Comparison of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and the Nikon D800
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
55 points
Nikon D800
77 points
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
114 mm
152 mm
BODY
Nikon D800
123 mm
146 mm
2008
YEARYear of announcement
2012
Magnesium alloy
BODY MATERIAL
Magnesium alloy
Weather
sealed
sealed
WEATHER SEALING
Weathersealed
Canon EF
LENS MOUNT
Nikon F
150 000 cycles
SHUTTER LIFEThe shutter durability as rated by the manufacturer.
200 000 cycles
850 g
1.87 lb
1.87 lb
152 x 114 x 75 mm
6 x 4.5 x 3 in.
6 x 4.5 x 3 in.
DIMENSIONS
& WEIGHTLength x Height x Width and the Weight incl. batteries and memory card
& WEIGHTLength x Height x Width and the Weight incl. batteries and memory card
DIMENS.
& WEIGHTLength x Height x Width and the Weight incl. batteries and memory card
& WEIGHTLength x Height x Width and the Weight incl. batteries and memory card
146 x 123 x 82 mm
5.7 x 4.8 x 3.2 in.
5.7 x 4.8 x 3.2 in.
1000 g
2.2 lb
2.2 lb
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Nikon D800
21.0 MP
Canon 1100 CMOS Full Frame Sensor
SENSOR The number of effective megapixels (MP). Sensor manufacturer (if known) and sensor type.
SENSOR Sensor manufacturer (if known) and sensor type.
36.3 MP
Sony IMX094 Exmor CMOS Full Frame Sensor
21.0 MP
EFFECTIVE MEGAPIX The number of effective megapixels (MP).
36.3 MP
36.0 x 24.0 mm
SENSOR SIZE
35.9 x 24.0 mm
5616 x 3744 pixels
MAX. RESOLUTIONMaximum still image resolution
MAX. RESOLUT.Maximum still image resolution
7360 x 4912 pixels
1x
CROP FACTORA 50mm lens on a camera with a crop factor of 1.5x would behave like a 75mm lens on a full-frame camera with a crop factor of 1x (50mm x 1.5 = 75mm)
1x
Bayer array
COLOR FILTER
Bayer array
6.4 μm
PIXEL PITCHThe center-to-center distance between two pixels (photosites) on a sensor. The larger the photosites, the more light they can capture and the lower is the level of visible "noise" in captured images.
4.88 μm
Fixed
LOW-PASS FILTERA low-pass filter blurs fine details of an image to eliminate the moiré and the color artifacts of finely patterned structures. Without a low-pass filter images will appear sharper, but there is also a risk of moiré occurring in certain scenes.
Fixed
3:2
NATIVE
ASPECT RATIOThe width to height ratio of the "straight out of the camera" images. However, most modern digital cameras are capable of producing images in various aspect ratios.
ASPECT RATIOThe width to height ratio of the "straight out of the camera" images. However, most modern digital cameras are capable of producing images in various aspect ratios.
ASPECT RATIOThe width to height ratio of the "straight out of the camera" images. However, most modern digital cameras are capable of producing images in various aspect ratios.
3:2
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
DXOMARK
SENSOR
SCOREAnalysis of the camera image quality by dxomark.comNikon D800
79
OVERALL SCOREDXOMARK Sensor Overall Score shows a camera's sensor quality in terms of noise, ability to render high contrast, formation of colored noise, ability to shoot in low light.
95
11.9
DYNAMIC RANGEThe maximum dynamic range performance (DXOMARK Landscape Score) in exposure value (EV)
14.4
1815
LOW-LIGHT ISOThe low-light sensitivity performance (DXOMARK Sports Score) in ISO sensitivity value
2853
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Nikon D800
COVERAGE:
98 %
98 %
REAL SIZE:
0.71
0.71
VIEWFINDERThe viewfinder frame COVERAGE in percent and the real viewfinder SIZE (VF magnification corrected by the crop factor of a camera — this way cameras with different sensor sizes can be compared).
COVERAGE:
100 %
100 %
REAL SIZE:
0.70
0.70
Optical (pentaprism)
VF TYPE
Optical (pentaprism)
Fixed
921 600 dot LCD
921 600 dot LCD
REAR SCREEN
Fixed
921 600 dot LCD
921 600 dot LCD
3 inch
SCREEN SIZE
3.2 inch
LIVE VIEW & TOUCH SCREEN
TOP LCD PANELLCD panel on top of the camera which provides information about the current camera settings.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Nikon D800
Phase detection, Contrast detection in Live View mode
AUTOFOCUS SYSTEM
AF SYSTEM
Phase detection, Contrast detection in Live View mode
AUTOFOCUS MODULE
AF MODULE
Advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX
9
9
FOCUS POINTSAutofocus points
as shown in the figures below:
° linear sensors
° cross-type sensors
° dual cross-type sensors
contrast autofocus areas
as shown in the figures below:
° linear sensors
° cross-type sensors
° dual cross-type sensors
contrast autofocus areas
51
51
1
CROSS-TYPE FOCUS POINTS
CROSS-TYPE FP
15
-0.5
EV
100
The minimum exposure value of the AF working range (at 23°C and ISO 100). The smaller this value, the less light is needed for normal autofocus operation.-2
5 %
AF COVERAGEFrame coverage by AF sensors in percent.
17 %
None
IN-BODY
AF MOTORAn in-body AF motor gives the ability to auto-focus with older lenses which don't have their own motors.
AF MOTORAn in-body AF motor gives the ability to auto-focus with older lenses which don't have their own motors.
Yes
No
IN-BODY IMAGE STABILIZATION
IMAGE STABILIZ.
No
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Nikon D800
DIGIC 4
IMAGE
PROCESSOR
PROCESSOR
EXPEED 3 EI-158
14 bit RAW, JPEG
OUTPUT FORMATS
12 or 14 bit RAW, TIFF, JPEG
Auto, 100 - 6400
(can be extended to ISO 50, 12800, 25600)
(can be extended to ISO 50, 12800, 25600)
ISO SENSITIVITY
Auto, 100 - 6400
3.9
fps
fps
CONTINUOUS DRIVEMaximum frames per second (fps) in continuous drive mode when using the mechanical shutter.
CONT. DRIVEMaximum frames per second (fps) in continuous drive mode when using the mechanical shutter.
4
fps
fps
75 JPEG shots
11 RAW shots
11 RAW shots
MAX. BURSTMaximum number of shots in high-speed continuous drive mode until the buffer is full.
56 JPEG shots
16 RAW shots
16 RAW shots
1080p @ 30 fps (Full HD)
MAX. VIDEO RESOLUTION
VIDEO
1080p @ 30 fps (Full HD)
-2/+2 EV (in 1/3 or 1/2 EV steps)
EXPOSURE COMPENSATION
EXPOSURE COMPENS.
-5/+5 EV (in 1, 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps)
Bulb,
30 sec → 1/8000 sec
30 sec → 1/8000 sec
SHUTTER SPEED Maximum and minimum possible exposure time in seconds.
Bulb,
30 sec → 1/8000 sec
30 sec → 1/8000 sec
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Nikon D800
X-SYNC:
1/200
No
built-in
flash
built-in
flash
No
flash
BUILT-IN FLASH
GUIDE
NUMBER:
NUMBER:
GN:
12
X-SYNC:
1/250
Yes
HOT SHOE
Yes
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
USB
USB 3.0 (5 Gbit/sec)
Microphone port, HDMI
CONNECTIONS
CONNECT.
Microphone port, Headphone port, HDMI
BUILT-IN
DEVICES
DEVICES
Compact Flash (Type I or II), UDMA, Microdrive
STORAGE TYPES
Compact Flash (Type I), SD, SDHC, SDXC
1
CARD SLOTS
2
850
shots
shots
BATTERY LIFEMaximum number of images that can be shot per single battery charge (according to CIPA).
900
shots
shots
