Canon SX160 IS vs Sony a5000

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Canon SX160 IS and Sony a5000, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Canon and Sony. The resolution of the SX160 IS (16MP) and the a5000 (20MP) is fairly close but the SX160 IS (1/2.3") and a5000 (APS-C) boast different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The SX160 IS was announced 6 months before the a5000 so they are of a similar generation. The two cameras feature different body design with the Canon SX160 IS being a Compact camera and the Sony a5000 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a short view of how the SX160 IS scores vs the a5000 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon PowerShot SX160 IS and Sony Alpha a5000. The whole galleries are available at Canon SX160 IS Gallery and Sony a5000 Gallery.

When you are looking to travel with your camera, you're going to have to factor in its weight and size. The Canon SX160 IS features external measurements of 111mm x 73mm x 44mm (4.4" x 2.9" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 291 grams (0.64 lbs) while the Sony a5000 has specifications of 110mm x 63mm x 36mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.4") having a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Check out the Canon SX160 IS and Sony a5000 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you select at that time. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the SX160 IS vs the a5000.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SX160 IS and a5000 is 86 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, it is difficult to imagine the difference in sensor dimensions merely by viewing specs. The image underneath will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the SX160 IS and a5000.

As you can plainly see, both of these cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The SX160 IS using its smaller sensor is going to make achieving bokeh more challenging and the Sony a5000 will render greater detail with its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images a good deal more aggressively.