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Canon 5DS R vs Sony A99 Comparison

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Canon 5DS R

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

Canon 5DS R
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Sony A99

24 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony A99
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Canon 5DS R vs Sony A99 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing 5DS R and A99, two Advanced DSLR cameras from Canon and Sony. Canon 5DS R was introduced to market in February 2015 and Sony A99 was launched in December 2012. As you can see, A99 is 3 years older than 5DS R. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon 5DS R and Sony A99 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon 5DS R Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-02-06
  • 51MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 6400 ( expands to 12800)
  • Canon EF Mount
  • 3.20" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 5.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 930g. 152 x 116 x 76 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Sony A99 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-12-12
  • 24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fully Articulated Screen
  • 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in GPS
  • 812g. 147 x 111 x 78 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Sony Alpha DSLR-A900 Compare

Sony A99 was replaced by Sony Alpha a99 II. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha a99 II vs Sony SLT-A99
Sony Alpha a99 II vs Canon EOS 5DS R

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon 5DS R and Sony A99 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Canon EOS 5DS R over Sony SLT-A99
Max Sensor Resolution
51 MP vs 24 MP 112% more pixels
Number of Focus Points
61 vs 19 42 more focus points
Number of Cross Type Focus Points
41 vs 11 30 more cross type focus points
LCD Screen Size
3.2" vs 3 0.2 inches larger display
Battery Life
700 shots vs 500 shots 200 more frames with a single charge
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Low Light ISO
2308 vs 1555 better High ISO performance
Autofocus at f/8 aperture
Center point vs none Autofocus with teleconverters
UHS Card Support
UHS-I vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
Webcam Function
Yes vs No Use your camera as a Webcam
Anti Flicker
Yes vs No Reduced uneven color and exposure under flickering light
CHECK 5DS R PRICE


Reasons to choose Sony SLT-A99 over Canon EOS 5DS R
In-built Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
GPS
BuiltIn vs None track your location
Max ISO
25.600 vs 6.400 300% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution
1.229k dots vs 1.040k dots 18% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 5.0fps 5 fps faster
Weight
812 g vs 930 g 118 g lighter
Headphone Port
Yes vs No better video control
Color Depth
25.0 vs 24.6 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
14.0 vs 12.4 higher dynamic range
Sensor Pixel Area
35.50µm2 vs 17.17µm2 106% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing Range
±5 EV vs ±3 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
Shutter Life Expectancy
200000 cycles vs 150000 cycles Longer use without changing the shutter mechanism
CHECK A99 PRICE

Common Strengths of Canon EOS 5DS R and Sony SLT-A99
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Electronic) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution
51 MP vs 24 MP Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Resolution
1.040k dots vs 1.229k dots High resolution screens
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 200000 cycles High Shutter Rating
Storage Slot
2 vs 2 Extra Storage Slot
Common Weaknesses of Canon EOS 5DS R and Sony SLT-A99
Built-in Flash
No vs No Require external flash
Canon 5DS R vs Sony A99: 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 5DS R and Sony A99 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon 5DS R has external dimensions of 152 x 116 x 76 mm (5.98 x 4.57 x 2.99″) and weighs 930 g (2.05 lb / 32.80 oz) (including batteries). Sony A99 has external dimensions of 147 x 111 x 78 mm (5.79 x 4.37 x 3.07″) and weighs 812 g (1.79 lb / 28.64 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon 5DS R and Sony A99. Sony A99 is 5mm narrower and 5mm shorter than Canon 5DS R but it is also 2mm thicker.

Canon 5DS R vs Sony A99 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Canon 5DS R and Sony A99 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Canon 5DS R and Sony A99.
Canon 5DS R vs Sony A99 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Canon 5DS R and Sony A99 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A99 is 118g lighter than the Canon 5DS R 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 5DS R and Sony A99 have the same Full frame sized sensor, their lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will be similar in size and weight.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

5DS R
A99
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

5DS R
A99
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Both 5DS R and A99 have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon 5DS R's 3.20" LCD screen is slightly larger than Sony A99's 3 screen.

Canon 5DS R vs Sony A99: Sensor Comparison

Canon 5DS R has a 51.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Dual DIGIC 6 processor. On the other hand, Sony A99 has a 24.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz processor.

Canon 5DS R's sensor provides 27MP more than Sony A99's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Another difference between these two cameras is that Canon 5DS R's sensor lacks anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the 5DS R and A99 sensor size comparison.

Canon 5DS R vs Sony A99 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon 5DS R and Sony A99 Cameras


Canon 5DS R and Sony A99 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.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It 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. Canon 5DS R and Sony A99 sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that A99 has a better overall score of 89, 3 points higher compared to 5DS R's score of 86.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Canon 5DS R 86 24.6 bits 12.4 Evs 2308 ISO
Sony A99 89 25.0 bits 14.0 Evs 1555 ISO
Canon 5DS R vs Sony A99 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

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 5DS R has an advantage over Sony A99. There are 257 lenses for Canon 5DS R's Canon EF mount, on the other hand there are only 143 lenses for Sony A99's Sony/Minolta Alpha lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Sony A99 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 5DS R doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 77 lenses for Canon EF mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type # of Canon 5DS R Lenses # of Sony A99 Lenses
Standard Zoom 22 (22 Full Frame) 20 (9 Full Frame)
Standard Prime 19 (19 Full Frame) 9 (7 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom 20 (20 Full Frame) 11 (4 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime 48 (48 Full Frame) 18 (16 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom 51 (51 Full Frame) 26 (22 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime 44 (44 Full Frame) 13 (13 Full Frame)
SuperZoom 9 (9 Full Frame) 19 (4 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 3 (3 Full Frame) 4 (2 Full Frame)
Macro Prime 24 (24 Full Frame) 12 (9 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime 16 (16 Full Frame) 9 (9 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a 2 (1 Full Frame)
TOTAL 257 (256 Full Frame) 143 (96 Full Frame)


Now let's compare some sample lenses from each mount with typical Focal ranges for Canon 5DS R and Sony A99 to see how these lenses compares:

Fast Standard Zoom Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon 24-70mm f2.8L II USM Lens Canon 24-70mm f2.8L II USM
24 - 70mm 805gr 1735gr 113mm Amazon B&H Photo
Sony 24-70mm F2.8 ZA SSM II Lens Sony 24-70mm F2.8 ZA SSM II
24 - 70mm 974gr 1786gr 111mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon EF 70-200 F2.8L IS III USM Lens Canon EF 70-200 F2.8L IS III USM
70 - 200mm 1440gr 2370gr 199mm Amazon B&H Photo
Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II Lens Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II
70 - 200mm 1500gr 2312gr 197mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Normal Prime Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon 50mm f1.4 USM Lens Canon 50mm f1.4 USM
50mm 290gr 1220gr 51mm Amazon B&H Photo
Sony CZ  T* 50mm F1.4 ZA SSM Lens Sony CZ T* 50mm F1.4 ZA SSM
50mm 518gr 1330gr 72mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Wideangle Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III Lens Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III
16 - 35mm 790gr 1720gr 128mm Amazon B&H Photo
Sony 16-35mm F2.8 ZA SSM II Lens Sony 16-35mm F2.8 ZA SSM II
16 - 35mm 872gr 1684gr 114mm Amazon B&H Photo
24-105mm f4 Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM Lens Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM
24 - 105mm 670gr 1600gr 107mm Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM Lens Sigma 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM
24 - 105mm 885gr 1697gr 109mm Amazon B&H Photo
Super-Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C Lens Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C
150 - 600mm 1930gr 2860gr 290mm Amazon B&H Photo
Tamron 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 Lens Tamron 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD G2
150 - 600mm 2010gr 2822gr 258mm Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Canon 5DS R and Sony A99 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon 5DS R and Sony A99 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 5DS R for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Sony A99 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 51.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Canon 5DS R for Street Photography

GOOD

Sony A99 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
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
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Large Body
Read the details

Canon 5DS R for Sports Photography

GOOD

Sony A99 for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
41 Cross Type Focus sensors
61 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 700 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
11 Cross Type Focus sensors
19 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Read the details

Canon 5DS R for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony A99 for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
930g
Body Thickness 76mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
812g
Body Thickness 78mm
Read the details

Canon 5DS R for Landscape Photography

GOOD

Sony A99 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 51.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Built-in GPS
Read the details

Canon 5DS R vs Sony A99: 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 5DS R and Sony A99, 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 5DS R and Sony A99 scores compare:

Canon 5DS R
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #24 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #109 out of 1243 in all Cameras
Sony A99
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #12 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #74 out of 1243 in all Cameras

Sony A99 has a higher Overall Score than the Canon 5DS R. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that A99 trails behind the 5DS R: Imaging
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Canon 5DS R. If not, we recommend the Sony A99.

Canon 5DS R
Canon 5DS R
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Sony A99
Sony A99
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Sony A99 vs Canon 5DS R Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon EOS 5DS R Sony SLT-A99
Brand Canon Sony
Announced 2015-02-06 2012-12-12
Body Type Mid-size SLR Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Full frame Full frame
Dimensions 36 x 24 mm 35.8 x 23.8 mm
Area 864.00mm2 852.04mm2
Megapixels 51 megapixels 24 megapixels
Max Resolution 8688 x 5792 6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 25,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 12800 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 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 19
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Canon EF Sony/Minolta Alpha
Number of Available Lenses 257 143
Screen
Type Fixed type Fully Articulated
Size 3.20" 3.00"
Resolution 1,040k dots 1,229k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 2,359k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
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 Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Max Flash Sync 1/200s 1/250s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 10.0 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 MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 930g 812g
Dimensions 152 x 116 x 76mm 147 x 111 x 78mm
Battery Life 700 shots 500 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 86 89
DxO Color Depth 24.6 25.0
DxO Dynamic Range 12.4 14.0
DxO Low Light ISO 2308 1555
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