Canon G16 vs Sony S950

Below is a extensive comparison of the Canon G16 and Sony S950, both Small Sensor Compact cameras by companies Canon and Sony. The sensor resolution of the G16 (12MP) and the S950 (10MP) is very close but the G16 (1/1.7") and S950 (1/2.3") boast different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The G16 was unveiled 4 years later than the S950 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before we go right into a more detailed comparison, here is a concise view of how the G16 scores vs the S950 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Canon PowerShot G16 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S950. The full galleries are viewable at Canon G16 Gallery & Sony S950 Gallery.

If you're aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you're going to have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Canon G16 provides external dimensions of 109mm x 76mm x 40mm (4.3" x 3.0" x 1.6") with a weight of 356 grams (0.78 lbs) while the Sony S950 has measurements of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Examine the Canon G16 and Sony S950 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are working with at that moment. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the G16 against the S950.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the G16 and S950 is 85 and 94 respectively.

In many cases, it is hard to visualize the contrast in sensor measurements purely by researching technical specs. The graphic underneath will offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the G16 and S950.

As you can tell, both of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The G16 using its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF easier and the Canon G16 will provide you with greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop images more aggressively. The more modern G16 should have an edge in sensor innovation.