Sony a57 vs Canon EOS 5D Mark III
This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a57 and Canon EOS 5D Mark III. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
Sony a57 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS 5D Mark III is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.
These two camera models were both released 2012.| Camera | Released |
| Sony a57 | 2012 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 2012 |
Type of camera
Sensors / crop factor
These cameras have different sensors. Sony a57 has a "Sony 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 ** |
| Sony a57 | 75 mm Sony APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5 |
| 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 (Sony)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)
Resolution
Sony a57 has a 16 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 |
| Sony a57 |
16 MP
16032768 pixels 4912 x 3264 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
22,3 MP
22118400 pixels 5760 x 3840 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III has a 38 % larger resolution than Sony a57. 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 Sony a57. Canon EOS 5D Mark III has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 25600 while Sony a57 has 100 to 16000.
| Camera | ISO Range |
| Sony a57 | 100-16000 |
| 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 Sony a57
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. Sony a57 can shoot up to 12 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 5D Mark III can shoot up to 6 pictures per seconds.
| Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
| Sony a57 | 12 |
| 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 Sony a57 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 54% heavier than Sony a57 and its 618 gr (or 1.36 lb).
| Camera | Weight |
| Sony a57 | 618 gr 1.36 lb |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 950 gr 2.09 lb |
Sony a57 vs Canon EOS 5D Mark III Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a57 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 |
Sony a57 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Name | Sony a57 | Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Manufacturer | Sony | Canon |
Release Date and Price |
Sony a57 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Release Year | 2012 | 2012 |
| Release Date | 2012-03-13 | 2012-03-02 |
| MSRP | 699 USD | 3499 USD |
| Buy it today |
|
|
Camera Type |
Sony a57 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Camera Type | SLT | DSLR |
Sensor |
Sony a57 |
Canon EOS 5D 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 | 4912 x 3264 pixels | 5760 x 3840 pixels |
| Megapixels | 16 MP | 22,3 MP |
| Image Processor | Bionz | DIGIC 5+ |
Image |
Sony a57 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| ISO Range | 100 - 16000 | 100 - 25600 |
| White Balance Presets | 9 | 6 |
| 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 a57 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Autofocus Motor | Yes | Yes |
| Autofocus |
Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
| Focus Points | 15 | 61 |
| 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 a57 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Articulated LCD | Fully articulated | Fixed |
| Screen size | 3” | 3,2” |
| Screen dots | 921000 | 1040000 |
| Touch screen | No | No |
| Screen type | Xtra Fine TFT drive with TruBlack technology | Clear View II TFT LCD |
| Live view | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder Type | Electronic | Optical (pentaprism) |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 1.04× (0.69× 35mm equiv.) | 0.71× |
| Viewfinder Resolution | N/A | N/A |
Photography features |
Sony a57 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Frames per second | 12 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 | 10 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 | +/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps) | +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
Videography features |
Sony a57 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Video recording | Yes | Yes |
| Video format |
MPEG4 H.264 AVCHD |
H.264 |
| Video resolution |
1440 x 1080 1920 x 1080 |
1280 x 720 1920 x 1080 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Speakers | Yes | Yes |
Storage |
Sony a57 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Memory Card |
Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC |
Compact Flash SD/SDHC |
Connectivity |
Sony a57 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| HDMI Output | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone Port | No | Yes |
| Headphone Port | No | Yes |
| Wireless |
Yes Eye-Fi Connected |
Yes Optional with Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E7
|
| Remote Control | Yes (Optional) |
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 |
Sony a57 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Enviromentally sealed | No | Yes |
| Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
| Battery Details |
Rechargeable NP-FM500H battery & charger
|
Lithium-Ion LP-E6 rechargeable battery & charger
|
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 550 shots | 950 shots |
| Width | 132 mm | 152 mm |
| Height | 98 mm | 116 mm |
| Depth | 81 mm | 76 mm |
| Weight | 618 gram | 950 gram |