Canon SX400 IS vs Sony A550

The following is a extended review of the Canon SX400 IS and Sony A550, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Canon and Sony. The image resolution of the SX400 IS (16MP) and the A550 (14MP) is relatively close but the SX400 IS (1/2.3") and A550 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor size.

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The SX400 IS was introduced 4 years after the A550 which is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Canon SX400 IS being a Compact camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple summation of how the SX400 IS matches up vs the A550 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Canon PowerShot SX400 IS & Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The whole galleries are available at Canon SX400 IS Gallery & Sony A550 Gallery.

If you are looking to travel with your camera regularly, you will want to factor its weight and measurements. The Canon SX400 IS provides external measurements of 104mm x 69mm x 80mm (4.1" x 2.7" x 3.1") accompanied by a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) whilst the Sony A550 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Look at the Canon SX400 IS and Sony A550 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you select at the time. Underneath is a front view over all size comparison of the SX400 IS vs the A550.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the SX400 IS and A550 is 81 and 63 respectively.

Often, it's tough to see the contrast in sensor dimensions purely by viewing specifications. The picture here will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the SX400 IS and A550.

To sum up, each of these cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The SX400 IS using its smaller sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field trickier and the Canon SX400 IS will provide you with more detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures more aggressively. The younger SX400 IS will have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.