Sony a500 vs Canon EOS 5D Mark III
This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a500 and Canon EOS 5D Mark III. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
Sony a500 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS 5D Mark III is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.
Sony a500 were released 2009 and Canon EOS 5D Mark III was released 2012. That is a 3 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.| Camera | Released |
| Sony a500 | 2009 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 2012 |
Type of camera
Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.
Sensors / crop factor
These cameras have different sensors. Sony a500 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 a500 | 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 a500 has a 12 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 a500 |
12 MP
12166656 pixels 4272 x 2848 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
22,3 MP
22118400 pixels 5760 x 3840 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III has a 82 % larger resolution than Sony a500. 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 a500. Canon EOS 5D Mark III has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 25600 while Sony a500 has 200 to 12800.
| Camera | ISO Range |
| Sony a500 | 200-12800 |
| 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 a500
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 a500 can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 5D Mark III can shoot up to 6 pictures per seconds.
| Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
| Sony a500 | 5 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 6 |
Ability to record movies
It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.
It is only one of these two cameras that support recording movies and movie clips and that is Canon EOS 5D Mark III. Sadly, the Sony a500 does not support this.
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 51% heavier than Sony a500 and its 630 gr (or 1.39 lb).
| Camera | Weight |
| Sony a500 | 630 gr 1.39 lb |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 950 gr 2.09 lb |
Sony a500 vs Canon EOS 5D Mark III Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a500 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 a500 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Name | Sony a500 | Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Manufacturer | Sony | Canon |
Release Date and Price |
Sony a500 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Release Year | 2009 | 2012 |
| Release Date | 2009-08-27 | 2012-03-02 |
| MSRP | 549 USD | 3499 USD |
| Buy it today |
|
|
Camera Type |
Sony a500 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Camera Type | DSLR | DSLR |
Sensor |
Sony a500 |
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 | 4272 x 2848 pixels | 5760 x 3840 pixels |
| Megapixels | 12 MP | 22,3 MP |
| Image Processor | Bionz | DIGIC 5+ |
Image |
Sony a500 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| ISO Range | 200 - 12800 | 100 - 25600 |
| White Balance Presets | 6 | 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 a500 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Autofocus Motor | Yes | Yes |
| Autofocus |
Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
| Focus Points | 9 | 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 a500 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Articulated LCD | Tilting | Fixed |
| Screen size | 3” | 3,2” |
| Screen dots | 230000 | 1040000 |
| Touch screen | No | No |
| Screen type | N/A | Clear View II TFT LCD |
| Live view | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder Type | Optical (pentamirror) | Optical (pentaprism) |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 95% | 100% |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.8× (0.53× 35mm equiv.) | 0.71× |
| Viewfinder Resolution | N/A | N/A |
Photography features |
Sony a500 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Frames per second | 5 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 | 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) | +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
Videography features |
Sony a500 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Video recording | No | Yes |
| Video format | N/A |
H.264 |
| Video resolution | N/A |
1280 x 720 1920 x 1080 |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Built-in Speakers | No | Yes |
Storage |
Sony a500 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Memory Card |
Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC |
Compact Flash SD/SDHC |
Connectivity |
Sony a500 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| HDMI Output | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone Port | No | Yes |
| Headphone Port | No | Yes |
| Wireless | No |
Yes Optional with Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E7
|
| Remote Control | Yes (Wired or wirelss (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 a500 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Enviromentally sealed | No | Yes |
| Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
| Battery Details |
Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery & charger
|
Lithium-Ion LP-E6 rechargeable battery & charger
|
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 520 shots | 950 shots |
| Width | 137 mm | 152 mm |
| Height | 104 mm | 116 mm |
| Depth | 84 mm | 76 mm |
| Weight | 630 gram | 950 gram |
