Canon SX170 IS vs Sony W550

The following is a thorough overview of the Canon SX170 IS versus Sony W550, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Ultracompact by manufacturers Canon and Sony. The sensor resolution of the SX170 IS (16MP) and the W550 (14MP) is pretty close and both cameras provide the same sensor measurements (1/2.3").

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The SX170 IS was released 2 years after the W550 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Canon SX170 IS being a Compact camera and the Sony W550 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting into a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise summary of how the SX170 IS matches up vs the W550 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot SX170 IS and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W550. The complete galleries are available at Canon SX170 IS Gallery and Sony W550 Gallery.

In case you're planning to travel with your camera often, you have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Canon SX170 IS enjoys external dimensions of 108mm x 71mm x 44mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.7") along with a weight of 251 grams (0.55 lbs) and the Sony W550 has dimensions of 94mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") having a weight of 110 grams (0.24 lbs).

Take a look at the Canon SX170 IS versus Sony W550 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you use at that moment. The following is a front view physical size comparison of the SX170 IS versus the W550.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the SX170 IS and W550 is 88 and 96 respectively.

Oftentimes, its difficult to see the gap in sensor dimensions just by looking through specifications. The image here will help provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SX170 IS and W550.

To sum up, both the cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same MP. You should expect the Canon SX170 IS to render extra detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will let you crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more modern SX170 IS is going to have an advantage in sensor tech.