I suppose if you're looking at the earlier dogs compared to show lines there is a big difference. That seems to be all people ever want to look at when talking about GSDs. The modern show lines (German or American) and how extreme they are and how "the breed is now ruined". It really does depend on where you're looking though. Photos showing those early dogs into modern working lines, you wouldn't see such a big difference.
FWIW in the very early pictures, those dogs were still kinda a work in progress...part of a vision but not quite there yet.