Sony a580 vs Canon EOS 1D Mark III
This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a580 and Canon EOS 1D Mark III. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
Sony a580 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS 1D Mark III is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.
Sony a580 were released 2010 and Canon EOS 1D Mark III was released 2007. That is a 3 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.Camera | Released |
Sony a580 | 2010 |
Canon EOS 1D Mark III | 2007 |
Type of camera
Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.
Sensors / crop factor
These cameras have different sensors. Sony a580 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Canon EOS 1D Mark III has a "Canon APS-H"-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 a580 | 75 mm Sony APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5 |
Canon EOS 1D Mark III | 65 mm Canon APS-H sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.3 |
** 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 a580 has a 16 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS 1D Mark III has 10,1 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:
Camera | Megapixels |
Sony a580 |
16 MP
16032768 pixels 4912 x 3264 |
Canon EOS 1D Mark III |
10,1 MP
10077696 pixels 3888 x 2592 |
Sony a580 has a 59 % larger resolution than Canon EOS 1D 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
Sony a580 has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS 1D Mark III. Sony a580 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 12800 while Canon EOS 1D Mark III has 50 to 6400.
Camera | ISO Range |
Sony a580 | 100-12800 |
Canon EOS 1D Mark III | 50-6400 |
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 a580
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 1D Mark III
Pictures per second
Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a580 can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 1D Mark III can shoot up to 10 pictures per seconds.
Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
Sony a580 | 5 |
Canon EOS 1D Mark III | 10 |
Ability to record movies
It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.
When comparing these two cameras there is only one of them that can shoot movies and that is Sony a580. Unfortunately Canon EOS 1D Mark III does not support recording movies and movie clips.
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 1D Mark III weighs 1155 gr (equal to 2.55 lb) which is 93% heavier than Sony a580 and its 599 gr (or 1.32 lb).
Camera | Weight |
Sony a580 | 599 gr 1.32 lb |
Canon EOS 1D Mark III | 1155 gr 2.55 lb |
Sony a580 vs Canon EOS 1D Mark III Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a580 and Canon EOS 1D 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 a580 |
Canon EOS 1D Mark III |
Name | Sony a580 | Canon EOS 1D Mark III |
Manufacturer | Sony | Canon |
Release Date and Price |
Sony a580 |
Canon EOS 1D Mark III |
Release Year | 2010 | 2007 |
Release Date | 2010-08-24 | 2007-02-22 |
MSRP | 799 USD | 3999 USD |
Buy it today | ||
Camera Type |
Sony a580 |
Canon EOS 1D Mark III |
Camera Type | DSLR | DSLR |
Sensor |
Sony a580 |
Canon EOS 1D Mark III |
Sensor Size | APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm) | APS-H (approx 27.9 x 18.6 mm) |
Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS |
Resolution | 4912 x 3264 pixels | 3888 x 2592 pixels |
Megapixels | 16 MP | 10,1 MP |
Image Processor | Bionz | DUAL DIGIC 3 |
Image |
Sony a580 |
Canon EOS 1D Mark III |
ISO Range | 100 - 12800 | 50 - 6400 |
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 a580 |
Canon EOS 1D Mark III |
Autofocus Motor | Yes | Yes |
Autofocus |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous |
Focus Points | 15 | 19 |
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 |
APS-H Sensor 1.3x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 31 mm 50 mm becomes 65 mm 100 mm becomes 130 mm 200 mm becomes 260 mm |
Screen & Viewfinder |
Sony a580 |
Canon EOS 1D 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× (0.58× 35mm equiv.) |
Viewfinder Resolution | N/A | N/A |
Photography features |
Sony a580 |
Canon EOS 1D Mark III |
Frames per second | 5 fps | 10 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 a580 |
Canon EOS 1D Mark III |
Video recording | Yes | No |
Video format |
MPEG4 H.264 AVCHD |
N/A |
Video resolution |
1440 x 1080 1920 x 1080 |
N/A |
Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
Built-in Speakers | No | No |
Storage |
Sony a580 |
Canon EOS 1D Mark III |
Memory Card |
Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC |
Compact Flash SD/SDHC |
Connectivity |
Sony a580 |
Canon EOS 1D Mark III |
HDMI Output | Yes | No |
Microphone Port | No | No |
Headphone Port | No | No |
Wireless |
Yes Eye-Fi Connected |
Yes Optional with WFT-E2 II |
Remote Control | Yes (Optional) | Yes (N3 connector) |
GPS | No | No |
Body & Dimensions |
Sony a580 |
Canon EOS 1D Mark III |
Enviromentally sealed | No | Yes |
Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
Battery Details |
Rechargeable NP-FM500H battery & charger
|
Battery Pack LP-E4
|
Battery Life (CIPA) | 1050 shots | 2200 shots |
Width | 137 mm | 156 mm |
Height | 104 mm | 157 mm |
Depth | 84 mm | 80 mm |
Weight | 599 gram | 1155 gram |