Nikon D800 vs. Canon EOS 5D Mark III

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2 cameras compared
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Feb 7, 2012
Mar 2, 2012
 
US: $2999.95 UK: £2599.99 EU: €2829
Body only: $3499, €3299, £2999 with 24-105mm: $4299
 
Mid-size SLR
Mid-size SLR
Magnesium alloy
Magnesium alloy
 
7360 x 4912
5760 x 3840
6144 x 4912, 6144 x 4080, 5520 x 3680, 4800 x 3200, 4608 x 3680, 4608 x 3056, 3680 x 2456, 3600 x 2400, 3072 x 2456, 3072 x 2040, 2400 x 1600
3840 x 2560, 2880 x 1920, 1920 x 1280, 720 x 480
5:4, 3:2
3:2
36 megapixels
22 megapixels
37 megapixels
23 megapixels
Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm)
Full frame (36 x 24 mm)
CMOS
CMOS
Expeed 3
Digic 5+
sRGB, Adobe RGB
sRGB,Adobe RGB
Primary Color Filter
RGB Color Filter Array
 
100 - 6400 in 1, 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps (50 - 25600 with boost)
Auto, 100 - 25600 in 1/3 stops, plus 50, 51200, 102400 as option
50
50
25600
102400
12
6
Yes (5)
Yes (1)
No
No
RAW
RAW
Fine, Normal, Basic
Fine, Normal
  • NEF (RAW): 12 or 14 bit, lossless compressed, compressed or uncompressed
  • TIFF (RGB)
  • JPEG
  • JPEG (Exif 2.3 [Exif Print] compliant)
  • Design rule for Camera File system (2.0)
  • RAW: RAW, sRAW1, sRAW2 (14bit, Canon original RAW 2nd edition)
  • Digital Print Order Format [DPOF] Version 1.1 compliant
 
  • Phase Detect
  • Multi-area
  • Selective single-point
  • Tracking
  • Single
  • Continuous
  • Face Detection
  • Live View
  • Contrast Detect (sensor)
  • Phase Detect
  • Multi-area
  • Selective single-point
  • Single
  • Continuous
  • Face Detection
  • Live View
Yes
by optional dedicated Speedlite
No
No
Yes
Yes
51
61
Nikon F
Canon EF
1×
1×
 
Fixed
Fixed
3.2
3.2
921,000
1,040,000
No
No
TFT Color LCD with 170 degrees wide-viewing angle
Clear View II TFT LCD
Yes
Yes
Optical (pentaprism)
Optical (pentaprism)
100%
100%
0.7×
0.71×
 
30 sec
30 sec
1/8000 sec
1/8000 sec
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
  • Programmed auto with flexible program (P)
  • Shutter-priority (S)
  • Aperture priority (A)
  • Manual (M)
  • Auto+
  • Program AE
  • Shutter priority AE
  • Aperture priority AE
  • Manual (Stills and Movie)
  • Custom (x3)
Yes (pop-up)
No
12.00 m (at ISO 100)
 
Yes (Hot-shoe, Wireless plus sync connector)
Yes (Hot-shoe, Wireless plus Sync connector)
Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow sync, Rear curtain, High-speed sync
 
1/250 sec
1/200 sec
  • S (single frame)
  • CL (continuous low speed)
  • CH (continuous high speed)
  • Q (quiet shutter-release)
  • MUP (mirror up)
  • Self-timer
 
4.0 fps
6.0 fps
Yes (2 to 20 sec, 1 to 9 exposures at intervals of 0.5, 1, 2 or 3 sec)
Yes (2 or 10 sec)
  • Multi
  • Center-weighted
  • Average
  • Spot
  • Multi
  • Center-weighted
  • Spot
  • Partial
±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 1 EV steps)
±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
(2, 3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)
±3 (2, 3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Yes (2 to 9 frames in steps of 1, 2 or 3)
Yes (3 frames in either blue/amber or magenta/green axis)
 
1920 x 1080 (30, 25, 24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 50, 30, 25 fps), 640 x 424 (24 fps)
1920 x 1080 (29.97, 25, 23.976 fps fps), 1280 x 720 (59.94, 50 fps), 640 x 480 (25, 30 fps)
MPEG-4, H.264
H.264
 
1080 and 720 intra or inter frame, 480 inter frame
Mono
Mono
Mono
Mono
 
Compact Flash (Type I), SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-I compliant
Compact Flash Type I (UDMA compatible), SD/SDHC/SDXC
None
None
 
USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec)
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Yes (Mini Type C)
Yes (HDMI mini)
 
Yes
 
Yes
 
Optional
 
Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E7
Yes (Optional, wired or wireless )
Yes (Remote control with N3 type contact, Wireless Controller LC-5, Remote Controller RC-6)
 
Yes (Water and dust resistant)
Yes
Battery Pack
Battery Pack
Lithium-Ion EN-EL15 rechargeable battery & charger
Lithium-Ion LP-E6 rechargeable battery & charger
 
950
1000 g (2.20 lb / 35.27 oz)
950 g (2.09 lb / 33.51 oz)
146 x 123 x 82 mm (5.75 x 4.84 x 3.23)
152 x 116 x 76 mm (5.98 x 4.57 x 2.99)
 
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes (by cable and PC)
Optional
Optional
GP-1
With optional GP-E2 unit