Do you want to know what's better Canon EOS 5D Mark II or Canon EOS-1D Mark III? SpecsPRO has compared Canon EOS 5D Mark II vs Canon EOS-1D Mark III: weight, battery, sensor, resolution, ISO, dynamic range and other important specifications.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II vs Canon EOS-1D Mark III

  • 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

  • Flash modes

  • 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

  • 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 notes

  • Remote control

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

  • Timelapse recording

  • GPS

  • Samples

  • Videos

  • Main

  • Model

    Canon EOS 5D Mark II

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • SENSOR Effective pixels: 21 megapixels

    SENSOR Max resolution: 5616 x 3744

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

    SENSOR Sensor photo detectors: 22 megapixels

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

    IMAGE Boosted ISO (maximum): 25600

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Articulated LCD: Fixed

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Screen dots: 920,000

    VIDEOGRAPHY FEATURES Microphone: Mono

    PHYSICAL Weight (inc. batteries): 850 g (1.87 lb / 29.98 oz)

    CONNECTIVITY HDMI: Yes (HDMI mini)

    Go to the Summary

Canon EOS-1D Mark III
  • 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)

  • Flash modes

  • 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×

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

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

  • File Format

    H.264

  • 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

    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)

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    Yes (by cable and PC)

  • GPS

    None

  • Watch sample photos

  • Watch video reviews

  • launch

  • Announced

    Feb 22, 2007

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    Large SLR

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    10 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    3888 x 2592

  • Sensor size

    APS-H (28.7 x 18.7 mm)

  • Sensor type

    CMOS

  • Processor

  • Image ratio w:h

    3:2

  • Other resolutions

    3456 x 2304, 2816 x 1880, 1936 x 1288

  • Sensor photo detectors

    11 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    100 - 3200 in 1/3 stops, plus 50 and 6400

  • Boosted ISO (minimum)

    50

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

    6400

  • White balance presets

    8

  • Custom white balance

    Yes

  • Image stabilization

    No

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW

  • JPEG quality levels

    Fine, Normal (can have ratios programmed)

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

    30 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed

    1/8000 sec

  • Aperture priority

    Yes

  • Shutter priority

    Yes

  • Manual exposure mode

  • Subject / scene modes

  • Built-in flash

    No

  • External flash

    Yes (Hot-shoe plus Sync connector)

  • Continuous drive

    10.0 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2 or 10 sec)

  • Metering modes

  • Exposure compensation

    ±3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

  • WB Bracketing

  • Flash modes

    External

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    No

  • Screen size

    3

  • Screen dots

    230,000

  • Touch screen

    No

  • Screen type

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    Optical (pentaprism)

  • Viewfinder coverage

    100%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.76×

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

  • File Format

  • Microphone

    None

  • Speaker

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

    • Phase Detect
    • Multi-area
    • Selective single-point
    • Single
    • Continuous

  • Digital zoom

    No

  • Manual focus

    Yes

  • Number of focus points

    19

  • Lens mount

    Canon EF

  • Focal length multiplier

    1.3×

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    1335 g (2.94 lb / 47.09 oz)

  • Dimensions

    156 x 157 x 80 mm (6.14 x 6.18 x 3.15)

  • Environmentally sealed

    Yes

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    Compact Flash (Type I or II), SD/SDHC card

  • Storage included

    None

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)

  • HDMI

    No

  • Wireless notes

  • Remote control

    Yes (N3 connector)

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    Yes (by cable and PC)

  • GPS

    None

  • Watch sample photos

  • Watch video reviews

  • Summary

    The Canon EOS 5D Mark II maximum resolution of 5616 x 3744 pixels (21 megapixels) is better than the Canon EOS-1D Mark III maximum resolution of 3888 x 2592 pixels (10 megapixels). The Canon EOS 5D Mark II has bigger sensor than the Canon EOS-1D Mark III: Full frame (36 x 24 mm) versus APS-H (28.7 x 18.7 mm). This is the most important specification of this model as big sensor lets the camera owner to make pictures of the more professional quality. The Canon EOS 5D Mark II has a wider ISO range of 100-6400 in compare with 100-3200 ISO range of the Canon EOS-1D Mark III. This ISO numbers let you to make better pictures in low light situations. The Canon EOS-1D Mark III offers more focus points in compare with the Canon EOS 5D Mark II: 19 vs 9. More focus points means less risk of losing focus lock while following a moving object.

    The EOS 5D Mark II is produced with tilting LCD which will let the camera owner to take photos from any odd angle. The Canon EOS 5D Mark II screen is better as it offers more screen dots 920,000 in comparison to 230,000 dots of the Canon EOS-1D Mark III screen. The higher dot count screen is better for reviewing images on your camera.

    The EOS 5D Mark II weighs 850g which is 485g less than the weight of the EOS-1D Mark III.

    Taking into account the above differences the Canon EOS 5D Mark II will be the best choice. Get the lowest price on Amazon.