Canon 5DS Review

Main Features

51MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400( expands to 12800)

3.2" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

5.0 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video

930g. 152 x 116 x 76 mm

Weather Sealed Body

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Canon 5DS Overview

Canon 5DS Review - Editor's Note

First introduced in February 2015 , Canon EOS 5DS is a 51.0MP Advanced DSLR camera with a Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor.

Canon 5DS Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Lens Mount and Lenses
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Video
Other Features
Photography Type Scores
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

Canon 5DS is a member of Canon's 5D series of cameras. Canon's EOS 5D cameras are probably the best selling Full Frame DSLR cameras of all time in overall, very popular amongst Professional photographers and serious amateurs, even though their sales decreasing in recent years due to rising mirrorless FF cameras like Sony A, Nikon Z and Canon's own R series. Below you can see the latest models in this series and how their main specs have changed with each new version.

Canon 5D Series History

Model	Release Date	Sensor	Max FPS	Dimensions	Weight
Canon 5D MIV Compare	2016	30.0MP - Full frame	7.0 fps	151 x 116 x 76mm	890g
Canon 5DS	2015	51.0MP - Full frame	5.0 fps	152 x 116 x 76mm	930g
Canon 5DS R Compare	2015	51.0MP - Full frame	5.0 fps	152 x 116 x 76mm	930g
Canon 5D MIII Compare	2012	22.0MP - Full frame	6.0 fps	152 x 116 x 76mm	950g
Canon 5D MII Compare	2009	21.0MP - Full frame	4.0 fps	152 x 114 x 75mm	850g

Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series:
Canon 5D MIV vs 5DS vs 5DS R vs 5D MIII vs 5D MII

Canon 5DS has an Overall Score of 76/100 and ranked #26 out of 206 in DSLR cameras (Top 10 DSLR), and ranked #68 out of 1212 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Canon 5DS Type Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

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Canon 5DS Compared to other DSLR Cameras

Now let's get in to more details of our Canon 5DS review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Full HD Video

Optical Built-in Viewfinder

Face Detection Focusing

51.0MP - High Resolution Sensor

61 Focus Points

Large 3.2" Screen

1.040k dots LCD Resolution

1/8000s High Shutter Speed

Autofocus at f8 using center point

Long Battery Life (700 shots)

External Microphone Port

Environmental Sealing

Timelapse Recording

0.71x magnification - Large Viewfinder

Good Low Light ISO - 2381

41 Cross Type Focus Points

2 Storage Slots

Top LCD Display

Flash Sync Port

AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune)

High Shutter Life Expectancy - 150000 cycles

Dual-axis Electronic Level

Compatible with fast UHS-I cards

Webcam Functionality

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CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Image Stabilization

No Articulating Screen

No Touch Screen

Heavy Body: 930g

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Canon 5DS Lens Mount and Lenses

Canon 5DS has a Canon EF lens mount and currently there are 250 native lenses available for this mount. EF mount has the widest and most complete native lens offerings in the DSLR world which helps Canon to protect its place as the number 1 choice amongst professional photographers all over the world.

Canon 5DS doesn't have a sensor based image stabilization system but 76 of these lenses already comes with Optical Image Stabilization. There are also 83 lenses with weather sealing for 5DS that you can couple with its weather sealed body.

Here are some of the most popular Canon 5DS Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Canon EF Mount Lenses for Canon 5DS

Model	Focal Length on 5DS	Coverage	Weight	Focusing	Street Price
Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II	50mm	35mm FF	130gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 24-105mm f4L IS USM	24-105mm	35mm FF	670gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 50mm f1.8 STM	50mm	35mm FF	159gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 15mm f2.8 Fisheye	15mm	35mm FF	330gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM	70-300mm	35mm FF	630gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 40mm f2.8 STM	40mm	35mm FF	130gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM	50mm	35mm FF	290gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS II USM	70-200mm	35mm FF	1490gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo

Check our Canon 5DS Lenses page or use our Smart Lens Finder tool for more detailed lens search.

Canon 5DS Sensor and Photography Features

Canon 5DS has a 51.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Dual DIGIC 6 processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 8688 x 5792 pixels with aspect ratios of 3:2 and 16:9. 5DS has a native ISO range of 100 - 6400 which can be boosted to 12800 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Canon 5DS is not the highest resolution Full frame camera. Sony A7R IV with its 61.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Canon 5DS vs Sony A7R IV or take a look at Highest resolution DSLR cameras list.

Canon 5DS DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. Canon 5DS sensor has been tested by DxO Mark and got an overall score of 87 for its image quality. You can find the details of their analysis of Canon 5DS here.

Let's look at how the size of the Canon 5DS's Full frame sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Canon 5DS Physical Specs

Canon 5DS weighs 930 g (2.05 lb / 32.80 oz) and has external dimensions of 152 x 116 x 76 mm (5.98 x 4.57 x 2.99″). Considering that the average weight of DSLR type cameras is 774g, Canon 5DS is a significantly heavy camera for its class. With a thickness of 76mm, it has an average thickness.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Canon 5DS

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Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Canon 5DS

Min

Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Canon 5DS with the dimensions:

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Canon 5DS with its main competitors:

Canon 5DS Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs 5DS	Thickness	vs 5DS
Canon 5D MIV Compare	890g	40g lighter	76mm	equal thickness
Canon 5DS R Compare	930g	equal weight	76mm	equal thickness
Canon 6D MII Compare	765g	165g lighter	75mm	1mm thinner
Canon 5D MIII Compare	950g	20g heavier	76mm	equal thickness
Canon 6D Compare	770g	160g lighter	71mm	5mm thinner
Canon RP Compare	485g	445g lighter	70mm	6mm thinner
Canon 80D Compare	730g	200g lighter	79mm	3mm thicker
Canon 90D Compare	701g	229g lighter	77mm	1mm thicker

Weather Sealing

Canon 5DS has environmental sealings on its body which makes it a weather resistant camera, providing resistance against the water and dust getting in to the camera. If you like outdoors photography and want to be able to use your camera in extreme conditions, Canon 5DS will serve you well. If you attach one of these Canon 5DS weather Sealed lenses to your camera, you will have a great all weather kit.

Canon 5DS LCD and Viewfinder

Canon 5DS has a Fixed Type 3.2" LCD screen with a resolution of 1,040k dots. The Canon 5DS's 3.2" screen is larger than average and its resolution is up to the class standarts.

5DS has a built-in Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder. The viewfinder has a coverage of 100% and a magnification ratio of 0.71x. 100% coverage ensures that what you see in the viewfinder while shooting matches exactly what you will get later in your image, helping accurate framing your shots and minimizes the need for cropping images later.

Canon 5DS Connectivity, Storage and Battery

You can connect 5DS to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec) port.

Battery

Canon 5DS is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 700 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of DSLR type cameras is 943 shots, Canon 5DS has a short battery life for its class so we strongly recommend 5DS owners to buy some extra batteries.

Battery Life Comparison in Advanced DSLR Cameras

Canon 5DS

Min

Average

Max

Nikon D780 with its 2260shots is the model with longest battery life among Advanced DSLR cameras. Check the comparison of Canon 5DS vs Nikon D780 or take a look at Longest Battery Life DSLR cameras list.

Canon 5DS Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Canon 5D MIV Compare	4096 x 2160	900shots	Yes	No	Yes
Canon 5DS R Compare	1920 x 1080	700shots	No	No	No
Canon 6D MII Compare	1920 x 1080	1200shots	Yes	Yes	Yes
Canon 5D MIII Compare	1920 x 1080	950shots	No	No	No
Canon 6D Compare	1920 x 1080	1090shots	Yes	No	No
Canon RP Compare	3840 x 2160	250shots	Yes	Yes	No
Canon 80D Compare	1920 x 1080	960shots	Yes	No	Yes
Canon 90D Compare	3840 x 2160	1300shots	Yes	Yes	No

Canon 5DS Video Features

With Canon 5DS, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 30p,25p,24p fps and save in and H.264 formats. Full HD resolution of Canon 5DS will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

5DS has a built-in Mono microphone and a Mono speaker. Canon 5DS also has a port for an external microphone so you can record high quality sound with the help of an external microphone.

Canon 5DS Other Features

Max Shutter speed

Canon 5DS can shoot continuously at max speed of 5.0 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/8000 sec.

Flash

Unfortunately 5DS doesn't have a built-in flash but it has a flash shoe for mounting external flashes.

Focusing

Canon 5DS features both Contrast Detection and Phase Detection autofocus (AF) systems which ensures speed and accuracy of focusing in most situations. The AF system has 61 focus points and 41 of these sensors are of Cross-type. Cross-type sensors locks focus faster and more accurate compared to single type sensors.

Canon 5DS also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

What type of Photography is Canon 5DS Good for?

In this section, we review and score Canon 5DS in 5 different photography areas.

Canon 5DS for Portrait Photography

Canon 5DS has a score of 72 for Portrait Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Portrait Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Portrait Photography list.

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 of how we scored Canon 5DS for Portrait Photography

Canon 5DS for Street Photography

Canon 5DS has a score of 64 for Street Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Street Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Street Photography list.

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
Large Body

Read the details of how we scored Canon 5DS for Street Photography

Canon 5DS for Sports Photography

Canon 5DS has a score of 80 for Sports Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Sports Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Sports Photography list.

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

Good Ergonomics&Handling
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Anti Flicker feature
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization

Read the details of how we scored Canon 5DS for Sports Photography

Canon 5DS for Daily Photography

Canon 5DS has a score of 73 for Daily Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Daily Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Environmental Sealings
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Large Body

930g
Body Thickness 76mm

Read the details of how we scored Canon 5DS for Daily Photography

Canon 5DS for Landscape Photography

Canon 5DS has a score of 68 for Landscape Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Landscape Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Landscape Photography list.

Live-view
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor

Very High Resolution Sensor: 51.0MP
Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Canon 5DS for Landscape Photography

Canon 5DS Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Canon 5DS compares with other DSLR cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of 5DS and the top 10 contenders in the same range. Hover your mouse on the bubbles to see the details of the cameras.

Read a more detailed analysis of Canon 5DS alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Canon 5DS

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Canon 5DS amongst Camera Decision readers.

Canon 5D MIV

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Canon 5DS R

Compare

Canon 6D MII

Compare

Canon 5D MIII

Compare

Canon 6D

Compare

Canon RP

Compare

Canon 80D

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Canon 90D

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Canon 5DS Alternatives in Mirrorless Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Canon 5DS with Mirrorless Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked Mirrorless cameras in Canon 5DS's price range.

Sony A7R II

Compare

Nikon Z5

Compare

Samsung NX1

Compare

Olympus E-M1 III

Compare

Olympus E-M1 II

Compare

Sony A7 II

Compare

Sony A7R

Compare

Sony A6600

Compare

Frequently Asked Questions about Canon 5DS

Does the Canon 5DS have Image Stabilization?
Does the Canon 5DS have RAW support?
Does the Canon 5DS have Weather Sealing?
Does the Canon 5DS have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Canon 5DS?
What is the Sensor Size of Canon 5DS?
is the Canon 5DS a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Canon 5DS have Touch Screen?
Does the Canon 5DS have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Canon 5DS?

Canon EOS 5DS Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Canon
Model	Canon EOS 5DS
Announced	2015-02-06
Body Type	Mid-size SLR
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Canon EF
Number of Lenses	250
Focal Length Multiplier	1x
Macro Focus Range	n/a
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Size	3.2"
Screen Resolution	1,040k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.71
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	30s
Max Mechanical Shutter Speed	1/8000s
Continuous Shooting	5.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync	1/200s
Flash Modes	no built-in flash
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	87
DxO Color Depth	24.7
DxO Dynamic Range	12.4
DxO Low Light ISO	2381
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Sensor
Sensor Type	CMOS
Sensor Size	Full frame
Sensor Dimensions	36 x 24 mm
Sensor Area	864.00mm²
Sensor Resolution	51 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	8688 x 5792
Max Native ISO	6,400
Max Boosted ISO	12800
Min Native ISO	100
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
Number of Cross Focus Points	41
Video Features
Video Resolutions	1920 x 1080 (30p, 25p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (60p, 50p), 640 x 480 (30p, 25p)
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None
HDMI
USB	USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	930g
Physical Dimensions	152 x 116 x 76mm
Battery Life	700 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	LP-E6
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 or 10 secs)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I compatible), CompactFlash
Storage Slots	2