Canon EOS 5D Mark III vs Canon EOS 40D

This is a full comparison between the cameras Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Canon EOS 40D. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

These cameras are both manufactured by Canon.

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Canon EOS 5D Mark III has a "Canon Full Frame"-sensor while Canon EOS 40D has a "Canon APS-C"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)

Resolution

Canon EOS 5D Mark III has a 22,3 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS 40D has 10,1 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Canon EOS 5D Mark III has a 119 % larger resolution than Canon EOS 40D. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Canon EOS 5D Mark III has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS 40D. Canon EOS 5D Mark III has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 25600 while Canon EOS 40D has 100 to 3200.

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 40D

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Canon EOS 5D Mark III can shoot up to 6 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 40D can shoot up to 6,5 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

When comparing these two cameras there is only one of them that can shoot movies and that is Canon EOS 5D Mark III. Unfortunately Canon EOS 40D does not support recording movies and movie clips.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III weighs 950 gr (equal to 2.09 lb) which is 16% heavier than Canon EOS 40D and its 822 gr (or 1.81 lb).

Canon EOS 5D Mark III vs Canon EOS 40D Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Canon EOS 40D, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product	Canon EOS 5D Mark III	Canon EOS 40D
Name	Canon EOS 5D Mark III	Canon EOS 40D
Manufacturer	Canon	Canon
Release Date and Price	Canon EOS 5D Mark III	Canon EOS 40D
Release Year	2012	2007
Release Date	2012-03-02	2007-08-20
MSRP	3499 USD	1299 USD
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Camera Type	Canon EOS 5D Mark III	Canon EOS 40D
Camera Type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor	Canon EOS 5D Mark III	Canon EOS 40D
Sensor Size	Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm)	APS-C (approx 22.3 x 14.9 mm)
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	5760 x 3840 pixels	3888 x 2592 pixels
Megapixels	22,3 MP	10,1 MP
Image Processor	DIGIC 5+	DIGIC 3
Image	Canon EOS 5D Mark III	Canon EOS 40D
ISO Range	100 - 25600	100 - 3200
White Balance Presets	6	6
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	No	No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	0 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW
Optics & Focus	Canon EOS 5D Mark III	Canon EOS 40D
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous
Focus Points	61	9
Lens Mount	Canon EF See Compatible Lenses	Canon EF Canon EF-S See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	Full frame No multiplier Example: 24 mm remains 24 mm 50 mm remains 50 mm 100 mm remains 100 mm 200 mm remains 200 mm	APS-C Sensor 1.6x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 38 mm 50 mm becomes 80 mm 100 mm becomes 160 mm 200 mm becomes 320 mm
Screen & Viewfinder	Canon EOS 5D Mark III	Canon EOS 40D
Articulated LCD	Fixed	Fixed
Screen size	3,2”	3”
Screen dots	1040000	230000
Touch screen	No	No
Screen type	Clear View II TFT LCD	N/A
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Optical (pentaprism)	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.71×	0.95× (0.59× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Canon EOS 5D Mark III	Canon EOS 40D
Frames per second	6 fps	6,5 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/8000 seconds	1/8000 seconds
Built-in Flash	No	Yes
Built-in Flash Range	N/A	12 meters
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	Yes	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot Partial	Multi Center Weighted Spot Partial
Exposure Compensation	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)	+/- 2 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features	Canon EOS 5D Mark III	Canon EOS 40D
Video recording	Yes	No
Video format	H.264	N/A
Video resolution	1280 x 720 1920 x 1080	N/A
Built-in Microphone	Yes	No
Built-in Speakers	Yes	No
Storage	Canon EOS 5D Mark III	Canon EOS 40D
Memory Card	Compact Flash SD/SDHC	Compact Flash
Connectivity	Canon EOS 5D Mark III	Canon EOS 40D
HDMI Output	Yes	No
Microphone Port	Yes	No
Headphone Port	Yes	No
Wireless	Yes Optional with Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E7	No
Remote Control	Yes (Remote control with N3 type contact, Wireless Controller LC-5, Remote Controller RC-6)	Yes (N3 connector)
GPS	Yes Optional with GP-E2 unit	No
Body & Dimensions	Canon EOS 5D Mark III	Canon EOS 40D
Enviromentally sealed	Yes	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	Lithium-Ion LP-E6 rechargeable battery & charger	Litium-Ion (Li-Ion) BP-511
Battery Life (CIPA)	950 shots	800 shots
Width	152 mm	146 mm
Height	116 mm	108 mm
Depth	76 mm	74 mm
Weight	950 gram	822 gram