for landscape photos, the most vital factor will no doubt be image quality. The Canon 1Ds MIII with it's very good score of 70 for a landscape camera is a fine choice in the current marketplace.

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you can focus manually
swap lenses (Canon EF mount)
decent sized screen (3 inches)
decent MP (21MP)
big sensor size (Full frame)
supports RAW files
environment sealing
has dual storage slots
does not have image stabilization
not so great battery pack (1,800 shots)

Canon 1Ds MIII as a Vlogging camera

A camera for vlogging ought to posses a moving display, microphone input and ideally IBIS. Taking all things in to account, the Canon 1Ds MIII is not really good for vlogging as it delivers a terrible rating of 9.

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no video recording

Canon 1Ds MIII Alternatives

If you want alternatives to the 1Ds MIII, below is a list of the highest placed cameras that fall within the class of Pro DSLR.

The diagram followed below will give you an overview of the 1Ds MIII versus it's top scoring competitors suggested earlier.

Following are several cameras you may have a look at as alternatives. To read a complete comparison, just click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Canon
Model
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
Category
Pro DSLR
Announced
2008-08-18
Physical type
Large SLR
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Sensor size
Full frame
Sensor dimensions
36 x 24mm
Sensor area
864.0mm²
Sensor resolution
21 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
3:2
Full resolution
5616 x 3744
RAW images
Max native ISO
3200
Lowest native ISO
50
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch focus
Continuous AF
AF single
Tracking AF
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Number of focus points
45
Lens
Lens mount
Canon EF
Number of lenses
250
Crop factor
1
Screen
Type of display
Fixed Type
Display size
3 inches
Display resolution
230 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage
100%
Viewfinder magnification
0.76x
DXO scores
DXO All around score
80
DXO Color Depth score
24.0
DXO Dynamic range score
12.0
DXO Low light score
1663
Features
Lowest shutter speed
30 secs
Highest shutter speed
1/8000 secs
Continuous shooting rate
5.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation
Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range
no built-in flash
Flash modes
External
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Highest flash synchronize
1/250 secs
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Max video resolution
None
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
1385 gr (3.05 lbs)
Physical dimensions
150 x 160 x 80mm (5.9" x 6.3" x 3.1")
Other
Battery life
1800 pictures
Style of battery
Battery Pack
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse feature
Storage type
Compact Flash (Type I or II), SD card
Card slots
2
Pricing at launch
$6,652