Canon SX1 IS vs Sony W800

In this write-up, we are reviewing the Canon SX1 IS and Sony W800, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Canon and Sony. There exists a substantial gap between the sensor resolutions of the SX1 IS (10MP) and W800 (20MP) but they use the same exact sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The SX1 IS was brought out 5 years before the W800 and that is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras offer different body type with the Canon SX1 IS being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony W800 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a detailed comparison, below is a short highlight of how the SX1 IS scores against the W800 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon PowerShot SX1 IS & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W800. The entire galleries are viewable at Canon SX1 IS Gallery & Sony W800 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry your camera, you're going to have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Canon SX1 IS offers external measurements of 128mm x 88mm x 88mm (5.0" x 3.5" x 3.5") having a weight of 615 grams (1.36 lbs) while the Sony W800 has dimensions of 97mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.8") along with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Examine the Canon SX1 IS and Sony W800 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have during that time. Underneath is the front view over all size comparison of the SX1 IS compared to the W800.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SX1 IS and W800 is 64 and 96 respectively.

Typically, it is very hard to picture the difference between sensor sizing simply by reading a spec sheet. The graphic below should offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the SX1 IS and W800.

As you can see, both of these cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but different megapixels. You can anticipate the Sony W800 to deliver greater detail having its extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images far more aggressively. The older SX1 IS is going to be behind in sensor tech.