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The Canon EOS 5D Mark II and the Sony Alpha A7 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2008 and October 2013. The 5D Mark II is a DSLR, while the A7 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 24 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and the Sony Alpha A7? 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.
Body comparison
The physical size and weight of the Canon 5D Mark II and the Sony A7 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A7 is considerably smaller (31 percent) than the Canon 5D Mark II. Moreover, the A7 is substantially lighter (44 percent) than the 5D Mark II. 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 (5D Mark II) and the Sony FE Lens Catalog (A7). Mirrorless cameras, such as the A7, 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 5D Mark II gets 850 shots out of its LP-E6 battery, while the A7 can take 340 images on a single charge of its NP-FW50 power pack. The power pack in the A7 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. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.
Body Specifications Camera Model Camera Width Camera Height Camera Depth Camera Weight Battery Life Weather Sealing Camera Launch Launch Price (USD) Street Price 1. Canon 5D Mark II 152 mm 114 mm 75 mm 850 g 850 Y Sep 2008 3,499ebay.com2. Sony A7 127 mm 94 mm 48 mm 474 g 340 Y Oct 2013 1,699ebay.com3. Canon 1D X Mark II 158 mm 168 mm 83 mm 1530 g 1210 Y Feb 2016 5,999ebay.com4. Canon 5D Mark IV 151 mm 116 mm 76 mm 890 g 900 Y Aug 2016 3,499 amazon.com5. Canon 5DS 152 mm 116 mm 76 mm 930 g 700 Y Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com6. Canon 5DS R 152 mm 116 mm 76 mm 930 g 700 Y Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com7. Canon 5D Mark III 152 mm 116 mm 76 mm 950 g 950 Y Mar 2012 3,499ebay.com8. Canon 6D 145 mm 111 mm 71 mm 770 g 1090 Y Sep 2012 2,099ebay.com9. Canon 1D X 158 mm 168 mm 83 mm 1551 g 1120 Y Oct 2011 6,799ebay.com10. Canon 7D 148 mm 111 mm 74 mm 860 g 800 Y Sep 2009 1,699ebay.com11. Canon 1Ds Mark III 150 mm 160 mm 80 mm 1385 g 1800 Y Aug 2007 7,999ebay.com12. Canon 5D 152 mm 113 mm 75 mm 895 g 400 Y Aug 2005 3,299ebay.com13. Sony A7 II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 599 g 350 Y Nov 2014 1,999ebay.com14. Sony A7S 127 mm 94 mm 48 mm 489 g 380 Y Apr 2014 2,499ebay.com15. Sony A7R 127 mm 94 mm 48 mm 465 g 340 Y Oct 2013 2,299ebay.com16. Sony RX1R 113 mm 65 mm 70 mm 482 g 270 n Jun 2013 2,799ebay.com17. Sony RX1 113 mm 65 mm 70 mm 482 g 270 n Sep 2012 2,799ebay.com Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The A7 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 51 percent) than the 5D Mark II, 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.
Sensor comparison
The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider , and richer than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over in the image and, thus, the ability to better 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 A7 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.
Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the A7 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 21 MP of the 5D Mark II. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a of 5.97μm versus 6.41μm for the 5D Mark II). However, it should be noted that the A7 is much more recent (by 5 years) than the 5D Mark II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.
The resolution advantage of the Sony A7 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A7 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 5D Mark II are 28.1 x 18.7 inches or 71.3 x 47.5 cm for good quality, 22.5 x 15 inches or 57.1 x 38 cm for very good quality, and 18.7 x 12.5 inches or 47.5 x 31.7 cm for excellent quality prints.
The A7 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.
The Canon EOS 5D Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 50-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A7 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-51200.
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.
For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the A7 offers substantially better image quality than the 5D Mark II (overall score 11 points higher). The advantage is based on 1.1 bits higher color depth, 2.3 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.3 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.
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 Mark II Full Frame 21.0 5616 37441080/30p23.711.91815792. Sony A7 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.814.22248903. Canon 1D X Mark II Full Frame 20.0 5472 36484K/60p24.113.53207884. Canon 5D Mark IV Full Frame 30.1 6720 44804K/30p24.813.62995915. Canon 5DS Full Frame 50.3 8688 57921080/30p24.712.42381876. Canon 5DS R Full Frame 50.3 8688 57921080/30p24.612.42308867. Canon 5D Mark III Full Frame 22.1 5760 38401080/30p24.011.72293818. Canon 6D Full Frame 20.0 5472 36481080/30p23.812.12340829. Canon 1D X Full Frame 17.9 5184 34561080/30p23.811.827868210. Canon 7D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.011.78546611. Canon 1Ds Mark III Full Frame 21.0 5616 3744none24.012.016638012. Canon 5D Full Frame 12.7 4368 2912none22.911.113687113. Sony A7 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.913.624499014. Sony A7S Full Frame 12.0 4240 28321080/60p23.913.237028715. Sony A7R Full Frame 36.2 7360 49121080/60p25.614.127469516. Sony RX1R Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p25.013.625379117. Sony RX1 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p25.114.3253493
Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the A7 provides a faster frame rate than the 5D Mark II. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A7 has an electronic viewfinder (2400k dots), while the 5D Mark II 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 magnification (0.71x), but the one in the A7 has a wider field of view (100%) than the finder in the 5D Mark II (98%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 5D Mark II, the Sony A7, and comparable cameras.
Core Features 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 5D Mark IIoptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 3.9/s n n 2. Sony A72400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n 3. Canon 1D X Mark IIoptical Y3.2 / 1620 fixed Y 1/8000s 16.0/s n n 4. Canon 5D Mark IVoptical Y3.2 / 1620 fixed Y 1/8000s 7.0/s n n 5. Canon 5DSoptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n 6. Canon 5DS Roptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n 7. Canon 5D Mark IIIoptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s n n 8. Canon 6Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 fixed n 1/4000s 4.5/s n n 9. Canon 1D Xoptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 14.0/s n n 10. Canon 7Doptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 8.0/s Y n 11. Canon 1Ds Mark IIIoptical Y3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n 12. Canon 5Doptical Y2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 3.0/s n n 13. Sony A7 II2400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y 14. Sony A7S2400 n3.0 / 921 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 RX1Roptional n3.0 / 1229 fixed n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n 17. Sony RX1optional n3.0 / 1229 fixed n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
One feature that is present on the 5D Mark II, but is missing on the A7 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 5D Mark II writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the A7 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards.
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 5D Mark II and Sony Alpha A7 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
Input-Output Connections Camera Model Hotshoe Port Internal Mic / Speaker Microphone Port Headphone Port HDMI Port USB Port WiFi Support NFC Support Bluetooth Support 1. Canon 5D Mark IIYmono / monoY-mini2.0- 2. Sony A7Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY- 3. Canon 1D X Mark IIYmono / monoYYmini3.0- 4. Canon 5D Mark IVYmono / monoYYmini3.0YY- 5. Canon 5DSYmono / monoY-mini3.0- 6. Canon 5DS RYmono / monoY-mini3.0- 7. Canon 5D Mark IIIYmono / monoYYmini2.0- 8. Canon 6DYmono / monoY-mini2.0Y 9. Canon 1D XYmono / -Y-mini2.0- 10. Canon 7DYmono / -Y-mini2.0- 11. Canon 1Ds Mark IIIYmono / --2.0- 12. Canon 5DY- / --2.0- 13. Sony A7 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY- 14. Sony A7SYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY- 15. Sony A7RYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY- 16. Sony RX1RYstereo / monoY-mini2.0- 17. Sony RX1Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0-
It is notable that the A7 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the 5D Mark II does not provide wifi capability.
Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 5D Mark II (unlike the A7) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.
Both the 5D Mark II and the A7 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 5D Mark II was replaced by the Canon 5D Mark III, while the A7 was followed by the Sony A7 II. Further information on the features and operation of the 5D Mark II and A7 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 5D Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7 Manual.
Review summary
So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 5D Mark II or the Sony A7 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.
Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 5D Mark II:
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (850 versus 340) on a single battery charge.
- Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2008).
Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A7:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 21MP), which boosts linear resolution by 7%.
- Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (11 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
- Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (1.1 bits more color depth).
- More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (2.3 EV of extra DR).
- Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
- Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
- Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
- More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
- More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 98%).
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1230k vs 920k dots).
- More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 3.9 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- More compact: Is smaller (127x94mm vs 152x114mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
- Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 376g or 44 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.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (51 percent cheaper at launch).
- More modern: Reflects 5 years of technical progress since the 5D Mark II launch.
If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A7 is the clear winner of the contest (21 : 5 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.
5D Mark II 05:21 A7
How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 5D Mark II and the Sony A7 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the 5D Mark II and the A7 in practical situations. 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.
Expert Camera Reviews Camera Model AP score CL score DCW score DPR score EPZ score PB score Camera Launch Launch Price (USD) Street Price 1. Canon 5D Mark II4/591/100..79/1004/5.. Sep 2008 3,499ebay.com 2. Sony A75/5+ +..80/1005/55/5 Oct 2013 1,699ebay.com 3. Canon 1D X Mark II....4.5/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2016 5,999ebay.com 4. Canon 5D Mark IV4.5/5+ +4/587/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2016 3,499 amazon.com 5. Canon 5DS..+..83/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com 6. Canon 5DS R5/5+..83/1005/54.5/5 Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com 7. Canon 5D Mark III..+ +..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2012 3,499ebay.com 8. Canon 6D5/5+ +..83/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 2,099ebay.com 9. Canon 1D X5/5......4.5/54.5/5 Oct 2011 6,799ebay.com 10. Canon 7D5/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2009 1,699ebay.com 11. Canon 1Ds Mark III......+ +4.5/5.. Aug 2007 7,999ebay.com 12. Canon 5D..88/100..+ +o.. Aug 2005 3,299ebay.com 13. Sony A7 II5/5+4/582/1004.5/55/5 Nov 2014 1,999ebay.com 14. Sony A7S4/5....86/1004.5/55/5 Apr 2014 2,499ebay.com 15. Sony A7R5/5+ +..82/1004.5/55/5 Oct 2013 2,299ebay.com 16. Sony RX1R5/5......4/54.5/5 Jun 2013 2,799ebay.com 17. Sony RX15/5....79/1004/54.5/5 Sep 2012 2,799ebay.com Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.
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 a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon 5D Mark II vs Canon T5
- Canon 5D Mark II vs Canon T8i
- Canon 5D Mark II vs Fujifilm X-H2
- Canon 5D Mark II vs Nikon Z8
- Canon 5D Mark II vs Pentax K-1 II
- Canon 5D Mark II vs Sony A5100
- Nikon 1 V2 vs Sony A7
- Nikon D3S vs Sony A7
- Sony A6400 vs Sony A7
- Sony A7 vs Sony NEX-6
- Sony A7 vs Sony RX10 IV
- Sony A7 vs Sony ZV-1F
Specifications: Canon 5D Mark II vs Sony A7
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.