Canon SX260 HS vs Sony A57

In this article, we will be contrasting the Canon SX260 HS vs Sony A57, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Canon and Sony. There exists a significant gap among the image resolutions of the SX260 HS (12MP) and A57 (16MP) and the SX260 HS (1/2.3") and A57 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor dimensions.

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The SX260 HS was announced 3 months earlier than the A57 and they are both of a similar generation. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Canon SX260 HS being a Compact camera and the Sony A57 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go in to a in depth comparison, below is a quick overview of how the SX260 HS matches up versus the A57 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot SX260 HS and Sony SLT-A57. The whole galleries are viewable at Canon SX260 HS Gallery and Sony A57 Gallery.

If you're looking to lug around your camera often, you will need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Canon SX260 HS features physical dimensions of 106mm x 61mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 231 grams (0.51 lbs) whilst the Sony A57 has proportions of 132mm x 98mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.2") having a weight of 618 grams (1.36 lbs).

Check out the Canon SX260 HS vs Sony A57 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you select at the time. The following is the front view dimensions comparison of the SX260 HS and the A57.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SX260 HS and A57 is 91 and 64 respectively.

Sometimes, it's hard to see the gap in sensor measurements just by looking through specifications. The photograph below will offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SX260 HS and A57.

To sum up, both of those cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The SX260 HS using its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF trickier and the Sony A57 will result in more detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop photographs far more aggressively.