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What is the pixel pitch of the Canon 5D?

The Canon EOS 5D provides 12.7 megapixels from a full frame sensor. This pixel density gives rise to a size of the individual pixel of 8.25µm.

The pixel size or pixel pitch can be calculated by dividing the sensor area by the pixel count and then taking the square root. In particular, the sensor in the Canon 5D measures 36.0mm in width and 24.0mm in height, so that the total imaging area of the sensor amounts to 864 mm2. Moreover, the 5D has 4 368 horizontal pixels and 2 912 vertical pixels, for a total of 12.7 megapixels. Then, the size (height or width) of each individual pixel can be calculated as the square root of the ratio of the sensor area (864 mm2) to the MP count (12 719 616).

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Larger pixels provide advantages with respect to gathering light, particularly in low-light situations. Large pixels notably have a better signal to noise ratio, meaning that they can better differentiate between incoming photons and the noisy signals that the internal processes of the camera create. As a result, big pixels are particularly helpful to the photographer when shooting with high ISO settings.

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Sensor specs and performance

The table below compares the sensor specs of the Canon 5D to those of several similar cameras. The reported DXO values are indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better), covering color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape), and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.

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Sensor Characteristics
    Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Canon 5D Full Frame 12.7 4368 2912none22.911.1136871
2.
 
Canon 1D Mark II N APS-H 8.2 3504 2336none22.311.297566
3.
 
Canon 1Ds Full Frame 11.0 4064 2704none21.811.095463
4.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark II Full Frame 16.6 4992 3328none23.311.3148074
5.
 
Canon 5D Mark II Full Frame 21.0 5616 37441080/30p23.711.9181579
6.
 
Canon 5D Mark III Full Frame 22.1 5760 38401080/30p24.011.7229381
7.
 
Canon 5DS Full Frame 50.3 8688 57921080/30p24.712.4238187
8.
 
Canon 5DS R Full Frame 50.3 8688 57921080/30p24.612.4230886
9.
 
Canon 6D Full Frame 20.0 5472 36481080/30p23.812.1234082
10.
 
Canon 6D Mark II Full Frame 26.0 6240 41601080/60p24.411.9286285
11.
 
Nikon D700 Full Frame 12.1 4256 2832none23.512.2230380

Further information on the sensor in the Canon 5D and the camera's operation can be found in the camera manual.

In the United States, the 5D was initially launched in August 2005 at a price of $3,299.

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Camera to camera comparisons

In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Canon 5D
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date August 2005
    Launch Price USD 3 299
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 36.0 x 24.0 mm
    Sensor Area 864 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 43.3 mm
    Crop Factor 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 12.7 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4 368 x 2 912 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 8.25 μm
    Pixel Density 1.47 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability no Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 1 600 ISO
    ISO Boost 50 - 3 200 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC 2
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 71
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 22.9
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 11.1
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1368
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 96%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.71x
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel
    LCD Size 2.5 inch
    LCD Resolution 230k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen
    Touch Input No touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking Feature
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 3 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse Photographyno Intervalometer
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium CF cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port no HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi
    Body Specs
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Canon BP-511A power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)400 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 152 x 113 x 75 mm
    (6.0 x 4.4 x 3.0 in)
    Camera Weight 895 g (31.6 oz)

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