Canon 5D Mark II vs Sony A6300

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Canon 5D Mark II vs Sony A6300

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35mm 864.0mm²
21.1 megapixels
ISO 100 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Canon 5D Mark II Review.
See real-world photos taken with the 5D Mark II.

APS-C 366.6mm²
24.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Sony A6300 Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A6300 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A6300.
Compare Sony A6300 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A6300 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Canon 5D Mark III
Compare 5D Mark II vs 5D Mark III

Succeeded by the Sony A6400
Compare A6300 vs A6400

Compare CANON 5D MARK III vs SONY A6400

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Differences

Canon 5D Mark II advantages over Sony A6300

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 6.41 vs 3.92 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.40 vs 1.4 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
5D Mark II test data on DxO Mark A6300 test data on DxO Mark

1,815 vs 1,437 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

850 vs 400 shots
Capture more photos
More telephoto lens reach
105 mm vs 75 mm
Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Bigger JPEG buffer
75 vs 44 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Sony A6300 advantages over Canon 5D Mark II

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Less expensive
$848 vs $2999
Save money for lenses or accessories
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
More dynamic range

More dynamic range

Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A6300 test data on DxO Mark 5D Mark II test data on DxO Mark

13.7 vs 11.9 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Thinner
48 mm vs 75 mm
Thinner
Newer
9 years vs 16 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
Lighter weight
520g vs 1588g
Lighter weight
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Faster JPEG shooting
11.1 fps vs 3.9 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
11.1 fps vs 3.9 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
22 vs 11 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Neither provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A6300 User Reviews

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Kit with 24-105mm f/4 lens

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Body Only (Black)

Body Only (Black)
Body Only (Silver)
Kit with 16-50mm Lens (Black)
Kit with 16-50mm Lens (Silver)

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Review Excerpt

Read our Canon 5D Mark II Full Review

Excellent image quality; Improved high-ISO performance; Better JPEG quality; Fast autofocus; Very good subject tracking with real-time live view feature; All-magnesium body construction; 4K video.
Slow buffer clearing (no UHS-II support); No touchscreen, Clunky menus; Wi-Fi can be a bit frustrating to use.
Read our Sony A6300 Review

The Competition

Compared to Nikon D3X

Canon 5D Mark II

Nikon D3X

$1200
35mm

Shoots 1080p video
Bigger JPEG buffer

$2500
35mm

Fast startup
More dynamic range

Compare Canon 5D Mark II vs Nikon D3X

Sony A6300

Nikon D3X

$748
APS-C

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

$2500
35mm

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Sony A6300 vs Nikon D3X

Compared to Nikon D600

Canon 5D Mark II

Nikon D600

$1200
35mm

More telephoto lens reach
Bigger JPEG buffer

$1900
35mm

Fast startup
Higher effective ISO

Compare Canon 5D Mark II vs Nikon D600

Sony A6300

Nikon D600

$748
APS-C

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

$1900
35mm

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Sony A6300 vs Nikon D600

Compared to Canon 6D

Canon 5D Mark II

Canon 6D

$1200
35mm

Less shutter lag
More AF points

$1499
35mm

Less expensive
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Canon 5D Mark II vs Canon 6D

Sony A6300

Canon 6D

$748
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$1499
35mm

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Sony A6300 vs Canon 6D

Compared to Sony A6000

Canon 5D Mark II

Sony A6000

$1200
35mm

Lens selection
Larger sensor

$674
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

Compare Canon 5D Mark II vs Sony A6000

Sony A6300

Sony A6000

$748
APS-C

Shoot 4K video
Fast startup

$674
APS-C

Less expensive

Compare Sony A6300 vs Sony A6000

Compared to Fujifilm X-A3

Canon 5D Mark II

Fujifilm X-A3

$1200
35mm

Lens selection
Larger sensor

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

Compare Canon 5D Mark II vs Fujifilm X-A3

Sony A6300

Fujifilm X-A3

$748
APS-C

Eye-level viewfinder
Shoot 4K video

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
Touchscreen

Compare Sony A6300 vs Fujifilm X-A3

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