Canon EOS 850D vs Canon EOS 5D Mark III
This is a full comparison between the cameras Canon EOS 850D and Canon EOS 5D Mark III. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
These cameras are both manufactured by Canon.
Canon EOS 850D were released 2020 and Canon EOS 5D Mark III was released 2012. That is a 8 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.| Camera | Released |
| Canon EOS 850D | 2020 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 2012 |
Type of camera
Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.
Sensors / crop factor
These cameras have different sensors. Canon EOS 850D has a "Canon APS-C"-sensor while Canon EOS 5D Mark III has a "Canon Full Frame"-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 850D | 80 mm Canon APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.6 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 50 mm Full-frame sensor No crop factor/focal length multiplier |
** 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 850D has a 24 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS 5D Mark III has 22,3 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:
| Camera | Megapixels |
| Canon EOS 850D |
24 MP
24000000 pixels 6000 x 4000 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
22,3 MP
22118400 pixels 5760 x 3840 |
Canon EOS 850D has a 9 % larger resolution than Canon EOS 5D Mark III. 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
Both of these cameras offer the exact same ISO range. They both have 100 to 25600.
| Camera | ISO Range |
| Canon EOS 850D | 100-25600 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 100-25600 |
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 850D
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Pictures per second
Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Canon EOS 850D can shoot up to 7,5 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 5D Mark III can shoot up to 6 pictures per seconds.
| Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
| Canon EOS 850D | 7,5 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 6 |
Ability to record movies
It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.
In this case, both Canon EOS 850D and Canon EOS 5D Mark III 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 84% heavier than Canon EOS 850D and its 515 gr (or 1.14 lb).
| Camera | Weight |
| Canon EOS 850D | 515 gr 1.14 lb |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 950 gr 2.09 lb |
Canon EOS 850D vs Canon EOS 5D Mark III Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Canon EOS 850D and Canon EOS 5D Mark III, 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 850D |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Name | Canon EOS 850D | Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Manufacturer | Canon | Canon |
Release Date and Price |
Canon EOS 850D |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Release Year | 2020 | 2012 |
| Release Date | 2020-02-12 | 2012-03-02 |
| MSRP | 749 USD | 3499 USD |
| Buy it today |
|
|
Camera Type |
Canon EOS 850D |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Camera Type | DSLR | DSLR |
Sensor |
Canon EOS 850D |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Sensor Size | APS-C (approx 22.3 x 14.9 mm) | Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Resolution | 6000 x 4000 pixels | 5760 x 3840 pixels |
| Megapixels | 24 MP | 22,3 MP |
| Image Processor | DIGIC 8 | DIGIC 5+ |
Image |
Canon EOS 850D |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| ISO Range | 100 - 25600 | 100 - 25600 |
| 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 850D |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Autofocus Motor | Yes | Yes |
| Autofocus |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection LiveView |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
| Focus Points | 45 | 61 |
| Lens Mount |
Canon EF Canon EF-S See Compatible Lenses |
Canon EF See Compatible Lenses |
| Focal Length Multiplier |
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 |
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 |
Screen & Viewfinder |
Canon EOS 850D |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Articulated LCD | Fully articulated | Fixed |
| Screen size | 3” | 3,2” |
| Screen dots | 1040000 | 1040000 |
| Touch screen | Yes | No |
| Screen type | TFT LCD | Clear View II TFT LCD |
| Live view | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder Type | Optical (pentamirror) | Optical (pentaprism) |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 95% | 100% |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.82× (0.51× 35mm equiv.) | 0.71× |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 0 | N/A |
Photography features |
Canon EOS 850D |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Frames per second | 7,5 fps | 6 fps |
| Minimum Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/4000 seconds | 1/8000 seconds |
| Built-in Flash | Yes | No |
| Built-in Flash Range | 4 meters | N/A |
| 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 | +/- 3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) | +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
Videography features |
Canon EOS 850D |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Video recording | Yes | Yes |
| Video format |
MPEG4 H.264 |
H.264 |
| Video resolution |
1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160 |
1280 x 720 1920 x 1080 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Speakers | Yes | Yes |
Storage |
Canon EOS 850D |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Memory Card |
SD/SDHC |
Compact Flash SD/SDHC |
Connectivity |
Canon EOS 850D |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| HDMI Output | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone Port | Yes | Yes |
| Headphone Port | No | Yes |
| Wireless |
Yes Built-in (802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth) |
Yes Optional with Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E7
|
| Remote Control | Yes (via wireless remote or smartphone) |
Yes (Remote control with N3 type contact, Wireless Controller LC-5, Remote Controller RC-6)
|
| GPS | No |
Yes Optional with GP-E2 unit
|
Body & Dimensions |
Canon EOS 850D |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Enviromentally sealed | No | Yes |
| Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
| Battery Details |
LP-E17 lithium-ion battery & charger
|
Lithium-Ion LP-E6 rechargeable battery & charger
|
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 800 shots | 950 shots |
| Width | 131 mm | 152 mm |
| Height | 103 mm | 116 mm |
| Depth | 76 mm | 76 mm |
| Weight | 515 gram | 950 gram |