Canon 7D II vs 5D

The Canon EOS 7D Mark II and the Canon EOS 5D are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2014 and August 2005. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (7D Mark II) and a full frame (5D) sensor. The 7D Mark II has a resolution of 20 megapixels, whereas the 5D provides 12.7 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon 7D II		Canon 5D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
20 MP – APS-C sensor		12.7 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/60p Video		no Video
ISO 100-16,000 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-1,600 (50 - 3,200)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		2.5" LCD – 230k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
10 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
670 shots per battery charge		400 shots per battery charge
149 x 112 x 78 mm, 910 g		152 x 113 x 75 mm, 895 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 7D Mark II and the Canon EOS 5D? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 7D II and the Canon 5D is provided 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.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 5D is somewhat larger (3 percent) than the Canon 7D II. However, the 5D is slightly lighter (2 percent) than the 7D Mark II. 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. A larger imaging sensor (as in the 5D) will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, while more compact options are available for the smaller-sensor camera (7D Mark II). You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 7D Mark II gets 670 shots out of its Canon LP-E6N battery, while the 5D can take 400 images on a single charge of its Canon BP-511A power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras 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 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
2.		Canon 5D	152 mm	113 mm	75 mm	895 g	400	Y	Aug 2005	3,299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	152 mm	114 mm	75 mm	850 g	850	Y	Sep 2008	3,499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
5.		Canon 5DS R	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
6.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
7.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
8.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
9.		Canon 20D	144 mm	106 mm	72 mm	770 g	700	n	Aug 2004	1,499	ebay.com
10.		Canon 50D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	800	Y	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
11.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	1,399	ebay.com
12.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.com
13.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
14.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
15.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
16.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 7D Mark II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 45 percent) than the 5D, 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. 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 imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 7D II features an APS-C sensor and the Canon 5D a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the 5D is 157 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.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Canon 7D II offers a higher resolution of 20 megapixels, compared with 12.7 MP of the Canon 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 4.10μm versus 8.25μm for the 5D). However, it should be noted that the 7D Mark II is much more recent (by 9 years and 1 month) 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 Canon 7D II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 7D Mark II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 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 7D Mark II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS 7D Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 16000, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 5D are ISO 100 to ISO 1600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-3200.

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 determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
2.		Canon 5D	Full Frame	12.7	4368	2912	none	22.9	11.1	1368	71
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	1080/30p	23.7	11.9	1815	79
4.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
5.		Canon 5DS R	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.6	12.4	2308	86
6.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
7.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
8.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
9.		Canon 20D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.9	11.0	721	62
10.		Canon 50D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	none	21.8	11.4	696	63
11.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
12.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
13.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
14.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
15.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
16.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The 7D Mark II indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the 5D does not. The highest resolution format that the 7D Mark II can use is 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 7D Mark II and the 5D 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 7D Mark II 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 0.63x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 7D II and Canon 5D 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 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon 5D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.9/s	n	n
4.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 5DS R	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
7.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
8.		Canon 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 20D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 50D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.3/s	Y	n
11.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3/s	Y	n
12.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
14.		Canon T5	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
16.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/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 7D Mark II has one, while the 5D does not. While the built-in flash of the 7D Mark II is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Canon 7D II 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 7D Mark II writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDXC cards, while the 5D uses Compact Flash cards. The 7D Mark II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 5D only has one slot.

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 7D Mark II and Canon EOS 5D 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 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon 5D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 5DS R	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 20D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
10.		Canon 50D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the 7D Mark II has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the 7D Mark II and the 5D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 5D was replaced by the Canon 5D Mark II, while the 7D Mark II does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the 7D Mark II and 5D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 7D II Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 5D Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon 7D II better than the Canon 5D or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (20 vs 12.7MP) with a 25% higher linear resolution.
• More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (0.7 EV of extra DR).
• Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 1080/60p movies.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 96%).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 230k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (670 versus 400) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (45 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 9 years and 1 month of technical progress since the 5D launch.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 5D:

• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (0.3 stops ISO advantage).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.63x).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in August 2005).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 7D Mark II is the clear winner of the match-up (16 : 3 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. 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 7D II and the Canon 5D 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 incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 7D Mark II or the 5D perform in practice. 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 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 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
2.		Canon 5D	..	88/100	..	+ +	o	..	Aug 2005	3,299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	4/5	91/100	..	79/100	4/5	..	Sep 2008	3,499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
5.		Canon 5DS R	5/5	+	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
6.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
7.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
8.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
9.		Canon 20D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2004	1,499	ebay.com
10.		Canon 50D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
11.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	1,399	ebay.com
12.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.com
13.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
14.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
15.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
16.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. 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? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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