Canon SX520 HS vs Sony a5100

Here is a in-depth analysis of the Canon SX520 HS and Sony a5100, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Canon and Sony. There is a noticeable difference between the image resolutions of the SX520 HS (16MP) and a5100 (24MP) and the SX520 HS (1/2.3") and a5100 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor measurements.

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The SX520 HS was unveiled around the same time to the a5100 so they are both of a similar age. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Canon SX520 HS being a Compact camera and the Sony a5100 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight into a complete comparison, below is a short introduction of how the SX520 HS grades against the a5100 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot SX520 HS & Sony Alpha a5100. The full galleries are available at Canon SX520 HS Gallery & Sony a5100 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry your camera frequently, you will have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Canon SX520 HS has got outer dimensions of 120mm x 82mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.2" x 3.6") with a weight of 441 grams (0.97 lbs) while the Sony a5100 has measurements of 110mm x 63mm x 36mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.4") with a weight of 283 grams (0.62 lbs).

Take a look at the Canon SX520 HS and Sony a5100 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have at the time. The following is the front view size comparison of the SX520 HS versus the a5100.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the SX520 HS and a5100 is 69 and 89 respectively.

Generally, it is very hard to visualise the contrast between sensor sizing merely by looking at specs. The graphic below might provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the SX520 HS and a5100.

All in all, both cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SX520 HS with its tinier sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field harder and the Sony a5100 will resolve extra detail having an extra 8MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures somewhat more aggressively.