Nikon D3s vs Canon EOS 5D Mark III

This is a full comparison between the cameras Nikon D3s and Canon EOS 5D Mark III. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Nikon D3s is manufacturered by Nikon but Canon EOS 5D Mark III is from Canon. Both Nikon and Canon are well known brands though.

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

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.

** 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 (Nikon)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)

Resolution

Nikon D3s has a 12,1 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:

Canon EOS 5D Mark III has a 84 % larger resolution than Nikon D3s. 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

Nikon D3s has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS 5D Mark III. Nikon D3s has an ISO range that stretches from 200 to 102400 while Canon EOS 5D Mark III has 100 to 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 Nikon D3s
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. Nikon D3s can shoot up to 9-11 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 5D Mark III can shoot up to 6 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

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

In this case, both Nikon D3s 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.

Nikon D3s weighs 1240 gr (equal to 2,73 lb) which is 31% heavier than Canon EOS 5D Mark III and its 950 gr (or 2,09 lb).