Sony a7S II vs Canon EOS 1D X Mark II

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a7S II and Canon EOS 1D X Mark II. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a7S II is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS 1D X Mark II is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.

Sony a7S II were released 2015 and Canon EOS 1D X Mark II was released 2016. That is a 1 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony a7S II 2015
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II 2016

Type of camera

Sony a7S II is a Mirrorless camera while Canon EOS 1D X Mark II 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 a7S II 50 mm
Full-frame sensor
No crop factor/focal length multiplier
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II 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 a7S II has a 12 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS 1D X Mark II has 20 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera Megapixels
Sony a7S II 12 MP
12007680 pixels
4240 x 2832
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II 20 MP
19961856 pixels
5472 x 3648

Canon EOS 1D X Mark II has a 66 % larger resolution than Sony a7S II. 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 a7S II has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS 1D X Mark II. Sony a7S II has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 102400 while Canon EOS 1D X Mark II has 100 to 51200.

Camera ISO Range
Sony a7S II 100-102400
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II 100-51200

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 a7S II
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 1D X Mark II

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a7S II can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 1D X Mark II can shoot up to 16 pictures per seconds.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a7S II 5
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II 16

Ability to record movies

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

In this case, both Sony a7S II and Canon EOS 1D X Mark II 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 1D X Mark II weighs 1530 gr (equal to 3.37 lb) which is 144% heavier than Sony a7S II and its 627 gr (or 1.38 lb).

Camera Weight
Sony a7S II 627 gr
1.38 lb
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II 1530 gr
3.37 lb

Sony a7S II vs Canon EOS 1D X Mark II Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a7S II and Canon EOS 1D X Mark II, 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 a7S II
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II
Name Sony a7S II Canon EOS 1D X Mark II
Manufacturer Sony Canon
Release Date and Price
Sony a7S II
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II
Release Year 2015 2016
Release Date 2015-09-11 2016-02-02
MSRP 2999 USD 5999 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony a7S II
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II
Camera Type Mirrorless DSLR
Sensor
Sony a7S II
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II
Sensor Size Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm)
Sensor Type CMOS CMOS
Resolution 4240 x 2832 pixels 5472 x 3648 pixels
Megapixels 12 MP 20 MP
Image Processor Bionz X DUAL DIGIC 6+
Image
Sony a7S II
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II
ISO Range 100 - 102400 100 - 51200
White Balance Presets 10 6
Custom White Balance Yes Yes
Image Stabilization Yes
(Sensor-Shift (5 axis))
No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating 0 stops 0 stops
Uncompressed format RAW RAW
Optics & Focus
Sony a7S II
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II
Autofocus Motor Yes Yes
Autofocus Contract Detect (sensor)
Multi Area
Center
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
Face Detection
LiveView
Contract Detect (sensor)
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Center
Selective Single Point
Tracking
Single
Continuous
Touch
Face Detection
LiveView
Focus Points 169 61
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 a7S II
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II
Articulated LCD Tilting Fixed
Screen size 3” 3.2”
Screen dots 1228800 1620000
Touch screen No Yes
Screen type TFT-LCD TFT LCD
Live view Yes Yes
Viewfinder Type Electronic Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.78x 0.76×
Viewfinder Resolution N/A 0
Photography features
Sony a7S II
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II
Frames per second 5 fps 16 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
Exposure Compensation +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features
Sony a7S II
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II
Video recording Yes Yes
Video format MPEG4
XAVC-S
AVCHD
Motion JPEG
MPEG4
H.264
Video resolution 1280 x 720
1920 x 1080
3840 x 2160
1280 x 720
1920 x 1080
3840 x 2160
Built-in Microphone Yes Yes
Built-in Speakers Yes Yes
Storage
Sony a7S II
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II
Memory Card Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
Compact Flash
Connectivity
Sony a7S II
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II
HDMI Output Yes Yes
Microphone Port Yes Yes
Headphone Port Yes Yes
Wireless Yes
Built-in (802.11b/g/n with NFC)
Yes
Optional via WFT-E8
Remote Control Yes (wired or smartphone) Supported
GPS No Yes
Built-in (with e-compass)
Body & Dimensions
Sony a7S II
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II
Enviromentally sealed Yes Yes
Battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery Details NP-FW50 lithium-ion battery and charger
LP-E19 lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 370 shots 1210 shots
Width 127 mm 158 mm
Height 96 mm 168 mm
Depth 60 mm 83 mm
Weight 627 gram 1530 gram