Sony a550 vs Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a550 and Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a550 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III is from Canon. Both Sony 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. Sony a550 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Canon EOS 1Ds 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 (Sony)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)

Resolution

Sony a550 has a 14 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III has 21,1 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III has a 50 % larger resolution than Sony a550. 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

Sony a550 has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III. Sony a550 has an ISO range that stretches from 200 to 12800 while Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III has 50 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 Sony a550
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a550 can shoot up to 7 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

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

Though, neither Sony a550 or Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III can shoot movies so if that is a functionality that you are really looking for you should look elsewhere.

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 1Ds Mark III weighs 1385 gr (equal to 3.05 lb) which is 119% heavier than Sony a550 and its 632 gr (or 1.39 lb).

Sony a550 vs Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a550 and Canon EOS 1Ds 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	Sony a550	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
Name	Sony a550	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
Manufacturer	Sony	Canon
Release Date and Price	Sony a550	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
Release Year	2009	2007
Release Date	2009-08-27	2007-08-20
MSRP	949 USD	6999 USD
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Camera Type	Sony a550	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
Camera Type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor	Sony a550	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
Sensor Size	APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm)	Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm)
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	4592 x 3056 pixels	5616 x 3744 pixels
Megapixels	14 MP	21,1 MP
Image Processor	Bionz	DUAL DIGIC 3
Image	Sony a550	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
ISO Range	200 - 12800	50 - 3200
White Balance Presets	6	8
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	Yes (Sensor-Shift)	No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	0 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW
Optics & Focus	Sony a550	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous
Focus Points	9	45
Lens Mount	Sony A See Compatible Lenses	Canon EF See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	APS-C Sensor (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	Sony a550	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
Articulated LCD	Tilting	Fixed
Screen size	3”	3”
Screen dots	921600	230000
Touch screen	No	No
Screen type	N/A	N/A
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Optical (pentamirror)	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	95%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.8× (0.53× 35mm equiv.)	0.76×
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Sony a550	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
Frames per second	7 fps	5 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	No	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot	Multi Center Weighted Spot Partial
Exposure Compensation	+/- 2 (at 1/3 EV steps)	+/- 3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features	Sony a550	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
Video recording	No	No
Video format	N/A	N/A
Video resolution	N/A	N/A
Built-in Microphone	No	No
Built-in Speakers	No	No
Storage	Sony a550	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
Memory Card	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC	Compact Flash SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Sony a550	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
HDMI Output	Yes	No
Microphone Port	No	No
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	No	Yes Optional with WFT-E2 II
Remote Control	Yes (Wired or Wireless (Optional))	Yes (N3 connector)
GPS	No	No
Body & Dimensions	Sony a550	Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
Enviromentally sealed	No	Yes
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery & charger	Canon LP-E4N Battery Pack
Battery Life (CIPA)	480 shots	1800 shots
Width	137 mm	150 mm
Height	104 mm	160 mm
Depth	84 mm	80 mm
Weight	632 gram	1385 gram