Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II vs Nikon D3500

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500
      58
      Image cannot be found
      65
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found

      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-1Ds Mark II and the Nikon D3500, 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-1Ds Mark II was introduced in October 2005 and Nikon D3500 was introduced in August 2018. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II Highlights

      • 17.2 MP Full Frame CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 3,200 Native ISO
      • 45 Focus Points
      • 2.0" 230k dot Fixed Screen
      • Optical (pentaprism) Viewfinder
      • 4.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • Wheather Sealed Body

      Nikon D3500 Highlights

      • 24.2 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
      • No Optical Low-pass Filter
      • 100 - 25,600 Native ISO
      • 11 Focus Points
      • 3.0" 921k dot Fixed Screen
      • Optical (pentamirror) Viewfinder
      • 5.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1920 x 1080 Video Shooting
      • 30 min Video Recording Limit
      • Built-in Flash
      Table of Contents
      1. Overview
      2. Pros and Cons
      3. Advantage of Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II
      4. Advantage of Nikon D3500
      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-1Ds Mark II and Nikon D3500.

      PROS

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500

      •   Large Sensor
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      •   Cheap
      •   Video Capture
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Light - 365 g (0.80 lb / 12.87 oz)
      •   Long Battery Life - 1550 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500

      •   No Video Capture
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Small Screen - 2.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low USB Speed
      •   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 - 1565 g (3.45 lb / 55.20 oz)
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   No USB Charging


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

      AVERAGE

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500

      •   Sensor Resolution - 17.2 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 4.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      •   DxO Overall Score - 74
      •   Sensor Resolution - 24.2 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   -1 EV Min AF Detection
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 921k dot
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec

      Advantage of Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

      Canon 1Ds II
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II over Nikon D3500.

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II vs Nikon D3500
      Larger Sensor Full Frame vs APS-C
      Timelapse Recording vs
      More Focus Points 45 vs 11
      Top LCD Screen vs
      Higher Viewfinder Coverage 100% vs 95%
      Higher Viewfinder Magnification (35mm equivalent) 0.70x vs 0.57x
      Higher Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) 1/8000 sec vs 1/4000 sec
      Higher Flash Sync Speed 1/250 sec vs 1/200 sec
      Environmental Sealing vs
      More Storage Slots 2 vs 1

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II.

      Canon 1D II
      Image cannot be found

      APS-H

      8.2 MP

      Canon 1D II N
      Image cannot be found

      APS-H

      8.2 MP

      Canon 1D
      Image cannot be found

      APS-H

      4 MP

      Canon 1D X III
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      20.1 MP

      Canon 1D C
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      18.1 MP

      Canon 1Ds
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      11 MP

      Canon 1D III
      Image cannot be found

      APS-H

      10.1 MP

      Canon 1D IV
      Image cannot be found

      APS-H

      16.1 MP

      Canon 1D X II
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      20.2 MP

      Canon 1Ds III
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      21.1 MP

      Canon 1D X
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      18.1 MP

      Canon Rebel SL1
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      18.0 MP

      Advantage of Nikon D3500

      Nikon D3500
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Nikon D3500 over Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II.

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II vs Nikon D3500
      Video Capture vs
      Higher Sensor Resolution 17.2 Megapixel vs 24.2 Megapixel
      Higher Native ISO 3,200 vs 25,600
      Max Image Resolution 4992 x 3328 vs 6000 x 4000
      Center Autofocus vs
      Tracking Autofocus vs
      Face Detection vs
      Live View Autofocus vs
      Contrast Detection for Autofocus vs
      Larger Screen 2.0" vs 3.0"
      Higher Resolution Screen 230k dot vs 921k dot
      Live View vs
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 4.0 fps vs 5.0 fps
      Built-in Flash vs
      Multi-Segment Metering vs
      Center Weighted Metering vs
      Average Metering vs
      Spot Metering vs
      AF-Area Metering vs
      Higher USB Speed USB 1.0 (1.5 Mbit/sec) vs USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
      HDMI Output vs Mini
      Built-in Microphone vs Mono
      Built-In Bluetooth vs
      Lighter 1565 g (3.45 lb / 55.20 oz) vs 365 g (0.80 lb / 12.87 oz)

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Nikon D3500.

      Nikon D3200
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      24.2 MP

      Canon R100
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      24.1 MP

      Nikon D3300
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      24.2 MP

      Nikon D3100
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      14 MP

      Nikon D3400
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      24.2 MP

      Nikon D3000
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      10.2 MP

      Canon Rebel T8i
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      24.1 MP

      Nikon Z30
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      20.9 MP

      Sony NEX-5T
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      16.1 MP

      Canon Rebel T3i
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      18.0 MP

      Nikon 1 J3
      Image cannot be found

      1-inch

      14.2 MP

      Canon 5DS
      Image cannot be found

      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-1Ds Mark II Nikon D3500
        Orientation Sensor
      WEAKNESSES Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II Nikon D3500
        No Image Stabilization
        Screen TypeFixedFixed
        No Microphone Input
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS
        No Built-In Wi-Fi

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II has a 2.0" screen with 230k dot resolution and Nikon D3500 has a 3.0" screen with 921k dot resolution. Both have Fixed screens.


      Viewfinder

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II has a built-in Optical (pentaprism) viewfinderNikon D3500 has a built-in Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II has 100% coverage with 0.70x magnification and Nikon D3500 has 95% coverage with 0.85x (0.57x 35mm equivalent) magnification.

      Sensor

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II features a 17.2 megapixel Full Frame CMOS sensor with dimensions of 36 x 24 mm and a total area of 864 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 3,200. Nikon D3500 features a 24.2 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with dimensions of 23.5 x 15.6 mm and a total area of 243.4 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 25,600.


      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-1Ds Mark II can take pictures up to 4992 x 3328 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 3600 x 2400, 3072 x 2048, 2496 x 1664 with 3:2 aspect ratios. Nikon D3500 is equipped with EXPEED 4 processor and can take pictures up to 6000 x 4000 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 4496 x 3000, 2992 x 2000 with 3:2 aspect ratios.


      Lens Mount

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II has Canon EF lens mount and Nikon D3500 has Nikon F lens mount. Due to Full Frame sensor in Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II its crop factor is equal to 1x, this means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length. Due to APS-C sensor in Nikon D3500 its crop factor is equal to 1.5x, this means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 1.5.


      No Low-Pass Filter on Nikon D3500

      There is no optical low-pass filter (OLPF), also known as an anti-aliasing filter, in front of the sensor on Nikon D3500. This results in a slightly sharper image but may also introduce moiré patterns and aliasing artifacts when photographing subjects with fine, repetitive patterns or details.


      No Image Stabilization

      The cameras do not have image stabilization. On Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II it means that you need lenses with optical image stabilization for vibration reduction. As for Nikon D3500 nothing can be done. On Nikon D3500 it means that you need lenses with optical image stabilization for vibration reduction. As for Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II nothing can be done.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      Bluetooth on Nikon D3500

      Nikon D3500 has a built-in Bluetooth which lets you to connect the camera to a smartphone or a dedicated remote control device. This allows you to remotely trigger the camera, adjust settings and controls remotely through a paired mobile app. While Wi-Fi is generally faster for transferring larger files, Bluetooth can be used for small, selective transfers, it can provide real-time information about your camera's battery status, memory card capacity, and other key settings directly on your paired smartphone or smartwatch.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in Bluetooth.


      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB inputs for data transfer. connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Nikon D3500 comes with EN-EL14a battery pack with battery life of 1550 shots.


      External Storage Slots

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II has two card slots - one for SD and one for CompactFlash (Type I/II). Nikon D3500 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I) card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II has Electronic with the CCD sensor and Electronically Controlled Vertical-travel Mechanical Focal-plane shutter. Nikon D3500 has Electronic shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/8000 sec on Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II, and up to 1/4000 sec on Nikon D3500. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II can shoot continuously up to 4.0 fps. Nikon D3500 can shoot continuously up to 5.0 fps.


      Focusing

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II has 45 focusing points and Nikon D3500 has 11 focusing points. Nikon D3500 has detection range from -1 to +19 EV.


      Exposure

      Exposure meterings of Nikon D3500 ranges from 0 to +20 EV and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±3 EV range on Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II and ±5 EV range on Nikon D3500. You can also do and manual exposure adjustment on Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II and exposure lock and manual exposure adjustment on Nikon D3500.


      Flash

      Nikon D3500 has a built-in flash with maximum range of 7.00 m at ISO 100 and also accepts external flash which can be connected via Hot Shoe. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II has no built-in flash but an external flash may be connected. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/250 sec on Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II and 1/200 sec on Nikon D3500.

      Physical Parameters

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II body has dimensions of 156 x 158 x 80 mm (6.14 x 6.22 x 3.15") and Nikon D3500 body has dimensions of 124 x 97 x 70 mm (4.88 x 3.82 x 2.76"). Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II weighs 1565 g (3.45 lb / 55.20 oz) and Nikon D3500 weighs 365 g (0.80 lb / 12.87 oz).

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500

      156 mm

      158 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      124 mm

      97 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      158 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      97 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      80 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      70 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      Size comparisons of Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II and Nikon D3500

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II and Nikon D3500 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-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500

      GOOD
      80
      •   Large Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      AVERAGE
      66
      •   Screen Resolution - 921k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500

      AVERAGE
      61
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 4.0 fps
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      70
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Resolution - 921k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.0 fps
      •   Long Battery Life - 1550 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500

      AVERAGE
      63
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 4.0 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      62
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Resolution - 921k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.0 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Long Battery Life - 1550 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500

      GOOD
      73
      •   Large Sensor
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Small Screen - 2.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      78
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 921k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500

      AVERAGE
      65
      •   Large Sensor
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Heavy - 1565 g (3.45 lb / 55.20 oz)
      GOOD
      80
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 921k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 365 g (0.80 lb / 12.87 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500

      POOR
      51
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Heavy - 1565 g (3.45 lb / 55.20 oz)
      GOOD
      82
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 921k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 365 g (0.80 lb / 12.87 oz)
      •   Long Battery Life - 1550 shots

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II and Nikon D3500 and give them scores of 58 and 65 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-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500

      OVERALL
      58
      OVERALL
      65

      Sensor

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500

      GOOD
      73
      •   Large Sensor
      •   Sensor Resolution - 17.2 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 74
      AVERAGE
      64
      •   Sensor Resolution - 24.2 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO

      Photo

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500

      AVERAGE
      63
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 4.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      AVERAGE
      66
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec

      Video

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500

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

      Focusing

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500

      AVERAGE
      69
      •   45 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      EXCELLENT
      86
      •   -1 EV Min AF Detection
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500

      AVERAGE
      66
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Small Screen - 2.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 921k dot

      Connectivity

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500

      BAD
      33
      •   Low USB Speed
      •   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
      71
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

      Nikon D3500

      GOOD
      78
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Heavy - 1565 g (3.45 lb / 55.20 oz)
      •   2 Storage Slots
      AVERAGE
      55
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 365 g (0.80 lb / 12.87 oz)
      •   Long Battery Life - 1550 shots


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

      Amazon Affiliate Disclosure
      ZKelectronics is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon (.com, .co.uk, .ca, etc) and any other websites that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program.