Canon 30D vs Sony A850

Lets look a bit more in depth at the Canon 30D versus Sony A850, both Advanced DSLR cameras by rivals Canon and Sony. There exists a sizeable gap among the image resolutions of the 30D (8MP) and A850 (25MP) and the 30D (APS-C) and A850 (Full frame) possess different sensor dimensions.

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The 30D was revealed 5 years before the A850 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras come with the identical body type (Mid-size SLR).

Before we go through a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick synopsis of how the 30D scores versus the A850 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Canon EOS 30D and Sony Alpha DSLR-A850. The full galleries are viewable at Canon 30D Gallery and Sony A850 Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry your camera often, you have to take into account its weight and measurements. The Canon 30D enjoys outer measurements of 144mm x 106mm x 74mm (5.7" x 4.2" x 2.9") accompanied by a weight of 784 grams (1.73 lbs) while the Sony A850 has proportions of 156mm x 117mm x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") and a weight of 895 grams (1.97 lbs).

Take a look at the Canon 30D versus Sony A850 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are using at that time. Below is the front view scale comparison of the 30D compared to the A850.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the 30D and A850 is 58 and 54 respectively.

Sometimes, its hard to imagine the gap in sensor sizing simply by viewing a spec sheet. The visual underneath may offer you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the 30D and A850.

Clearly, both of these cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The 30D using its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Sony A850 will provide you with greater detail because of its extra 17MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The older 30D will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.