Canon EOS 5D Mark IV vs Sony a7 III
Comparison
Optics
Video
Features
Storage & Battery
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Sony a7 III
Winner!
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
vs
Sony a7 III
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Brand | Canon | Sony | |
Model | EOS 5D Mark IV | a7 III | |
Released Refers to the year this camera was officially made available for sale. | 2016 | 2018 | |
Announcement Date Refers to the date the manufacturer publicly announced the upcoming release and general specs of this camera. | August 25, 2016 | February 27, 2018 | |
Camera Type |  DSLR |  Mirrorless | |
Camera Size | |||
Camera Weight |
Canon 5D Mark IV vs Sony a7 III Specs
Wondering if Canon EOS 5D Mark IV vs Sony a7 III is a better choice for you? You’re in the right place.
If we look at specs alone it’s close competition. The 24.2 MP Full Frame Sony a7 III scores higher on specs overall. We recently awarded this camera the no1 spot on our best camera for artwork and best budget travel camera guides.
Sony a7 III
A landmark mirrorless camera with a powerful sensor and fantastic features for photography and video.
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That doesn’t make it a closed competition though. The Canon 5D Mark IV is no small-fry. It all depends on what specs are most important to you. The Canon DSLR was released almost two years before the Sony mirrorless, but it still packs quite a punch.
The Canon 5D Mark IV has a higher image resolution boasting a nice 30.4 MP Full Frame sensor with 6720 x 4480 px resolution. The Sony a7 III does have a better frame rate at 10 fps compared to the Canons 7fps. It also has much higher autofocus points to play around with and an electronic viewfinder.
The Canon 5D Mark IV lacks in body stabilisation which may be more important to some photographers who like to shoot hand held.
If you want to shoot video as well as stills, the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV is the clear winner with top-notch 4K video specs and built-in time-lapse feature.
Both have dual memory card slots and a fair battery life.
Check our side-by-side specs comparison below to see if the specs are worth the upgrade:
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Optics
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Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
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Sony a7 III
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Megapixels The higher the number of megapixels, the more detail the cameras sensor can capture. | 30.4 MP | 24.2 MP | |
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Image Resolution Image resolution is measured in pixels and megapixels, width by height. The higher the number, the higher its resolution. | 6720 x 4480 px | 6000 x 4000 px | |
Sensor Type The camera sensor captures light and records the image. Sensors vary in physical size, the number of pixels, and quality. | CMOS | CMOS | |
Sensor Size The sensor size contributes to the overall quality as well as the dynamic and tonal range a camera can capture. As a rule of thumb, the more surface there is to read the light, the more information it will capture. | 24 x 36 mm | 23.8 x 35.6 mm | |
Sensor Format Refers to the most commonly used sensor sizes. |  Full Frame | Full Frame | |
Frame Rate The number of sequential frames per second the camera can write to the memory card when shooting in burst or continuous mode. | 7 fps | 10 fps | |
Lens Mount The lens mount will tell you what type of lens range you can fit onto the camera body. Often the same camera company will have different lens ranges for different cameras. | Canon EF | Sony FE | |
Image Processor The image processor in the camera converts the information collected on the sensor for digital storage on the memory card. | Digic 6+ | Bionz X | |
Aspect Ratio The aspect ratio refers to the proportional difference between width and height. The most popular aspect ratios are 3:2 and 4:3. |  3:2 | 3:2 | |
Minimum ISO (Native) Refers to the lowest native (or 'base') ISO setting. Lower ISO are less sensitive to light but make a cleaner image. | 100 | 100 | |
Maximum ISO (Native) Refers to the highest native (or 'base') ISO setting. Higher ISO is necessary for low-light situations or night photography, but higher ISOs often introduce grain or noise. | 32,000 | 51,200 | |
Minimum ISO (Expanded) Expanded (or extended) ISO is a digitally enhanced feature available on some cameras. It allows you to push beyond the native ISO range if necessary. | 50 | 50 | |
Maximum ISO (Expanded) Expanded (or extended) ISO is a digitally enhanced feature available on some cameras. It allows you to push beyond the native ISO range if necessary. | 102400 | 204800 | |
Minimum Shutter Speed The minimum shutter speed will tell you the longest exposure your camera can take without using an external accessory. | 30 s | 30 s | |
Maximum Shutter Speed The maximum shutter speed tells you the length inside 1 second the camera will capture. These can sometimes be extended with accessories such as extra external batteries. | 1/ 8000 s | 1/ 8000 s | |
Autofocus Points Autofocus points show where the camera is focusing graphically as squares or brackets in Live View or on an electronic viewfinder. These points are also used for light meter readings. | 61 | 693 | |
In-body Stabilization In-body Stabilization means the camera has a certain technology embedded that counteracts camera shake. |   |  | |
Viewfinder Type The viewfinder type is either electronic or optical. Electronic viewfinders will have a small screen in the viewfinder. Optical viewfinders will use prisms and mirrors to look through the lens. | Optical (pentaprism) | Electronic | |
Viewfinder Resolution | N/A | 2,359,296 dots |
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Video
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Sony a7 III
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Video Indicates if this camera is capable of recording video. |  | | |
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Max Video Resolution The best resolution this camera can capture video in. Modern cameras can capture up to 8K video. |  4K | 4K | |
Max Video Dimensions Video resolution measured by the greatest number of pixels possible in each frame, width by height. A higher resolution means more detail or clarity in your video. | 4096 x 2160 px | 3840 x 2160 px | |
Max Video Frame Rate How many frames per second your video will capture. Most cameras have options for multiple frame rates, depending on the resolution you shoot in. For a general video, 24p or 30p is the standard, but more serious filmmakers may need a higher frame rate for creative effect. | 120 p | 30 p | |
Time-Lapse Built In A built in time-lapse mode will allow continuous shooting throughout a prolonged period of time to be compressed into a sped up video. |  | | |
Video File Format Different cameras can record in various video file formats. The File format you record in can impact how you edit and use the files. | MOV, MP4 | XAVC S, AVCHD |
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Features
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Built-in Flash A built-in flash will often be positioned right above the lens. This will automatically pop up when you activate it. |  | | |
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External Flash External flashes are often connected through a hot shoe at the top of a camera, or a cable at the side of the camera. |  | | |
GPS GPS features in a camera will include location metadata to each of your photographs. |  | | |
Weather Sealing Weather sealing capabilities will give you more confidence when shooting in unfavourable conditions. |  | | |
Screen Type | TFT LCD | LCD | |
Touch Screen Touchscreen allows you to change camera settings and access menus with a swipe of your finger, instead of using buttons. |  | | |
Screen Size |  3.2" |  3" | |
Screen Resolution Screen dots indicate the resolution of the LCD screen by including each sub pixel. | 1,620,000 dots | 921,600 dots | |
Flip Screen A flip screen (or articulating screen) is a second screen which can flip out from the side or top of the camera. This rotating screen allows you more freedom to take photos at different angles. |  | | |
Live View Live View feature allows you to see a continuous live video of what is being seen through your lens. |  | | |
Wi-Fi |  | | |
Bluetooth Bluetooth capabilities allow you wireless control of your camera with other external devices. |  | | |
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Storage and Battery
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Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
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Sony a7 III
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Memory Card | SD / SDHC / SDXC (UHS-I compatible), Compact Flash | SD / SDHC / SDXC, Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo / Pro-HG Duo | |
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Dual Memory Card Slots |  | | |
Battery Type | LP-E6N | NP-FZ100 | |
Battery Life Approximately how long this cameras battery will last measured by how many photographs you will be able to take. | 900 shots | 750 shots | |
USB Charging |  | |
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DXO Mark Scores
Sensor scores tested by DXOMARK |
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
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Sony a7 III
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Overall Score DXOMARK overall sensor score. | |||
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Portrait (Color Depth) As described by DXOMARK 'The Portrait score in our camera sensor reviews defines color depth performance and its unit is a number of bits. A color depth of 22 bits is excellent; differences below 1 bit are barely noticeable.' | 24.8 bits | 25.1 bits | |
Landscape (Dynamic Range) As described by DXOMARK 'The Landscape score in our camera sensor tests defines the maximum dynamic range of the camera sensor and its unit is an exposure value (EV). A value of 12 EV is excellent with differences below 0.5 EV usually not noticeable.' | 13.6 EVs | 14.7 EVs | |
Sports (Low-Light ISO) Described by DXOMARK as 'The maximal value of ISO sensitivity needed to reach a given value of Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). The greater the value, the better' | 2995 | 3722 |
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Scores
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Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
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Sony a7 III
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Main Features | N/A | ||
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Extra Features | N/A | ||
Construction and Durability | N/A | ||
Handling and Ergonomics | N/A | ||
Value for Money | N/A | ||
Total Score | N/A |
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User Scores
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Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
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Sony a7 III
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B&H photo video | N/A |
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