Sony a7 II vs Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a7 II and Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
Sony a7 II is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.
Sony a7 II were released 2014 and Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III was released 2007. That is a 7 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.| Camera | Released |
| Sony a7 II | 2014 |
| Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III | 2007 |
Type of camera
Sony a7 II is a Mirrorless camera while Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.
Sensors / crop factor
Even though the camera sensors might be called differently they are both considered Full frame which means that the focal length of the lenses is not affected. There is no crop factor on any of these cameras and sensors.
| Camera | Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 ** |
| Sony a7 II | 50 mm Full-frame sensor No crop factor/focal length multiplier |
| 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 a7 II has a 24 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 a7 II |
24 MP
24000000 pixels 6000 x 4000 |
| Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III |
21,1 MP
21026304 pixels 5616 x 3744 |
Sony a7 II has a 14 % larger resolution than Canon EOS 1Ds 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 a7 II has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III. Sony a7 II has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 25600 while Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III has 50 to 3200.
| Camera | ISO Range |
| Sony a7 II | 100-25600 |
| 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 a7 II
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 a7 II can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds.
| Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
| Sony a7 II | 5 |
| Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III | 5 |
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 a7 II. Unfortunately Canon EOS 1Ds 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 1Ds Mark III weighs 1385 gr (equal to 3.05 lb) which is 131% heavier than Sony a7 II and its 599 gr (or 1.32 lb).
| Camera | Weight |
| Sony a7 II | 599 gr 1.32 lb |
| Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III | 1385 gr 3.05 lb |
Sony a7 II vs Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a7 II 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 a7 II |
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III |
| Name | Sony a7 II | Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III |
| Manufacturer | Sony | Canon |
Release Date and Price |
Sony a7 II |
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III |
| Release Year | 2014 | 2007 |
| Release Date | 2014-11-20 | 2007-08-20 |
| MSRP | 1699 USD | 6999 USD |
| Buy it today |
|
|
Camera Type |
Sony a7 II |
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III |
| Camera Type | Mirrorless | DSLR |
Sensor |
Sony a7 II |
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III |
| Sensor Size | Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) | Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Resolution | 6000 x 4000 pixels | 5616 x 3744 pixels |
| Megapixels | 24 MP | 21,1 MP |
| Image Processor | Bionz X | DUAL DIGIC 3 |
Image |
Sony a7 II |
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III |
| ISO Range | 100 - 25600 | 50 - 3200 |
| White Balance Presets | 10 | 8 |
| Custom White Balance | Yes | Yes |
| Image Stabilization |
Yes (Sensor-Shift) |
No |
| Image Stabilization CIPA Rating | 4.5 stops | 0 stops |
| Uncompressed format | RAW | RAW |
Optics & Focus |
Sony a7 II |
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III |
| Autofocus Motor | Yes | Yes |
| Autofocus |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous |
| Focus Points | 117 | 45 |
| Lens Mount |
Sony E See Compatible Lenses |
Canon EF See Compatible Lenses |
| Focal Length Multiplier |
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 |
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 a7 II |
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III |
| Articulated LCD | Tilting | Fixed |
| Screen size | 3” | 3” |
| Screen dots | 1230000 | 230000 |
| Touch screen | No | No |
| Screen type | Xtra Fine LCD | N/A |
| Live view | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder Type | Electronic | Optical (pentaprism) |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.71x | 0.76× |
| Viewfinder Resolution | N/A | N/A |
Photography features |
Sony a7 II |
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III |
| Frames per second | 5 fps | 5 fps |
| Minimum Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000 seconds | 1/8000 seconds |
| Built-in Flash | No | No |
| Built-in Flash Range | N/A | 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 | +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) | +/- 3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
Videography features |
Sony a7 II |
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III |
| Video recording | Yes | No |
| Video format |
MPEG4 XAVC-S AVCHD |
N/A |
| Video resolution |
1440 x 1080 1920 x 1080 |
N/A |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Built-in Speakers | Yes | No |
Storage |
Sony a7 II |
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III |
| Memory Card |
Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC |
Compact Flash SD/SDHC |
Connectivity |
Sony a7 II |
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III |
| HDMI Output | Yes | No |
| Microphone Port | Yes | No |
| Headphone Port | Yes | No |
| Wireless |
Yes Built-in (with NFC and wireless control via PlayMemories Mobile app) |
Yes Optional with WFT-E2 II
|
| Remote Control | Yes (wired) | Yes (N3 connector) |
| GPS | No | No |
Body & Dimensions |
Sony a7 II |
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III |
| Enviromentally sealed | No | Yes |
| Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
| Battery Details |
NP-FW50 lithium-ion battery and charger
|
Canon LP-E4N Battery Pack
|
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 350 shots | 1800 shots |
| Width | 127 mm | 150 mm |
| Height | 96 mm | 160 mm |
| Depth | 60 mm | 80 mm |
| Weight | 599 gram | 1385 gram |