Canon SD960 IS vs Sony A550

Here, we are comparing the Canon SD960 IS versus Sony A550, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Canon and Sony. The resolution of the SD960 IS (12MP) and the A550 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the SD960 IS (1/2.3") and A550 (APS-C) offer totally different sensor sizes.

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The SD960 IS was introduced 9 months prior to the A550 and they are of a similar age. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Canon SD960 IS being a Compact camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting right into a in-depth comparison, here is a quick overview of how the SD960 IS grades versus the A550 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon PowerShot SD960 IS & Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The whole galleries are available at Canon SD960 IS Gallery & Sony A550 Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry around your camera regularly, you should take into account its weight and proportions. The Canon SD960 IS features physical dimensions of 98mm x 54mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.1" x 0.9") having a weight of 145 grams (0.32 lbs) whilst the Sony A550 has measurements of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") with a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

See the Canon SD960 IS versus Sony A550 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are working with at the time. Below is a front view dimension comparison of the SD960 IS and the A550.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the SD960 IS and A550 is 95 and 63 respectively.

Usually, its difficult to see the contrast between sensor sizes simply by reading through a spec sheet. The pic below will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the SD960 IS and A550.

Clearly, the 2 cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The SD960 IS having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF tougher and the Sony A550 will give you more detail using its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images way more aggressively. The more aged SD960 IS is going to be behind in sensor innovation.