Canon 1Ds Mark II vs Leica M Typ 262

The Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II and the Leica M (Typ 262) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2004 and November 2015. The 1Ds Mark II is a DSLR, while the M Typ 262 is a rangefinder-focusing mirrorless camera. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 16.6 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 23.7 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon 1Ds Mark II		Leica M Typ 262
Digital single lens reflex		Rangefinder camera
Canon EF mount lenses		Leica M mount lenses
16.6 MP – Full Frame sensor		23.7 MP – Full Frame sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 100-1,600 (50 - 3,200)		ISO 200-6,400
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
2.0" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
4 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
1200 shots per battery charge		400 shots per battery charge
156 x 158 x 80 mm, 1215 g		139 x 80 x 42 mm, 680 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II and the Leica M (Typ 262)? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 1Ds Mark II and the Leica M Typ 262. 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M Typ 262 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the 1Ds Mark II is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Leica M Typ 262 is considerably smaller (55 percent) than the Canon 1Ds Mark II. Moreover, the M Typ 262 is substantially lighter (44 percent) than the 1Ds Mark II. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

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. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (1Ds Mark II) and the Leica M Lens Catalog (M Typ 262).

Concerning battery life, the 1Ds Mark II gets 1200 shots out of its Canon NP-E3 battery, while the M Typ 262 can take 400 images on a single charge of its Leica BP-SCL2 power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the 1Ds Mark II has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera 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 1Ds Mark II	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1215 g	1200	Y	Sep 2004	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
2.		Leica M Typ 262	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	400	Y	Nov 2015	US$ 5 195	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark II N	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1565 g	1200	Y	Aug 2005	US$ 3 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D Mark III	156 mm	157 mm	80 mm	1155 g	2200	Y	Feb 2007	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D Mark IV	156 mm	157 mm	80 mm	1230 g	1500	Y	Oct 2009	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
6.		Canon 1Ds	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1265 g	600	Y	Sep 2002	US$ 8 999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	150 mm	160 mm	80 mm	1385 g	1800	Y	Aug 2007	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
8.		Canon 1D X	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1551 g	1120	Y	Oct 2011	US$ 6 799	ebay.com
9.		Canon 1D X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 5 999	ebay.com
10.		Canon 1D X Mark III	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1440 g	2850	Y	Jan 2020	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
11.		Canon 5D	152 mm	113 mm	75 mm	895 g	400	Y	Aug 2005	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
12.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
13.		Leica M Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 6 949	ebay.com
14.		Leica M-E Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Jun 2019	US$ 3 999	ebay.com
15.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	US$ 6 599	ebay.com
16.		Leica Q Typ 116	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	640 g	300	n	Jun 2015	US$ 4 249	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 M Typ 262 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 35 percent) than the 1Ds Mark II, which puts it into a different market segment. 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.

Sensor comparison

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. 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 tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the M Typ 262 is 1 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the M Typ 262 offers a higher resolution of 23.7 megapixels, compared with 16.6 MP of the 1Ds Mark II. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 6.01μm versus 7.21μm for the 1Ds Mark II). However, it should be noted that the M Typ 262 is much more recent (by 11 years and 2 months) than the 1Ds Mark II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the M Typ 262 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Leica M Typ 262 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the M Typ 262 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 29.8 x 19.9 inches or 75.6 x 50.5 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 23.8 x 15.9 inches or 60.5 x 40.4 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 19.8 x 13.3 inches or 50.4 x 33.7 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 1Ds Mark II are 25 x 16.6 inches or 63.4 x 42.3 cm for good quality, 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.7 x 33.8 cm for very good quality, and 16.6 x 11.1 inches or 42.3 x 28.2 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS-1Ds 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 Leica M (Typ 262) are ISO 200 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-6400.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. 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 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	Full Frame	16.6	4992	3328	none	23.3	11.3	1480	74
2.		Leica M Typ 262	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	none	24.8	13.7	2478	90
3.		Canon 1D Mark II N	APS-H	8.2	3504	2336	none	22.3	11.2	975	66
4.		Canon 1D Mark III	APS-H	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.7	11.7	1078	71
5.		Canon 1D Mark IV	APS-H	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	22.8	12.0	1320	74
6.		Canon 1Ds	Full Frame	11.0	4064	2704	none	21.8	11.0	954	63
7.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	none	24.0	12.0	1663	80
8.		Canon 1D X	Full Frame	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	23.8	11.8	2786	82
9.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207	88
10.		Canon 1D X Mark III	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.2	14.5	3248	91
11.		Canon 5D	Full Frame	12.7	4368	2912	none	22.9	11.1	1368	71
12.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
13.		Leica M Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	24.0	13.3	1860	84
14.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	25.2	14.2	2821	94
15.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
16.		Leica Q Typ 116	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.7	2221	85
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 range of features. The 1Ds Mark II and the M Typ 262 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 viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the 1Ds Mark II has a higher magnification than the one of the M Typ 262 (0.70x vs 0.68x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 1Ds Mark II and Leica M Typ 262 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 1Ds Mark II	optical	Y	2.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
2.		Leica M Typ 262	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 1D Mark II N	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.5/s	n	n
4.		Canon 1D Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 1D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon 1Ds	optical	Y	2.0 / 120	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	n
7.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
8.		Canon 1D X	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
9.		Canon 1D X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0/s	n	n
10.		Canon 1D X Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	n
11.		Canon 5D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	n
12.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
13.		Leica M Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
14.		Leica M-E Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
15.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
16.		Leica Q Typ 116	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the 1Ds Mark II, but is missing on the M Typ 262 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 1Ds Mark II writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDHC cards, while the M Typ 262 uses SDXC cards. The 1Ds Mark II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the M Typ 262 only has one slot. The M Typ 262 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the 1Ds Mark II cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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-1Ds Mark II and Leica M (Typ 262) 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 1Ds Mark II	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Leica M Typ 262	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 1D Mark II N	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
4.		Canon 1D Mark III	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 1D Mark IV	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 1Ds	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
7.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 1D X	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon 1D X Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon 5D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Leica M Typ 240	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
16.		Leica Q Typ 116	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 1Ds Mark II (unlike the M Typ 262) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 1Ds Mark II and the M Typ 262 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 1Ds Mark II was replaced by the Canon 1Ds Mark III, while the M Typ 262 was followed by the Leica M10. Further information on the features and operation of the 1Ds Mark II and M Typ 262 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 1Ds Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica M Typ 262 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 1Ds Mark II or the Leica M Typ 262 – 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.

Advantages of the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.68x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (4 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 400) on a single battery charge.
• 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 heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2004).

Arguments in favor of the Leica M (Typ 262):

• More detail: Has more megapixels (23.7 vs 16.6MP), which boosts linear resolution by 19%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 230k dots).
• More compact: Is smaller (139x80mm vs 156x158mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 535g or 44 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (35 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 11 years and 2 months of technical progress since the 1Ds Mark II launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the match-up finishes in a tie (10 points each). 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.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 1Ds Mark II or the M Typ 262 perform in practice. 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 why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 1Ds Mark II	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2004	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
2.		Leica M Typ 262	..	..	..	..	..	..	Nov 2015	US$ 5 195	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark II N	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2005	US$ 3 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D Mark III	..	..	..	..	..	..	Feb 2007	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D Mark IV	5/5	..	..	89/100	..	..	Oct 2009	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
6.		Canon 1Ds	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2002	US$ 8 999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	..	..	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	Aug 2007	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
8.		Canon 1D X	5/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2011	US$ 6 799	ebay.com
9.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 5 999	ebay.com
10.		Canon 1D X Mark III	..	+ +	5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2020	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
11.		Canon 5D	..	88/100	..	+ +	o	..	Aug 2005	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
12.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
13.		Leica M Typ 240	4/5	..	..	..	4/5	..	Sep 2012	US$ 6 949	ebay.com
14.		Leica M-E Typ 240	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2019	US$ 3 999	ebay.com
15.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 6 599	ebay.com
16.		Leica Q Typ 116	5/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	US$ 4 249	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.

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Other camera comparisons

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