Canon 1D Mark IV vs Leica S1

The Canon EOS-1D Mark IV and the Leica S1 Pro are two professional cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in October 2009 and August 1996. The 1D Mark IV is a DSLR, while the S1 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-H (1D Mark IV) and a medium format (S1) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 16 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 26.4 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 IV		Leica S1
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF mount lenses		Leica R mount lenses
16 MP – APS-H sensor		26.4 MP – Medium Format sensor
1080/30p Video		no Video
ISO 100-12,800 (50 - 102,400)		ISO 50-1,600
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 920k dots		no LCD
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		no rear screen
10 shutter flaps per second		0.01 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
156 x 157 x 80 mm, 1230 g		339 x 214 x 119 mm, 2500 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV and the Leica S1 Pro? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 1D Mark IV and the Leica S1 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side 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 Leica S1 is considerably larger (196 percent) than the Canon 1D Mark IV. Moreover, the S1 is substantially heavier (103 percent) than the 1D Mark IV. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 1D Mark IV is splash and dust resistant, while the S1 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 IV) and the Leica R Lens Catalog (S1). Mirrorless cameras, such as the S1, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

As can be seen in the images above, the 1D Mark IV has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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 IV	156 mm	157 mm	80 mm	1230 g	1500	Y	Oct 2009	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
2.		Leica S1	339 mm	214 mm	119 mm	2500 g	..	n	Aug 1996	US$ 21 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark III	156 mm	157 mm	80 mm	1155 g	2200	Y	Feb 2007	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1215 g	1200	Y	Sep 2004	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D X	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1551 g	1120	Y	Oct 2011	US$ 6 799	ebay.com
6.		Canon 1D X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 5 999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 5D Mark II	152 mm	114 mm	75 mm	850 g	850	Y	Sep 2008	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
9.		Canon 50D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	800	Y	Aug 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
10.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
11.		Leica CL	131 mm	78 mm	45 mm	403 g	220	n	Nov 2017	US$ 2 795	ebay.com
12.		Leica Q Typ 116	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	640 g	300	n	Jun 2015	US$ 4 249	ebay.com
13.		Leica S2	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1410 g	..	Y	Sep 2008	US$ 22 999	ebay.com
14.		Leica TL2	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	399 g	250	n	Jul 2017	US$ 1 949	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D3S	160 mm	157 mm	88 mm	1240 g	4200	Y	Oct 2009	US$ 5 199	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D4	160 mm	157 mm	91 mm	1340 g	2600	Y	Jan 2012	US$ 5 999	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6400	120 mm	67 mm	50 mm	403 g	410	Y	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 1D Mark IV was launched at a markedly lower price (by 77 percent) than the S1, 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 1D Mark IV features an APS-H sensor and the Leica S1 a medium format sensor. The sensor area in the S1 is 150 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.3 and 0.85. The sensor in the 1D Mark IV has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the S1 offers a 1:1 aspect.

With 26.4MP, the S1 offers a higher resolution than the 1D Mark IV (16MP), but the S1 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 7.01μm versus 5.70μm for the 1D Mark IV) due to its larger sensor. However, the 1D Mark IV is a much more recent model (by 13 years and 1 month) than the S1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the S1 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Leica S1 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the S1 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.7 x 25.7 inches or 65.3 x 65.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.6 x 20.6 inches or 52.2 x 52.2 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.1 x 17.1 inches or 43.5 x 43.5 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 1D Mark IV are 24.5 x 16.3 inches or 62.2 x 41.5 cm for good quality, 19.6 x 13.1 inches or 49.7 x 33.2 cm for very good quality, and 16.3 x 10.9 inches or 41.5 x 27.6 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS-1D Mark IV has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 50-102400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica S1 Pro are ISO 50 to ISO 1600 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the 1D Mark IV is build around a CMOS sensor, while the S1 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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar 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 IV	APS-H	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	22.8	12.0	1320	74
2.		Leica S1	Medium Format	26.4	5140	5140	none	..	..	..	..
3.		Canon 1D Mark III	APS-H	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.7	11.7	1078	71
4.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	Full Frame	16.6	4992	3328	none	23.3	11.3	1480	74
5.		Canon 1D X	Full Frame	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	23.8	11.8	2786	82
6.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207	88
7.		Canon 5D Mark II	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	1080/30p	23.7	11.9	1815	79
8.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
9.		Canon 50D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	none	21.8	11.4	696	63
10.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
11.		Leica CL	APS-C	24.1	6014	4014	4K/30p	24.0	13.3	1788	82
12.		Leica Q Typ 116	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.7	2221	85
13.		Leica S2	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.5	2224	82
14.		Leica TL2	APS-C	24.1	6014	4014	4K/30p	23.9	13.3	1753	82
15.		Nikon D3S	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	720/24p	23.5	12.0	3253	82
16.		Nikon D4	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	1080/30p	24.7	13.1	2965	89
17.		Sony A6400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.6	1431	83
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The 1D Mark IV indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the S1 does not. The highest resolution format that the 1D Mark IV can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 1D Mark IV and the S1 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 following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 1D Mark IV, the Leica S1, 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 IV	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
2.		Leica S1	optical	n	none / none	none	n	..	0.01/s	n	n
3.		Canon 1D Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	optical	Y	2.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 1D X	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon 1D X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0/s	n	n
7.		Canon 5D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.9/s	n	n
8.		Canon 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 50D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.3/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3/s	Y	n
11.		Leica CL	2360	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
12.		Leica Q Typ 116	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
13.		Leica S2	optical	Y	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
14.		Leica TL2	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	n
15.		Nikon D3S	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
16.		Nikon D4	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
17.		Sony A6400	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the 1D Mark IV, but is missing on the S1 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The 1D Mark IV writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDHC cards, while the S1 uses external storage.

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 IV and Leica S1 Pro 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 IV	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Leica S1	-	- / -	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3.		Canon 1D Mark III	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 1D X	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 5D Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 50D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Leica CL	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
12.		Leica Q Typ 116	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Leica S2	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Leica TL2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
15.		Nikon D3S	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Nikon D4	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony A6400	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the 1D Mark IV has a hotshoe, while the S1 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 1D Mark IV (unlike the S1) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 1D Mark IV and the S1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The S1 was replaced by the Leica S2, while the 1D Mark IV does not have a direct successor. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon and Leica websites.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 1D Mark IV or the Leica S1 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

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

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 1080/30p movies.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Rear screen: Has a backside LCD (3.0") for image review and settings control.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 0.01 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (156x157mm vs 339x214mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 1270g or 51 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (77 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 13 years and 1 month of technical progress since the S1 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Leica S1 Pro:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (26.4 vs 16MP), which boosts linear resolution by 24%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in August 1996).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 1D Mark IV is the clear winner of the match-up (13 : 5 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 IV and the Leica S1 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 1D Mark IV or the S1. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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 IV	5/5	..	..	89/100	..	..	Oct 2009	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
2.		Leica S1	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 1996	US$ 21 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark III	..	..	..	..	..	..	Feb 2007	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2004	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D X	5/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2011	US$ 6 799	ebay.com
6.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 5 999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 5D Mark II	4/5	91/100	..	79/100	4/5	..	Sep 2008	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
9.		Canon 50D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
10.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
11.		Leica CL	..	..	4.2/5	..	..	4/5	Nov 2017	US$ 2 795	ebay.com
12.		Leica Q Typ 116	5/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	US$ 4 249	ebay.com
13.		Leica S2	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2008	US$ 22 999	ebay.com
14.		Leica TL2	3.5/5	..	3/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2017	US$ 1 949	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D3S	5/5	..	..	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2009	US$ 5 199	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D4	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	US$ 5 999	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6400	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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