Updated (March, 2012): Compare the Canon EOS 5D Mark III vs Nikon D7000

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

73

"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
"The 'denser' build and slightly chunkier grip on the EOS 5D Mark II does make it feel that bit more substantial than the EOS 50D, you know there's something special about it from the moment you lift it. That said it's also lighter than an EOS-1D series (obviously) and therefore is more portable for it."
dpreview.com | talking about the 5D Mark II's feel

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Low light performance
Low noise at high ISO
1,815 ISO
Viewfinder size
Large viewfinder
0.71x
True resolution
High true resolution
21 MP
Weather sealed
Weather sealed
Shoot in extreme weather
Sensor size
Large sensor
Full frame 36.0x24.0mm
Fastest shutter speed
Fast shutter speed
1/8000 of a second
Nikon D7000

69

Runner-up

Nikon D7000

"The Nikon D7000 produces high quality output in almost any shooting situation."
dpreview.com | talking about the D7000's image-quality
"The 'feel' of the new camera is far closer to the D300S though, thanks to its heavy-duty magnesium alloy construction."
dpreview.com | talking about the D7000's build-quality

Reasons to buy the Nikon D7000

Dynamic range
Wide dynamic range
13.9 EV
Weather sealed
Weather sealed
Shoot in extreme weather
Movie continuous focus
Movie continuous focus
Makes it easy to get in-focus movies
Badge
Autofocuses shooting video
Contrast detection
Lens availability
Slightly more lenses available
169 lenses
Focus points
Many focus points
39

differences

Advantages of the Canon 5D Mark II

Low light performance Lower noise at high ISO 1,815 ISO vs 1,167 ISO
Help
The 5D Mark II has a slight edge (0.6 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
Sensor size Much larger sensor Full frame 36.0x24.0mm vs APS-C 23.6x15.6mm
Help
Around 2.5x larger sensor
Viewfinder size Larger viewfinder 0.71x vs 0.62x
Help
More than 30% larger viewfinder
True resolution Higher true resolution 21 MP vs 16.1 MP
Help
Capture more than 30% more detail in your photos
Shutter lag Less shutter lag 206 ms vs 238 ms
Help
More than 10% less delay when taking photos
Color depth Better color depth 23.7 bits vs 23.5 bits
Help
Distinguishes 0.2 more bits of color
Thickness Thinner 3" vs 3"
Help
Almost the same
Canon EOS 5D Mark II Learn more about
the Canon 5D Mark II

Advantages of the Nikon D7000

Dynamic range More dynamic range 13.9 EV vs 11.9 EV
Help
2 f-stops more dynamic range
Focus points Significantly more focus points 39 vs 9
Help
Set focus accurately within the frame
Autofocus Video autofocus Contrast detection vs None
Help
Automatically focuses shooting video
Lens availability More lenses available 169 lenses vs 125 lenses
Help
Around 40% more lenses available
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 6 fps vs 3.9 fps
Help
More than 50% faster continuous shooting
Cross type focus points More cross-type focus points 9 vs 1
Help
Grab focus in difficult situations
Storage slots Has more storage slots 2 vs 1
Help
More slots allows storing more images without switching memory cards
Viewfinder coverage Better viewfinder coverage 100% vs 98%
Help
Almost the same
Overall image quality Slightly better image quality 80.0 vs 79.0
Help
Almost the same
Size Smaller 132x105x77 mm vs 152x114x75 mm
Help
Around 20% smaller
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
Battery life Slightly longer battery life 1050 shots vs 850 shots
Help
More than 20% more shots per battery charge
Lowest price Cheaper $999.99 vs $2,198.00
Help
The best price we've seen is $1,198 cheaper (2.2x less)
Weight Slightly lighter 780 g vs 850 g
Help
Around 10% lighter
Nikon D7000 Learn more about
the Nikon D7000
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent DSLRs, and ignoring price

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Canon EOS 5D Mark II
73 vs 69
Explain scores
Nikon D7000 Nikon D7000
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a pro DSLR with a entry-level DSLR.

advice

Need help deciding?

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I am considering either the Canon 5D Mark II or the Nikon D7000,
For example: Taking photos in low light or great family photos or ability to take great photos underwater

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Are you a camera expert? Share your knowledge!

0
votes
by Anne-Henning last month
Canon 5D Mark II vs Nikon D7000

image quality low light image sharpness outdoor focus ease of use

One person recommends the Canon 5D Mark II:

" Go with the 5D Mark II.  It has a bigger image sensor and much better image quality at high ISO"

-1
votes
by Avi-Chatterjee last month
Canon 5D Mark II vs Nikon D7000

when did ISO performance of 5D Mark II became better than D7000...please verify and update @admi...

One person recommends the Canon 5D Mark II:

" The 5D Mk II will have much better low light performance because of its full frame sensor! If y..."

2
votes
by Char-Sevig last month
Canon 50D vs Canon 5D Mark II

I currently have a canon xsi, with several lenses. A canon 70-200mm f/4 L ,55-250mm, 50mm 1.8 ,18-...

One person recommends the Canon 5D Mark II:

"I recently upgraded from the XSi to the 5D Mark II and couldn't be happier. As I'm sure you know, ..."

0
votes
by Poti-Jouseevis-Potgieter last month
Canon 600D vs Canon 5D Mark II

beginner at taking fotos and want to take the perfect pictures

3 people recommend the Canon 600D:

" If you are a "beginner at taking fotos and want to take the perfect pictures" I would recommend ..."

" If you are completely new to DSLR photography then having a 5D2 will give you a very steep learn..."

" The 5D Mark II is a far superior camera to the 600D.  But if you're going to be doing sport and ..."

0
votes
by Kostas-Nomikos last month
Canon 600D vs Canon 5D Mark II

Which is better for video shooting?

similarities

Compared to recent DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Overall image quality Good image quality Help
5D Mark II:79.0
D7000:80.0
Color depth Good color depth Help
5D Mark II:23.7 bits
D7000:23.5 bits
Weather sealed Weather sealed Help
Shoot in extreme weather
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
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Screen flips out No flip-out screens Help
Less flexible
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
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
6,400 ISO

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon EOS 7D

Canon EOS 7D

Pro DSLR

$1,549 - $1,821 body only

$1,500 - $1,849 with 18-135mm lens

Continuous shooting Shoots faster continuously
Shutter lag Has slightly less shutter lag
Color depth Has significantly less color depth
Overall image quality Has significantly lower image quality
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $597 body only

$600 - $697 with 18-55mm lens

Screen flips out Has a screen which flips out
HDR Has in-camera HDR
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Canon EOS 60D

Canon EOS 60D

Pro DSLR

$848 - $1,304 body only

$1,177 - $1,342 with 18-135mm lens

Screen flips out Has a screen which flips out
Thickness Is thicker
Viewfinder coverage Slightly less viewfinder coverage
Nikon D700

Nikon D700

Pro DSLR

$2,199 body only

Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Shutter lag Has slightly less shutter lag
Weight Is slightly heavier
Size Is slightly larger
Nikon D90

Nikon D90

Entry-level DSLR

$830 - $897 body only

$1,199 - $1,200 with 18-105mm lens

Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Viewfinder coverage Slightly less viewfinder coverage
Nikon D800

Nikon D800

Pro DSLR

$2,999 - $3,000 body only

Low light performance Is significantly less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has significantly better image quality
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Pentax K-5

Pentax K-5

Entry-level DSLR

$890 - $1,129 body only

$1,033 - $1,283 with 18-55mm lens

Image stabilization Has image stabilization
Light sensitivity Slightly higher maximum light sensitivity
Lens availability Slightly fewer lenses available
Supports 24p Doesn't record movies in 24p

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

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

Nikon D7000 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

No significant competitors found that are specific to the Nikon D7000.

appearance

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Nikon D7000
Canon EOS 5D Mark II Nikon D7000
Canon EOS 5D Mark II Nikon D7000

discussion

Showing 25 comments

Eds_flo (8:12 AM, May 03, 2012)
oh course not! nikon is better! What brand used by the military government and outer space period! NIKON!
 
Oliver (6:18 AM, March 22, 2012)
BS. Why is it that the 7d, compared to a nikon d5100, have higher noise performances than the entry level nikon d5100 dslr???
 
dslrfan (2:26 PM, January 23, 2012)
then again,
the 70-200 2.8 is/vr II lens was rate below the sigma lens in the same category (ps. vr is vribration reduction form nikon is internal stabilision from canon dont mix them up 'nube')
then among other thing canon lenses are made from plastic mostly and some even have plastic mount. such as your 50mm.

and the only reson you think its cheaper is because canon keeps all the old stock. they still sel lenses from the 10 years ago. thats why some lenses apear to be cheaper.

lastly canon is toy, camera i mean it's made of plastic. wen u a redy to be considerd a profetional camera user try using a nikon some time. for one sony cameras are moving past canon in some ways
 
Medoehab619 (4:44 PM, January 22, 2012)
the canon 5d mark ii better than nikon d7000 100%
 
Dulan Prabudda (5:31 AM, January 07, 2012)
Canon 5d mark ii is The best almost than Nikon D7000..........
my recommendation : Canon 5d mark ii
 
Ejotave (0:09 AM, December 24, 2011)
Que payasada es este comparativo!!! con que lentes lo hacen es increible como pueden confundir a la gente.
 
treepop (3:21 AM, December 23, 2011)
Couple things. I don't think the D7000 deserves as many points as the 5D2 in the 1080p movie category.  The 5D2 is used in movies, commercials, and music videos.  Its video capabilities are currently unmatched.
Second, get rid of that popularity multiplier, it's just silly.

Just my 2 cents, otherwise this site ROCKS! Keep it going :)
 
treepop (2:31 AM, December 23, 2011)
I know how you feel. It's hard to be taken seriously with a plastic camera. The t2i is a BEAST for the money.  I agree with Dbrodsky, first invest in some EF lenses.  Like a fool I thought I would never go full frame, but once you start shooting you get hooked and Full Frame is eventually the way to go.  That being said, don't waste your time/money on EF-S (crop) lenses.  While they may score better on photozone and other sites, there just isn't anything better than full frame.  Build up a nice EF lens lineup THEN buy a 5D2 or wait for the 5D3.  If you haven't bought a prime yet, you should check out some primes, they are truly a different experience. Good Luck!
 
treepop (2:26 AM, December 23, 2011)
70-200 2.8 IS/VR II Canon is $330 cheaper
24-70 2.8 Canon is $620 cheaper
85 1.8 Canon is $102 Cheaper
85 1.2 doesn't exist on Nikon
50 1.4 Canon is $90 Cheaper (usually more but amazon is having sale)
50 1.8 Canon is $112
35 1.4 Canon is $444 cheaper

All prices based on amazon.com @ 8:25pm 12/22/2011

How is Leonard a nube?
 
treepop (2:18 AM, December 23, 2011)
Who is speaking spanish?
 
Engr Omerfaoroq (10:04 PM, December 13, 2011)
but still how they concluded 'Slightly better image quality' for d7000?
 
John (2:35 AM, December 10, 2011)
nikon focus too much on their entry level dslr. True their entry level dslr are better than canon. But to compare the between the pro level dslr, nikon is way behind canon at the moment
 
Sitarro (6:42 AM, November 20, 2011)
Really Leonard? When did canon get much better lenses for less money........ nube.
 
Dominic (4:35 AM, November 20, 2011)
people dont get confused. the 5d mark ii is far above better than the nikon d7000. 

i have the nikon d7000. one of my friends  bought his 5d mark ii last month. we exchange our camera for a week. i admonished myself the whole week why i didnt buy the 5d mark ii. image quality, iso range, color & almost everything is 30 % better than my nikon d7000. basically if you are not shooting SPORTS, the canon 5d mark ii is just perfect.

my recommendation : nikon d7000 is FAST, no doubt but if you are looking for QUALITY 'IMAGE & VIDEO' grab the 5d mark ii.
 
Sitarro (8:57 AM, November 12, 2011)
You really couldn't pay me to give up my Nikon for a Canon......... there's a reason why NASA uses Nikon and Hasselblad, when you're in space, you want the most reliable equipment you can get......... white lens marketing only works with consumers and pros paid to use those ugly cameras.
 
Avatar for Snapsort Snapsort (5:27 PM, November 11, 2011)
Snapsort offers an unbiased comparison. All our comparisons are based on the cameras specs not on the brand name.
 
Rohit (4:33 PM, November 11, 2011)
This site is nothing but a nikon fan
 
Tendencialatina (7:50 PM, November 06, 2011)
Wrong ! Only one is cross point !
 
Avatar for Leonard Washington Leonard Washington (4:40 AM, October 26, 2011)
I wouldn't say so. I owned both. Mark 2 is a whole other beast. If you want a full frame camera Nikon D7000 doesn't stand a chance really. D700 is the competition. Full frame has its advantages plus Canon has much better lenses that cost much less..lenses are for life and camera bodies will always upgrade.
 
ms_genie (9:47 PM, October 22, 2011)
and the price of course..
 
trinity (9:42 PM, October 22, 2011)
we are not talking to sensors here but by all features the camera offers. lots of features lots of vote, it wins.
 
Theredrider78 (2:31 AM, October 12, 2011)
This is about right.  Nikon far better than over-rated Canons. :D
 
cst production (8:03 AM, October 04, 2011)
canon good video quality.
 
Dbrodsky (7:12 PM, September 26, 2011)
Well if u r gonna shoot inside a studio what makes u think ur t2i won't do the job? The autofocus system on 5dm2 is as ancient as on t2i with single cross in the center. Inside studio u r not gonna shoot at iso6400 all the time. The difference between 18mp and 21mp is not that significant. Unless u have more
Investment in EF LENSES for full frame why?
 
Avatar for Prophit Prophit (6:39 PM, September 26, 2011)
I need advice on what you people think is the best camera for starting my own photo studio for stills only.  I am leaning towards the Canon 5d Mark II.  I currently have a T2i but I have been repeatedly told its not good enough.   Any input from 5D users would be appreciated.