Canon 5D Mark III vs Canon 5D Mark II
Side-by-side specs, features and our lab-measured performance for the Canon 5D Mark III and the Canon 5D Mark II.
Canon 5D Mark II
Key differences
Why pick the Canon 5D Mark III
- More resolution: 22.3 MP vs 21.1 MP
- Higher native ISO ceiling: ISO 25,600 vs ISO 6,400
- Faster continuous shooting: 6 fps vs 3.9 fps
- Deeper RAW buffer: 18 frames vs 11 frames
- Faster autofocus shutter lag (lab tested): 0.12s vs 0.21s
- Bigger screen: 3.2 in vs 3 in
- Sharper screen: 1,044,000 dots vs 920,000 dots
- Lighter: 950 g vs 1,588 g
- More shots per charge (CIPA): 950 shots vs 850 shots
- Dual card slots
- Headphone jack
- Costs less (street price when tested): $2,299 vs $2,999
- Newer model (2012 vs 2008)
Why pick the Canon 5D Mark II
- Starts up faster (lab tested): 0.4s vs 0.5s
Worked out from the spec sheets and our lab measurements. Image quality, handling and autofocus tracking are judged in the reviews.
| Specification | Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 5D Mark II |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Camera Format | Pro SLR | Pro SLR |
| Date Available | 2012-03-20 | 2008-11-30 |
| Currently Manufactured | No | No |
| Retail Price | $3500.00 | $3499.00 |
| Street Price | $2,299.00 | $2,999.00 |
| Weight | 33.5 oz (950 g) includes batteries | 56.0 oz (1,588 g) includes batteries, kit lens |
| Size | 6.0 x 4.6 x 3.0 in. (152 x 116 x 76 mm) | 6.0 x 4.5 x 3.0 in. (152 x 114 x 75 mm) |
| Waterproof | No | No |
| Predecessor | Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 5D |
| Successor | Canon 5D Mark IV | Canon 5D Mark III |
| Sensor | ||
| Effective Megapixels | 22.3 | 21.1 |
| Sensor Format | 35mm | 35mm |
| Sensor size | 864mm2 (36.00mm x 24.00mm) | 864mm2 (36.00mm x 24.00mm) |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor Manufacturer | Canon | Canon |
| Approximate Pixel Pitch | 6.25 microns | 6.41 microns |
| Focal Length Multiplier | 1.0x | 1.0x |
| Aspect Ratio | 3:2 | 3:2 |
| Anti Aliasing Filter | Fixed | Fixed |
| Sensor shift image stabilization | No | No |
| Self-Cleaning | Yes | Yes |
| Image Resolution | 5760 x 3840 (22.1 MP, 3:2), 3840 x 2560 (9.8 MP, 3:2), 2880 x 1920 (5.5 MP, 3:2), 1920 x 1280 (2.5 MP, 3:2), 720 x 480 (0.3 MP, 3:2) | 5616 x 3744 (21.0 MP, 3:2), 4080 x 2720 (11.1 MP, 3:2), 2784 x 1856 (5.2 MP, 3:2), 3861 x 2574 (9.9 MP, 3:2), 2784 x 1856 (5.2 MP, 3:2) |
| Image File Format | JPEG (EXIF v2.3), RAW, M-RAW (10.5MP), S-RAW (5.5MP); 14-bit CR2 | JPEG, RAW, sRAW1, sRAW2; 14-bit CR2 |
| RAW Capture Support | Yes | Yes |
| Sensor scores (DxOMark) | ||
| DxO Sensor Score | 81 | 79 |
| DxO Color Depth Score (bits) | 24.0 | 23.7 |
| DxO Dynamic Range Score (evs) | 11.7 | 11.9 |
| DxO Maximum Effective ISO Score (iso) | 2,293 | 1,815 |
| Autofocus | ||
| Auto Focus Type | Phase Detect : 61-point (up to 41 cross-type points); One to five cross-type AF points at f/2.8, 10 to 20 cross-type AF points at f/4, and 15 to 21 cross-type AF points at f/5.6. | TTL-CT-SIR AF-dedicated CMOS sensor; 9 AF Points (1 Cross Type) + 6 AF Assist Points |
| On-Sensor Phase Detect | No | No |
| Focus Peaking | No | No |
| Manual Focus | Yes | Yes |
| Auto Focus Assist Light? | No | No |
| Speed (Imaging Resource lab tests) | ||
| Continuous-mode frames/second | 6.0 | 3.9 |
| JPEG shooting speed in burst mode (fps, max resolution) | 6.0 | 3.9 |
| Buffer size for JPEG shooting in burst mode (frames, max resolution) | 63 | 75 |
| RAW shooting speed in burst mode (fps) | 6.0 | 3.9 |
| Buffer size for RAW shooting in burst mode (frames) | 18 | 11 |
| Shutter lag (full AF, wide/mid) | 0.12 seconds | 0.21 seconds |
| Shutter Lag (prefocused) | 0.061 seconds | 0.082 seconds |
| Startup Time | 0.5 seconds | 0.4 seconds |
| Play -> Record Time | 0.2 seconds | 0.1 seconds |
| Cycle time for JPEG shooting in single shot mode (seconds per frame, max resolution) | – | 0.35 |
| Cycle time for RAW shooting in single shot mode (seconds per frame) | – | 0.37 |
| Viewfinder and screen | ||
| Viewfinder | Optical / LCD | Optical / LCD |
| Viewfinder Type | SLR type; fixed eye-level pentaprism, 100% coverage, 0.71x magnification, 21mm eyepoint, -3 to +1 diopter, fixed focusing screen, on demand grid | SLR type; eye-level pentaprism, 98% coverage, 0.71x mag., 21mm eyepoint, -3 to +1 diopter |
| Viewfinder Magnification (35mm equivalent) | 0.71x | 0.71x |
| Rear Display Size (inches) | 3.2 | 3.0 |
| Rear Display Resolution | 1,044,000 dots (348,000 px) | 920,000 dots |
| Touchscreen | No | No |
| Articulating Screen | No | No |
| Tilt Swivel Screen | No | No |
| Selfie Screen | No | No |
| Top Deck Display | Yes | Yes |
| Exposure | ||
| Minimum ISO (native) | 100 | 100 |
| Maximum ISO (native) | 25600 | 6400 |
| ISO Settings | Auto, 100-25600 in 1/3 or 1 EV steps, expandable to 50 (L), 51200 (H1) and 102400 (H2) | 100-6400, extendable to 50/25600, 1/3 EV increments |
| Shutter Speed Range | 1/8000 - 30 sec | 1/8000 - 30 sec |
| Bulb Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Exposure Compensation | +/- 5.0EV in 0.3EV steps | +/- 3.0EV in 0.3EV steps |
| Metering Modes | 63-zone Evaluative, Center-weighted, Partial (center, 7.2%), Spot (center, 1.5%) | 35-zone Evaluative, Center-weighted, Partial (8%), Spot (3.5%) |
| White Balance Settings | Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, White Fluorescent, Flash, Custom, Color Temperature | Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Flash, Custom, Color Temperature |
| High Resolution Composite | No | No |
| Self Timer | 2, 10 seconds | 10, 2 seconds |
| Creative Exposure Modes | – | Creative Auto, 3 Custom |
| Video | ||
| Can take movies | Yes | Yes |
| Movie Resolution | 1920x1080 (30p/​25p/​24p) 1280x720 (60p/​50p) 640x480 (30p/​25p) | 1920x1080 (30p) 640x480 (30p) |
| Movie File Format | .MOV (MPEG-4 AVC / H.264), ALL-I and IPB modes | .MOV (Video: H.264, Sound: Linear PCM) |
| HD Video Out | Yes | Yes |
| HD Video Connection | HDMI | HDMI |
| Microphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Headphone Jack | Yes | No |
| Lens | ||
| Lens Mount | Canon EF | Canon EF |
| Lens | – | Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM |
| Focal Length (35mm equivalent) | – | 24 - 105mm |
| Focal Length (actual) | – | 24 - 105mm |
| Zoom Ratio | – | 4.40x |
| Aperture Range | – | f/4 (W/T) to f/22 |
| Optical Image Stabilization | No | Yes |
| Filter Thread | – | 77.0mm |
| Flash | ||
| Built-in Flash | No | No |
| Max Flash Sync | 1/200 | 1/200 |
| Flash Exposure Compensation | +/- 3.0 EV in 0.3EV steps | +/- 3.0 EV in 0.3EV steps |
| External Flash Connection | Hot Shoe, PC Sync | PC Sync, Hot Shoe |
| Built-In Wireless Flash Control | No | – |
| Storage and connectivity | ||
| Usable Memory Types | CF1 / SD / SDHC / SDXC | CF1 / CF2 / Microdrive |
| UHS Support | No UHS support | No UHS support |
| Dual Card Slots | Yes | No |
| Built-In Wi-Fi | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| NFC | No | No |
| Built-In GPS | No | No |
| External Connections | USB 2.0 High Speed | USB 2.0 High Speed |
| Remote Control | Yes | Yes |
| Remote Control Type | Optional Wired or Wireless | Optional wired or IR wireless |
| Battery | ||
| Battery Life, Still (CIPA Rating OVF/EVF) | 950 shots | 850 shots |
| Battery Form Factor | Proprietary LP-E6 | Proprietary LP-E6 |
| Usable Battery Types | Lithium-ion Rechargeable or BG-E11 battery grip | Lithium-ion rechargeable |
| Internal Charging Supported | No | No |
| Battery Charger Included (dedicated charger or AC/USB adapter) | Yes | Yes |
| Other | ||
| Tripod Mount | Yes | Yes |
| Color Filter Type | RGBG | RGBG |
| Composite Video Out | Yes | Yes |
| NTSC/PAL Switchable Video | Yes | Yes |
| Integrated ND Filter | No | No |
| Auto Focus | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder Magnification (nominal/claimed) | 0.71x | 0.71x |
| Eye-level Viewfinder | Yes | Yes |
| Rear Display | Yes | Yes |
| Max Playback Zoom | 10.0x | 10.0x |
| Auto ISO Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Program Auto Exposure | Yes | Yes |
| Aperture Priority | Yes | Yes |
| Shutter Priority | Yes | Yes |
| Full Manual Exposure | Yes | Yes |
| Other Memory | UDMA7 compliant | UDMA compliant |
| Uncompressed Format | RAW, M-RAW (10.5MP), S-RAW (5.5MP); 14-bit CR2 | RAW, sRAW1, sRAW2; 14-bit CR2 |
| Included Memory | No memory included | No memory included |
| PictBridge Compliant | Yes | Yes |
| DPOF Compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Connections (extended) | Mini HDMI (Type C), Remote Jack, Stereo Mic Jack, Stereo Monitor Jack, PC-Sync Terminal | System Extension Terminal (for WFT-E4) |
| Buffer size for RAW shooting in single shot mode (frames) | Unlimited | 14 |
| Camera penalizes early shutter press? | No | No |
| RAW+JPEG shooting speed in burst mode (fps) | 6.0 | 3.9 |
| Buffer Size for RAW+JPEG shooting in burst mode (frames) | 7 | 8 |
| Shutter lag (full AF, live view - DSLR) | 0.78 seconds | 1.19 seconds |
| Shutter lag (prefocused, live view - DSLR) | 0.060 seconds | 0.119 seconds |
| Shutter Lag (manual focus) | 0.095 seconds | 0.118 seconds |
| Shutter Lag (notes) | Optical Viewfinder: Full AF shutter lag, wide-area mode: 0.142s Live View: Full AF shutter lag, phase-detect: 0.823s Full AF shutter lag, contrast-detect: 0.780s Prefocused: 0.060 | Live View: Full AF, Quick Mode: 0.47s Full AF, Live Mode: 1.189s Prefocused: 0.119s |
| Battery Life, Stills (CIPA Rating Monitor/Live View) | 200 shots | – |
| Batteries Included | 1 x Proprietary LP-E6 Lithium-ion rechargeable | 1 x Proprietary LP-E6 Lithium-ion rechargeable |
| Dedicated Battery Charger Included | Yes | Yes |
| Included Software | Canon EOS Digital Solution Disc | Canon EOS Digital Solution Disk (Version 19.1): EOS Utility (Version 2.5), Digital Photo Professional (Version 3.5), ZoomBrowser EX (Version 6.2), Picture Style Editor (Version 1.4) |
| Video Usable as Viewfinder | – | Yes |
| Normal Focus Range | – | 45 cm to Infinity 17.7 in to Infinity |
| Cycle time for RAW+JPEG shooting in single shot mode (seconds per shot) | – | 0.35 |
| OS Compatibility | – | Windows XP SP2/Vista, Mac OS X 0.3 or higher |
Highlighted cells mark the better figure where one is clearly better. Timings and buffer depths come from our lab tests; DxOMark scores are DxOMark's own.
Canon 5D Mark III highlights
New 22.3-megapixel Full-frame CMOS Sensor, DIGIC 5+ Processor, 61-point AF System, 63-zone iFCL Metering System, 6fps Bursts, Full HD video, 100% OVF, 3.2" 1.04M-dot LCD, Dual Card Slots (SD+CF), HDR Mode, Multiple Exposure Support, Scene Intelligent Auto, Comparative Playback, Dual-Axis Electronic Level, Auto Lighting Optimizer, In-Camera RAW Processing.