Canon 1D Mark III vs Pentax K20D

Canon 1D Mark III advantages over Pentax K20D

• Larger sensor
  APS-H vs APS-C
  More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
• Bigger pixels
  ~ 7.23 vs 5.05 microns
  Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
• Fast startup
  ~0.10 vs 0.4 sec
  Faster startup lets you catch the moment
• Higher effective ISO

  Higher effective ISO

  Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

  Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

  You can learn more at our glossary entry.

  Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.

  1D Mark III test data on DxO Mark K20D test data on DxO Mark
  1,078 vs 639 iso
  Take photos in low light with less noise
• Longer stills battery life
  More info

  Longer stills battery life

  Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

  Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

  2200 vs 530 shots
  Capture more photos
• More cross-type AF points
  19 vs 9
  Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
• Higher max flash sync
  1/300 vs 1/180 sec
  Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
• Dual card slots
  Yes vs No
  Gives you more storage flexibility
• More AF points
  19 vs 11
  More AF points improve autofocus
• Faster JPEG shooting
  9.9 fps vs 2.8 fps
  Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
• Faster shutter
  1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
  Shoot wide open in bright light