Canon SX20 IS vs Sony a5000

Here is a in depth comparison of the Canon SX20 IS and Sony a5000, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Canon and Sony. There exists a huge gap among the sensor resolutions of the SX20 IS (12MP) and a5000 (20MP) and the SX20 IS (1/2.3") and a5000 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor dimensions.

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The SX20 IS was revealed 4 years earlier than the a5000 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Canon SX20 IS being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony a5000 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight into a detailed comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the SX20 IS grades versus the a5000 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon PowerShot SX20 IS and Sony Alpha a5000. The full galleries are viewable at Canon SX20 IS Gallery and Sony a5000 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry your camera regularly, you're going to have to take into account its weight and size. The Canon SX20 IS offers physical dimensions of 128mm x 88mm x 87mm (5.0" x 3.5" x 3.4") and a weight of 600 grams (1.32 lbs) while the Sony a5000 has specifications of 110mm x 63mm x 36mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.4") along with a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Compare the Canon SX20 IS and Sony a5000 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are utilising at that time. The following is the front view scale comparison of the SX20 IS and the a5000.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SX20 IS and a5000 is 65 and 89 respectively.

More often than not, it is tough to visualise the contrast in sensor sizing only by researching a spec sheet. The visual here may offer you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SX20 IS and a5000.

As you can see, the 2 cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SX20 IS having a smaller sensor will make getting shallower DOF harder and the Sony a5000 will render more detail because of its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop images a little more aggressively. The older SX20 IS will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.