For low-light dance photography, is the Canon 1Ds Mark II or 1D Mark III the better choice?
Asked 2/2/2012
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I’m comparing two older Canon pro bodies for low-light work, especially stage dance photography. The 1Ds Mark II is full-frame, which could help with handholding and noise, but it tops out at ISO 3200 (H). The 1D Mark III is newer, APS-H, and goes to ISO 6400, and I’ve heard its early autofocus issues may have been fixed by firmware. If used prices are similar, which body is likely to deliver better overall low-light performance?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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When looking into camera gears I don't own, I use DxOMark to get an idea of perform and quality of certain aspect.
According to DxOMark, 1D mk3 able to produce "lower noise high ISO" image at up to 1078 ISO while 1Ds mk2 is at up to 1480 ISO, roughly 0.3 stop better.
Originally by user4320. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4320
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Based on the community answers, the 1Ds Mark II is slightly better for pure low-light image quality, while the 1D Mark III offers a higher ISO setting and newer body features.
The main point in favor of the 1Ds Mark II is its full-frame sensor. The answers cite about a one-third to one-half stop advantage in noise performance, plus noticeably better dynamic range at many ISO settings. In practice, that means cleaner files and a bit more flexibility in dark scenes.
The 1D Mark III does offer ISO 6400, but a higher maximum ISO does not necessarily mean better image quality at the same output size. Its early autofocus concerns were also noted as largely resolved with updated firmware.
So if your priority is overall low-light image quality, the 1Ds Mark II is the better bet. If you value the newer body and need the extra top-end ISO option, the 1D Mark III may still be attractive. But strictly on low-light performance, the answers favor the 1Ds Mark II.
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