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Sony A7S vs Canon 5D MIII Comparison

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Sony A7S

12 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony A7S
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Canon 5D MIII

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

Canon 5D MIII
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Sony A7S vs Canon 5D MIII Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Sony A7S, which was introduced in April 2014 is a Pro Mirrorless camera with a 12.0MP Full frame sensor whereas Canon 5D MIII, which was introduced in May 2012 is a Advanced DSLR camera with a 22.0MP Full frame sensor. There is 23 months difference between A7S and 5D MIII so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger A7S, especially in sensor tech.

Despite some fundamental differences of these two body types, Mirrorless cameras are becoming serious alternatives to DSLR cameras thanks to their size/weight advantages and recent improvements in their focus speeds , which makes this comparison even more interesting.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Sony A7S and Canon 5D MIII before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A7S Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-04-06
  • 12MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 409600
  • Sony E Mount
  • 3 Tilting Screen
  • 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 120 fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 489g. 127 x 94 x 48 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

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
  • 3.2" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 6 fps 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

Sony A7S was replaced by Sony Alpha 7S II. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha 7S II vs Sony Alpha A7S
Sony Alpha 7S II vs Canon EOS 5D Mark III

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 Sony Alpha A7S

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony A7S and Canon 5D MIII compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7S over Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs Optional Better connectivity
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Max ISO
409.600 vs 25.600 1500% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution
1.230k dots vs 1.040k dots 18% higher resolution screen
Weight
489 g vs 950 g 461 g lighter
Dynamic Range
13.2 vs 11.7 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
3702 vs 2293 better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area
71.24µm2 vs 39.06µm2 82% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing Range
±5 EV vs ±3 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone


Reasons to choose Canon EOS 5D Mark III over Sony Alpha A7S
Max Sensor Resolution
22 MP vs 12 MP 83% more pixels
Number of Focus Points
61 vs 25 36 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
3.2" vs 3 0.2 inches larger display
Continuous Shooting
6.0fps vs 5.0fps 1 fps faster
Battery Life
950 shots vs 360 shots 590 more frames with a single charge
Color Depth
24.0 vs 23.9 higher color depth
Top LCD
Yes vs No Help viewing and changing settings easily
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
Autofocus at f/8 aperture
Center point vs none Autofocus with teleconverters

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha A7S and Canon EOS 5D Mark III
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Yes (Electronic) 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
LCD Screen Size
3 vs 3.2" Large display
Continuous Shooting
5.0fps vs 6.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Microphone Port
Yes vs Yes High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs Yes better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Dual-axis Electronic Level
Yes vs Yes Level the camera easily in two axis
Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha A7S and Canon EOS 5D Mark III
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Built-in Flash
No vs No Require external flash
Sony A7S vs Canon 5D MIII: 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 Sony A7S and Canon 5D MIII side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Sony A7S has external dimensions of 127 x 94 x 48 mm (5 x 3.7 x 1.89″) and weighs 489 g (1.08 lb / 17.25 oz) (including batteries). 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).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A7S and Canon 5D MIII. Sony A7S is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 25mm narrower, 22mm shorter and 28mm thinner than Canon 5D MIII.

Sony A7S vs Canon 5D MIII Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Sony A7S and Canon 5D MIII Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Sony A7S and Canon 5D MIII.

Sony A7S vs Canon 5D MIII Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Sony A7S and Canon 5D MIII Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony A7S and Canon 5D MIII.
Sony A7S vs Canon 5D MIII Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Sony A7S and Canon 5D MIII Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A7S is significantly lighter (461g ) than the Canon 5D MIII 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 Sony A7S and Canon 5D MIII 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

A7S
5D MIII
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

A7S
5D MIII
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Both A7S and 5D MIII have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon 5D MIII's 3.2" LCD screen is slightly larger than Sony A7S's 3 screen.

On the other hand, Sony A7S LCD screen has a Tilting feature where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels. On the other hand, Canon 5D MIII has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to A7S.
Sony A7S vs Canon 5D MIII: Sensor Comparison

Sony A7S has a 12.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor. On the other hand, Canon 5D MIII has a 22.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic 5+ processor.

Canon 5D MIII's sensor provides 10MP more than Sony A7S'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.

Below you can see the A7S and 5D MIII sensor size comparison.

Sony A7S vs Canon 5D MIII Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A7S and Canon 5D MIII Cameras


Sony A7S and Canon 5D MIII 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

Both Sony A7S and Canon 5D MIII 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, A7S has scored 87, 6 points higher than 5D MIII.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Sony A7S 87 23.9 bits 13.2 Evs 3702 ISO
Canon 5D MIII 81 24.0 bits 11.7 Evs 2293 ISO
Sony A7S vs Canon 5D MIII 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 5D MIII has an advantage over Sony A7S There are 250 lenses for Canon 5D MIII's Canon EF mount, on the other hand there are only 128 lenses for Sony A7S's Sony E lens mount.

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 31 lenses for Sony E mount and 76 lenses for Canon EF mount with IS.

Lens Type # of Sony A7S Lenses # of Canon 5D MIII Lenses
Standard Zoom 12 (9 Full Frame) 22 (22 Full Frame)
Standard Prime 18 (9 Full Frame) 17 (17 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom 7 (6 Full Frame) 20 (20 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime 42 (26 Full Frame) 46 (46 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom 9 (7 Full Frame) 50 (50 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime 18 (14 Full Frame) 43 (43 Full Frame)
SuperZoom 8 (1 Full Frame) 9 (9 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 2 (0 Full Frame) 3 (3 Full Frame)
Macro Prime 8 (7 Full Frame) 24 (24 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime 2 (2 Full Frame) 16 (16 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 128 (81 Full Frame) 250 (250 Full Frame)


Now let's compare some sample lenses from each mount with typical Focal ranges for Sony A7S and Canon 5D MIII to see how these lenses compares:

Fast Standard Zoom Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM
24 - 70mm 886gr 1375gr 136mm Amazon B&H Photo
Canon 24-70mm f2.8L II USM Lens Canon 24-70mm f2.8L II USM
24 - 70mm 805gr 1755gr 113mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS Lens Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS
70 - 200mm 1480gr 1969gr 200mm Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 70-200 F2.8L IS III USM Lens Canon EF 70-200 F2.8L IS III USM
70 - 200mm 1440gr 2390gr 199mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Normal Prime Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sony FE 50mm F1.4 Lens Sony FE 50mm F1.4
50mm 778gr 1267gr 108mm Amazon B&H Photo
Canon 50mm f1.4 USM Lens Canon 50mm f1.4 USM
50mm 290gr 1240gr 51mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Wideangle Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM
16 - 35mm 680gr 1169gr 122mm Amazon B&H Photo
Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III Lens Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III
16 - 35mm 790gr 1740gr 128mm Amazon B&H Photo
24-105mm f4 Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS Lens Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
24 - 105mm 663gr 1152gr 113mm Amazon B&H Photo
Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM Lens Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM
24 - 105mm 670gr 1620gr 107mm Amazon B&H Photo
Super-Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS
100 - 400mm 1395gr 1884gr 205mm Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C Lens Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C
150 - 600mm 1930gr 2880gr 290mm Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Sony A7S and Canon 5D MIII Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony A7S and Canon 5D MIII 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.

Sony A7S for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Canon 5D MIII for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
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

Sony A7S for Street Photography

GOOD

Canon 5D MIII for Street Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
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

Sony A7S for Sports Photography

GOOD

Canon 5D MIII for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
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

Sony A7S for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Canon 5D MIII for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
489g
Body Thickness 48mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
950g
Body Thickness 76mm
Read the details

Sony A7S for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Canon 5D MIII for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 22.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Sony A7S vs Canon 5D MIII: 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 Sony A7S and Canon 5D MIII, 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 Sony A7S and Canon 5D MIII scores compare:

Sony A7S
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #39 out of 88 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #71 out of 1223 in all Cameras
Canon 5D MIII
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #27 out of 94 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #113 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Sony A7S is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon 5D MIII in all criteria. It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Sony A7S
Sony A7S
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Canon 5D MIII
Canon 5D MIII
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Canon 5D MIII vs Sony A7S Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Alpha A7S Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Brand Sony Canon
Announced 2014-04-06 2012-05-22
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Full frame Full frame
Dimensions 35.8 x 23.9 mm 36 x 24 mm
Area 855.62mm2 864.00mm2
Megapixels 12 megapixels 22 megapixels
Max Resolution 4240 x 2832 5760 x 3840
Max Native Light sensitivity 409,600 ISO 25,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 102400 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 25 61
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Sony E Canon EF
Number of Available Lenses 128 250
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3 3.2"
Resolution 1,230k dots 1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Resolution 2,359k dots no electronic viewfinder
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
Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/200s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 6.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Optional
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 489g 950g
Dimensions 127 x 94 x 48mm 152 x 116 x 76mm
Battery Life 360 shots 950 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording With Downloadable App
GPS None Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 87 81
DxO Color Depth 23.9 24.0
DxO Dynamic Range 13.2 11.7
DxO Low Light ISO 3702 2293
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