Nikon D5500 vs Canon EOS 5D Mark III

This is a full comparison between the cameras Nikon D5500 and Canon EOS 5D Mark III. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Nikon D5500 is manufacturered by Nikon but Canon EOS 5D Mark III is from Canon. Both Nikon and Canon are well known brands though.

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Nikon D5500 has a "Nikon DX"-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.

** 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 (Nikon)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)

Resolution

Nikon D5500 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:

Nikon D5500 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.

Autofocus and lens compatibility

There is a big difference between these two cameras. Canon EOS 5D Mark III has a built-in autofocus motor but Nikon D5500 does not. If you want to be able to use autofocus on Nikon D5500 there is a need for having an autofocus motor inside the lens. We really encourage you to look closely at our lens compatibility charts at the links below.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D5500
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. Nikon D5500 can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 5D Mark III can shoot up to 6 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

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

In this case, both Nikon D5500 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 126% heavier than Nikon D5500 and its 420 gr (or 0.93 lb).

Nikon D5500 vs Canon EOS 5D Mark III Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Nikon D5500 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	Nikon D5500	Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Name	Nikon D5500	Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Manufacturer	Nikon	Canon
Release Date and Price	Nikon D5500	Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Release Year	2015	2012
Release Date	2015-01-06	2012-03-02
MSRP	899 USD	3499 USD
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Camera Type	Nikon D5500	Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Camera Type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor	Nikon D5500	Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Sensor Size	APS-C (approx 23.7 x 15.5 mm) Also known as "DX"	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	EXPEED 4	DIGIC 5+
Image	Nikon D5500	Canon EOS 5D Mark III
ISO Range	100 - 25600	100 - 25600
White Balance Presets	12	6
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	No	No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	0 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW
Optics & Focus	Nikon D5500	Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Autofocus Motor	No	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	39	61
Lens Mount	Nikon F See Compatible Lenses	Canon EF See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	DX / APS-C (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 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	Nikon D5500	Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Articulated LCD	Fully articulated	Fixed
Screen size	3,2”	3,2”
Screen dots	1037000	1040000
Touch screen	Yes	No
Screen type	TFT LCD Monitor	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	Nikon D5500	Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Frames per second	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	12 meters	N/A
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	Yes	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot	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	Nikon D5500	Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Video recording	Yes	Yes
Video format	MPEG4 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	Yes
Storage	Nikon D5500	Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Memory Card	SD/SDHC	Compact Flash SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Nikon D5500	Canon EOS 5D Mark III
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	Yes	Yes
Headphone Port	No	Yes
Wireless	Yes Built-In	Yes Optional with Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E7
Remote Control	Yes (MC-DC2 (wired), WR-1/WR-R10 (wireless))	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	Nikon D5500	Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Enviromentally sealed	No	Yes
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	EN-EL14 / EN-EL14a lithium-ion battery & charger	Lithium-Ion LP-E6 rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	820 shots	950 shots
Width	124 mm	152 mm
Height	97 mm	116 mm
Depth	70 mm	76 mm
Weight	420 gram	950 gram