Canon EOS-1D Mark III vs Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
      59
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      69
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      Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Canon EOS-1D Mark III and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III was introduced in February 2007 and Canon EOS-1D Mark IV was introduced in February 2010. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III Highlights

      • 10.1 MP APS-H CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 3,200 Native ISO
      • 45 Focus Points (45 Cross-type)
      • 3.0" 230k dot Fixed Screen
      • Optical (pentaprism) Viewfinder
      • 10.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • Wheather Sealed Body

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Highlights

      • 16.1 MP APS-H CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 12,800 Native ISO
      • 45 Focus Points
      • 3.0" 920k dot Fixed Screen
      • Optical (pentaprism) Viewfinder
      • 10.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1920 x 1080 Video Shooting
      • 30 min Video Recording Limit
      • Wheather Sealed Body
      Table of Contents
      1. Overview
      2. Pros and Cons
      3. Advantage of Canon EOS-1D Mark III
      4. Advantage of Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
      5. Common Strengths and Weaknesses
      6. Screen and Viewfinder
      7. Sensor
      8. Photography Features
      9. Connectivity, Battery and Storage
      10. Other Features
      11. Physical Parameters
      12. For Different Types of Photography
      13. Evaluations
      14. Specifications  

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Canon EOS-1D Mark III and Canon EOS-1D Mark IV.

      PROS

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   High Flash Sync Speed - 1/300 sec
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Long Battery Life - 2200 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      •   Video Capture
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   High Flash Sync Speed - 1/300 sec
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Long Battery Life - 1500 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      •   No Video Capture
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 10.1 Megapixel
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Heavy - 1335 g (2.94 lb / 47.09 oz)
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Heavy - 1230 g (2.71 lb / 43.39 oz)


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   19 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   DxO Overall Score - 71
      •   Sensor Resolution - 16.1 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 920k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   DxO Overall Score - 74

      Advantage of Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon 1D III
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Canon EOS-1D Mark III over Canon EOS-1D Mark IV.

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III vs Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
      Lower Min Metering 0 EV vs +1 EV
      Higher Max Metering +20 EV vs +18 EV
      Longer Battery Life 2200 shots vs 1500 shots

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Canon EOS-1D Mark III.

      Canon 1D II N
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      APS-H

      8.2 MP

      Canon 1D X III
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      Full Frame

      20.1 MP

      Canon 1D
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      APS-H

      4 MP

      Canon 1Ds
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      Full Frame

      11 MP

      Canon 1Ds II
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      17.2 MP

      Canon 1D C
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      Full Frame

      18.1 MP

      Canon 1Ds III
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      Full Frame

      21.1 MP

      Canon 1D X II
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      Full Frame

      20.2 MP

      Canon 1D X
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      Full Frame

      18.1 MP

      Canon 1D II
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      APS-H

      8.2 MP

      Sony a7 IV
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      Full Frame

      33.0 MP

      Nikon 1 S1
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      1-inch

      10.1 MP

      Advantage of Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      Canon 1D IV
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Canon EOS-1D Mark IV over Canon EOS-1D Mark III.

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III vs Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
      Video Capture vs
      Higher Sensor Resolution 10.1 Megapixel vs 16.1 Megapixel
      Higher Native ISO 3,200 vs 12,800
      Higher Boosted ISO 6,400 vs 102,400
      Max Image Resolution 3888 x 2592 vs 4896 x 3264
      Face Detection vs
      Live View Autofocus vs
      Contrast Detection for Autofocus vs
      Higher Resolution Screen 230k dot vs 920k dot
      Multi-Segment Metering vs
      Center Weighted Metering vs
      Spot Metering vs
      Higher DxO Low Light ISO 1078 vs 1320
      Higher DxO Color Depth 22.7 vs 22.8
      Higher DxO Dynamic Range 11.7 vs 12.0
      Higher DxO Overall Score 71 vs 74
      HDMI Output vs
      Built-in Microphone vs Stereo
      Microphone Input vs
      Lighter 1335 g (2.94 lb / 47.09 oz) vs 1230 g (2.71 lb / 43.39 oz)

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Canon EOS-1D Mark IV.

      Canon 1Ds
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      Full Frame

      11 MP

      Canon 1D X
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      Full Frame

      18.1 MP

      Canon 1D
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      APS-H

      4 MP

      Canon 1D II N
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      APS-H

      8.2 MP

      Canon 1D X II
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      Full Frame

      20.2 MP

      Canon 1Ds II
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      Full Frame

      17.2 MP

      Canon 1D C
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      Full Frame

      18.1 MP

      Canon 1Ds III
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      Full Frame

      21.1 MP

      Canon 1D II
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      APS-H

      8.2 MP

      Canon 1D X III
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      Full Frame

      20.1 MP

      Canon 70D
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      APS-C

      20.2 MP

      Canon 5DS
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      Full Frame

      50.6 MP

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Canon EOS-1D Mark III Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
        High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain)1/8000 sec1/8000 sec
        High Flash Sync Speed1/300 sec1/300 sec
        Environmental Sealing
        Long Battery Life2200 shots1500 shots
        Many Storage Slots22
        Orientation Sensor
      WEAKNESSES Canon EOS-1D Mark III Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
        No Image Stabilization
        Screen TypeFixedFixed
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS
        No Built-In Wi-Fi Eye-Fi Connection possible
        No Built-In Bluetooth
        Heavy1335 g (2.94 lb / 47.09 oz)1230 g (2.71 lb / 43.39 oz)

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III and Canon EOS-1D Mark IV have 3.0" Fixed screens with 230k dot and 920k dot resolutions respectively.


      Viewfinder

      Cameras have built-in Optical (pentaprism) viewfinders. They both have 100% coverage and 0.76x (0.58x 35mm equivalent) magnification.

      Sensor

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III features a 10.1 megapixel APS-H CMOS sensor with dimensions of 28.7 x 18.7 mm and a total area of 536.7 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 3,200 and expands to 50 - 6,400 in boosted mode. Canon EOS-1D Mark IV features a 16.1 megapixel APS-H CMOS sensor with dimensions of 27.9 x 18.6 mm and a total area of 346 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 12,800 and expands to 50 - 102,400 in boosted mode.


      Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how different sensors compare with each other:

      Sensor size chart
      Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
      Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
      Image cannot be displayedFull Frame36 x 24 mm864 mm23:21x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
      Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.4 x 13 mm226.2 mm24:32x
      Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

      Photography Features

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III can take pictures up to 3888 x 2592 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 3456 x 2304, 2816 x 1880, 1936 x 1288 with 3:2 aspect ratios. Canon EOS-1D Mark IV is equipped with DIGIC 4 processor and can take pictures up to 4896 x 3264 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 4320 x 2880, 3672 x 2448, 3552 x 2368, 2448 x 1632 with 3:2 aspect ratios.


      Lens Mount

      Cameras have Canon EF lens mount. Due to their APS-H sensor their crop factor (also called lens multiplier) is equal to 1.3x. This means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 1.3.


      No Image Stabilization

      The cameras do not have image stabilization. On Canon EOS-1D Mark III it means that you need lenses with optical image stabilization for vibration reduction. As for Canon EOS-1D Mark IV nothing can be done. On Canon EOS-1D Mark IV it means that you need lenses with optical image stabilization for vibration reduction. As for Canon EOS-1D Mark III nothing can be done.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) inputs for data transfer. connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV comes with LP-E4 battery pack with battery life of 1500 shots.


      External Storage Slots

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III has two card slots - one for SD and one for CompactFlash (Type I/II). Canon EOS-1D Mark IV has two card slots - one for SD/SDHC and one for CompactFlash (Type I/II, UDMA 7).

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III and Canon EOS-1D Mark IV have Electronically Controlled Vertical-travel Mechanical Focal-plane. shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/8000 sec on Canon EOS-1D Mark III, and up to 1/8000 sec on Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. Cameras can shoot continuously up to 10.0 fps.


      Focusing

      Both cameras have Dual Pixel CMOS AF system with 45 focusing points..


      Exposure

      Exposure meterings of Canon EOS-1D Mark III and Canon EOS-1D Mark IV range from 0 to +20 EV and +1 to +18 EV respectively and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±3 EV range. You can also do exposure lock and manual exposure adjustment on Canon EOS-1D Mark III and exposure lock, exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Canon EOS-1D Mark IV.


      Flash

      Cameras have no built-in flash but an external flash may be connected to both of them via Hot Shoe or PC Terminal to Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/300 sec on both cameras.

      Physical Parameters

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III and Canon EOS-1D Mark IV bodies have the same dimensions of 156 x 157 x 80 mm (6.14 x 6.18 x 3.15"). Canon EOS-1D Mark III weighs 1335 g (2.94 lb / 47.09 oz) and Canon EOS-1D Mark IV weighs 1230 g (2.71 lb / 43.39 oz).

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      156 mm

      157 mm

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      156 mm

      157 mm

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      157 mm

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      157 mm

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      80 mm

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      80 mm

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      Size comparisons of Canon EOS-1D Mark III and Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III and Canon EOS-1D Mark IV for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      GOOD
      80
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      GOOD
      81
      •   Screen Resolution - 920k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      AVERAGE
      64
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   19 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Long Battery Life - 2200 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      71
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Resolution - 920k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Long Battery Life - 1500 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      AVERAGE
      66
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   19 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Long Battery Life - 2200 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      67
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Resolution - 920k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Long Battery Life - 1500 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      GOOD
      72
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   19 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   High Flash Sync Speed - 1/300 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      80
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 920k dot
      •   High Flash Sync Speed - 1/300 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      GOOD
      70
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   19 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Heavy - 1335 g (2.94 lb / 47.09 oz)
      GOOD
      73
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 920k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Heavy - 1230 g (2.71 lb / 43.39 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      AVERAGE
      65
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Heavy - 1335 g (2.94 lb / 47.09 oz)
      •   Long Battery Life - 2200 shots
      AVERAGE
      67
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 920k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Heavy - 1230 g (2.71 lb / 43.39 oz)
      •   Long Battery Life - 1500 shots

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Canon EOS-1D Mark III and Canon EOS-1D Mark IV and give them scores of 59 and 69 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      OVERALL
      59
      OVERALL
      69

      Sensor

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      AVERAGE
      69
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 10.1 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 71
      GOOD
      70
      •   Sensor Resolution - 16.1 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 74

      Photo

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      AVERAGE
      66
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   High Flash Sync Speed - 1/300 sec
      GOOD
      70
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   High Flash Sync Speed - 1/300 sec

      Video

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      BAD
      0
      •   No Image Stabilization
      BAD
      16
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit

      Focusing

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      AVERAGE
      67
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   19 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      GOOD
      81
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      GOOD
      70
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      GOOD
      72
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 920k dot

      Connectivity

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      POOR
      40
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      GOOD
      78
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Canon EOS-1D Mark III

      Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

      GOOD
      79
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Heavy - 1335 g (2.94 lb / 47.09 oz)
      •   Long Battery Life - 2200 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots
      GOOD
      75
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Heavy - 1230 g (2.71 lb / 43.39 oz)
      •   Long Battery Life - 1500 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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