Yup, just like I thought, Canon couldn’t wait after the Nikon D3s was announced and rushed to announce the new Canon EOS-1D Mark IV – a direct competitor to the Nikon D3s. Just like the D3s, the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV is for professional news, sports, wildlife and wedding/event photographers.
Here are some of the key highlights and differences between Canon EOS-1D Mark IV and Nikon D3s:
- A brand new 45 point auto focus system (Nikon D3s has 51 focus points).
- Fast 10 frames per second operation (Nikon D3s is 9 FPS).
- Default ISO range of 100-12800 with “boost” modes up to ISO 102400 (Nikon D3s is 200-12800 & also up to ISO 102400).
- Full HD 1080p video recording capability (Nikon D3s is only 720p).
- Canon EOS-1D Mark IV features a 16.1 megapixel CMOS sensor (Nikon D3s has a 12.1 mp CMOS sensor).
- A large buffer that can handle up to 121 large JPEG images (Nikon D3s can handle 130 JPEGs @ 12.1 mp).
- Both Canon EOS-1D Mark IV and Nikon D3s have the same 3″ size screens with 920,000 pixels.
- The sensor on Canon EOS-1D Mark IV has a 1.3x crop factor (not full frame), whereas the Nikon D3s sports a full frame sensor (FX).
- Canon EOS-1D Mark IV is priced at $4,999.00, while Nikon D3s is priced at $5,199.95.
Just looking at the above specs, this camera beats the Nikon D3s in some categories (although the most important ones are auto focus, sensor size and noise in high ISOs, where Nikon seems to have the lead). The 1D Mark IV beats the D3s in price, but not by a big margin. Image quality at high ISOs seems to be very good and I would say very comparable to Nikon D3s – here are some samples for you to take a look at. Considering that the sensor has more pixels (16.1 mp vs 12.1), Canon has done a remarkable job in sensor development.
At the same time, the Nikon D3s has a better battery life, weather sealing and build quality compared to Canon 1D Mark IV. The controls on the Nikon bodies are always more intuitive and better designed compared to Canon, which is also a big deal, at least for me. So, it is definitely not fair to say that Canon has a big lead over Nikon. Specs look good, but only a real head-to-head test comparing image quality, auto focus and other features will truly reveal who the winner is. At the end of the day, does it really matter? If you own Canon gear, you will want the 1D Mark IV, whereas Nikon shooters will choose the Nikon D3s. For those who want to switch from one brand to another, I would suggest to carefully re-evaluate your needs and see if it is truly worth it.
It would be interesting to see how good the new 45 point auto focus system is compared to the legendary Nikon 51 focus point system. If they have a comparable or better auto focus system, Nikon will probably lose some of its market share to those who are purely looking at hard specs. Although I can understand the technical challenges of not being able to shoot HD video with the current Expeed processor, Nikon made a mistake by providing a mediocre 720p video recording in the D3s. Afterall, the D3s is supposed to be the “top of the line” camera for news and sports photographers and putting 720p into it doesn’t necessarily make Nikon look good in front of true professionals. If you are giving a feature in the best camera, give the best features, I would say.
EOS 1D Mark IV would have been a far better camera with 12 mp sensor. The 1.3 cropped image might have looked like 9.23 mp picture on ff which is still, good enough for huge prints. So, maintain the crop sensor with reduced/appropriate resolution. In any case, Canon management has got to get the high megapixel bug off their heads and stop forcing their engineers to cram more and more megapixels into the sensors.
We know, Hitler always used to overrule his Generals’ suggestions and imposed hid own ideas. On the other hand, Stalin, despite being a dictator, listened to his Generals for war policies. The result in the end – Stalin won and Hitler lost miserably.
So, Canon management, better wake up or else, meet the inevitable destiny.
I was in Key West (unusual place for sure) and taking casual pictures with my Nikon D3S and a Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 when a man approached me and commented on my camera. He said, “Wow, that’s some camera; how many megapixels is it?” I knew immediately he is a novice, so I politely said it’s the D3S and is designed for sports and journalists, especially for low light applications.
As long as the manufacturers hype irrelevant megapixel counts as the indicator of how good a camera is, we must endure this stupidity.
Hi. I’m a hobbyist and wish I could use Nikon D300s instead of my Canon EOS 50D! On lenses, I know there’s good Nikkor version of EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM telezoom lens. However, are there good Nikkor alternatives to Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM and EF 17-40mm f/4L USM? These are all I need.
If positive; I switch sooner than later.
Well, you could go with a fast full frame version (for future use) Nikkor (top of the line) f/2.8 400mm, but that’s a BIG investment. There are several DX options in prime and zoom lenses at that focal length. I often use Sigma, Tamron and Tokina lenses too.
You might want to borrow/rent a D300s and see what you think.
Thanks Tom Sweet. In fact, I’m supportive of crop sensors for wildlife photography. Sure, it doesn’t bring subjects closer however, offers a magnification factor which is convenient for my purposes.
I bought the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM prime telephoto lens for US$ 1,300/- (one thousand three hundred US dollars) new that suits a hobbyist’s budget nicely. This is considered probably the best birding/wildlife telephoto prime lens at this price point. I couldn’t find anything similar with any other brand costing same amount. Also I’m little nervous about third party glasses as reports from friends/users are mixed. So, at least for the time being, it seems I’ll have to stick to Canon despite my frustration with their clownish bodies.
Both are great action cameras undoubtedly.
However Canon has some edges that makes it action shooters’ favorite. Those are:
1. With 1.3 crop factor, tele reach is higher than FF. Higher resolution makes up for the magnification loss.
2. The great Canon L lenses are a decisive factor to swing the pendulum in their favor. An action shooter using 1D Mark IV with lenses like EF 200mm f/2L IS USM, 300mm f/2.8L IS USM, 400mm f/2.8L IS USM, 500mm f/4L IS USM, 600mm f/4L IS USM and 800mm f/5.6L IS USM – is hard to beat with any other setup.
So, for action shooing (or outdoor use) Canon seems to be more suitable. Being a hobbyist; I use EOS 50D with EF 400mm f/5.6L USM telephoto for wildlife shooting. Couldn’t find equivalent Nikon setup at same price point.
Quazi,
When compared to full-frame, I personally do not consider a crop factor to be an advantage, no matter how you look at it.
In terms of lenses, Nikon has all of the above lenses, except for the 800mm lens.
I used a 5dMIV and actually placed an order on Adorama for the 1dMIII but canceled it after doing some test shots. The Nikon D3S far surpasses both Canons in ISO performance and overall quality. To say the Canon has better video because it can shoot 1080p versus 720p is ridiculous. Higher resolution alone does not make for better video quality. The 720p video I get from the D3S at high ISO is much better than noisy video at 1080p.
Autofocus on the Nikon is amazing, even at very low EV. Try to get the Canons to focus when you use ISO 25,600 or more to get sufficient shutter speed to take a shot.
Higher resolution does not compensate for lower noise and better performance.
I use a Nikon D3s and Canon 7D, so far Nikon cannot beat Canon’s video capabilities yet, where have you guys been? just take a look at Canon’s superb HD video clarity on Youtube, Canon full HD produce superb cinematic movie quality light years away from Nikon. Shame on Nikon.
Fair enough on the video. Canon has a lot more experience in this arena. I use video only very rarely and usually as an afterthought. Most of the video I see on Youtube is pretty poor, but I have no idea what equipment was used to produce it.
I’m with Tom on this one – I did not buy my D3s for its video capabilities. If I cared about video, I would have gone with a 7D or a Rebel instead.
I’m sure Nikon will address video issues in the upcoming Nikon D4/D400 cameras though.
“Considering that the sensor has more pixels (16.1 mp vs 12.1), Canon has done a remarkable job in sensor development.” What is remarkable about this? What seems to be more important that the sheer pixel number is the pixel size (Nikon’s 8.45 microns compared to the Canon’s 5.7 micron pixels)–the Nikon has been getting superior reviews at the highest ISO tests…
Brian, the noise levels on the Mark IV are not as good as on Nikon D3s, but they are still pretty good, which is why I said that Canon did a good job in developing this sensor. Had the number of megapixels and sensor size been the same, I think Canon would have had similar (if not superior) performance compared to Nikon.
Where Canon dropped the ball, was sensor size and megapixels. Everybody is getting tired of the useless megapixel race for sports cameras.
what a surprise, photographers wanna do video with camera….who cares i want the best picture which d700 gives me sharpest in the lot (except d3s), have d300s as well but never used the video…and who beat nikon lenses quality, canon is far behind there….
I am just waiting for d700s (yes extra stop), why not 24mp cause still I am not pro and dont need pictures bigger than 20*30
though so you know d3s have 1.2x mode also with 8.4 mp size
Hi Prakash,
I found this review about Canon 1d mark iv, the review won’t make you switch brand, but at least it can make you think how good the 1d mark iv can do.
Canon 1D Mark iv is very nice and very close to D3s, though not full frame (1.3x crop factor) , i definately see improvement in autofocus with 7D & 1D though as of now Nikon wins the race in autofocus department, thus no point in thinking about that…
Prakash, I might have to disagree with you about who is the winner right now. Talking about full frame Nikon win, but Canon has an edge on video. Auto focus i call an even Nikon has 51 points but they are only 15 cross type and Canon has 45 point system and 39 cross type. We probably will have wait and see until next weekend for the Super Bowl gram to decide who is the winner. Remember i’m not a fan of either brand, I have both. I am just a person who interested in DSLR technology
I am a photographer not videographer, for a ameture user it might be useful to have video too, but for a pro its the picture quality which matters all the way….so video is not my criteria i have d300s and I have not considered video feaure yet…but if that matters to you then make sense…
regarding sutofocus i doubt there even new autofocus of canon will even come close…I think its the 12MP which helps quick focus as well and Nikon was way ahead in autofocus before(remember 3d tracking), now canon not only bridge the gap and take the lead, doesn’t seam feasible…even if its close to d3s I believe CANON 1d iv wins the battle….cause then 24mp matters more than 1 stop to me, and for sports 1.3x sesnor is anyday better….
here’s the comparison….
Hi Prakash, I know you love your Nikon Camera so do I, but when you said to have video in the camera is just for an amateur, that is not right. If it is not that important Nikon never put video into their top pro DSLR from the place, you have to remember that Nikon was the first company that put video into their DSLR and then Canon follow. Maybe for you is not that important, but for other people it does. In term of auto focus there is no winner as now. The comparison that you gave me, if look from here is Canon 1d4 www.flickr.com/photo…101411187/ and here Nikon d3s www.flickr.com/photo…233489084/ they are very close, but you cannot take one review to draw a conclusion. Prakash do not get me wrong i did not mean that Canon is better than Nikon or other way around, because both of them have some strength and weakness. Remember photographer produce their final print from paper not computer, if you still think about the image only, you do not have pay top dollars for the high end pro, even the old 5d still give you a superb quality of picture. But today when top pro pay for their toys, they want some others option, video is one of them.
True and agree if video is important then criteria is diff….though here’s my priorities in sequence to look in a camera….
No 1: best autofocus – D3s wins here
No 2: Top iso – D3s wins here
No 3: Megapixels – 1D mark iv wins here
For me rest are luxuries, these 3 criteria’s where I like to spend my money judiciously…but for others thats not the case…so make your choice…
Prakash, I do not know why you still think Nikon d3s win in auto focus department. From reviews I read and watch no one said that. from your list: I gave number 2 to Nikon in low light top ISO performance. Here are some links: AND uniquephoto.blogspot.com/2010/…david.html
Autofocus is definately improved for sure, with little small lowlight focus issue…here’s one detailed test…
though I believe after this model the trend of Canon shooters moving to Nikon will stop as long as they are ready to pay 5K, at lower price range D700 still has more o less all the best features on D3S (yeah autofocus and iso)
Had I been canon shooter I will be very happy to buy 1D if i had money….but will wait for d700s though and hoping it to come under 3K
Forgot to mention, read the comments where 5-6 canon 1d iv shooters are complaining about focus capabilities for wedding and low light…
This is the kind of review which gives clear pictures…
And remember 3D tracking of nikon has no answer
You are wrong lol. I was just playing with my cousins Mark IV and own a D3s, noise wasn’t as good it was so obvious we had a giggle about it straight up. Maxed out it looks like a mobile phone photo. My D3s is also much clearer at ISO6400 and has far less noise in low-light conditions. But on the other hand the 16mp is useful – theres more detail in the photos. I rate both cameras equally. Although my cousin said he preferred the D3s. WHY I AM I TROLLING. Dpreview states everything clearly in the reviews – equal.
Pierre, I agree in terms of noise levels on the Nikon D3s, but I cannot say that the higher resolution of the Mark IV compensates for the noise… Also, don’t forget about dynamic range and 1.3x sensor vs full frame.
If people need a higher resolution, they will go with the 5D Mark II :)
Having shot now with both, they are absolutely not equal. The images from the D3S are so much better under all conditions. Most comparisons take out noise reduction or minimize it, but in real world shooting in RAW with NR applied, the Nikon D3S produces much better captures at high ISO.
Forget the higher megapixel BS, it doesn’t matter. Anyone who thinks you get better photos for 16″x20″ prints or on screen because you have more pixels is just wrong. Other factors make far more difference on image quality, and Nikon has advanced the technology at this point.
www.dxomark.com/
Tom, I agree, D3s has stunning performance. Have you seen my D3 vs D3s high ISO comparison yet?
1D Mark IV is no match in ISO performance, for sure.
Reviews are often biases based on manufacturer support and contribution. Use objective laboratory tests for valid comparisons. DXO laboratories is a reliable source.
www.dxomark.com/
Tom, I do agree with you, but the Canon community thinks otherwise :)
I saw your latest photos. Very beautiful images. Not only for technical quality but also for composition. I’m writing this comment from my iPad while visiting Paris. I was in London for a few days and return there on Saturday for a couple more days. I’ve been taking a lot of images, but we’ve had rain in Paris for the past two days.
Tom
According to this real world test the D3s has the upper hand in the autofocus department. Mind you, the firmware update from Canon didn’t improve AF performance!
Autofocus is definately improved for sure, with little issues read the comments in this review where 5-6 canon 1d iv shooters are complaining about focus capabilities for wedding and low light
though I believe after this model the trend of Canon shooters moving to Nikon will stop as long as they are ready to pay 5K, at lower price range D700 still has more o less all the best features on D3S (yeah autofocus and iso)
This is the kind of review which gives clear pictures and gets people out of deniel mode
And remember 3D tracking capability of nikon has no answers
Prakash, if you try find a weakness of one brand you will find one, here is the one from d3s
The low light capabilities of this camera are a great improvement over the D3. Though the maximum ISO is a rather jaw-dropping 102,400, at this level it’s incredibly noisy and there is a loss of detail.
www.cnet.com/au/pr…3s/review/
the review which you gave me, there was no direct comparison between the two brand on that time and day, SO IS USELESS. You should read or watch the review that i gave you before. Prakash, as I told you i am a canon and nikon user, I love both brand. If every review said canon 1d4 has a problem with auto focus like 1d3, then I will have go along with you, but this is not the case. Like I just said if you try find a weakness of each brand that you may or may not like you will find one or two. I think we will have find out this up coming Sunday for the SUPER BOWL GRAM to see which one is better. If you see more black lens than white lens, which mean Nikon is take over pro sport market share. I am happy that you like your Nikon camera, the brand that use and trust for so many years, but i think we should stop at this point, because if continue thing will never ended.
You are right:)
I started shooting sports action photography with the D1 in Feb. 2000 and then moved to the D2h and have been waiting for something like the D3s to finally make the move up the ladder. I’ll be getting the D3s in April because of the magnitude improvement in low light capability and that my D2h shutter is about to go. To be honest, I have always found that if I captured the peak moments of action in the stream of motion in front of me, I could sell an 8×10 Kodak print with tons of noise (low light conditions). For me, it has always been about the action. Capturing the action will always trump MP. I could easily sell a good 2MB image over a lousy 12MB image. In my business, MB has been overrated in sports photography since roughly 2003. Rogdog.
Roger, I absolutely agree with you! Megapixels do not matter that much for sports/action photography and Canon does not seem to get it.
Thank you for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
Hi Nasim Mansurov, you must be a nikon die hard fan. How can you say that Nikon has better weather sealing and build quality when both of them not out to the consumer jet?. Did anyone ever drop both of them from the 10 floor to see which on is survive? I have both brand, I can not tell which on is better, they both can do the job for what we need.
If I were a die-hard fan, I wouldn’t be saying that Canon produced a remarkable sensor, would I?
As far as the cameras being out to the consumer, FYI, the Nikon D3s has been shipping since November 2009. And as far as weather sealing and build quality, if you shoot with both, you should know the difference :)
The D3 has been the leader in the last two years and now Canon is trying to claim the race with a camera that isnt even full framed? What happened to the full framed version of the mark III? Waste of money? The major complaint of the Mark III was the focusing system. Will it be better this time? I always found that the Canons were such plain Jane cameras and Nikon always beat them in appearance and functionality. Im waiting to see what Nikon’s next major move is, im sure something to talk about.
Jack,
Yes, in terms of appearance and functionality, Nikon cameras always beat Canon. Don’t they say “Canon was created by an engineer, while Nikon by a photographer”? :)
I’m still waiting to see a real ISO comparison between the Canon EOS-1D and Nikon D3s.
here is one…
www.photographyreview.com/revie…1d-mark-iv
Prakash, the link you provided has NO samples from Nikon D3s, so it is useless for a comparison.
try this…
Some more…
Autofocus is definately improved for sure, with little issues read the comments in this review where 5-6 canon 1d iv shooters are complaining about focus capabilities for wedding and low light
though I believe after this model the trend of Canon shooters moving to Nikon will stop as long as they are ready to pay 5K, at lower price range D700 still has more o less all the best features on D3S (yeah autofocus and iso)
This is the kind of review which gives clear pictures and gets people out of deniel mode
And remember 3D tracking capability of nikon has no answers
“D3s and 1D4 are clearly targeted at sports/wildlife/action photographers. Wider angle is USELESS in those situation”
Mocha
USELESS????? By that comment I assume you shoot a lot of sports/action. I currently work as a sports photographer. In sports the fixed 300 2.8 is considered the must have lens. From my experience there have been times that I could have benefited from my 300 2.8 NOT having a focal multiplier because the shot was too close. If I had a D3s, rather than a 1D, I could have just changed back to FF mode. As I understand it, you can change the crop factor (1.2 or 1.5) I have to say that the ability to change the focal length of a 300 or 400 2.8 lens would be amazing. Sometimes I’m up on a ladder or just surrounded by people. Mobility isn’t always an option, but I still have to get the shots. I realize that the crop modes drop some MPs but, as I hope more people are realizing, more MPs don’t make a better camera. 8 or sometimes 5 MPs is plenty, ESPECIALLY if the noise is under control (and apparently it is on a D3s). The biggest problem in sports is getting the shot. One of the biggest problems with a fixed telephoto is the people getting too close. It seems that Nikon has addressed these two problems and this makes the Nikon system even more versatile than Canon. And this is appealling to the very audience they are targeting.
As far as the video is concerned, I couldn’t care less. I would honestly prefer if they would have included a feature in place of video that would allow me to take better photos.
Darrell, I totally agree with you! It is better to get the shot, then crop it, if needed, rather than end up with a useless shot.
Take a look at these high ISO image samples from the Canon: www.flickr.com/photo…915564702/
Not bad, I would say, even at ISO 25,600.
I would love to see how these compare head-to-head with the Nikon D3s. I bet the Nikon D3s will be better due to FF sensor, but wonder how much of a difference it will be.
I shoot rock concerts and when I saw the D3s, I did not hesitate and sold 8,000 in Canon equipment. NERVOUSLY! There were several reasons besides iso performance. Duel cf slots, manual controls, full frame, (I like to utilize ultra wide angle lenses) which on the mark 3 of 4 the widest I can get is 21mm on their 16-35 lens. On the Nikon it is a true 14 mm. besides all that. ISO. I got my D3s last week and all I can say is at 6400 iso, the camera is mind boggeling, even without noise reduction software. With noiseware added, 6400 iso looks like 400 iso if that. I literally cannot see any grain, and even if I did Nikons noise looks alot more like film grain than Canon does. I am truly not bias toward either brand, bias is ignorance, but after seeing the images coming out of the new Canon 1d mark 4, I know I made the right decision to switch. The only thing Im a little on edge about is I have a friend who works at a camera store and he said Nikon may already be planing replacements to be revealed at PMA in march of 2010, even for the D3s. If that is true I will be ticked after spending 5200. But then again usually what he has said in the past has not happened. Does anybody know if this is true?
Dan, thank you for sharing! Congratulations with your purchase, that’s one hell of a camera you got :) Truly, the low-light king.
As far as a replacement for D3s in 2010 – you can rest assured that it is NOT going to happen. The D3s has just been released and it will be in the market for at least one full year. The D4/D400 line is expected in 2011, not 2010. I bet that you will be happy with your D3s for a lot longer than 2011 :)
If you do not believe me, I would recommend reading Thom Hogan’s predictions, along with nikonrumors.com where you will find plenty of information on what’s coming up in 2010. My personal prediction – we will see a D700s or D800 with the same sensor as in D3s in Q1/Q2 of 2010, along with about 6-8 lenses.