Canon 5DS vs Sony A7 II

The Canon EOS 5DS and the Sony Alpha A7 II are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2015 and November 2014. The 5DS is a DSLR, while the A7 II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 50.3 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon 5DS		Sony A7 II
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
50.3 MP – Full Frame sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (50 - 12,800)		ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 51,200)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (2400k dots)
3.2" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1230k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
5 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
700 shots per battery charge		350 shots per battery charge
152 x 116 x 76 mm, 930 g		127 x 96 x 60 mm, 599 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 5DS and the Sony Alpha A7 II? 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 5DS and the Sony A7 II are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear 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 A7 II is considerably smaller (31 percent) than the Canon 5DS. Moreover, the A7 II is substantially lighter (36 percent) than the 5DS. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

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. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (5DS) and the Sony FE Lens Catalog (A7 II). Mirrorless cameras, such as the A7 II, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

Concerning battery life, the 5DS gets 700 shots out of its Canon LP-E6 battery, while the A7 II can take 350 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The power pack in the A7 II can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
2.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5D Mark II	152 mm	114 mm	75 mm	850 g	850	Y	Sep 2008	3,499	ebay.com
5.		Canon 5D Mark III	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	950 g	950	Y	Mar 2012	3,499	ebay.com
6.		Canon 5D Mark IV	151 mm	116 mm	76 mm	890 g	900	Y	Aug 2016	3,499	amazon.com
7.		Canon 5DS R	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
8.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
9.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
10.		Nikon D810	146 mm	123 mm	82 mm	980 g	1200	Y	Jun 2014	3,299	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D850	146 mm	124 mm	79 mm	1005 g	1840	Y	Jul 2017	3,299	amazon.com
12.		Sony A7	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	474 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	1,699	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7R II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	625 g	290	Y	Jun 2015	3,199	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7S II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	627 g	370	Y	Sep 2015	2,999	ebay.com
16.		Sony A9	127 mm	96 mm	63 mm	673 g	650	Y	Apr 2017	4,499	ebay.com
17.		Sony A99 II	143 mm	104 mm	76 mm	849 g	490	Y	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The A7 II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 46 percent) than the 5DS, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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.

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. 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the A7 II is 1 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 50.3MP, the 5DS offers a higher resolution than the A7 II (24MP), but the 5DS has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.14μm versus 5.97μm for the A7 II). It is noteworthy in this context that the two cameras were released in close succession, so that their sensors are from the same technological generation.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 5DS implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 5DS for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 43.4 x 29 inches or 110.3 x 73.6 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 34.8 x 23.2 inches or 88.3 x 58.8 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 29 x 19.3 inches or 73.6 x 49 cm. The corresponding values for the Sony A7 II are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The A7 II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS 5DS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 50-12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A7 II are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-51200.

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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
2.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207	88
4.		Canon 5D Mark II	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	1080/30p	23.7	11.9	1815	79
5.		Canon 5D Mark III	Full Frame	22.1	5760	3840	1080/30p	24.0	11.7	2293	81
6.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.8	13.6	2995	91
7.		Canon 5DS R	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.6	12.4	2308	86
8.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
9.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
10.		Nikon D810	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.7	14.8	2853	97
11.		Nikon D850	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/30p	26.4	14.8	2660	100
12.		Sony A7	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	14.2	2248	90
13.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
14.		Sony A7R II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	13.9	3434	98
15.		Sony A7S II	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	4K/30p	23.6	13.3	2993	85
16.		Sony A9	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.9	13.3	3517	92
17.		Sony A99 II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	25.4	13.4	2317	92

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the A7 II provides a faster frame rate than the 5DS. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A7 II has an electronic viewfinder (2400k dots), while the 5DS 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 viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), as well as the same magnification (0.71x). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 5DS and Sony A7 II along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		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 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
2.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 5D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.9/s	n	n
5.		Canon 5D Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon 5D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	n
7.		Canon 5DS R	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
8.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
9.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
10.		Nikon D810	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon D850	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	n
12.		Sony A7	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
13.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7R II	2400	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7S II	2400	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A9	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A99 II	2400	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the 5DS, but is missing on the A7 II 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 Canon 5DS has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The 5DS writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDXC cards, while the A7 II uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The 5DS features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the A7 II only has one slot. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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 5DS and Sony Alpha A7 II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
2.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 5D Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 5D Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon 5DS R	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Nikon D810	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
11.		Nikon D850	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Sony A7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony A7R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A7S II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony A9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony A99 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the A7 II offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the 5DS does not provide wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 5DS (unlike the A7 II) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 5DS and the A7 II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A7 II was replaced by the Sony A7 III, while the 5DS does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the 5DS and A7 II can be found, respectively, in the Canon 5DS Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7 II Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon 5DS better than the Sony A7 II or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 5DS:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (50.3 vs 24MP) with a 45% higher linear resolution.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (700 versus 350) on a single battery charge.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• 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.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A7 II:

• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (1.2 EV of extra DR).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1230k vs 1040k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• More compact: Is smaller (127x96mm vs 152x116mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 331g or 36 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (46 percent cheaper at launch).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A7 II is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 9 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 wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 5DS and the Sony A7 II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 5DS or the A7 II. 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 hands-on reviews by experts 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
2.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5D Mark II	4/5	91/100	..	79/100	4/5	..	Sep 2008	3,499	ebay.com
5.		Canon 5D Mark III	..	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2012	3,499	ebay.com
6.		Canon 5D Mark IV	4.5/5	+ +	4/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	3,499	amazon.com
7.		Canon 5DS R	5/5	+	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
8.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
9.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
10.		Nikon D810	5/5	..	5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	3,299	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D850	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2017	3,299	amazon.com
12.		Sony A7	5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	1,699	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7R II	5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Jun 2015	3,199	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7S II	5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2015	2,999	ebay.com
16.		Sony A9	5/5	+ +	4.8/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2017	4,499	ebay.com
17.		Sony A99 II	..	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. 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. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

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