Upgrade Guide
Canon EOS 5D Mark III→Canon EOS 70D
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Situational
One clear hardware improvement over the EOS 5D Mark III. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.
What's new in the EOS 70D
-
Generation1 year newer (2013 vs 2012)
Unchanged or similar
-
ResolutionSimilar (20MP)
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Weather sealingNot present in new body
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | EOS 5D Mark III | EOS 70D | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -0.3 | ||
| Street | +0.7 | ||
| Travel | +0.1 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -1.8 | ||
| Documentary | -1.2 | ||
| Sports & Action | -0.7 | ||
| Landscape | -0.8 | ||
| Wildlife | -0.3 | ||
| Casual | +0.9 | ||
| Food | +1.3 | ||
| Macro | +0.8 | ||
| Architecture | +0.2 | ||
| Astrophotography | -0.7 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | EOS 5D Mark III | EOS 70D | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £219 | £68 | |
| Released | 2012 | 2013 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 22.3MP full-frame CMOS | 20.2MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 22MP | 20MP | ↓ |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/30, 720p/60 | Full HD 1080p/30, 720p/60 | |
| Autofocus | 61-point phase-detect (41 cross-type) via viewfinder; contrast AF with face detection in live view | 19-point all cross-type phase-detect via viewfinder; first Dual Pixel CMOS AF with face tracking in live view | |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | |
| Burst Rate | 6fps | 7fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~950 shots (CIPA) | ~920 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 950g (with battery) | 755g (with battery) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Not weather sealed | ↓ |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 0.71x | Optical pentaprism, 98% coverage, 0.95x | |
| Screen | 3.2" fixed LCD, 1.04M dots | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04M dots | |
| Mount | Canon EF | Canon EF / EF-S | |
| Memory Cards | Dual slots: CompactFlash + SD | Single SD slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See EOS 5D Mark III and EOS 70D next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the EOS 70D against your specific genres — not just specs.
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