Canon 5D MIII vs Canon 5D MII Comparison

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Canon 5D MIII

22 MP | Full frame (36 x 24 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Canon 5D MII

21 MP | Full frame (36 x 24 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Canon 5D MIII vs Canon 5D MII Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing the Canon 5D MIII with the camera that it replaced, the Canon 5D MII, list out what is new, its advantages over its predecessor and finally try to conclude if the 5D MIII is a worthy upgrade to the 5D MII. Canon 5D MIII was introduced to market in May 2012 and Canon 5D MII was launched in February 2009 so it will be interesting to see how much difference this 39 months between the two cameras make.

5D MIII and 5D MII are members of Canon's 5D series of cameras. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

Canon 5D Series History

Model	Release Date	Sensor	Dimensions	Weight
Canon 5D MIV	2016	30.0MP - Full frame	151 x 116 x 76mm	890g
Canon 5DS	2015	51.0MP - Full frame	152 x 116 x 76mm	930g
Canon 5DS R	2015	51.0MP - Full frame	152 x 116 x 76mm	930g
Canon 5D MIII	2012	22.0MP - Full frame	152 x 116 x 76mm	950g
Canon 5D MII	2009	21.0MP - Full frame	152 x 114 x 75mm	850g

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon 5D MIII and Canon 5D MII before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon 5D MIII Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-05-22

22MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 25600 ( expands to 50 - 102400)

Canon EF Mount

3.20" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

6.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

950g. 152 x 116 x 76 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Canon EOS 5D Mark II Compare

Canon 5D MII Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2009-02-13

21MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400 ( expands to 50 - 25600)

Canon EF Mount

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

4.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

850g. 152 x 114 x 75 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Canon EOS 5D Compare

Canon 5D MIII was replaced by Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV vs Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV vs Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon 5D MIII and Canon 5D MII compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

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Reasons to choose Canon EOS 5D Mark III over Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Image Processor	Digic 5+ vs Digic 4	More Capable Processor
Sensor Resolution	22 MP vs 21 MP	4% more pixels
Max ISO	25.600 vs 6.400	300% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	61 vs 9	52 more focus points
LCD Screen Size	3.2" vs 3"	0.2 inches larger display
LCD Resolution	1.040k dots vs 920k dots	13% higher resolution screen
Viewfinder Coverage	100% vs 98%	More accurate viewfinder
Continuous Shooting	6.0fps vs 4.0fps	2 fps faster
Battery Life	950 shots vs 850 shots	100 more frames with a single charge
Headphone Port	Yes vs No	better video control
Color Depth	24.0 vs 23.7	higher color depth
Low Light ISO	2293 vs 1815	better High ISO performance
AE Bracketing Range	±3 EV vs ±2 EV	Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
Storage Slot	2 vs 1	Extra storage slot
Autofocus at f/8 aperture	Center point vs none	Autofocus with teleconverters

CHECK 5D MIII PRICE

Reasons to choose Canon EOS 5D Mark II over Canon EOS 5D Mark III

Weight	850 g vs 950 g	100 g lighter
Dynamic Range	11.9 vs 11.7	higher dynamic range

CHECK 5D MII PRICE

Common Strengths of Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Canon EOS 5D Mark II

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
Viewfinder	Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Optical)	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Max Resolution	22 MP vs 21 MP	Bigger prints and more details
Microphone Port	Yes vs Yes	High quality audio recording option
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs Yes	shoot at tough conditions
Top LCD Display	Yes vs Yes	Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Flash Sync Port	Yes vs Yes	Connect off-camera flash
AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune)	Yes vs Yes	Adjust each lens for accurate focusing
Shutter Life Expectancy	150000 cycles vs 150000 cycles	High Shutter Rating

Common Weaknesses of Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Canon EOS 5D Mark II

In-body Image Stabilization	No vs No	No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
Built-in Flash	No vs No	Require external flash

Canon 5D MIII vs Canon 5D MII: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Canon 5D MIII and Canon 5D MII side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon 5D MIII has external dimensions of 152 x 116 x 76 mm (5.98 x 4.57 x 2.99″) and weighs 950 g (2.09 lb / 33.51 oz) (including batteries). Canon 5D MII has external dimensions of 152 x 114 x 75 mm (5.98 x 4.49 x 2.95″) and weighs 850 g (1.87 lb / 29.98 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon 5D MIII and Canon 5D MII.

Comparison image of Canon 5D MIII and Canon 5D MII Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon 5D MII is 100g lighter than the Canon 5D MIII but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

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 MIII and Canon 5D MII have the same Canon EF lens mount and Full frame sized sensors, lenses will not be a differentiator on total size of the system.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

5D MIII

5D MII

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

5D MIII

5D MII

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Both 5D MIII and 5D MII have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon 5D MIII's 3.20" LCD screen is slightly larger than Canon 5D MII's 3" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Canon 5D MIII vs Canon 5D MII: Sensor Comparison

Canon 5D MIII has a 22.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic 5+ processor. On the other hand, Canon 5D MII has a 21.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic 4 processor.

Below you can see the 5D MIII and 5D MII sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon 5D MIII and Canon 5D MII Cameras

Canon 5D MIII and Canon 5D MII have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

Both Canon 5D MIII and Canon 5D MII sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, 5D MIII has scored 81, 2 points higher than 5D MII.

Model	Overall	Color Depth	Dynamic Range	Low-light ISO
Canon 5D MIII	81	24.0 bits	11.7 Evs	2293 ISO
Canon 5D MII	79	23.7 bits	11.9 Evs	1815 ISO

Canon 5D MIII vs Canon 5D MII Comparison of Available Lenses

Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. In this case, both Canon 5D MIII and Canon 5D MII have the same Canon EF lens mount so have 257 native lenses available. All of these lenses cover Full frame sensor.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 77 lenses with Image stabilization for Canon EF mount.

Lens Type	# of Canon 5D MIII Lenses	# of Canon 5D MII Lenses
Standard Zoom	22 (22 Full Frame)	22 (22 Full Frame)
Standard Prime	19 (19 Full Frame)	19 (19 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom	20 (20 Full Frame)	20 (20 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime	48 (48 Full Frame)	48 (48 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom	51 (51 Full Frame)	51 (51 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime	44 (44 Full Frame)	44 (44 Full Frame)
SuperZoom	9 (9 Full Frame)	9 (9 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	3 (3 Full Frame)	3 (3 Full Frame)
Macro Prime	24 (24 Full Frame)	24 (24 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime	16 (16 Full Frame)	16 (16 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime	n/a	n/a
TOTAL	257 (256 Full Frame)	257 (256 Full Frame)

Here are some of the most popular Canon EF Mount Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Canon EF Mount Lenses for 5D MIII and 5D MII

	Coverage	Weight	Focusing	Street Price
Canon EF 24-105mm f4L IS USM	35mm FF	670gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM	35mm FF	630gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 75-300mm f4.0-5.6 III	35mm FF	480gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 35-350mm f3.5-5.6L USM	35mm FF	1385gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS II USM	35mm FF	1490gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 50mm f1.8 STM	35mm FF	159gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 80-200mm f4.5-5.6 II	35mm FF	250gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III	35mm FF	175gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo

What types of Photography are Canon 5D MIII and Canon 5D MII Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Canon 5D MIII and Canon 5D MII for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Canon 5D MIII for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Canon 5D MII for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 22.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 21.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Canon 5D MIII for Street Photography

GOOD

Canon 5D MII for Street Photography

GOOD

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Canon 5D MIII for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Canon 5D MII for Sports Photography

GOOD

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
41 Cross Type Focus sensors
61 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 950 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 6.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
Good Battery Life: 850 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
No Image Stabilization
9 Focus Points
Read the details

Canon 5D MIII for Daily Photography

GOOD

Canon 5D MII for Daily Photography

GOOD

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
950g
Body Thickness 76mm
Read the details

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
850g
Body Thickness 75mm
Read the details

Canon 5D MIII for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Canon 5D MII for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 22.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 21.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Canon 5D MIII vs Canon 5D MII: OUR DECISION

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 MIII and Canon 5D MII, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 MIII and Canon 5D MII scores compare:

Canon 5D MIII

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #35 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #180 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Canon 5D MII

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #44 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #254 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Canon 5D MIII is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon 5D MII in all criteria except one: Portability. But the size difference between these cameras are negligible in real world so it is not a big disadvantage for Canon 5D MIII.

Canon 5D MII vs Canon 5D MIII Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Canon EOS 5D Mark III	Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Brand	Canon	Canon
Announced	2012-05-22	2009-02-13
Body Type	Mid-size SLR	Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type	CMOS	CMOS
Size	Full frame	Full frame
Dimensions	36 x 24 mm	36 x 24 mm
Area	864.00mm²	864.00mm²
Megapixels	22 megapixels	21 megapixels
Max Resolution	5760 x 3840	5616 x 3744
Max Native Light sensitivity	25,600 ISO	6,400 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	102400 ISO	25600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity	50 ISO	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	61	9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Canon EF	Canon EF
Number of Available Lenses	257	257
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3.20"	3.00"
Resolution	1,040k dots	920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentaprism)	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	98%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.71x	0.71x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/8000s	1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	No	No
Built-in Flash
Max Flash Sync	1/200s	1/200s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	6.0 fps	4.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	H.264	H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Optional	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	950g	850g
Dimensions	152 x 116 x 76mm	152 x 114 x 75mm
Battery Life	950 shots	850 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	Optional	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	81	79
DxO Color Depth	24.0	23.7
DxO Dynamic Range	11.7	11.9
DxO Low Light ISO	2293	1815
	Report a correction	Report a correction