Canon SX160 IS vs Sony a5100

Let's look more closely at the Canon SX160 IS versus Sony a5100, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Canon and Sony. There exists a noticeable gap among the resolutions of the SX160 IS (16MP) and a5100 (24MP) and the SX160 IS (1/2.3") and a5100 (APS-C) offer different sensor measurements.

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The SX160 IS was released 14 months prior to the a5100 which makes them a generation away from one another. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Canon SX160 IS being a Compact camera and the Sony a5100 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go into a full comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the SX160 IS scores vs the a5100 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot SX160 IS & Sony Alpha a5100. The complete galleries are viewable at Canon SX160 IS Gallery & Sony a5100 Gallery.

In case you're intending to travel with your camera often, you should take into account its weight and size. The Canon SX160 IS has physical dimensions of 111mm x 73mm x 44mm (4.4" x 2.9" x 1.7") with a weight of 291 grams (0.64 lbs) whilst the Sony a5100 has specifications of 110mm x 63mm x 36mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.4") with a weight of 283 grams (0.62 lbs).

See the Canon SX160 IS versus Sony a5100 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have chosen at the time. The following is a front view proportions comparison of the SX160 IS vs the a5100.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SX160 IS and a5100 is 86 and 89 respectively.

Normally, it is difficult to picture the contrast in sensor dimensions merely by checking out specifications. The image below will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the SX160 IS and a5100.

To sum up, the two cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The SX160 IS because of its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF more difficult and the Sony a5100 will show extra detail as a result of its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs way more aggressively. The more aged SX160 IS will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.