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.

Sony a550 were released 2009 and Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III was released 2007. That is a 2 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony a550 2009
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III 2007

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.

Camera Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 **
Sony a550 75 mm
Sony APS-C sensor
Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5
Canon EOS 1Ds 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 (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:

Camera Megapixels
Sony a550 14 MP
14033152 pixels
4592 x 3056
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III 21,1 MP
21026304 pixels
5616 x 3744

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.

Camera ISO Range
Sony a550 200-12800
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III 50-3200

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.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a550 7
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III 5

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).

Camera Weight
Sony a550 632 gr
1.39 lb
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III 1385 gr
3.05 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
Buy it today
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