Canon 1D X Mark II Comparison Review

The Canon EOS-1D X Mark II is a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera that was revealed to the public in February 2016 and is equipped with a full frame sensor. It offers a resolution of 20 megapixel.

Is the Canon 1D X Mark II a good camera? The 1DX Mark II has a Camera Elo of 2418. This rating puts the 1DX Mark II among the top 10 percent of all digital single lens reflex cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (full frame cameras), the 1DX Mark II ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 4-star performance rating.

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

Body comparison with a credit card

The physical dimensions of the Canon 1D X Mark II relative to a credit card are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. 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.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Canon 1D X Mark II alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons 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 X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 5 999	ebay.com
2.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	150 mm	160 mm	80 mm	1385 g	1800	Y	Aug 2007	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D C	158 mm	164 mm	83 mm	1545 g	1120	Y	Apr 2012	US$ 14 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D X	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1551 g	1120	Y	Oct 2011	US$ 6 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D X Mark III	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1440 g	2850	Y	Jan 2020	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	152 mm	114 mm	75 mm	850 g	850	Y	Sep 2008	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
7.		Canon 5D Mark III	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	950 g	950	Y	Mar 2012	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
9.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
11.		Nikon D5	160 mm	159 mm	92 mm	1415 g	3780	Y	Jan 2016	US$ 6 499	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

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Canon 1D X Mark II was launched in the US market at a price of $5,999. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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.

Check 1DX Mark II offers at
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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. 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.

The Canon 1D X Mark II features a full frame sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Canon 1D X Mark II among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality.

For most cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). 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 X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207	88
2.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	none	24.0	12.0	1663	80
3.		Canon 1D C	Full Frame	17.9	5184	3456	4K/24p	24.3	13.0	2155	85
4.		Canon 1D X	Full Frame	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	23.8	11.8	2786	82
5.		Canon 1D X Mark III	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.2	14.5	3248	91
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	1080/30p	23.7	11.9	1815	79
7.		Canon 5D Mark III	Full Frame	22.1	5760	3840	1080/30p	24.0	11.7	2293	81
8.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
9.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
11.		Nikon D5	Full Frame	20.7	5588	3712	4K/30p	25.1	12.3	2343	88
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The 1DX Mark II indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the 1DX Mark II can use is 4K/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the 1DX Mark II has an optical viewfinder that provides a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.76x. The following tables report on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 1D X Mark II 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 X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0/s	n	n
2.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 1D C	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 1D X	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 1D X Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.9/s	n	n
7.		Canon 5D Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	n
8.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
9.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
11.		Nikon D5	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One useful feature of the 1DX Mark II is a presence of 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.

Connection 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 X Mark II 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 X Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 1D C	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 1D X	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 1D X Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 5D Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Nikon D5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the 1DX Mark II has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Further information on the features and operation of the 1DX Mark II can be found in the free online Canon 1D X Mark II Manual or on the Canon support site.

Expert reviews

While the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the 1DX Mark II in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate. This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent 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]).

Review Scores

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 5 999	ebay.com
2.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	..	..	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	Aug 2007	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D C	..	..	..	..	..	..	Apr 2012	US$ 14 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D X	5/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2011	US$ 6 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D X Mark III	..	+ +	5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2020	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	4/5	91/100	..	79/100	4/5	..	Sep 2008	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
7.		Canon 5D Mark III	..	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2012	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
9.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
11.		Nikon D5	..	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 6 499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check 1DX Mark II offers at
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Camera to camera comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. An 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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