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

Canon EOS 5D Mark III vs Canon EOS 5D

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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 photo detectors: 23 megapixels

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

    IMAGE Boosted ISO (maximum): 102400

    PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Continuous drive: 6.0 fps

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Screen size: 3.2

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Screen dots: 1,040,000

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Live view: Yes

    VIDEOGRAPHY FEATURES Microphone: Mono

    OPTICS & FOCUS Number of focus points: 61

    PHYSICAL Battery Life (CIPA): 950

    CONNECTIVITY HDMI: Yes (HDMI mini)

    OTHER FEATURES GPS: Optional

    Go to the Summary

Canon EOS 5D
  • 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)

  • Flash modes

  • 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)

  • 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

    Aug 22, 2005

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    Mid-size SLR

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    13 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    4368 x 2912

  • Sensor size

    Full frame (36 x 24 mm)

  • Sensor type

    CMOS

  • Processor

    Digic II

  • Image ratio w:h

    3:2

  • Other resolutions

    3168 x 2112, 2496 x 1664

  • Sensor photo detectors

    13 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    100 - 1600 in 1/3 stops, plus 50, 3200 as option

  • Boosted ISO (minimum)

    50

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

    3200

  • 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 & sync)

  • Continuous drive

    3.0 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (10 sec (2 sec with mirror lock-up))

  • 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

    External

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    Fixed

  • Screen size

    2.5

  • Screen dots

    230,000

  • Touch screen

    No

  • Screen type

    TFT liquid-crystal color LCD

  • Live view

    No

  • Viewfinder type

    Optical (pentaprism)

  • Viewfinder coverage

    96%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.71×

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

  • File Format

  • Videography notes

  • 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

    9

  • Lens mount

    Canon EF

  • Focal length multiplier

    1×

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    895 g (1.97 lb / 31.57 oz)

  • Dimensions

    152 x 113 x 75 mm (5.98 x 4.45 x 2.95)

  • Environmentally sealed

    Yes (Water and Dust resistant)

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    Lithium-Ion BP-511A rechargeable battery & charger

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

    400

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    Compact Flash (Type I or II)

  • Storage included

    None

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)

  • HDMI

    No

  • Wireless

  • Wireless notes

  • Remote control

    Yes (N3 connector)

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    Yes (by cable and PC)

  • GPS

    None

  • GPS notes

  • Watch sample photos

  • Watch video reviews

  • Summary

    The Canon EOS 5D Mark III maximum resolution of 5760 x 3840 pixels (22 megapixels) is better than the Canon EOS 5D highest resolution of 4368 x 2912 pixels (13 megapixels). The Canon EOS 5D Mark III offers a wider ISO range of 100-25600 in compare with 100-1600 ISO range of the Canon EOS 5D. Such ISO numbers let the camera owner to shoot good quality photos in low light situations. The Canon EOS 5D Mark III has more number of focus points in compare with the Canon EOS 5D: 61 vs 9. More number of focus points means less risk of losing focus lock when tracking a moving object.

    The Canon EOS 5D Mark III screen is better as it has more number of screen dots 1,040,000 in compare to 230,000 dots of the Canon EOS 5D screen. The higher dot count screen is better for reviewing photos on your camera. The Canon EOS 5D Mark III supports a very convenient live view function which allows you to use the display as a bigger viewfinder.

    The Canon EOS 5D Mark III battery life is better than the Canon EOS 5D battery life. According to CIPA standards you will be able to capture 950 photos with the EOS 5D Mark III and only 400 with the EOS 5D. The EOS 5D weighs 895g which is 55g less than the weight of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. The Canon 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 an image was taken.

    Considering the above differences the Canon EOS 5D Mark III will be the best choice. Check the list of the best offers on Amazon.