Do you want to know what's better Canon EOS 5D Mark III or Sony Alpha 7S? SpecsPRO has compared Canon EOS 5D Mark III vs Sony Alpha 7S: weight, battery, sensor, resolution, ISO, dynamic range and other important specifications.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III vs Sony Alpha 7S

  • 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

  • Viewfinder resolution

  • 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

    PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Continuous drive: 6.0 fps

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Screen size: 3.2

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Screen dots: 1,040,000

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Viewfinder type: Optical (pentaprism)

    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)

    OPTICS & FOCUS Number of focus points: 61

    PHYSICAL Battery Life (CIPA): 950

    OTHER FEATURES Timelapse recording: Yes (by cable and PC)

    OTHER FEATURES GPS: Optional

    Go to the Summary

Sony Alpha 7S
  • Main

  • Model

    Sony Alpha 7S

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Subject / scene modes: Yes

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Articulated LCD: Tilting

    VIDEOGRAPHY FEATURES Microphone: Stereo

    PHYSICAL Weight (inc. batteries): 489 g (1.08 lb / 17.25 oz)

    CONNECTIVITY Wireless: Built-In

    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×

  • Viewfinder resolution

  • 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

    Apr 6, 2014

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    SLR-style mirrorless

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    12 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    4240 x 2832

  • Sensor size

    Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm)

  • Sensor type

    CMOS

  • Processor

    Bionz X

  • Image ratio w:h

    3:2, 16:9

  • Other resolutions

    4240 x 2384, 2768 x 1848, 2768 x 1560, 2128 x 1416, 2128 x 1200, 1376 x 920, 1376 x 776

  • Sensor photo detectors

    12 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    Auto, 100-102400

  • Boosted ISO (minimum)

    50

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

  • White balance presets

    10

  • Custom white balance

    Yes

  • Image stabilization

    No

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW

  • JPEG quality levels

    Extra fine, fine, standard

  • 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

    Yes

  • Built-in flash

    No

  • External flash

    Yes (via Multi Interface shoe)

  • Continuous drive

    5.0 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2 or 10 sec; continuous (3 or 5 exposures))

  • Metering modes

    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Spot

  • Exposure compensation

    ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

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

  • WB Bracketing

    Yes

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    Tilting

  • Screen size

    3

  • Screen dots

    921,000

  • Touch screen

    No

  • Screen type

    TFT-LCD

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    Electronic

  • Viewfinder coverage

    100%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.71×

  • Viewfinder resolution

    2,400,000

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

    XAVC S 1080/60p(50Mbps), 30p (50Mbps), 24p (50Mbps). 720 120p (50Mbps). AVCHD 60p (28Mbps), 60i (24Mbps/17Mbps), 24p (24Mbps/17Mbps)

  • File Format

    MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S

  • Videography notes

    XLR support via adapter

  • Microphone

    Stereo

  • Speaker

    Mono

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

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

  • Digital zoom

    Yes (2x)

  • Manual focus

    Yes

  • Number of focus points

    25

  • Lens mount

    Sony E

  • Focal length multiplier

    1×

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    489 g (1.08 lb / 17.25 oz)

  • Dimensions

    127 x 94 x 48 mm (5 x 3.7 x 1.89)

  • Environmentally sealed

    Yes

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    NP-FW50 lithium-ion battery and charger

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

    380

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo

  • Storage included

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)

  • HDMI

    Yes (micro-HDMI port with 4:2:2 8-bit 4K or 1080 video output)

  • Wireless

    Built-In

  • Wireless notes

    with NFC and wireless control via smartphone

  • Remote control

    Yes (wired)

  • Microphone port

    Yes

  • Headphone port

    Yes

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    No

  • GPS

    None

  • GPS notes

  • Watch sample photos

  • Watch video reviews

  • Summary

    The EOS 5D Mark III maximum resolution of 5760 x 3840 pixels (22 megapixels) is better in comparison with the Sony Alpha 7S highest resolution of 4240 x 2832 pixels (12 megapixels). The EOS 5D Mark III is equipped with bigger sensor compared to the Sony Alpha 7S: Full frame (36 x 24 mm) versus Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm). This is very significant difference between these cameras because large sensor lets the camera owner to produce photos of the higher quality. The EOS 5D Mark III has more number of focus points than the Sony Alpha 7S: 61 vs 25. More focus points means less risk of losing focus lock during tracking a moving subject.

    The Sony Alpha 7S has tilting display which will let the camera owner to make photos from any odd perspective. The EOS 5D Mark III display is better as it has more number of screen dots 1,040,000 in comparison to 921,000 dots of the Sony Alpha 7S screen. The higher dot count display is better for reviewing pictures on your camera.

    The Sony Alpha 7S is equipped with built-in Wi-Fi which will help you to transfer photos quick and easy. The EOS 5D Mark III battery life is better in compare to the Sony Alpha 7S battery life. In accordance with CIPA standards you will be able to produce 950 shots with the EOS 5D Mark III and only 380 with the Alpha 7S. The Sony Alpha 7S weighs 489g which is 461g lighter in comparison with the weight of the EOS 5D Mark III. The EOS 5D Mark III can utilize optional accessory GPS devices. Recording GPS data can be convenient if you like to travel, to be able to check the photo metadata and see exactly where a photo was shot.

    Taking into account the above-mentioned differences the EOS 5D Mark III will be the best buy. Get the lowest price on Amazon.