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Canon 1Ds Mark III vs Sony A7S

The Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and the Sony Alpha A7S are two professional cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in August 2007 and April 2014. The 1Ds Mark III is a DSLR, while the A7S is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 21 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 12 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Canon 1Ds Mark III
versus
Sony A7S
Canon 1Ds Mark III   Sony A7S
Digital single lens reflex Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF mount lenses Sony E mount lenses
21 MP – Full Frame sensor 12 MP – Full Frame sensor
no Video 1080/60p Video
ISO 100-1,600 (50 - 3,200) ISO 100-102,400 (50 - 409,600)
Optical viewfinder Electronic viewfinder (2400k dots)
3.0" LCD – 230k dots 3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
5 shutter flaps per second 5 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
1800 shots per battery charge380 shots per battery charge
150 x 160 x 80 mm, 1385 g 127 x 94 x 48 mm, 489 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and the Sony Alpha A7S? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

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Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon 1Ds Mark III and the Sony A7S are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Canon 1Ds Mark III vs Sony A7S
Compare 1Ds Mark III versus A7S top
Comparison 1Ds Mark III or A7S rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A7S is considerably smaller (50 percent) than the Canon 1Ds Mark III. Moreover, the A7S is substantially lighter (65 percent) than the 1Ds Mark III. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (1Ds Mark III) and the Sony FE Lens Catalog (A7S). Mirrorless cameras, such as the A7S, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

Concerning battery life, the 1Ds Mark III gets 1800 shots out of its Canon LP-E4 battery, while the A7S can take 380 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the 1Ds Mark III has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. In order to provide similar functionality for the A7S, Sony provides the VG-C1EM vertical grip as an optional accessory (see here on ebay). The power pack in the A7S can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark III 150 mm 160 mm 80 mm 1385 g 1800 Y Aug 2007 US$ 7 999ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A7S 127 mm 94 mm 48 mm 489 g 380 Y Apr 2014 US$ 2 499ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 1D Mark III 156 mm 157 mm 80 mm 1155 g 2200 Y Feb 2007 US$ 4 499ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 1Ds 156 mm 158 mm 80 mm 1265 g 600 Y Sep 2002 US$ 8 999ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark II 156 mm 158 mm 80 mm 1215 g 1200 Y Sep 2004 US$ 7 999ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 1D C 158 mm 164 mm 83 mm 1545 g 1120 Y Apr 2012 US$ 14 999ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 1D X 158 mm 168 mm 83 mm 1551 g 1120 Y Oct 2011 US$ 6 799ebay.com
8.
 
Canon 1D X Mark II 158 mm 168 mm 83 mm 1530 g 1210 Y Feb 2016 US$ 5 999ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 1D X Mark III 158 mm 168 mm 83 mm 1440 g 2850 Y Jan 2020 US$ 6 499 amazon.com
10.
 
Canon 5D Mark II 152 mm 114 mm 75 mm 850 g 850 Y Sep 2008 US$ 3 499ebay.com
11.
 
Canon 5D Mark III 152 mm 116 mm 76 mm 950 g 950 Y Mar 2012 US$ 3 499ebay.com
12.
 
Nikon D3X 160 mm 157 mm 88 mm 1260 g 4400 Y Dec 2008 US$ 7 999ebay.com
13.
 
Nikon Df 144 mm 110 mm 67 mm 760 g 1400 Y Nov 2013 US$ 2 749ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A7 127 mm 94 mm 48 mm 474 g 340 Y Oct 2013 US$ 1 699ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A7R 127 mm 94 mm 48 mm 465 g 340 Y Oct 2013 US$ 2 299ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A7S II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 627 g 370 Y Sep 2015 US$ 2 999ebay.com
17.
 
Sony ZV-E1 121 mm 72 mm 54 mm 483 g 570 Y Mar 2023 US$ 2 199 amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The A7S was launched at a markedly lower price (by 69 percent) than the 1Ds Mark III, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the A7S is 1 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Canon 1Ds Mark III and Sony A7S sensor measures

With 21MP, the 1Ds Mark III offers a higher resolution than the A7S (12MP), but the 1Ds Mark III has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 6.41μm versus 8.45μm for the A7S). Moreover, the A7S is a much more recent model (by 6 years and 7 months) than the 1Ds Mark III, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 1Ds Mark III implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 1Ds Mark III for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 28.1 x 18.7 inches or 71.3 x 47.5 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 22.5 x 15 inches or 57.1 x 38 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.7 x 12.5 inches or 47.5 x 31.7 cm. The corresponding values for the Sony A7S are 21.2 x 14.2 inches or 53.8 x 36 cm for good quality, 17 x 11.3 inches or 43.1 x 28.8 cm for very good quality, and 14.1 x 9.4 inches or 35.9 x 24 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 50-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A7S are ISO 100 to ISO 102400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-409600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

1Ds Mark III versus A7S MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the A7S has a markedly higher DXO score than the 1Ds Mark III (overall score 7 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 0.1 bits lower color depth, 1.2 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.2 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark III Full Frame 21.0 5616 3744none24.012.0166380
2.
 
Sony A7S Full Frame 12.0 4240 28321080/60p23.913.2370287
3.
 
Canon 1D Mark III APS-H 10.1 3888 2592none22.711.7107871
4.
 
Canon 1Ds Full Frame 11.0 4064 2704none21.811.095463
5.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark II Full Frame 16.6 4992 3328none23.311.3148074
6.
 
Canon 1D C Full Frame 17.9 5184 34564K/24p24.313.0215585
7.
 
Canon 1D X Full Frame 17.9 5184 34561080/30p23.811.8278682
8.
 
Canon 1D X Mark II Full Frame 20.0 5472 36484K/60p24.113.5320788
9.
 
Canon 1D X Mark III Full Frame 20.0 5472 36484K/60p24.214.5324891
10.
 
Canon 5D Mark II Full Frame 21.0 5616 37441080/30p23.711.9181579
11.
 
Canon 5D Mark III Full Frame 22.1 5760 38401080/30p24.011.7229381
12.
 
Nikon D3X Full Frame 24.4 6048 4032none24.713.7199288
13.
 
Nikon Df Full Frame 16.2 4928 3280none24.613.1327989
14.
 
Sony A7 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.814.2224890
15.
 
Sony A7R Full Frame 36.2 7360 49121080/60p25.614.1274695
16.
 
Sony A7S II Full Frame 12.0 4240 28324K/30p23.613.3299385
17.
 
Sony ZV-E1 Full Frame 12.0 4240 28324K/60p25.414.6318196
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The A7S indeed provides for movie recording, while the 1Ds Mark III does not. The highest resolution format that the A7S can use is 1080/60p.

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Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A7S has an electronic viewfinder (2400k dots), while the 1Ds Mark III has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the 1Ds Mark III has a higher magnification than the one of the A7S (0.76x vs 0.71x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 1Ds Mark III, the Sony A7S, and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
  empty Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark IIIoptical Y3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
2.
 
Sony A7S2400 n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
3.
 
Canon 1D Mark IIIoptical Y3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 10.0/s n n
4.
 
Canon 1Dsoptical Y2.0 / 120 fixed n 1/8000s 3.0/s n n
5.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark IIoptical Y2.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 4.0/s n n
6.
 
Canon 1D Coptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 14.0/s n n
7.
 
Canon 1D Xoptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 14.0/s n n
8.
 
Canon 1D X Mark IIoptical Y3.2 / 1620 fixed Y 1/8000s 16.0/s n n
9.
 
Canon 1D X Mark IIIoptical Y3.2 / 2100 fixed Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n n
10.
 
Canon 5D Mark IIoptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 3.9/s n n
11.
 
Canon 5D Mark IIIoptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s n n
12.
 
Nikon D3Xoptical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
13.
 
Nikon Dfoptical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 5.5/s n n
14.
 
Sony A72400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
15.
 
Sony A7R2400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 4.0/s n n
16.
 
Sony A7S II2400 n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
17.
 
Sony ZV-E1none n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the 1Ds Mark III, but is missing on the A7S is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the A7S is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The 1Ds Mark III writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDHC cards, while the A7S uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The 1Ds Mark III features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the A7S only has one slot. The A7S supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the 1Ds Mark III cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and Sony Alpha A7S and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark IIIYmono / ----2.0---
2.
 
Sony A7SYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
3.
 
Canon 1D Mark IIIY- / ----2.0---
4.
 
Canon 1DsY- / ----FW---
5.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark IIY- / ----2.0---
6.
 
Canon 1D CYmono / monoYYmini2.0---
7.
 
Canon 1D XYmono / -Y-mini2.0---
8.
 
Canon 1D X Mark IIYmono / monoYYmini3.0---
9.
 
Canon 1D X Mark IIIYmono / monoYYmini3.1Y-Y
10.
 
Canon 5D Mark IIYmono / monoY-mini2.0---
11.
 
Canon 5D Mark IIIYmono / monoYYmini2.0---
12.
 
Nikon D3XY- / ---mini2.0---
13.
 
Nikon DfY- / ---mini2.0---
14.
 
Sony A7Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
15.
 
Sony A7RYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
16.
 
Sony A7S IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
17.
 
Sony ZV-E1Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y

It is notable that the A7S offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the 1Ds Mark III does not provide wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 1Ds Mark III (unlike the A7S) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 1Ds Mark III and the A7S have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 1Ds Mark III was replaced by the Canon 1DX, while the A7S was followed by the Sony A7S II. Further information on the features and operation of the 1Ds Mark III and A7S can be found, respectively, in the Canon 1Ds Mark III Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7S Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 1Ds Mark III or the Sony A7S – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

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Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III:

  • More detail: Offers more megapixels (21 vs 12MP) with a 32% higher linear resolution.
  • Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.76x vs 0.71x).
  • Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
  • More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1800 versus 380) on a single battery charge.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2007).

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Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A7S:

  • Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (7 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
  • More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (1.2 EV of extra DR).
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1.2 stops ISO advantage).
  • Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/60p video.
  • More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 230k dots).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • More compact: Is smaller (127x94mm vs 150x160mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
  • Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 896g or 65 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
  • Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
  • Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (69 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Reflects 6 years and 7 months of technical progress since the 1Ds Mark III launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A7S is the clear winner of the contest (17 : 9 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

1Ds Mark III 09:17 A7S

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 1Ds Mark III and the Sony A7S place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 1Ds Mark III or the A7S. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

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Expert Camera Reviews
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark III......+ +4.5/5.. Aug 2007 US$ 7 999ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A7S4/5....86/1004.5/55/5 Apr 2014 US$ 2 499ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 1D Mark III............ Feb 2007 US$ 4 499ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 1Ds......+ +.... Sep 2002 US$ 8 999ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark II......+ +.... Sep 2004 US$ 7 999ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 1D C............ Apr 2012 US$ 14 999ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 1D X5/5......4.5/54.5/5 Oct 2011 US$ 6 799ebay.com
8.
 
Canon 1D X Mark II....4.5/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2016 US$ 5 999ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 1D X Mark III..+ +5/5..4.5/54/5 Jan 2020 US$ 6 499 amazon.com
10.
 
Canon 5D Mark II4/591/100..79/1004/5.. Sep 2008 US$ 3 499ebay.com
11.
 
Canon 5D Mark III..+ +..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2012 US$ 3 499ebay.com
12.
 
Nikon D3X......86/1004/55/5 Dec 2008 US$ 7 999ebay.com
13.
 
Nikon Df4/5....81/1004/54/5 Nov 2013 US$ 2 749ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A75/5+ +..80/1005/55/5 Oct 2013 US$ 1 699ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A7R5/5+ +..82/1004.5/55/5 Oct 2013 US$ 2 299ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A7S II5/5+....4.5/55/5 Sep 2015 US$ 2 999ebay.com
17.
 
Sony ZV-E1..+4/5....4.5/5 Mar 2023 US$ 2 199 amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications: Canon 1Ds Mark III vs Sony A7S

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Canon 1Ds Mark III Sony A7S
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Canon EF mount lenses Sony E mount lenses
    Launch Date August 2007 April 2014
    Launch Price USD 7,999 USD 2,499
    Sensor Specs Canon 1Ds Mark III Sony A7S
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Full Frame Sensor Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 36.0 x 24.0 mm 35.8 x 23.9 mm
    Sensor Area 864 mm2 855.62 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 43.3 mm 43 mm
    Crop Factor 1.0x 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 21 Megapixels 12 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5616 x 3744 pixels 4240 x 2832 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 6.41 μm 8.45 μm
    Pixel Density 2.43 MP/cm2 1.40 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability no Video 1080/60p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 1,600 ISO 100 - 102,400 ISO
    ISO Boost 50 - 3,200 ISO 50 - 409,600 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC III (Dual) BIONZ X
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 80 87
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 24.0 23.9
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.0 13.2
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1663 3702
    Screen Specs Canon 1Ds Mark III Sony A7S
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.76x 0.71x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2400k dots
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 230k dots 921k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Tilting screen
    Shooting Specs Canon 1Ds Mark III Sony A7S
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking FeatureFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/8000s 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 5 shutter flaps/s 5 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterno E-ShutterYES
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium CF or SDHC cards MS or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots Single card slot
    UHS card support no UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs Canon 1Ds Mark III Sony A7S
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket no PC Sync
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port no HDMI micro HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Headphone Socket no Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support no Wifi Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication no NFC NFC built-in
    Body Specs Canon 1Ds Mark III Sony A7S
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Canon LP-E4 Sony NP-FW50
    Battery Life (CIPA)1800 shots per charge380 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging no USB charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 150 x 160 x 80 mm
    (5.9 x 6.3 x 3.1 in)
    127 x 94 x 48 mm
    (5.0 x 3.7 x 1.9 in)
    Camera Weight 1385 g (48.9 oz) 489 g (17.2 oz)
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