Upgrade Guide
Canon EOS-1D Mark III→Canon EOS-1Ds
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Situational
One clear hardware improvement over the EOS-1D Mark III. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.
What's new in the EOS-1Ds
-
Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
Unchanged or similar
-
ResolutionSimilar (11MP)
-
StabilisationIBIS not present in new body
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | EOS-1D Mark III | EOS-1Ds | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -0.1 | ||
| Street | -0.4 | ||
| Travel | -0.1 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -1.1 | ||
| Documentary | +0.6 | ||
| Sports & Action | -1.5 | ||
| Landscape | +0.8 | ||
| Wildlife | -0.6 | ||
| Casual | -0.3 | ||
| Food | +0.2 | ||
| Macro | +0.1 | ||
| Architecture | +0.2 | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.2 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | EOS-1D Mark III | EOS-1Ds | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £102 used | £102 used | |
| Released | 2007 | 2002 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 10.1MP APS-H CMOS | 11.1MP full-frame CMOS | |
| Resolution | 10MP | 11MP | ↑ |
| Video | No video | — | |
| Autofocus | 45-point phase-detect (19 cross-type + 26 assist) via viewfinder | 45-point AF with 7 cross-type points | |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | — | |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 3fps continuous | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~2200 shots (CIPA) | ~500 shots per charge | ↓ |
| Weight | 1155g (body only) | 1270g (body only) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 0.76x | OVF, 0.70× magnification, 100% coverage | |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 230k dots | 2.0" fixed LCD | |
| Mount | Canon EF | Canon EF | |
| Memory Cards | Dual slots: CompactFlash + SD | CompactFlash Type I/II |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See EOS-1D Mark III and EOS-1Ds next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the EOS-1Ds against your specific genres — not just specs.
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