Do you want to know what's better Canon EOS 5D Mark III or Nikon D5? SpecsPRO has compared Canon EOS 5D Mark III vs Nikon D5: weight, battery, sensor, resolution, ISO, dynamic range and other important specifications.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III vs Nikon D5

  • Main

  • Model

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • launch

  • Announced

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

  • Max resolution

  • Sensor size

  • Sensor type

  • Processor

  • Image ratio w:h

  • Other resolutions

  • Sensor photo detectors

  • Image

  • ISO

  • Boosted ISO (minimum)

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

  • White balance presets

  • Custom white balance

  • Image stabilization

  • Uncompressed format

  • JPEG quality levels

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

  • Maximum shutter speed

  • Aperture priority

  • Shutter priority

  • Manual exposure mode

  • Subject / scene modes

  • Built-in flash

  • External flash

  • Continuous drive

  • Self-timer

  • Metering modes

  • Exposure compensation

  • AE Bracketing

  • WB Bracketing

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

  • Screen size

  • Screen dots

  • Touch screen

  • Screen type

  • Live view

  • Viewfinder type

  • Viewfinder coverage

  • Viewfinder magnification

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

  • File Format

  • Videography notes

  • Microphone

  • Speaker

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

  • Digital zoom

  • Manual focus

  • Number of focus points

  • Lens mount

  • Focal length multiplier

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

  • Dimensions

  • Environmentally sealed

  • Battery

  • Battery details

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

  • Storage

  • Storage types

  • Storage included

  • Connectivity

  • USB

  • HDMI

  • Wireless

  • Wireless notes

  • Remote control

  • Microphone port

  • Headphone port

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

  • Timelapse recording

  • GPS

  • GPS notes

  • Samples

  • Videos

  • Main

  • Model

    Canon EOS 5D Mark III

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • SENSOR Effective pixels: 22 megapixels

    SENSOR Max resolution: 5760 x 3840

    SENSOR Sensor size: Full frame (36 x 24 mm)

    SENSOR Sensor photo detectors: 23 megapixels

    PHYSICAL Weight (inc. batteries): 950 g (2.09 lb / 33.51 oz)

    Go to the Summary

Nikon D5
  • Main

  • Model

    Nikon D5

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Continuous drive: 14.0 fps

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Screen dots: 2,359,000

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Touch screen: Yes

    VIDEOGRAPHY FEATURES Resolutions: 3840 x 2160 (30p/25p/24p), 1920 x 1080 (60p/50p/30p/25p/24p), 1280 x 720 (60p/50p)

    VIDEOGRAPHY FEATURES Microphone: Stereo

    OPTICS & FOCUS Number of focus points: 153

    PHYSICAL Battery Life (CIPA): 3780

    Go to the Summary

  • launch

  • Announced

    Mar 2, 2012

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    Mid-size SLR

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    22 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    5760 x 3840

  • Sensor size

    Full frame (36 x 24 mm)

  • Sensor type

    CMOS

  • Processor

    Digic 5+

  • Image ratio w:h

    3:2

  • Other resolutions

    3840 x 2560, 2880 x 1920, 1920 x 1280, 720 x 480

  • Sensor photo detectors

    23 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    Auto, 100 - 25600 in 1/3 stops, plus 50, 51200, 102400 as option

  • Boosted ISO (minimum)

    50

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

    102400

  • White balance presets

    6

  • Custom white balance

    Yes (1)

  • Image stabilization

    No

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW

  • JPEG quality levels

    Fine, Normal

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

    30 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed

    1/8000 sec

  • Aperture priority

    Yes

  • Shutter priority

    Yes

  • Manual exposure mode

    Yes

  • Subject / scene modes

    No

  • Built-in flash

    No

  • External flash

    Yes (Hot-shoe, Wireless plus Sync connector)

  • Continuous drive

    6.0 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2 or 10 sec)

  • Metering modes

    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Spot
    • Partial

  • Exposure compensation

    ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

    ±3 (2, 3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)

  • WB Bracketing

    Yes (3 frames in either blue/amber or magenta/green axis)

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    Fixed

  • Screen size

    3.2

  • Screen dots

    1,040,000

  • Touch screen

    No

  • Screen type

    Clear View II TFT LCD

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    Optical (pentaprism)

  • Viewfinder coverage

    100%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.71×

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

    1920 x 1080 (29.97, 25, 23.976 fps fps), 1280 x 720 (59.94, 50 fps), 640 x 480 (25, 30 fps)

  • File Format

    H.264

  • Videography notes

    1080 and 720 intra or inter frame, 480 inter frame

  • Microphone

    Mono

  • Speaker

    Mono

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

    • Contrast Detect (sensor)
    • Phase Detect
    • Multi-area
    • Selective single-point
    • Single
    • Continuous
    • Face Detection
    • Live View

  • Digital zoom

    No

  • Manual focus

    Yes

  • Number of focus points

    61

  • Lens mount

    Canon EF

  • Focal length multiplier

    1×

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    950 g (2.09 lb / 33.51 oz)

  • Dimensions

    152 x 116 x 76 mm (5.98 x 4.57 x 2.99)

  • Environmentally sealed

    Yes

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    Lithium-Ion LP-E6 rechargeable battery & charger

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

    950

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    Compact Flash Type I (UDMA compatible), SD/SDHC/SDXC

  • Storage included

    None

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)

  • HDMI

    Yes (HDMI mini)

  • Wireless

    Optional

  • Wireless notes

    Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E7

  • Remote control

    Yes (Remote control with N3 type contact, Wireless Controller LC-5, Remote Controller RC-6)

  • Microphone port

  • Headphone port

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    Yes (by cable and PC)

  • GPS

    Optional

  • GPS notes

    With optional GP-E2 unit

  • Watch sample photos

  • Watch video reviews

  • launch

  • Announced

    Feb 2016

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    Large SLR

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    21 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    5588 x 3712

  • Sensor size

    Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm)

  • Sensor type

    CMOS

  • Processor

    EXPEED 5

  • Image ratio w:h

    1:1, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2

  • Other resolutions

  • Sensor photo detectors

    21 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    Auto, 100-102400 (expandable to 50-3280000)

  • Boosted ISO (minimum)

    50

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

    3280000

  • White balance presets

    12

  • Custom white balance

    Yes (6 slots)

  • Image stabilization

    No

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW

  • JPEG quality levels

    Fine, normal, basic

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

    30 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed

    1/8000 sec

  • Aperture priority

    Yes

  • Shutter priority

    Yes

  • Manual exposure mode

    Yes

  • Subject / scene modes

    No

  • Built-in flash

    No

  • External flash

    Yes (via hot shoe and flash sync port)

  • Continuous drive

    14.0 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2, 5, 10, 20 secs)

  • Metering modes

    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Highlight-weighted
    • Spot

  • Exposure compensation

    ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

    ±5 (2, 3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)

  • WB Bracketing

    Yes

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    Fixed

  • Screen size

    3.2

  • Screen dots

    2,359,000

  • Touch screen

    Yes

  • Screen type

    TFT LCD

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    Optical (pentaprism)

  • Viewfinder coverage

    100%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.72×

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

    3840 x 2160 (30p/25p/24p), 1920 x 1080 (60p/50p/30p/25p/24p), 1280 x 720 (60p/50p)

  • File Format

    MPEG-4, H.264

  • Videography notes

    1.5X crop mode with DX lenses

  • Microphone

    Stereo

  • Speaker

    Mono

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

    • Contrast Detect (sensor)
    • Phase Detect
    • Multi-area
    • Center
    • Selective single-point
    • Tracking
    • Single
    • Continuous
    • Touch
    • Face Detection
    • Live View

  • Digital zoom

  • Manual focus

  • Number of focus points

    153

  • Lens mount

    Nikon F

  • Focal length multiplier

    1×

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    1415 g (3.12 lb / 49.91 oz)

  • Dimensions

    160 x 159 x 92 mm (6.3 x 6.26 x 3.62)

  • Environmentally sealed

    Yes

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    EN-EL18a lithium-ion battery & charger

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

    3780

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    Dual CompactFlash or dual XQD

  • Storage included

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec)

  • HDMI

    Yes (mini-HDMI)

  • Wireless

    Optional

  • Wireless notes

    Requires WT-5A or WT-6A

  • Remote control

    Yes (wired, wireless, smartphone)

  • Microphone port

    Yes

  • Headphone port

    Yes

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    Yes

  • GPS

    Optional

  • GPS notes

    GP-1A

  • Watch sample photos

  • Watch video reviews

  • Summary

    The Canon EOS 5D Mark III highest resolution of 5760 x 3840 pixels (22 megapixels) is better than the D5 maximum resolution of 5588 x 3712 pixels (21 megapixels). The Canon EOS 5D Mark III is produced with bigger sensor compared to the D5: Full frame (36 x 24 mm) versus Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm). It is very important advantage of this camera as large sensor allows you to produce photos of the higher quality. The D5 provides more focus points in compare with the Canon EOS 5D Mark III: 153 vs 61. More focus points means less risk of losing focus lock while following a moving object.

    The D5 display is better as it offers more screen dots 2,359,000 in compare to 1,040,000 dots of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III display. The higher dot count display is better for reviewing images on your camera. The Nikon D5 is produced with a touch screen.

    The D5 battery life is better in compare to the Canon EOS 5D Mark III battery life. According to CIPA standards the photographer will be able to make 3780 shots with the D5 and only 950 with the EOS 5D Mark III. The Canon EOS 5D Mark III weighs 950g that is 465g less than the weight of the Nikon D5.

    Taking into account the above-mentioned differences the Nikon D5 becomes the best choice. Check the list of the best offers on Amazon.