Canon 5D vs Sony A58
The Canon EOS 5D and the Sony Alpha SLT-A58 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2005 and February 2013. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a full frame (5D) and an APS-C (A58) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 12.7 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 19.8 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 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A58? 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 and the Sony A58 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 size dimensions 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 A58 is notably smaller (29 percent) than the Canon 5D. Moreover, the A58 is substantially lighter (45 percent) than the 5D. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 5D is splash and dust resistant, while the A58 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. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.
Concerning battery life, the 5D gets 400 shots out of its Canon BP-511A battery, while the A58 can take 690 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FM500H power pack.
The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.
Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 5D | 152 mm | 113 mm | 75 mm | 895 g | 400 | Y | Aug 2005 | 3,299 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony A58 | 129 mm | 95 mm | 78 mm | 492 g | 690 | n | Feb 2013 | 599 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 1D Mark II N | 156 mm | 158 mm | 80 mm | 1565 g | 1200 | Y | Aug 2005 | 3,999 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 1Ds | 156 mm | 158 mm | 80 mm | 1265 g | 600 | Y | Sep 2002 | 8,999 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon 1Ds Mark II | 156 mm | 158 mm | 80 mm | 1215 g | 1200 | Y | Sep 2004 | 7,999 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon 5D Mark II | 152 mm | 114 mm | 75 mm | 850 g | 850 | Y | Sep 2008 | 3,499 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon 5D Mark III | 152 mm | 116 mm | 76 mm | 950 g | 950 | Y | Mar 2012 | 3,499 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon 5DS | 152 mm | 116 mm | 76 mm | 930 g | 700 | Y | Feb 2015 | 3,699 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon 5DS R | 152 mm | 116 mm | 76 mm | 930 g | 700 | Y | Feb 2015 | 3,699 | ebay.com | |
10. | Canon 6D | 145 mm | 111 mm | 71 mm | 770 g | 1090 | Y | Sep 2012 | 2,099 | ebay.com | |
11. | Canon 6D Mark II | 144 mm | 111 mm | 75 mm | 765 g | 1200 | Y | Jun 2017 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
12. | Nikon D700 | 147 mm | 123 mm | 77 mm | 1074 g | 1000 | Y | Jul 2008 | 2,999 | ebay.com | |
13. | Nikon D3200 | 125 mm | 96 mm | 77 mm | 505 g | 540 | n | Apr 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A68 | 143 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 610 g | 540 | n | Nov 2015 | 699 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A77 II | 143 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 647 g | 480 | Y | May 2014 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A5100 | 110 mm | 63 mm | 36 mm | 283 g | 400 | n | Aug 2014 | 549 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A6000 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 45 mm | 344 g | 360 | n | Feb 2014 | 599 | ebay.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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. 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 A58 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 82 percent) than the 5D, 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the 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 5D features a full frame sensor and the Sony A58 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the A58 is 58 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.
Despite having a smaller sensor, the A58 offers a higher resolution of 19.8 megapixels, compared with 12.7 MP of the 5D. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.31μm versus 8.25μm for the 5D). However, it should be noted that the A58 is much more recent (by 7 years and 6 months) than the 5D, 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 A58 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A58 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.3 x 18.2 inches or 69.3 x 46.1 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.8 x 14.5 inches or 55.4 x 36.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.1 inches or 46.2 x 30.8 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 5D are 21.8 x 14.6 inches or 55.5 x 37 cm for good quality, 17.5 x 11.6 inches or 44.4 x 29.6 cm for very good quality, and 14.6 x 9.7 inches or 37 x 24.7 cm for excellent quality prints.
The Canon EOS 5D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 50-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha SLT-A58 are ISO 100 to ISO 16000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.
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.
Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 5D | Full Frame | 12.7 | 4368 | 2912 | none | 22.9 | 11.1 | 1368 | 71 | |
2. | Sony A58 | APS-C | 19.8 | 5456 | 3632 | 1080/60i | 23.3 | 12.5 | 753 | 74 | |
3. | Canon 1D Mark II N | APS-H | 8.2 | 3504 | 2336 | none | 22.3 | 11.2 | 975 | 66 | |
4. | Canon 1Ds | Full Frame | 11.0 | 4064 | 2704 | none | 21.8 | 11.0 | 954 | 63 | |
5. | Canon 1Ds Mark II | Full Frame | 16.6 | 4992 | 3328 | none | 23.3 | 11.3 | 1480 | 74 | |
6. | Canon 5D Mark II | Full Frame | 21.0 | 5616 | 3744 | 1080/30p | 23.7 | 11.9 | 1815 | 79 | |
7. | Canon 5D Mark III | Full Frame | 22.1 | 5760 | 3840 | 1080/30p | 24.0 | 11.7 | 2293 | 81 | |
8. | Canon 5DS | Full Frame | 50.3 | 8688 | 5792 | 1080/30p | 24.7 | 12.4 | 2381 | 87 | |
9. | Canon 5DS R | Full Frame | 50.3 | 8688 | 5792 | 1080/30p | 24.6 | 12.4 | 2308 | 86 | |
10. | Canon 6D | Full Frame | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/30p | 23.8 | 12.1 | 2340 | 82 | |
11. | Canon 6D Mark II | Full Frame | 26.0 | 6240 | 4160 | 1080/60p | 24.4 | 11.9 | 2862 | 85 | |
12. | Nikon D700 | Full Frame | 12.1 | 4256 | 2832 | none | 23.5 | 12.2 | 2303 | 80 | |
13. | Nikon D3200 | APS-C | 24.1 | 6016 | 4000 | 1080/30p | 24.1 | 13.2 | 1131 | 81 | |
14. | Sony A68 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60i | 24.1 | 13.5 | 701 | 79 | |
15. | Sony A77 II | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.4 | 13.4 | 1013 | 82 | |
16. | Sony A5100 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.8 | 12.7 | 1347 | 80 | |
17. | Sony A6000 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.1 | 13.1 | 1347 | 82 |
Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The A58 indeed provides for movie recording, while the 5D does not. The highest resolution format that the A58 can use is 1080/60i.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A58 has an electronic viewfinder (1440k dots), while the 5D 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 viewfinder in the A58 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the 5D (96%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. On the other hand, the viewfinder of the 5D has a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.57x), 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 5D and Sony A58 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.
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 | optical | Y | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 3.0/s | n | n | |
2. | Sony A58 | 1440 | n | 2.7 / 460 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
3. | Canon 1D Mark II N | optical | Y | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 8.5/s | n | n | |
4. | Canon 1Ds | optical | Y | 2.0 / 120 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 3.0/s | n | n | |
5. | Canon 1Ds Mark II | optical | Y | 2.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 4.0/s | n | n | |
6. | Canon 5D Mark II | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 3.9/s | n | n | |
7. | Canon 5D Mark III | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 6.0/s | n | n | |
8. | Canon 5DS | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | n | |
9. | Canon 5DS R | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | n | |
10. | Canon 6D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 4.5/s | n | n | |
11. | Canon 6D Mark II | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 6.5/s | n | n | |
12. | Nikon D700 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 8.0/s | Y | n | |
13. | Nikon D3200 | optical | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | n | |
14. | Sony A68 | 1440 | Y | 2.7 / 460 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | Y | Y | |
15. | Sony A77 II | 2359 | Y | 3.0 / 1229 | full-flex | n | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | Y | Y | |
16. | Sony A5100 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
17. | Sony A6000 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | Y | n | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One feature that is present on the 5D, but is missing on the A58 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 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the A58 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 and Sony Alpha SLT-A58 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 5D | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
2. | Sony A58 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
3. | Canon 1D Mark II N | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 1.1 | - | - | - | |
4. | Canon 1Ds | Y | - / - | - | - | - | FW | - | - | - | |
5. | Canon 1Ds Mark II | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Canon 5D Mark II | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
7. | Canon 5D Mark III | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Canon 5DS | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 3.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Canon 5DS R | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 3.0 | - | - | - | |
10. | Canon 6D | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
11. | Canon 6D Mark II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
12. | Nikon D700 | Y | - / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Nikon D3200 | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
14. | Sony A68 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
15. | Sony A77 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
16. | Sony A5100 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
17. | Sony A6000 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - |
Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 5D (unlike the A58) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.
Both the 5D and the A58 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 5D was replaced by the Canon 5D Mark II, while the A58 was followed by the Sony A68. Further information on the features and operation of the 5D and A58 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 5D Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A58 Manual.
Review summary
So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 5D or the Sony A58 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.
Advantages of the Canon EOS 5D:
- Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.9 stops ISO advantage).
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.57x).
- Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
- Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
- 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 August 2005).
Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha SLT-A58:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (19.8 vs 12.7MP), which boosts linear resolution by 25%.
- More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (1.4 EV of extra DR).
- Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/60i video.
- 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 96%).
- Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (2.7" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (460k vs 230k dots).
- More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- More compact: Is smaller (129x95mm vs 152x113mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
- Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 403g or 45 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
- Longer lasting: Gets more shots (690 versus 400) out of a single battery charge.
- Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
- Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (82 percent cheaper at launch).
- More modern: Reflects 7 years and 6 months of technical progress since the 5D launch.
If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A58 is the clear winner of the contest (16 : 8 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.
How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 5D and the Sony A58 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 5D or the A58. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.
Expert reviews
This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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.
Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 5D | .. | 88/100 | .. | + + | o | .. | Aug 2005 | 3,299 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony A58 | 3/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2013 | 599 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 1D Mark II N | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Aug 2005 | 3,999 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 1Ds | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Sep 2002 | 8,999 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon 1Ds Mark II | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Sep 2004 | 7,999 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon 5D Mark II | 4/5 | 91/100 | .. | 79/100 | 4/5 | .. | Sep 2008 | 3,499 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon 5D Mark III | .. | + + | .. | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2012 | 3,499 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon 5DS | .. | + | .. | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2015 | 3,699 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon 5DS R | 5/5 | + | .. | 83/100 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2015 | 3,699 | ebay.com | |
10. | Canon 6D | 5/5 | + + | .. | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | 2,099 | ebay.com | |
11. | Canon 6D Mark II | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2017 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
12. | Nikon D700 | .. | 89/100 | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2008 | 2,999 | ebay.com | |
13. | Nikon D3200 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 73/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A68 | 3/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Nov 2015 | 699 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A77 II | 4/5 | .. | .. | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | May 2014 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A5100 | 4.5/5 | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Aug 2014 | 549 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A6000 | 5/5 | + | 4.5/5 | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2014 | 599 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.
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 a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.
Specifications: Canon 5D vs Sony A58
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 Model | Canon 5D | Sony A58 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Digital single lens reflex |
Camera Lens | Canon EF mount lenses | Sony A mount lenses |
Launch Date | August 2005 | February 2013 |
Launch Price | USD 3,299 | USD 599 |
Sensor Specs | Canon 5D | Sony A58 |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | Full Frame Sensor | APS-C Sensor |
Sensor Size | 36.0 x 24.0 mm | 23.5 x 15.6 mm |
Sensor Area | 864 mm2 | 366.6 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 43.3 mm | 28.2 mm |
Crop Factor | 1.0x | 1.5x |
Sensor Resolution | 12.7 Megapixels | 19.8 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 4368 x 2912 pixels | 5456 x 3632 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 8.25 μm | 4.31 μm |
Pixel Density | 1.47 MP/cm2 | 5.41 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | no Video | 1080/60i Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 1,600 ISO | 100 - 16,000 ISO |
ISO Boost | 50 - 3,200 ISO | 100 - 25,600 ISO |
Image Processor | DIGIC 2 | BIONZ |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 71 | 74 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 22.9 | 23.3 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 11.1 | 12.5 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 1368 | 753 |
Screen Specs | Canon 5D | Sony A58 |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 96% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.71x | 0.57x |
Viewfinder Resolution | 1440k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | no Top Display |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
Rear LCD Size | 2.5inch | 2.7inch |
LCD Resolution | 230k dots | 460k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Tilting screen |
Shooting Specs | Canon 5D | Sony A58 |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | Phase-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/8000s | 1/4000s |
Continuous Shooting | 3 shutter flaps/s | 5 shutter flaps/s |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 100 000 actuations | 100 000 actuations |
Image Stabilization | Lens stabilization only | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | CF cards | MS or SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
Connectivity Specs | Canon 5D | Sony A58 |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | no PC Sync |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | no HDMI | mini HDMI |
Microphone Port | no MIC socket | External MIC port |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | no Wifi |
Body Specs | Canon 5D | Sony A58 |
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | not weather sealed |
Battery Type | Canon BP-511A | Sony NP-FM500H |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 400 shots per charge | 690 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
152 x 113 x 75 mm (6.0 x 4.4 x 3.0 in) |
129 x 95 x 78 mm (5.1 x 3.7 x 3.1 in) |
Camera Weight | 895 g (31.6 oz) | 492 g (17.4 oz) |
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