Canon 5D vs Sony A7S II Detailed Comparison
Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Canon 5D is a Semi-Pro DSLR camera with a 13.0MP Full frame sensor whereas Sony A7S II is a Pro Mirrorless camera with a 12.0MP Full frame sensor.
Despite some fundamental differences of these two body types, Mirrorless cameras are becoming serious altenatives to DSLR cameras thanks to their size/weight advantages and recent improvements in their focus speeds , which makes this comparison even more interesting.
Let's have a brief look at the main features of Canon 5D and Sony A7S II before getting into our more detailed comparison.
Canon 5D Key Specs
- Announcement Date: 2005-11-12
- 13MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
- ISO 100 - 3200
- Canon EF Mount
- 2.5″ Fixed Type Screen
- Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
- 3 fps continuous shooting
- No Video Mode
- 895g. 152 x 113 x 75 mm
- Weather Sealed Body
Sony A7S II Key Specs
- Announcement Date: 2015-10-12
- 12MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
- ISO 100 - 102400 ( expands to 50-409600)
- Sony E (NEX) Mount
- Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
- 3″ Tilting Screen
- 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
- 5.0 fps continuous shooting
- 3840 x 2160 video resolution
- Built-in Wireless
- 627g. 127 x 96 x 60 mm
- Weather Sealed Body
- Replaced Sony Alpha 7S Compare
Canon 5D was replaced by Canon EOS 5D Mark II. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon EOS 5D Mark II vs Canon EOS 5D
Canon EOS 5D Mark II vs Sony Alpha A7S II
Reasons to choose Canon EOS 5D over Sony Alpha A7S II
5 advantages
| Max Sensor Resolution | 13 MPvs12 MP | 8% more pixels |
| Battery Life | 400 shotsvs370 shots | 30 more frames with a single charge |
| Timelapse Recording | YesvsWith optional app | creative shooting |
| Top LCD | YesvsNo | Help viewing and changing settings easily |
| Flash Sync Port | YesvsNo | Connect off-camera flash |
Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7S II over Canon EOS 5D
21 advantages
| Wireless Connection | Built-InvsNone | Better connectivity |
| Built-in Image Stabilization | Sensor-shiftvsNone | All the lenses are stabilized |
| Articulating Screen | YesvsNo | Flexible shooting positions |
| Face Detection Focus | YesvsNo | very handy for portraits |
| Max ISO | 102.400vs3.200 | 3100% higher Max ISO |
| Number of Focus Points | 169vs9 | 160 more focus points |
| LCD Screen Size | 3″vs2.5″ | 0.5 inches larger display |
| LCD Screen Resolution | 1.229k dotsvs230k dots | 434% higher resolution screen |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100%vs96% | More accurate viewfinder |
| Continuous Shooting | 5.0fpsvs3.0fps | 2 fps faster |
| Weight | 627 gvs895 g | 268 g lighter |
| Microphone Port | YesvsNo | High quality audio recording option |
| Headphone Port | YesvsNo | better video control |
| Color Depth | 23.6vs22.9 | higher color depth |
| Dynamic Range | 13.3vs11.1 | higher dynamic range |
| Low Light ISO | 2993vs1368 | better High ISO performance |
| Price | $2,398vs$2,699 | $301 cheaper |
| Max Video Resolution | 3840 x 2160vsNone | Higher Resolution Video |
| AE Bracketing Range | ±5 EVvs±2 EV | Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR |
| NFC Connection | YesvsNo | Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices |
| Smartphone_remote control | YesvsNo | Remote control your camera with a smartphone |
Common Strengths of Canon EOS 5D and Sony Alpha A7S II
5 common advantages
| External Flash Shoe | YesvsYes | Better for flash photography |
| Viewfinder | Yes (Optical)vsYes (Electronic) | Better framing and control |
| RAW Support | YesvsYes | Better image quality |
| Environmental Sealing | YesvsYes | shoot at tough conditions |
| AE Bracketing | YesvsYes | Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR |
Common Weaknesses of Canon EOS 5D and Sony Alpha A7S II
1 common disadvantage
| Built-in Flash | NovsNo | Require external flash |
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon 5D and Sony A7S II. Sony A7S II is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 25mm narrower, 17mm shorter and 15mm thinner than Canon 5D.
Canon 5D vs Sony A7S II Detailed Size Comparison
Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A7S II is significantly lighter (268g ) than the Canon 5D which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.
Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Canon 5D and Sony A7S II have the same Full frame sized sensor, their lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will be similar in size and weight.
Mirrorless Cameras
Mirrorless Cameras
Canon 5D vs Sony A7S II: Sensor Comparison
Canon 5D has a 13.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic II processor. On the other hand, Sony A7S II has a 12.0MP Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor.
Below you can see the 5D and A7S II sensor size comparison.
Canon 5D and Sony A7S II have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.
What types of Photography are Canon 5D and Sony A7S II Good for?
Canon 5D for Portrait Photography
Sony A7S II for Portrait Photography
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 13.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Read the details
Canon 5D for Street Photography
Sony A7S II for Street Photography
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details
Canon 5D for Sports Photography
Sony A7S II for Sports Photography
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
Good Low Light ISO
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
9 Focus Points
Read the details
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
169 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
Read the details
Canon 5D for Daily Photography
Sony A7S II for Daily Photography
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
895g
Body Thickness 75mm
Read the details
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
627g
Body Thickness 60mm
Read the details
Canon 5D for Landscape Photography
Sony A7S II for Landscape Photography
Environmental Sealings
Average Resolution Sensor: 13.0MP
No Live-view
Read the details
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Read the details
Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Canon 5D has an advantage over Sony A7S II. There are 251 lenses for Canon 5D's Canon EF mount, on the other hand there are only 83 lenses for Sony A7S II's Sony E (NEX) lens mount.
Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Sony A7S II has a big advantage in this regard because it has a sensor based image stabilization which means that all the lenses mounted to this body will be stabilized. On the other hand, Canon 5D doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 65 lenses for Canon EF mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.
| Lens Type | # of Canon 5D Lenses | # of Sony A7S II Lenses |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Zoom | 25 (22 Full Frame) | 9 (7 Full Frame) |
| Standard Prime | 14 (14 Full Frame) | 13 (5 Full Frame) |
| Wideangle Zoom | 26 (17 Full Frame) | 4 (3 Full Frame) |
| Wideangle Prime | 43 (43 Full Frame) | 27 (14 Full Frame) |
| Telephoto Zoom | 48 (45 Full Frame) | 6 (5 Full Frame) |
| Telephoto Prime | 37 (37 Full Frame) | 10 (7 Full Frame) |
| SuperZoom | 17 (9 Full Frame) | 8 (1 Full Frame) |
| Wideangle Fisheye Prime | 3 (3 Full Frame) | 1 (0 Full Frame) |
| Macro Prime | 22 (20 Full Frame) | 4 (3 Full Frame) |
| Perspective Control Prime | 15 (15 Full Frame) | 1 (1 Full Frame) |
| Telephoto Mirror Prime | 1 (0 Full Frame) | n/a |
| TOTAL | 251 (225 Full Frame) | 83 (46 Full Frame) |
You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Canon 5D and Sony A7S II, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.
Here is a summary of how Canon 5D and Sony A7S II scores compare:
Ranked #389 out of 1140 in all Cameras
Ranked #18 out of 1140 in all Cameras
Sony A7S II is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon 5D in all criterias.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money
| General | Canon EOS 5D | Sony Alpha A7S II |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Canon | Sony |
| Announced | 2005-11-12 | 2015-10-12 |
| Body Type | Mid-size SLR | SLR-style mirrorless |
| Price | $2,699.00 | $2,398.00 |
| Sensor | ||
| Type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Size | Full frame | Full frame |
| Dimensions | 36 x 24 mm | 35.6 x 23.8 mm |
| Area | 864.00mm2 | 847.28mm2 |
| Megapixels | 13 megapixels | 12 megapixels |
| Max Resolution | 4368 x 2912 | 4240 x 2832 |
| Max Native Light sensitivity | 3,200 ISO | 102,400 ISO |
| Max Boosted Light Sensitivity | - | 409600 ISO |
| Min Native Light sensitivity | 100 ISO | 100 ISO |
| Min Boosted Light Sensitivity | - | 50 ISO |
| RAW Support | ||
| Autofocus | ||
| AF Touch | ||
| AF Continuous | ||
| AF Single | ||
| AF Tracking | ||
| AF Selective | ||
| AF Center | ||
| AF Multi Area | ||
| AF Live View | ||
| AF Face Detection | ||
| AF Contrast Detection | ||
| AF Phase Detection | ||
| Number of Focus Points | 9 | 169 |
| Lens | ||
| Manual Focus | ||
| Lens Mount | Canon EF | Sony E (NEX) |
| Number of Available Lenses | 251 | 83 |
| Screen | ||
| Type | Fixed type | Tilting |
| Size | 2.5″ | 3″ |
| Resolution | 230k dots | 1,229k dots |
| Touch Screen | ||
| Viewfinder | ||
| Viewfinder | Optical (pentaprism) | Electronic |
| Viewfinder Resolution | no electronic viewfinder | 2,359k dots |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 96% | 100% |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.71 | 0.78 |
| Photography Features | ||
| Max Shutter Speed | 1/8000s | 1/8000s |
| Shutter Priority | ||
| Aperture Priority | ||
| Manual Exposure Mode | ||
| Custom White Balance | ||
| Image Stabilization | No | Sensor-shift |
| Built-in Flash | ||
| Max Flash Sync | 1/200s | no built-in flash |
| External Flash | ||
| Continuous Shooting | 3.0 fps | 5.0 fps |
| Multi-Segment | ||
| Average | ||
| Spot | ||
| Partial | ||
| AF-Area | ||
| Center Weighted | ||
| AE Bracketing | ||
| WB Bracketing | ||
| Video Features | ||
| Max Video Resolution | None | 3840 x 2160 |
| Video Formats | n/a | MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S |
| Microphone Port | ||
| Headphone Port | ||
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless Connectivity | None | Built-In |
| HDMI | ||
| Physical | ||
| Environmental Sealing | ||
| Weight | 895g | 627g |
| Dimensions | 152 x 113 x 75mm | 127 x 96 x 60mm |
| Battery Life | 400 shots | 370 shots |
| Other Features | ||
| Timelapse Recording | With Downloadable App | |
| GPS | None | None |
| DxO Sensor Scores | ||
| DxO Overall Score | 71 | 85 |
| DxO Color Depth | 22.9 | 23.6 |
| DxO Dynamic Range | 11.1 | 13.3 |
| DxO Low Light ISO | 1368 | 2993 |
| Report a correction | Report a correction |
如果「Canon EOS 5D」沒有輸很慘的話，可以買「新品未使用」的「Canon EOS 5D」！
