Canon 1D Mark II vs Nikon D100

The Canon EOS-1D Mark II and the Nikon D100 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2004 and February 2002. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-H (1D Mark II) and an APS-C (D100) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 8.2 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 6 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 1D Mark II		Nikon D100
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
8.2 MP – APS-H sensor		6 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 100-1,600 (50 - 3,200)		ISO 200-800 (200 - 1,600)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
2.0" LCD – 230k dots		1.8" LCD – 118k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
8.3 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
1200 shots per battery charge		370 shots per battery charge
156 x 158 x 80 mm, 1535 g		144 x 116 x 81 mm, 780 g

Check 1D Mark II offers at
ebay.com
Check D100 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS-1D Mark II and the Nikon D100? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon 1D Mark II and the Nikon D100 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D100 is considerably smaller (32 percent) than the Canon 1D Mark II. Moreover, the D100 is substantially lighter (49 percent) than the 1D Mark II. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 1D Mark II is splash and dust resistant, while the D100 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (1D Mark II) and the Nikon Lens Catalog (D100).

Concerning battery life, the 1D Mark II gets 1200 shots out of its Canon NP-E3 battery, while the D100 can take 370 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL3 power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the 1D Mark II has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. In order to provide similar functionality for the D100, Nikon provides the MB-D100 vertical grip as an optional accessory (see here on ebay).

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 1D Mark II	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1535 g	1200	Y	Jan 2004	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D100	144 mm	116 mm	81 mm	780 g	370	n	Feb 2002	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1585 g	500	Y	Sep 2001	US$ 6 499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1565 g	1200	Y	Aug 2005	US$ 3 999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D Mark III	156 mm	157 mm	80 mm	1155 g	2200	Y	Feb 2007	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
6.		Canon 1D Mark IV	156 mm	157 mm	80 mm	1230 g	1500	Y	Oct 2009	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 1Ds	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1265 g	600	Y	Sep 2002	US$ 8 999	ebay.com
8.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1215 g	1200	Y	Sep 2004	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
9.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	150 mm	160 mm	80 mm	1385 g	1800	Y	Aug 2007	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
10.		Canon 5D	152 mm	113 mm	75 mm	895 g	400	Y	Aug 2005	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
11.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
12.		Canon 5DS R	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
13.		Canon 10D	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	850 g	500	n	Feb 2003	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D70	140 mm	111 mm	78 mm	679 g	400	n	Jan 2004	US$ 999	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D70s	140 mm	111 mm	78 mm	679 g	500	n	Apr 2005	US$ 899	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D200	147 mm	113 mm	74 mm	920 g	400	Y	Nov 2005	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The D100 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 56 percent) than the 1D Mark II, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 1D Mark II features an APS-H sensor and the Nikon D100 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the D100 is 32 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.3 and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 8.2MP, the 1D Mark II offers a higher resolution than the D100 (6MP), but the 1D Mark II nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 8.17μm versus 7.85μm for the D100) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the 1D Mark II is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 11 months) than the D100, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 1D Mark II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 1D Mark II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 17.5 x 11.7 inches or 44.5 x 29.7 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 14 x 9.3 inches or 35.6 x 23.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 11.7 x 7.8 inches or 29.7 x 19.8 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D100 are 15 x 10 inches or 38.2 x 25.4 cm for good quality, 12 x 8 inches or 30.6 x 20.3 cm for very good quality, and 10 x 6.7 inches or 25.5 x 16.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS-1D Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 50-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D100 are ISO 200 to ISO 800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 200-1600.

In terms of underlying technology, the 1D Mark II is build around a CMOS sensor, while the D100 uses a CCD imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 1D Mark II	APS-H	8.2	3504	2336	none	22.3	11.1	1003	66
2.		Nikon D100	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.4	9.9	394	48
3.		Canon 1D	APS-H	4.1	2496	1662	none	..	..	..	..
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	APS-H	8.2	3504	2336	none	22.3	11.2	975	66
5.		Canon 1D Mark III	APS-H	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.7	11.7	1078	71
6.		Canon 1D Mark IV	APS-H	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	22.8	12.0	1320	74
7.		Canon 1Ds	Full Frame	11.0	4064	2704	none	21.8	11.0	954	63
8.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	Full Frame	16.6	4992	3328	none	23.3	11.3	1480	74
9.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	none	24.0	12.0	1663	80
10.		Canon 5D	Full Frame	12.7	4368	2912	none	22.9	11.1	1368	71
11.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
12.		Canon 5DS R	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.6	12.4	2308	86
13.		Canon 10D	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.1	10.9	571	57
14.		Nikon D70	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.4	10.3	529	50
15.		Nikon D70s	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.4	10.3	529	50
16.		Nikon D200	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.3	11.5	583	64
17.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 1D Mark II and the D100 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the 1D Mark II offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D100 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the 1D Mark II has a higher magnification (0.55x vs 0.53x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 1D Mark II, the Nikon D100, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 1D Mark II	optical	Y	2.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	n	n
2.		Nikon D100	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 1D	optical	Y	2.0 / 120	fixed	n	1/16000s	8.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.5/s	n	n
5.		Canon 1D Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon 1D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
7.		Canon 1Ds	optical	Y	2.0 / 120	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	n
8.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	optical	Y	2.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
9.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
10.		Canon 5D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	n
11.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
12.		Canon 5DS R	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
13.		Canon 10D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon D70	optical	n	1.8 / 130	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D70s	optical	n	2.0 / 130	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon D200	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
17.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The D100 has one, while the 1D Mark II does not. While the built-in flash of the D100 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The 1D Mark II writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SD cards, while the D100 uses Compact Flash cards. The 1D Mark II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the D100 only has one slot.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS-1D Mark II and Nikon D100 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 1D Mark II	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
2.		Nikon D100	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
3.		Canon 1D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
5.		Canon 1D Mark III	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 1D Mark IV	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 1Ds	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
8.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon 5D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon 5DS R	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon 10D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
14.		Nikon D70	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.0	-	-	-
15.		Nikon D70s	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Nikon D200	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 1D Mark II (unlike the D100) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 1D Mark II and the D100 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D100 was replaced by the Nikon D200, while the 1D Mark II was followed by the Canon 1D Mark II N. Further information on the features and operation of the 1D Mark II and D100 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 1D Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D100 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 1D Mark II and the Nikon D100? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS-1D Mark II:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (8.2 vs 6MP) with a 17% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.55x vs 0.53x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (2.0" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (230k vs 118k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8.3 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1200 versus 370) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 11 months after the D100).

Advantages of the Nikon D100:

• More compact: Is smaller (144x116mm vs 156x158mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 755g or 49 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (56 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2002).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 1D Mark II is the clear winner of the match-up (17 : 5 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 1D Mark II and the Nikon D100 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the 1D Mark II and the D100 in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 1D Mark II	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Jan 2004	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D100	..	..	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2002	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2001	US$ 6 499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2005	US$ 3 999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D Mark III	..	..	..	..	..	..	Feb 2007	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
6.		Canon 1D Mark IV	5/5	..	..	89/100	..	..	Oct 2009	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 1Ds	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2002	US$ 8 999	ebay.com
8.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2004	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
9.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	..	..	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	Aug 2007	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
10.		Canon 5D	..	88/100	..	+ +	o	..	Aug 2005	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
11.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
12.		Canon 5DS R	5/5	+	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
13.		Canon 10D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Feb 2003	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D70	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Jan 2004	US$ 999	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D70s	..	..	..	..	..	5/5	Apr 2005	US$ 899	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D200	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Nov 2005	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check 1D Mark II offers at
ebay.com
Check D100 offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

~

Check 1D Mark II offers at
ebay.com
Check D100 offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.