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Canon 500D vs 5D Mark III

The Canon EOS 500D (called Canon T1i in some regions) and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in March 2009 and March 2012. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (500D) and a full frame (5D Mark III) sensor. The 500D has a resolution of 15.1 megapixels, whereas the 5D Mark III provides 22.1 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Canon 500D
versus
Canon 5D Mark III
Canon 500D   Canon 5D Mark III
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
15.1 MP – APS-C sensor 22.1 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/20p Video 1080/30p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800) ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 102,400)
Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 920k dots 3.2" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3.4 shutter flaps per second 6 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealedWeathersealed body
400 shots per battery charge950 shots per battery charge
129 x 98 x 62 mm, 520 g 152 x 116 x 76 mm, 950 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 500D and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III? 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 500D and the Canon 5D Mark III are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Canon 500D vs Canon 5D Mark III
Compare 500D versus 5D Mark III top
Comparison 500D or 5D Mark III rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 5D Mark III is notably larger (39 percent) than the Canon 500D. Moreover, the 5D Mark III is substantially heavier (83 percent) than the 500D. It is noteworthy in this context that the 5D Mark III is splash and dust-proof, while the 500D does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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. A larger imaging sensor (as in the 5D Mark III) will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, while more compact options are available for the smaller-sensor camera (500D). You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 500D gets 400 shots out of its Canon LP-E5 battery, while the 5D Mark III can take 950 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons 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 500D 129 mm 98 mm 62 mm 520 g 400 n Mar 2009 US$ 799ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 5D Mark III 152 mm 116 mm 76 mm 950 g 950 Y Mar 2012 US$ 3 499ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 5D Mark II 152 mm 114 mm 75 mm 850 g 850 Y Sep 2008 US$ 3 499ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 5D Mark IV 151 mm 116 mm 76 mm 890 g 900 Y Aug 2016 US$ 3 499 amazon.com
5.
 
Canon 5DS 152 mm 116 mm 76 mm 930 g 700 Y Feb 2015 US$ 3 699ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 5DS R 152 mm 116 mm 76 mm 930 g 700 Y Feb 2015 US$ 3 699ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 450D 129 mm 98 mm 62 mm 524 g 500 n Jan 2008 US$ 799ebay.com
8.
 
Canon 550D 129 mm 98 mm 62 mm 530 g 440 n Feb 2010 US$ 699ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 600D 133 mm 100 mm 80 mm 570 g 440 n Feb 2011 US$ 599ebay.com
10.
 
Canon 650D 133 mm 100 mm 79 mm 575 g 440 n Jun 2012 US$ 849ebay.com
11.
 
Canon 700D 133 mm 100 mm 79 mm 580 g 440 n Mar 2013 US$ 649ebay.com
12.
 
Canon 750D 132 mm 101 mm 78 mm 555 g 440 n Feb 2015 US$ 749ebay.com
13.
 
Canon 760D 132 mm 101 mm 78 mm 565 g 440 n Feb 2015 US$ 649ebay.com
14.
 
Canon 1200D 130 mm 100 mm 78 mm 480 g 500 n Feb 2014 US$ 449ebay.com
15.
 
Canon G1 X 117 mm 81 mm 65 mm 534 g 250 n Jan 2012 US$ 799ebay.com
16.
 
Canon G1 X Mark II 116 mm 74 mm 66 mm 553 g 240 n Feb 2014 US$ 799ebay.com
17.
 
Nikon D610 141 mm 113 mm 82 mm 850 g 900 Y Oct 2013 US$ 1 999ebay.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 obviously take relative prices into account. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The 500D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 77 percent) than the 5D Mark III, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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 sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 500D features an APS-C sensor and the Canon 5D Mark III a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the 5D Mark III is 160 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the 5D Mark III uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 5+) than the 500D (DIGIC 4), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Canon 500D and Canon 5D Mark III sensor measures

With 22.1MP, the 5D Mark III offers a higher resolution than the 500D (15.1MP), but the 5D Mark III nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 6.25μm versus 4.69μm for the 500D) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the 5D Mark III is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 11 months) than the 500D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 5D Mark III implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 5D Mark III for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 28.8 x 19.2 inches or 73.2 x 48.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 23 x 15.4 inches or 58.5 x 39 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 19.2 x 12.8 inches or 48.8 x 32.5 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 500D are 23.8 x 15.8 inches or 60.4 x 40.2 cm for good quality, 19 x 12.7 inches or 48.3 x 32.2 cm for very good quality, and 15.8 x 10.6 inches or 40.2 x 26.8 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 500D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 5D Mark III are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

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.

500D versus 5D Mark III 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 5D Mark III offers substantially better image quality than the 500D (overall score 18 points higher). The advantage is based on 2.3 bits higher color depth, 0.2 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.8 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-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 500D APS-C 15.1 4752 31681080/20p21.711.566363
2.
 
Canon 5D Mark III Full Frame 22.1 5760 38401080/30p24.011.7229381
3.
 
Canon 5D Mark II Full Frame 21.0 5616 37441080/30p23.711.9181579
4.
 
Canon 5D Mark IV Full Frame 30.1 6720 44804K/30p24.813.6299591
5.
 
Canon 5DS Full Frame 50.3 8688 57921080/30p24.712.4238187
6.
 
Canon 5DS R Full Frame 50.3 8688 57921080/30p24.612.4230886
7.
 
Canon 450D APS-C 12.2 4272 2848none21.910.869261
8.
 
Canon 550D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.111.578466
9.
 
Canon 600D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.111.579365
10.
 
Canon 650D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.711.272262
11.
 
Canon 700D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.711.268161
12.
 
Canon 750D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.712.091971
13.
 
Canon 760D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.612.091570
14.
 
Canon 1200D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.911.372463
15.
 
Canon G1 X 1.5-inch 14.2 4352 32641080/24p21.710.864460
16.
 
Canon G1 X Mark II 1.5-inch 13.0 4160 31201080/30p21.510.858158
17.
 
Nikon D610 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/30p25.114.4292594

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the 5D Mark III provides a faster frame rate than the 500D. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/30p, while the 500D is limited to 1080/20p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 500D and the 5D Mark III are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the 5D Mark III offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the 500D (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the 5D Mark III has a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.54x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 500D and Canon 5D Mark III in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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 500Doptical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.4/s Y n
2.
 
Canon 5D Mark IIIoptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s n n
3.
 
Canon 5D Mark IIoptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 3.9/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 450Doptical n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
8.
 
Canon 550Doptical n3.0 / 1040 fixed n 1/4000s 3.7/s Y n
9.
 
Canon 600Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel n 1/4000s 3.7/s Y n
10.
 
Canon 650Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
11.
 
Canon 700Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
12.
 
Canon 750Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
13.
 
Canon 760Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
14.
 
Canon 1200Doptical n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
15.
 
Canon G1 Xoptical n3.0 / 922 swivel n 1/4000s 1.9/s Y Y
16.
 
Canon G1 X Mark IIoptional n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 5.2/s Y Y
17.
 
Nikon D610optical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The 500D has one, while the 5D Mark III does not. While the built-in flash of the 500D is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The 500D writes its imaging data to SDHC cards, while the 5D Mark III uses Compact Flash or SDXC cards. The 5D Mark III features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 500D only has one slot.

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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 500D and Canon EOS 5D Mark III 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 500DYmono / mono--mini2.0---
2.
 
Canon 5D Mark IIIYmono / monoYYmini2.0---
3.
 
Canon 5D Mark IIYmono / monoY-mini2.0---
4.
 
Canon 5D Mark IVYmono / monoYYmini3.0YY-
5.
 
Canon 5DSYmono / monoY-mini3.0---
6.
 
Canon 5DS RYmono / monoY-mini3.0---
7.
 
Canon 450DY- / ---mini2.0---
8.
 
Canon 550DYstereo / -Y-mini2.0---
9.
 
Canon 600DYmono / monoY-mini2.0---
10.
 
Canon 650DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
11.
 
Canon 700DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
12.
 
Canon 750DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
13.
 
Canon 760DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
14.
 
Canon 1200DYmono / mono--mini2.0---
15.
 
Canon G1 XYstereo / mono--mini2.0---
16.
 
Canon G1 X Mark IIYstereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
17.
 
Nikon D610Ymono / monoYYmini2.0---

It is notable that the 5D Mark III has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The 500D lacks such a headphone port.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 5D Mark III (unlike the 500D) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 500D and the 5D Mark III have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 500D was replaced by the Canon 550D, while the 5D Mark III was followed by the Canon 5D Mark IV. Further information on the features and operation of the 500D and 5D Mark III can be found, respectively, in the Canon 500D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 5D Mark III Manual.

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Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 500D or the Canon 5D Mark III – 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.


Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 500D:

  • More compact: Is smaller (129x98mm vs 152x116mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 430g or 45 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (77 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in March 2009).


Advantages of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (22.1 vs 15.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 21%.
  • Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (18 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
  • Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (2.3 bits more color depth).
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1.8 stops ISO advantage).
  • Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 5+ vs DIGIC 4).
  • Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/30p versus 1080/20p).
  • Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
  • Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
  • More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.54x).
  • Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 920k dots).
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 3.4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (950 versus 400) out of a single battery charge.
  • Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
  • 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 modern: Reflects 2 years and 11 months of technical progress since the 500D launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 5D Mark III is the clear winner of the contest (20 : 5 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 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.

500D 05:20 5D Mark III

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 500D and the Canon 5D Mark III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing 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 remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 500D or the 5D Mark III. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

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 500D..+ +..74/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2009 US$ 799ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 5D Mark III..+ +..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2012 US$ 3 499ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 5D Mark II4/591/100..79/1004/5.. Sep 2008 US$ 3 499ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 5D Mark IV4.5/5+ +4/587/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2016 US$ 3 499 amazon.com
5.
 
Canon 5DS..+..83/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 US$ 3 699ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 5DS R5/5+..83/1005/54.5/5 Feb 2015 US$ 3 699ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 450D..+ +..+ +4/54.5/5 Jan 2008 US$ 799ebay.com
8.
 
Canon 550D..+ +..77/1004/54.5/5 Feb 2010 US$ 699ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 600D3/5o..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2011 US$ 599ebay.com
10.
 
Canon 650D4/5+ +..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2012 US$ 849ebay.com
11.
 
Canon 700D......76/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2013 US$ 649ebay.com
12.
 
Canon 750D5/5....75/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 US$ 749ebay.com
13.
 
Canon 760D5/5+..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 US$ 649ebay.com
14.
 
Canon 1200D3/5+....4/54.5/5 Feb 2014 US$ 449ebay.com
15.
 
Canon G1 X5/5+..76/1004/54.5/5 Jan 2012 US$ 799ebay.com
16.
 
Canon G1 X Mark II3/5+..77/1004/54.5/5 Feb 2014 US$ 799ebay.com
17.
 
Nikon D6104/5+ +..87/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2013 US$ 1 999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. 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, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications: Canon 500D vs Canon 5D Mark III

    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 500D Canon 5D Mark III
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Canon EF mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date March 2009 March 2012
    Launch Price USD 799 USD 3,499
    Sensor Specs Canon 500D Canon 5D Mark III
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 22.3 x 14.9 mm 36.0 x 24.0 mm
    Sensor Area 332.27 mm2 864 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 26.8 mm 43.3 mm
    Crop Factor 1.6x 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 15.1 Megapixels 22.1 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4752 x 3168 pixels 5760 x 3840 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.69 μm 6.25 μm
    Pixel Density 4.53 MP/cm2 2.56 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/20p Video 1080/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 6,400 ISO 100 - 25,600 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 12,800 ISO 50 - 102,400 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC 4 DIGIC 5+
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 63 81
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.7 24.0
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 11.5 11.7
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 663 2293
    Screen Specs Canon 500D Canon 5D Mark III
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.54x 0.71x
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.2inch
    LCD Resolution 920k dots 1040k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Fixed screen
    Shooting Specs Canon 500D Canon 5D Mark III
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 3.4 shutter flaps/s 6 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations150 000 actuations
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDHC cards CF or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    UHS card support no no
    Connectivity Specs Canon 500D Canon 5D Mark III
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Headphone Socket no Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support no Wifi no Wifi
    Body Specs Canon 500D Canon 5D Mark III
    Environmental Sealingnot weather sealedWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Canon LP-E5 Canon LP-E6
    Battery Life (CIPA)400 shots per charge950 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 129 x 98 x 62 mm
    (5.1 x 3.9 x 2.4 in)
    152 x 116 x 76 mm
    (6.0 x 4.6 x 3.0 in)
    Camera Weight 520 g (18.3 oz) 950 g (33.5 oz)
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    Check 500D offers at
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    Check 5D Mark III offers at
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