Sony RX1R vs Canon 5D Mark III

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in June 2013 and March 2012. The RX1R is a fixed lens compact, while the 5D Mark III is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Canon 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

Sony RX1R		Canon 5D Mark III
Fixed lens compact camera		Digital single lens reflex
35mm f/2.0		Canon EF mount lenses
24 MP – Full Frame sensor		22.1 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 102,400)		ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 102,400)
Viewfinder optional		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1229k dots		3.2" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
5 shutter flaps per second		6 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
270 shots per battery charge		950 shots per battery charge
113 x 65 x 70 mm, 482 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R 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.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Sony RX1R and the Canon 5D Mark III is provided 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 Canon 5D Mark III is considerably larger (140 percent) than the Sony RX1R. It is noteworthy in this context that the 5D Mark III is splash and dust-proof, while the RX1R does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the RX1R has a lens built in, whereas the 5D Mark III is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the 5D Mark III and their specifications in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the RX1R gets 270 shots out of its Sony NP-BX1 battery, while the 5D Mark III can take 950 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6 power pack. The power pack in the RX1R can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

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

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Sony RX1R	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Jun 2013	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
2.		Canon 5D Mark III	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	950 g	950	Y	Mar 2012	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	152 mm	114 mm	75 mm	850 g	850	Y	Sep 2008	US$ 3 499	ebay.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$ 3 699	ebay.com
6.		Canon 5DS R	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
7.		Leica X Typ 113	133 mm	73 mm	78 mm	486 g	350	n	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D610	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D3300	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	430 g	700	n	Jan 2014	US$ 499	ebay.com
10.		Sony A7	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	474 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
11.		Sony A7R	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	465 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
12.		Sony A7S	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	489 g	380	Y	Apr 2014	US$ 2 499	ebay.com
13.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX1	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX1R II	113 mm	65 mm	72 mm	507 g	220	n	Oct 2015	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	US$ 799	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 RX1R was launched at a lower price than the 5D Mark III, despite having a lens built in. 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 tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the 5D Mark III is 1 percent bigger. 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.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the Sony RX1R offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 22.1 MP of the Canon 5D Mark III. 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 5.97μm versus 6.25μm for the 5D Mark III). However, it should be noted that the RX1R is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 3 months) than the 5D Mark III, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that partly offset its pixel-size disadvantage. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the RX1R has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 50-102400. The Canon EOS 5D Mark III offers exactly the same ISO settings.

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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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. Of the two cameras under review, the RX1R has a notably higher overall DXO score than the 5D Mark III (overall score 10 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 1 bits higher color depth, 1.9 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.1 stops in additional low light sensitivity. 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.		Sony RX1R	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	13.6	2537	91
2.		Canon 5D Mark III	Full Frame	22.1	5760	3840	1080/30p	24.0	11.7	2293	81
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	1080/30p	23.7	11.9	1815	79
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.8	13.6	2995	91
5.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
6.		Canon 5DS R	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.6	12.4	2308	86
7.		Leica X Typ 113	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	12.8	1491	78
8.		Nikon D610	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.4	2925	94
9.		Nikon D3300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.8	1385	82
10.		Sony A7	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	14.2	2248	90
11.		Sony A7R	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.6	14.1	2746	95
12.		Sony A7S	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	3702	87
13.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
14.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
15.		Sony RX1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.1	14.3	2534	93
16.		Sony RX1R II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	1080/60p	25.8	13.9	3204	97
17.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the RX1R provides a higher frame rate than the 5D Mark III. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the 5D Mark III has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the RX1R relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the RX1R can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the FDA-EV1MK. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Sony RX1R and Canon 5D Mark III 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.		Sony RX1R	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon 5D Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.9/s	n	n
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon 5DS R	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
7.		Leica X Typ 113	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D610	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D3300	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Sony A7	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
11.		Sony A7R	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
12.		Sony A7S	2400	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
13.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
14.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony RX1	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony RX1R II	2360	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
17.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
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 RX1R has one, while the 5D Mark III does not. While the built-in flash of the RX1R is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The RX1R writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo 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 RX1R 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R and Canon EOS 5D Mark III 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.		Sony RX1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon 5D Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 5DS R	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
7.		Leica X Typ 113	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D610	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Nikon D3300	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Sony A7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony A7R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony A7S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony RX1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony RX1R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 5D Mark III (unlike the RX1R) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the RX1R and the 5D Mark III have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 5D Mark III was replaced by the Canon 5D Mark IV, while the RX1R was followed by the Sony RX1R II. Further information on the features and operation of the RX1R and 5D Mark III can be found, respectively, in the Sony RX1R Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 5D Mark III Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Sony RX1R better than the Canon 5D Mark III or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (10 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (1.9 EV of extra DR).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 1040k dots).
• Ready to shoot: Comes with a built-in lens, while the 5D Mark III requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (113x65mm vs 152x116mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the 5D Mark III).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 3 months after the 5D Mark III).

Advantages of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• 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.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Makes it possible to change lenses and thus to use specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (950 versus 270) 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 heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in March 2012).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 5D Mark III comes out slightly ahead of the RX1R (13 : 12 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 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony RX1R and the Canon 5D Mark III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Prime Lens Compact Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the RX1R or the 5D Mark III perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Sony RX1R	5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
2.		Canon 5D Mark III	..	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2012	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	4/5	91/100	..	79/100	4/5	..	Sep 2008	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	4.5/5	+ +	4/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	US$ 3 499	amazon.com
5.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
6.		Canon 5DS R	5/5	+	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
7.		Leica X Typ 113	3.5/5	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D610	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D3300	3/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	US$ 499	ebay.com
10.		Sony A7	5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
11.		Sony A7R	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
12.		Sony A7S	4/5	..	..	86/100	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2014	US$ 2 499	ebay.com
13.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX1	5/5	..	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX1R II	5/5	..	..	82/100	..	4.5/5	Oct 2015	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, 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. 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

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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