Canon EOS 5D Mark III vs Canon EOS 550D
This is a full comparison between the cameras Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Canon EOS 550D. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
These cameras are both manufactured by Canon.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III were released 2012 and Canon EOS 550D was released 2010. That is a 2 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.| Camera | Released |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 2012 |
| Canon EOS 550D | 2010 |
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 550D 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.
| Camera | Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 ** |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 50 mm Full-frame sensor No crop factor/focal length multiplier |
| Canon EOS 550D | 80 mm Canon APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.6 |
** 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 550D has 18,7 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:
| Camera | Megapixels |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
22,3 MP
22118400 pixels 5760 x 3840 |
| Canon EOS 550D |
18,7 MP
17915904 pixels 5184 x 3456 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III has a 23 % larger resolution than Canon EOS 550D. 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 550D. Canon EOS 5D Mark III has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 25600 while Canon EOS 550D has 100 to 12800.
| Camera | ISO Range |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 100-25600 |
| Canon EOS 550D | 100-12800 |
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 550D
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 550D can shoot up to 3,7 pictures per seconds.
| Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 6 |
| Canon EOS 550D | 3,7 |
Ability to record movies
It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.
In this case, both Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Canon EOS 550D can shoot movies.
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 86% heavier than Canon EOS 550D and its 510 gr (or 1.12 lb).
| Camera | Weight |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 950 gr 2.09 lb |
| Canon EOS 550D | 510 gr 1.12 lb |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III vs Canon EOS 550D Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Canon EOS 550D, 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 550D |
| Name | Canon EOS 5D Mark III | Canon EOS 550D |
| Manufacturer | Canon | Canon |
Release Date and Price |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
Canon EOS 550D |
| Release Year | 2012 | 2010 |
| Release Date | 2012-03-02 | 2010-02-08 |
| MSRP | 3499 USD | 899 USD |
| Buy it today |
|
|
Camera Type |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
Canon EOS 550D |
| Camera Type | DSLR | DSLR |
Sensor |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
Canon EOS 550D |
| 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 | 5184 x 3456 pixels |
| Megapixels | 22,3 MP | 18,7 MP |
| Image Processor | DIGIC 5+ | DIGIC 4 |
Image |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
Canon EOS 550D |
| ISO Range | 100 - 25600 | 100 - 12800 |
| 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 550D |
| Autofocus Motor | Yes | Yes |
| Autofocus |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
| 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 550D |
| Articulated LCD | Fixed | Fixed |
| Screen size | 3,2” | 3” |
| Screen dots | 1040000 | 1040000 |
| Touch screen | No | No |
| Screen type | Clear View II TFT LCD | TFT color liquid-crystal LCD |
| Live view | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder Type | Optical (pentaprism) | Optical (pentamirror) |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 95% |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.71× | 0.87× (0.54× 35mm equiv.) |
| Viewfinder Resolution | N/A | N/A |
Photography features |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
Canon EOS 550D |
| Frames per second | 6 fps | 3,7 fps |
| Minimum Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000 seconds | 1/4000 seconds |
| Built-in Flash | No | Yes |
| Built-in Flash Range | N/A | 13 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) | +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
Videography features |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
Canon EOS 550D |
| Video recording | Yes | Yes |
| Video format |
H.264 |
H.264 |
| Video resolution |
1280 x 720 1920 x 1080 |
1280 x 720 1920 x 1080 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Speakers | Yes | No |
Storage |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
Canon EOS 550D |
| Memory Card |
Compact Flash SD/SDHC |
SD/SDHC |
Connectivity |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
Canon EOS 550D |
| HDMI Output | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone Port | Yes | No |
| Headphone Port | Yes | No |
| Wireless |
Yes Optional with Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E7
|
Yes Eye-Fi Connected |
| Remote Control |
Yes (Remote control with N3 type contact, Wireless Controller LC-5, Remote Controller RC-6)
|
Yes (E3 connector, InfraRed) |
| GPS |
Yes Optional with GP-E2 unit
|
No |
Body & Dimensions |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
Canon EOS 550D |
| Enviromentally sealed | Yes | No |
| Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
| Battery Details |
Lithium-Ion LP-E6 rechargeable battery & charger
|
Lithium-Ion LP-E8 rechargeable battery & charger
|
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 950 shots | N/A |
| Width | 152 mm | 129 mm |
| Height | 116 mm | 98 mm |
| Depth | 76 mm | 62 mm |
| Weight | 950 gram | 510 gram |