Canon EOS
5D Mark II
 vs
Canon EOS
7D

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

100
"In addition the adoption of high precision split-level alignment of the magnesium-alloy external covers, high precision dial construction and external rubber grip covers, has improved the camera's dust and water resistance."
dpreview.com | talking about the 5D Mark II's build-quality
"The original 5D was the first 'affordable' and lightweight full frame camera, and set a standard for low noise at high ISO settings that remains competitive three years later."
dpreview.com | talking about the 5D Mark II's iso-noise

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Low light performance
 Low noise at high ISO
1,815 ISO
Overall image quality
 Great image quality
79.0
Color depth
 Great color depth
23.7 bits
Viewfinder size
 Large viewfinder
0.71x
True resolution
 High true resolution
21 MP
Weather sealed
 Weather sealed
Shoot in extreme weather
Canon EOS 7D

86
Runner-up

Canon EOS 7D
"Good quality 1080/720p video output with a range of frame rates"
dpreview.com | talking about the 7D's video-quality
"Excellent build quality with magnesium body and environmental sealing"
dpreview.com | talking about the 7D's build-quality

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 7D

Weather sealed
 Weather sealed
Shoot in extreme weather
Continuous shooting
 Rapid fire
8 fps
Shutter lag
 Barely any delay taking photos
131 ms shutter lag
Cross type focus points
 Many cross-type focus points
19
Viewfinder coverage
 Great viewfinder coverage
100%
Fastest shutter speed
 Fast shutter speed
1/8000 of a second

differences

Advantages of the Canon 5D Mark II
Low light performance Significantly lower noise at high ISO 1,815 ISO vs 854 ISO
Help
 The 5D Mark II has excellent image quality 1.1 f-stops higher ISO than the 7D
Overall image quality Significantly better image quality 79.0 vs 66.0
Help
 Around 20% better image quality
Color depth Better color depth 23.7 bits vs 22 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 1.7 more bits of color
Sensor size Much larger sensor Full frame 36.0x24.0mm vs APS-C 22.3x14.9mm
Help
 More than 2.5x larger sensor
Viewfinder size Larger viewfinder 0.71x vs 0.62x
Help
 More than 30% larger viewfinder
Dynamic range More dynamic range 11.9 EV vs 11.7 EV
Help
 0.2 f-stops more dynamic range
True resolution Higher true resolution 21 MP vs 17.9 MP
Help
 Capture around 20% more detail in your photos
Light sensitivity (boost) Better boost ISO 25,600 ISO vs 12,800 ISO
Help
 The 5D Mark II's boost ISO is 1 f-stop better
Canon EOS 5D Mark II Learn more about
the Canon 5D Mark II

Advantages of the Canon 7D
Cross type focus points Many more cross-type focus points 19 vs 1
Help
 Grab focus in difficult situations
Continuous shooting Shoots significantly faster 8 fps vs 3.9 fps
Help
 More than 2x faster continuous shooting
Shutter lag Less shutter lag 131 ms vs 206 ms
Help
 Around 40% less delay when taking photos
Lens availability More lenses available 162 lenses vs 125 lenses
Help
 Around 30% more lenses available
Focus points More focus points 19 vs 9
Help
 Set focus accurately within the frame
Viewfinder coverage Better viewfinder coverage 100% vs 98%
Help
 Almost the same
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
Size Slightly smaller 148x111x74 mm vs 152x114x75 mm
Help
 Around 10% smaller
Lowest price Cheaper $1,329.00 vs $2,160.00
Help
 The best price we've seen is $831 cheaper (around 40% less)
Thickness Slightly thinner 2.9" vs 3"
Help
 Almost the same
Canon EOS 7D Learn more about
the Canon 7D
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent pro DSLRs, and ignoring price

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Canon EOS 5D Mark II
100 vs 86
Explain scores
Canon EOS 7D Canon EOS 7D
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon EOS 5D Mark II.

performance Which camera has better performance? Cast your vote!

CanonEOS 5D Mark II
 Canon EOS 5D Mark II vs Canon EOS 7D
CanonEOS 7D
Uses Travel score Travel
On holiday or vacation
197
200
Vote Vote
Sports score Sports
Fast action, sometimes indoors
58
352
Vote Vote
Features Color accuracy Color accuracy
White balance in varied lighting
264
124
Vote Vote
Autofocus peformance Still image focusing
Speed and accuracy
87
282
Vote Vote
Autofocus performance Video focusing
Speed and accuracy
96
260
Vote Vote
Manual controls Manual settings
How quickly and easily you can change settings
189
156
Vote Vote
Build quality Build quality
Is it sturdy, well made, plastic or metal
203
175
Vote Vote
Green arrow Join in the discussion below!

similarities

Compared to recent DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Movie format Both shoot high resolution HD movies Help
1080p @ 30fps
Weather sealed Weather sealed Help
Shoot in extreme weather
Screen resolution High resolution screens Help
920k dots
Viewfinder Both have pentaprism viewfinders Help
Pentaprism
Supports 24p 24p support Help
For that film look
Fastest shutter speed Fast max shutter speeds Help
1/8000 of a second
Storage slots Fewer storage slots Help
1
Weight Heavy Help
5D Mark II:850 g
7D:860 g
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Screen flips out No flip-out screens Help
Less flexible
Autofocus No video autofocus Help
Manual focus only
Image stabilization No image stabilization Help
Risk of blur
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support

Compared to recent pro DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Size Fairly small Help
5D Mark II:152x114x75 mm
7D:148x111x74 mm
Thickness Thin Help
5D Mark II:3"
7D:2.9"
Lowest price Inexpensive Help
5D Mark II:$2,160.00
7D:$1,329.00
Weight Light weight Help
5D Mark II:850 g
7D:860 g
Light sensitivity (boost) Poor boost ISO Help
5D Mark II:25,600 ISO
7D:12,800 ISO
Focus points Few focus points Help
5D Mark II:9
7D:19
Battery life Few shots per battery charge Help
5D Mark II:850 shots
7D:800 shots
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
6,400 ISO
Screen size Very small screens Help
3.0"

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Nikon D7000

Nikon D7000

Entry-level DSLR

$1,097 body only

$1,227 with 55-200mm lens
Dynamic range Has slightly wider dynamic range
Movie continuous focus Can focus continuously while recording movies
Shutter lag Has significantly more shutter lag
Compare the D7000 vs the EOS 5D Mark II
Compare the D7000 vs the EOS 7D
Canon EOS 60D

Canon EOS 60D

Pro DSLR

$879 - $1,304 body only

$1,139 - $1,342 with 18-135mm lens
Screen flips out Has a screen which flips out
Thickness Is thicker
Viewfinder coverage Slightly less viewfinder coverage
Compare the EOS 60D vs the EOS 5D Mark II
Compare the EOS 60D vs the EOS 7D
Nikon D700

Nikon D700

Pro DSLR

$2,750 body only
Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Focus points Has significantly more focus points
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Weight Is slightly heavier
Compare the D700 vs the EOS 5D Mark II
Compare the D700 vs the EOS 7D
Canon Rebel T3i

Canon Rebel T3i

Entry-level DSLR

$624 - $800 body only

$869 - $1,100 with 18-135mm lens
Screen flips out Has a screen which flips out
Weight Is slightly lighter
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the Rebel T3i vs the EOS 5D Mark II
Compare the Rebel T3i vs the EOS 7D
Canon EOS Rebel T2i

Canon Rebel T2i

Entry-level DSLR

$499 - $949 body only

$569 - $867 with 18-55mm lens
Size Is slightly smaller
Thickness Is thinner
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Viewfinder coverage Significantly less viewfinder coverage
Compare the Rebel T2i vs the EOS 5D Mark II
Compare the Rebel T2i vs the EOS 7D
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$650 - $749 body only

$600 - $750 with 18-55mm lens
Dynamic range Has slightly wider dynamic range
Screen flips out Has a screen which flips out
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D5100 vs the EOS 5D Mark II
Compare the D5100 vs the EOS 7D
Sony SLT-A77

Sony SLT A77

Pro DSLR

$1,398 - $1,499 body only

$1,998 - $2,049 with 16-50mm lens
Dynamic range Has slightly wider dynamic range
Image stabilization Has image stabilization
Thickness Is thicker
Viewfinder Has a lower quality type of viewfinder
Compare the SLT A77 vs the EOS 5D Mark II
Compare the SLT A77 vs the EOS 7D

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

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

Canon EOS 7D Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

No significant competitors found that are specific to the Canon EOS 7D.

appearance

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Canon EOS 7D
Canon EOS 5D Mark II Canon EOS 7D
Canon EOS 5D Mark II Canon EOS 7D

Find similar cameras

Here are some links to help you find other cameras with similar features to both of these:

discussion Which do you think is better?

Speech is free, but discussion at Snapsort is moderated! Please discuss your opinion of these cameras here, and discuss feedback for Snapsort at our support community.

Showing 19 comments

Steve (5:25 PM, January 06, 2012)
7D : Magnesium body with shutter durability up to 150,000 cycles and exclusive dust and weather resistance. (http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/professional/products/professional_cameras/digital_slr_cameras/eos_7d#Features)
5D:High performance with 3.9 fps continuous shooting, new shutter with a durability of 150,000 cycles and improved weather-resistant body.
(http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/professional/products/professional_cameras/digital_slr_cameras/eos_5d_mark_ii#Features)
Seems They are *both* weather resistant but the 5D isn't dust resistant.
 
Doctorz (2:37 PM, December 26, 2011)
I looked at these two cameras before choosing the 5d MkII. IMO these two cameras are just about equal except that the 5D has the full frame 35mm CMOS  sensors while the 7D has the smaller  APS-C CMOS sensor. Thus  the 5D behaves as a true 35mm camera while the 7D behaves as "smaller" frame camera. By the nature of physics, the APS-C sensor has a 1.6x focal length multiplier -which becomes important when one is shooting wide field of views: e.g. a 24mm lens shoots as a 24mm lens on the 5D while the 7D with the same lens shoots as a 38mm lens (24 x 1.6).  Thus it's tougher to shoot "wide" with the 7D. Conversely, because of the 1.6 focal length multiplier, a longer lens (e.g. 200 mm) on the 7D will have more "reach" than that on the 5D. It will behave as a 320mm lens. (200 x 1.6). To those still undecided, may I suggest reading Canon's CMOS White Paper found here: http://media.the-digital-picture.com/Information/Canon-Full-Frame-CMOS-White-Paper.pdf

As for lenses: keep in mind that if you already have an investment in EF-S lenses, you cannot use them on the full frame 5d as these lenses are designed only for APS-C sensor cameras.
 
Teknodogg (3:45 PM, December 13, 2011)
if you do a lot of sports than go with a 7D
 
Rizengrom (7:29 PM, December 12, 2011)
It's weather Resistant, not weathersealed
 
xeres (6:03 PM, December 07, 2011)
Being an amateur photographer I've understood, through the years, that lenses are at least as much important than cameras. After an uppgrade from a 500D to a 7d (I really love that machine !) I got the feeling that my best lens did a better work with a 500D than my worse lens did with my new 7D.
Anyway, I.m quite sure the 5D is a better rending camera concerning details, colors and sharpened pictures. But the 7D has got newer technology (autofocus, 2x digic-4 processor for real fast pictures series and so on...). I would advise people with my ambition (wanting to take real good pictures and make nice HD movies to buy a 7D and put the money that is over in a better zoom lens. The 7D is more than enough camera for the creative amateur!  
   
 
Bobraposo1970 (9:17 PM, November 17, 2011)
I am looking to upgrade my Rebel XTi and considering Canon 7D or 5D.  Issue is that I have a lense 18-200 that is not compatible with the 5D, but I love the power of this camera.  Any recos?
 
Boskovicluka (9:37 AM, September 21, 2011)
I prefere the 5D too, but this review is the worst ever. Expecially the "weather seal" kix hahahah
 
SHAMWOW (3:04 PM, September 13, 2011)
I am looking to upgrade my Canon T1i. I currently only use the 50 f 1.4 and the 85 f 1.8. I shoot a lot of basektball and landscape things. I am really starting to get into portrait photography as well. I am a college student so obviously I am on some what of a budget but I could probably get enough for the 5d if need be. Any comments or suggestions would be great on which camera is better and why. Thank you
 
Dadvianphotography (10:36 AM, September 13, 2011)
can't afford a 5d mark II =( and L lenses...wish i could ..but 1,000 extra for the body...and twice the price of any lens...help please..can't decide betwin a 5d mk II  with a 50 mm lens  or a 7d with a 18-135 mm  ,a 10-20 sigma wide angle  a rokinon 8 mm fish eye..and a nikon sb 28 vintage flash for off camera flash =(....something inside of me tell's me go for te 5d...but other part tells me that its a 3 year old body and an up grade can come real soon...reasons to buy 5d..low noise at high iso  and full frame format...reasons to buy 7d..focus system and the option of 60 frames ps ..i love slow mo  =( please help
 
Stefanots (9:23 AM, August 23, 2011)
http://canonfieldreviews.com/7d-1-weather-sealing/
Isn't 7D weathersealed?
The weathersealing isn't as good as 1D series, but it's quite complete
 
Ted Ciesielski (3:37 AM, August 20, 2011)
Absolutly 5D!  All Zeiss P2 pro lesnses and Shift lenses are for full frame cameras only like 5D

Ted Ciesielski,  DP
"man w the movie camera"
 
BobGuch (8:07 PM, August 08, 2011)
ahh which one to buy when you already own a canon 550D :P
 
Sp12 07 (4:08 AM, July 28, 2011)
The weathersealing info is wrong.

Neither camera is weathersealed. The 7D has slightly better sealing in that it has a full-out seal at the tripod mount and a few more scattered around the buttons. The 5DII is missing several key seals -- in fact, it only has 3 at the screen, memory card door, and battery.

So, it goes something like Rebel<5DII<7D<1D series, in which only the 1D* series is actually weathersealed. I'd call the 5DII weather-resistant, as Canon's own literature states resistant to up to 10mm of rain in 3 minutes.
 
Niklas (2:01 PM, May 13, 2011)
 The weathersealing info on 7D is wrong, it is weathersealed.
 
Qnsnjd (8:21 PM, May 12, 2011)
Sorry, but the 7d actually has slighy superior weather sealing. This comparison says the 7d has none.
 
Sujit Dutta (4:26 PM, March 07, 2011)
I m going 2 make a full length feature film, bt i cnt decided that should i use 7d /5d or nt. any body having experience plz tell me wht should i do
 
Avatar for dcelles dcelles (2:29 AM, March 09, 2010)
Going to try to avoid weddings for now. Mainly portraits, children, pets, senior portraits, reunions, dance studio pics and still team sports
 
Avatar for Alex Black Alex Black (1:57 AM, March 09, 2010)
what type of photography business? portraits? weddings? sports? something else?
 
Avatar for dcelles dcelles (1:54 AM, March 09, 2010)
I am looking for a good professional grade camera to start a photography business. Any suggestions?? I currently own my 3rd Canon EOS Rebel. Love it!!!