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

Canon EOS 5D Mark II vs Sony Alpha 7

  • 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

  • Microphone

  • Speaker

  • Videography notes

  • 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 notes

  • Remote control

  • Microphone port

  • Headphone port

  • Wireless

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

  • Timelapse recording

  • GPS

  • Samples

  • Videos

  • Main

  • Model

    Canon EOS 5D Mark II

  • Price

  • Advantages

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

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Viewfinder type: Optical (pentaprism)

    PHYSICAL Battery Life (CIPA): 850

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

    Go to the Summary

Sony Alpha 7
  • Main

  • Model

    Sony Alpha 7

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • SENSOR Effective pixels: 24 megapixels

    SENSOR Max resolution: 6000 x 4000

    SENSOR Sensor photo detectors: 25 megapixels

    IMAGE White balance presets: 10

    PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Subject / scene modes: Yes

    PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Continuous drive: 5.0 fps

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Articulated LCD: Tilting

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Screen dots: 1,230,000

    VIDEOGRAPHY FEATURES Microphone: Stereo

    OPTICS & FOCUS Digital zoom: Yes (4)

    OPTICS & FOCUS Number of focus points: 117

    PHYSICAL Weight (inc. batteries): 474 g (1.04 lb / 16.72 oz)

    Go to the Summary

  • launch

  • Announced

    Sep 17, 2008

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    Mid-size SLR

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    21 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    5616 x 3744

  • Sensor size

    Full frame (36 x 24 mm)

  • Sensor type

    CMOS

  • Processor

    Digic 4

  • Image ratio w:h

    3:2

  • Other resolutions

    4080 x 2720, 2784 x 1856, 5616 x 3744, 3861 x 2574, 2784 x 1856

  • Sensor photo detectors

    22 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    Auto, 100 - 6400 in 1/3 stops, plus 50, 12800, 25600 as option

  • Boosted ISO (minimum)

    50

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

    25600

  • 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

    3.9 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2 or 10 sec)

  • Metering modes

    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Spot

  • Exposure compensation

    ±2 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

    ±2 (3 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

  • Screen dots

    920,000

  • Touch screen

    No

  • Screen type

    TFT liquid-crystal color LCD

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    Optical (pentaprism)

  • Viewfinder coverage

    98%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.71×

  • Viewfinder resolution

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

    1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)

  • File Format

    H.264

  • Microphone

    Mono

  • Speaker

    Mono

  • Videography notes

  • 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

    9

  • Lens mount

    Canon EF

  • Focal length multiplier

    1×

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    850 g (1.87 lb / 29.98 oz)

  • Dimensions

    152 x 114 x 75 mm (5.98 x 4.49 x 2.95)

  • Environmentally sealed

    Yes

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    Lithium-Ion LP-E6 rechargeable battery & charger

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

    850

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    Compact Flash (Type I or II), UDMA, Microdrive

  • Storage included

    None

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)

  • HDMI

    Yes (HDMI mini)

  • Wireless notes

    (Optional)

  • Remote control

    Yes (N3 connector)

  • Microphone port

  • Headphone port

  • Wireless

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    Yes (by cable and PC)

  • GPS

    None

  • Watch sample photos

  • Watch video reviews

  • launch

  • Announced

    Oct 16, 2013

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    SLR-style mirrorless

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    24 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    6000 x 4000

  • 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

    6000 x 3376, 3936 x 2624, 3936 x 2216, 3008 x 1688, 3008 x 2000

  • Sensor photo detectors

    25 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    100-25600

  • 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

    1,230,000

  • Touch screen

    No

  • Screen type

    Xtra Fine LCD

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    Electronic

  • Viewfinder coverage

    100%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.71×

  • Viewfinder resolution

    2,359,000

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

    1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 24p), 1440 x 1080 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p)

  • File Format

    MPEG-4, AVCHD

  • Microphone

    Stereo

  • Speaker

    Mono

  • Videography notes

    headphone and microphone ports, XLR support via adapter

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

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

  • Digital zoom

    Yes (4)

  • Manual focus

    Yes

  • Number of focus points

    117

  • Lens mount

    Sony E

  • Focal length multiplier

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    474 g (1.04 lb / 16.72 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)

    340

  • 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 4K still, uncompressed video output)

  • Wireless notes

    with NFC and wireless control via PlayMemories Mobile app

  • Remote control

    Yes (wired)

  • Microphone port

    Yes

  • Headphone port

    Yes

  • Wireless

    Built-In

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    No

  • GPS

    None

  • Watch sample photos

  • Watch video reviews

  • Summary

    The Sony Alpha 7 highest resolution of 6000 x 4000 pixels (24 megapixels) is better in comparison with the EOS 5D Mark II maximum resolution of 5616 x 3744 pixels (21 megapixels). The EOS 5D Mark II is produced with larger sensor compared to the Sony Alpha 7: Full frame (36 x 24 mm) versus Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm). It is the most important difference between these cameras as big sensor lets you to capture pictures of the more professional quality. The Sony Alpha 7 has more number of white balance presets - 10. This specification gives you more control over colour. The Alpha 7 provides better 4 digital zoom. The Sony Alpha 7 provides more focus points in compare with the EOS 5D Mark II: 117 vs 9. More number of focus points means more convenience when attempting to focus on objects that are not centred.

    The Alpha 7 is equipped with tilting LCD that will allow you to shoot great selfies. The Sony Alpha 7 display is better as it offers more screen dots 1,230,000 in comparison to 920,000 dots of the EOS 5D Mark II display. The higher dot count display is better for reviewing pictures on your camera.

    The EOS 5D Mark II battery life is better than the Sony Alpha 7 battery life. In accordance with CIPA standards the camera owner will be able to produce 850 photos with the EOS 5D Mark II and only 340 with the Alpha 7. The Alpha 7 weighs 474g that is 376g less in comparison with the weight of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II.

    The Sony Alpha 7 has 12 advantages and the EOS 5D Mark II only 4 so the Alpha 7 is the best buy. Check the lowest price on Amazon.