Canon EOS
5D Mark III
 vs
Sony
SLT-A99

Updated (March, 2013): Compare the Canon EOS 7D MII vs Sony SLT-A99

Canon EOS 5D Mark III

87

  
Sony SLT-A99

79

  

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 5D Mark III

Screen size
 Large screen
3.2"
Light sensitivity
 High ISO
25,600 ISO
Sensor size
 Large sensor
Full frame 36.0x24.0mm
HDR
 In-camera HDR
Combines multiple exposures
Shutter lag
 Barely any delay taking photos
120 ms shutter lag
Focus points
 Many focus points
61
 
Runner-up

Sony SLT-A99

Reasons to buy the Sony SLT-A99

Overall image quality
 Great image quality
89.0
Color depth
 Great color depth
25 bits
Dynamic range
 Wide dynamic range
14 EV
Screen resolution
 High resolution screen
1,229k dots
Image stabilization
 Image stabilization
Sensor shift
True resolution
 High true resolution
24 MP
 

differences

Advantages of the Canon 5D Mark III
Low light performance Lower noise at high ISO 2,293 ISO vs 1,555 ISO
Help
 The 5D Mark III has a slight edge (0.6 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
Screen size Significantly larger screen 3.2" vs 3.0"
Help
 Around 10% larger screen
Viewfinder Has an optical viewfinder Pentaprism vs Digital
Help
 Optical viewfinders save battery life and are more detailed
Cross type focus points Many more cross-type focus points 41 vs 11
Help
 Grab focus in difficult situations
Focus points Many more focus points 61 vs 19
Help
 Set focus accurately within the frame
Lens availability More lenses available 125 lenses vs 92 lenses
Help
 Around 40% more lenses available
Battery life Longer battery life 950 shots vs 500 shots
Help
 90% more shots per battery charge
Startup delay Slightly less startup delay 500 ms vs 700 ms
Help
 Around 30% less delay when turning on
Thickness Thinner 3" vs 3.1"
Help
 Almost the same
Canon EOS 5D Mark III Learn more about
the Canon 5D Mark III

Advantages of the Sony SLT-A99
Dynamic range More dynamic range 14 EV vs 11.7 EV
Help
 2.3 f-stops more dynamic range
Image stabilization Image stabilization Sensor shift vs None
Help
 Helps eliminate blur caused by small camera movements
Overall image quality Better image quality 89.0 vs 81.0
Help
 Around 10% better image quality
Panorama Can create panoramas in-camera Yes vs No
Help
 Stitches together multiple photos for a wide perspective
Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen Yes vs No
Help
 Flip-out screens can be helpful when composing tricky shots or taking movies
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 1,229k dots vs 1,040k dots
Help
 Around 20% higher resolution screen
GPS Has a GPS Yes vs No
Help
 Automatically geotags your photos when traveling
Color depth Better color depth 25 bits vs 24 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 1 more bits of color
True resolution Higher true resolution 24 MP vs 22.1 MP
Help
 Capture around 10% more detail in your photos
Built-in flash Built-in flash Yes vs No
Help
 A built-in flash is useful for taking indoor shots where there is little light
Weight Lighter 812 g vs 950 g
Help
 More than 10% lighter
Size Slightly smaller 147x111x78 mm vs 152x116x76 mm
Help
 Around 10% smaller
Lowest price Slightly cheaper $2,798.00 vs $3,249.95
Help
 The best price we've seen is $452 cheaper (more than 10% less)
Sony SLT-A99 Learn more about
the Sony SLT-A99
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent pro DSLRs, and ignoring price

Canon EOS 5D Mark III Canon EOS 5D Mark III
87 vs 79
Explain scores
Sony SLT-A99 Sony SLT-A99
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon EOS 5D Mark III.

similarities

Compared to recent DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Sensor size Very large sensors Help
5D Mark III:Full frame 36.0x24.0mm
SLT-A99:Full frame 35.8x24.0mm
Viewfinder size Above average viewfinder size Help
0.71x
Weather sealed Weather sealed Help
Shoot in extreme weather
Screen resolution High resolution screens Help
5D Mark III:1,040k dots
SLT-A99:1,229k dots
Light sensitivity Very good maximum light sensitivity Help
25,600 ISO
Shutter lag Minimal shutter lag Help
5D Mark III:120 ms
SLT-A99:127 ms
Viewfinder coverage Above average viewfinder coverage Help
100%
Storage slots Multiple storage slots Help
2
Fastest shutter speed Fast max shutter speeds Help
1/8000 of a second
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support

Compared to recent pro DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses

Snapsort is not aware of any interesting strengths shared by these two products.
Continuous shooting Slow continuous shooting Help
6 fps

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon EOS 6D

Canon EOS 6D

Pro DSLR

$1,999 body only

$2,599 with 24-105mm lens
Thickness Is thinner
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Storage slots Has fewer storage slots
Compare the EOS 6D vs the EOS 5D Mark III
Compare the EOS 6D vs the SLT-A99
Nikon D800

Nikon D800

Pro DSLR

$2,797 - $3,297 body only

$3,187 with 70-300mm lens
Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has slightly better image quality
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Compare the D800 vs the EOS 5D Mark III
Compare the D800 vs the SLT-A99
Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Pro DSLR

$2,479 body only

$2,699 - $3,000 with 24-105mm lens
Storage slots Has fewer storage slots
Light sensitivity (boost) Significantly lower boost light sensitivity
Compare the EOS 5D Mark II vs the EOS 5D Mark III
Compare the EOS 5D Mark II vs the SLT-A99
Nikon D600

Nikon D600

Pro DSLR

$1,997 body only

$2,397 with 24-85mm lens
Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has slightly better image quality
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D600 vs the EOS 5D Mark III
Compare the D600 vs the SLT-A99
Canon EOS 7D

Canon EOS 7D

Pro DSLR

$1,499 body only

$1,699 with 28-135mm lens
Continuous shooting Shoots faster continuously
Lens availability Slightly more lenses available
Storage slots Has fewer storage slots
Light sensitivity (boost) Significantly lower boost light sensitivity
Compare the EOS 7D vs the EOS 5D Mark III
Compare the EOS 7D vs the SLT-A99
Canon EOS 1D X

Canon EOS 1D X

Pro DSLR

$6,799 body only
Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Viewfinder size Slightly larger viewfinder
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the EOS 1D X vs the EOS 5D Mark III
Compare the EOS 1D X vs the SLT-A99
Nikon D7100

Nikon D7100

Entry-level DSLR

$1,197 body only

$1,497 with 18-105mm lens
Lens availability Significantly more lenses available
Weight Is slightly lighter
Light sensitivity (boost) Significantly lower boost light sensitivity
Sensor size Has a significantly smaller sensor
Compare the D7100 vs the EOS 5D Mark III
Compare the D7100 vs the SLT-A99

Canon EOS 5D Mark III Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

No significant competitors found that are specific to the Canon EOS 5D Mark III.

Sony SLT-A99 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Sony SLT-A77

Sony SLT A77

Pro DSLR

$998 - $1,000 body only

$1,598 - $1,930 with 16-50mm lens
3D Takes 3D photos
Continuous shooting Shoots significantly faster
Low light performance More noise at high ISO
Overall image quality Worse image quality
Compare the SLT A77 vs the SLT-A99
Sony Alpha DSLR-A900

Sony Alpha DSLR-A900

Pro DSLR
Viewfinder Has an optical viewfinder
Battery life Longer battery life
Live view No live view
Movie format Does not take movies
Compare the Alpha DSLR-A900 vs the SLT-A99

appearance

Canon EOS 5D Mark III Sony SLT-A99
Canon EOS 5D Mark III Sony SLT-A99
Canon EOS 5D Mark III Sony SLT-A99

discussion

Showing 4 comments

Avatar for Benjamin Rodriguez Benjamin Rodriguez (5:56 AM, March 11, 2013)
This comparisons are ALL inaccurate and unreliable. Anyone seriously interested should go to a site where humans do the reviews, or for simple specs comparisons, look up the specs themselves.
 
Avatar for Benjamin Rodriguez Benjamin Rodriguez (5:55 AM, March 11, 2013)
There is none
 
jorge (0:53 AM, November 29, 2012)
Where the hell is the built in flash on a a99
 
Avatar for AStarbucks AStarbucks (7:16 AM, November 22, 2012)
Why is it that the world beating 0.05s (or 50ms) shutter lag of the A99 is not listed? That's less than half that of the 5D Mk III and even beats the 1DX (although you can reduce it to 36ms thru its custom functions).

The A99 uses an electronic front curtain to achieve it, similar to the top of the line Canon 1DX.

The even greater irony is that in Snapsort's comparison between the 5D Mk III & the D800 (204 ms), the former was rated as significantly better even though its 120ms!