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Canon SX500 IS vs Sony A7

Portability
80
Imaging
39
Features
40
Overall
39
Canon PowerShot SX500 IS front
 
Sony Alpha A7 front
Portability
78
Imaging
70
Features
80
Overall
74

Canon SX500 IS vs Sony A7 Key Specs

Canon SX500 IS
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 24-720mm (F3.4-5.8) lens
  • 341g - 104 x 70 x 80mm
  • Released August 2012
  • Replacement is Canon SX510 HS
Sony A7
(Full Review)
  • 24MP - Full frame Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 50 - 25600
  • 1/8000s Max Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Sony E Mount
  • 474g - 127 x 94 x 48mm
  • Revealed January 2014
  • Newer Model is Sony A7 II
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Canon SX500 IS vs Sony A7 Overview

The following is a comprehensive comparison of the Canon SX500 IS and Sony A7, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by rivals Canon and Sony. There is a significant difference among the sensor resolutions of the SX500 IS (16MP) and A7 (24MP) and the SX500 IS (1/2.3") and A7 (Full frame) provide different sensor measurements.

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The SX500 IS was revealed 17 months earlier than the A7 which makes them a generation away from each other. The two cameras have different body design with the Canon SX500 IS being a Compact camera and the Sony A7 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a short summary of how the SX500 IS scores vs the A7 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Photography Glossary

        

Reasons to pick Canon SX500 IS over the Sony A7

 SX500 IS A7 

Reasons to pick Sony A7 over the Canon SX500 IS

 A7 SX500 IS 
RevealedJanuary 2014August 2012Newer by 17 months
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen
Screen resolution1230k461kClearer screen (+769k dot)

Common features in the Canon SX500 IS and Sony A7

 SX500 IS A7 
Manually focus Dial exact focus
Screen dimensions3"3"Equal screen measurements
Selfie screen Absent selfie screen
Touch screen Neither features Touch screen

Canon SX500 IS vs Sony A7 Physical Comparison

If you are planning to travel with your camera, you're going to have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Canon SX500 IS enjoys external dimensions of 104mm x 70mm x 80mm (4.1" x 2.8" x 3.1") with a weight of 341 grams (0.75 lbs) while the Sony A7 has dimensions of 127mm x 94mm x 48mm (5.0" x 3.7" x 1.9") with a weight of 474 grams (1.04 lbs).

Check the Canon SX500 IS and Sony A7 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you choose during that time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the SX500 IS vs the A7.

Canon SX500 IS vs Sony A7 size comparison

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the SX500 IS and A7 is 80 and 78 respectively.

Canon SX500 IS vs Sony A7 top view buttons comparison

Canon SX500 IS vs Sony A7 Sensor Comparison

Usually, it can be hard to picture the gap in sensor dimensions merely by going through technical specs. The image underneath will help provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the SX500 IS and A7.

As you have seen, each of these cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The SX500 IS having a smaller sensor is going to make shooting bokeh tougher and the Sony A7 will provide greater detail because of its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop pictures more aggressively. The more aged SX500 IS will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.

Canon SX500 IS vs Sony A7 sensor size comparison

Canon SX500 IS vs Sony A7 Screen and ViewFinder

Canon SX500 IS vs Sony A7 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Canon SX500 IS as a Portrait photography camera
Sony A7 as a Portrait photography camera
46
focusing manually
above average flash sync (1/1,600 seconds)
sensor resolution is decent (16 megapixels)
comes with face detect focusing
can't use external flash
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW format
82
focusing manually
good resolution (24MP)
sensor size is big (Full frame)
supports face detection focus
exports RAW formats
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Canon SX500 IS
Street photography with Sony A7
51
image stabilization (Optical)
no moving screen
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW format
79
screen tilts
sensor size is big (Full frame)
exports RAW formats
environment proof
lighter than competition (474g)
good ISO range (25,600)
does not have image stabilization
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Sports Comparison

Canon SX500 IS as a Sports photography camera
Sony A7 as a Sports photography camera
44
excellent zoom range (24-720mm 30.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
sensor resolution is decent (16MP)
comes with tracking focus
max fps very slow (1.0 frames/s)
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
not so great battery pack (195 shots)
lacks phase detect AF
66
great max shutter speed (1/8,000 seconds)
good resolution (24 megapixels)
sensor size is big (Full frame)
environment proof
sensor has phase detect auto focus
painfully slow continuous shooting (5.0 fps)
does not have image stabilization
not so great battery power (340 per charge)
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Travel Comparison

Canon SX500 IS as a Travel photography camera
Sony A7 as a Travel photography camera
59
sensor resolution is decent (16MP)
has built in flash
reasonably wide (24mm)
long zoom (720mm)
no Timelapse function
not so great battery pack (195 shots)
screen isn't selfie friendly
slow maximum aperture (f3.4)
69
lighter than competition (474 grams)
environment proof
good resolution (24 megapixels)
not so great battery power (340 shots)
doesn't feature selfie friendly display
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Landscape Comparison

Canon SX500 IS Landscape photography info
Sony A7 Landscape photography info
46
focusing manually
reasonably wide (24mm)
screen size is decent (3")
image stabilization (Optical)
sensor resolution is decent (16 megapixels)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f3.4)
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW format
not so great battery pack (195 per charge)
no Timelapse function
75
focusing manually
switch lenses (Sony E mount)
good sized screen (3 inch)
good resolution (24MP)
sensor size is big (Full frame)
good ISO range (25,600)
exports RAW formats
environment proof
does not have image stabilization
not so great battery power (340 shots)
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Vlogging Comparison

Canon SX500 IS as a Vlogging camera
Sony A7 as a Vlogging camera
28
reasonably wide (24mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
comes with face detect focusing
slow maximum aperture (f3.4)
screen isn't selfie friendly
low quality video (1280 x 720 resolution)
no microphone port
35
supports face detection focus
high video quality (1920 x 1080 pixels)
includes external mic jack
lighter than competition (474 grams)
doesn't feature selfie friendly display
does not have image stabilization
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Canon SX500 IS vs Sony A7 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Canon SX500 IS and Sony A7
 Canon PowerShot SX500 ISSony Alpha A7
General Information
Brand Name Canon Sony
Model type Canon PowerShot SX500 IS Sony Alpha A7
Category Small Sensor Superzoom Pro Mirrorless
Released 2012-08-21 2014-01-22
Body design Compact SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Chip Digic 4 Bionz X
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" Full frame
Sensor dimensions 6.17 x 4.55mm 35.8 x 23.9mm
Sensor surface area 28.1mm² 855.6mm²
Sensor resolution 16MP 24MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution 4608 x 3456 6000 x 4000
Highest native ISO 1600 25600
Minimum native ISO 80 50
RAW pictures
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Autofocus touch
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Total focus points 1 117
Cross type focus points - 25
Lens
Lens support fixed lens Sony E
Lens zoom range 24-720mm (30.0x) -
Highest aperture f/3.4-5.8 -
Macro focusing distance 1cm -
Amount of lenses - 121
Focal length multiplier 5.8 1
Screen
Range of display Fixed Type Tilting
Display size 3 inch 3 inch
Display resolution 461 thousand dot 1,230 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Display technology TFT Color LCD Xtra Fine LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None Electronic
Viewfinder resolution - 2,359 thousand dot
Viewfinder coverage - 100%
Viewfinder magnification - 0.71x
Features
Lowest shutter speed 15s 30s
Highest shutter speed 1/1600s 1/8000s
Continuous shooting speed 1.0 frames/s 5.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance 5.00 m no built-in flash
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync no built-in flash
Hot shoe
AEB
WB bracketing
Highest flash sync 1/1600s 1/250s
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (25 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 24p), 1440 x 1080 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p)
Highest video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video data format H.264 MPEG-4, AVCHD
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 341 grams (0.75 pounds) 474 grams (1.04 pounds)
Physical dimensions 104 x 70 x 80mm (4.1" x 2.8" x 3.1") 127 x 94 x 48mm (5.0" x 3.7" x 1.9")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating not tested 90
DXO Color Depth rating not tested 24.8
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested 14.2
DXO Low light rating not tested 2248
Other
Battery life 195 photos 340 photos
Battery format Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID NB-6L NP-FW50
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom) Yes (2 or 10 sec; continuous (3 or 5 exposures))
Time lapse recording With downloadable app
Storage media SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots Single Single
Pricing at launch $299 $798