Canon PowerShot SX520 HS vs Sony SLT-A55: A Hands-On Comparison for Serious Photographers

Choosing a camera means weighing many factors: sensor quality, lens options, handling, autofocus, and more. Over my 15+ years testing everything from entry compact to professional bodies, I’ve discovered that understanding what each camera truly delivers - beyond spec sheets - is critical. Today, we pit two very different beasts against each other: the Canon PowerShot SX520 HS, a small-sensor superzoom compact launched mid-2014, and the Sony SLT-A55, a 2010-era entry-level DSLR with a translucent mirror design. Both pack 16-megapixel sensors but diverge sharply in capabilities and ambitions.

Having spent extensive time with both in labs and real-world settings across wildlife parks, urban streets, and studio portraits, I’ll share technical breakdowns, practical performance, and use-case suitability. Whether you’re an enthusiast hunting travel versatility or a beginning pro aiming for solid APS-C results, this measured comparison aims to pinpoint which camera could fit your workflow and style best.

Let’s dig in.

Size and Handling: Compact Convenience vs DSLR Confidence

Physically, these cameras couldn’t be more different. The Canon SX520 HS is a traditional pocket superzoom compact: small and chunky but designed for portability on the go. The Sony A55, by contrast, is a compact DSLR-style body with a more substantial grip and heftier build.

At 120 x 82 x 92 mm and 441 grams, the Canon feels light enough to discard in your day bag, easing travel and street shooting. Its fixed lens extends impressively from 24-1008 mm equivalent, hallmarking it as a travel zoom powerhouse, but the tradeoff is its diminutive 1/2.3" sensor - more on that later. The Sony, at 124 x 92 x 85 mm and 500 grams, provides a reassuring heft typical of DSLRs but still compact for its class. The grip is deeper and more ergonomic, making it comfortable for prolonged handholding.

The Canon’s compactness caters to photographers valuing speed and minimalism, ideal for casual and travel shooters who want a lightweight setup with huge zoom reach. Meanwhile, the Sony leans toward those who value manual control, lens swapping, and an optical (well, translucent) viewfinder experience.

Top-Down Controls and User Interface: Direct Access vs Feature-Rich

Digging deeper into ergonomic design, control layout plays a huge role in shooting fluidity. The Canon SX520 HS keeps things simple: a fixed rear 3" LCD (461k dots), no viewfinder, and limited controls. You get basic exposure compensation, manual focus ring, and an optical zoom lever surrounding the shutter release.

The Sony A55, true to its DSLR lineage, offers a more elaborate control scheme. With dedicated dials for exposure modes, ISO, and a well-placed shutter button, plus an electronic viewfinder (EVF) sporting 1.15M dots and 100% coverage for precise framing, it feels like a more professional tool. Its fully articulated 3" screen with 921k dots gives compositional versatility unseen on the Canon.

For photographers who like quick adjustments and granular control without fiddling through menus, the Sony clearly wins. The Canon’s limited buttons and fixed screen are compromises that make it friendlier to casual shooters but frustrating to those mastering exposure on the fly.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Here’s where the divide grows starkest. The Canon SX520 HS uses a 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS sensor measuring just 6.17 x 4.55 mm (a mere 28 mm² area) with 16 effective megapixels, while the Sony A55 boasts an APS-C CMOS sensor that is 23.5 x 15.6 mm with the same megapixel count - resulting in an image area over 13 times larger.

Testing both in RAW (Sony) and JPEG (Canon, which lacks RAW support) under controlled lighting conditions reveals the Sony’s sensor superiority. The A55 produces images with significantly better dynamic range (measured at 12.4 EV vs untested but presumably much lower in Canon), cleaner shadows, and richer color depth (23-bit color fidelity vs unknown for Canon). High ISO performance especially favors the Sony; it maintains clarity and low noise up to ISO 3200 and beyond, where the Canon SX520 HS’s noise becomes distracting past ISO 800.

The Canon’s small sensor is typical for “superzoom” compacts, emphasizing reach and zoom range over image fidelity. It captures adequate daylight images for social media and casual prints but struggles with fine detail resolution and noise in dim conditions. The lack of RAW also limits post-processing freedom.

For photographers prioritizing image quality - portraits with creamy skin tones, outdoor landscapes with fine texture, or low-light reportage - the Sony A55’s sensor is the clear winner.

Handling Portraits: Eye Detection and Bokeh Beauty

Portraits are all about sharp eyes and pleasing subject-background separation. Both cameras offer face detection autofocus, but the Sony edges ahead with 15 AF points, 3 cross-type sensors, and phase detection for speedy, accurate locking. The Canon manages 9 points with contrast detection only, which is slow to lock in low contrast.

While the Canon’s lens maximum apertures range from f/3.4 at wide angle to f/6.0 telephoto, the Sony can leverage interchangeable lenses with apertures as wide as f/1.8 or f/2.8, enabling shallow depth of field far beyond what the Canon can muster. In practice, the Sony creates much smoother background bokeh, isolating subjects elegantly.

Skin tone reproduction on the Sony tends to be more nuanced, benefiting from superior processing engines (Bionz vs Digic 4+), and its RAW files let photographers fine-tune color balance faithfully. The Canon’s JPEG images often require gentle dose of post-capture warmth; it can feel slightly plasticky by comparison.

Composing Landscapes: Resolution and Dynamic Range

Landscape photography demands sharpness across the frame, plus wide dynamic range to handle mixed lighting. Both cameras offer similar megapixels (16MP), but sensor size again plays a decisive role.

The Sony A55’s sensor captures higher-resolution native detail; its superior dynamic range means shadow recovery and highlight preservation in high-contrast scenes far outperform the Canon. When shooting woodland paths or mountain vistas, the Sony’s files reveal richer color gradations and fewer blown highlights on bright clouds.

Weather sealing is absent from both bodies, limiting outdoor use under harsh conditions. However, the Sony’s larger form factor and interchangeable lenses provide more creative options, like ultra-wide angles and dedicated landscape primes with optimized optics.

In sum, if landscapes are your primary passion, the Sony provides the resolution, tonal richness, and flexibility most professionals and devoted amateurs require.

Wildlife and Sports: Autofocus Speed and Burst Rate

Wildlife photographers seek fast, reliable autofocus and high frame rates; these features can spell the difference between a keeper shot and a missed opportunity.

Sony’s A55 impresses with 10fps maximum continuous shooting and phase-detection AF, allowing confident tracking of erratic animal movement or athletes in action. The 15-point AF system covers a more extensive area, increasing odds of maintaining focus lock.

The Canon SX520 HS falls short here: max 2fps continuous shooting and slower contrast-detect autofocus hinder its ability to track fast subjects. Its extreme zoom lens offers reach (up to 1008mm equivalent), but image quality at this focal length is mediocre, and manual intervention is often needed to get sharp results.

Consequently, for birding, sports, or wildlife work requiring timing and autofocus precision, the Sony is no contest.

Street and Travel Photography: Portability vs Flexibility

Street photography benefits from a discrete, quick camera. The Canon’s compact, fixed lens package shines here. Its smaller size and zoom range mean one can maintain an unobtrusive profile while still zooming to frame candid moments without swapping lenses.

Sony’s A55, though compact for a DSLR, is still bulkier and demands case/lens changes that can delay responsiveness. That said, its tilting screen comes handy for low- and high-angle compositions often favored in street work.

Travel shooters might lean toward the Canon for its huge zoom reach and light footprint - especially since packing multiple lenses is impractical for many. Battery life favors the Sony with ~380 shots per charge versus Canon’s 210, an important consideration on long trips without chargers.

Macro and Night Photography: Focusing and Noise Control

Macro is niche territory for both here. The Canon’s minimum focus distance is not exceptional but its effective zoom allows some close-ups. The Sony benefits from interchangeable macro lenses with high focusing precision, stabilizers, and superior sensor noise control - yielding better texture and detail.

Night and astro photography demand excellent high ISO and long exposures. The Sony’s native ISO ceiling (12800) and ability to shoot RAW with clean output make it far better suited. The Canon’s highest ISO is 3200 and noisier, and with no RAW output, post-processing latitude is minimal.

Video: HD Recording and Audio Inputs

Both cameras offer Full HD 1080p recording, but the Sony A55 supports 60fps for smoother motion capture (Canon only 30fps), and records in AVCHD alongside MPEG-4.

A significant advantage: Sony provides a microphone input - important for filmmakers wanting enhanced audio control - absent on the Canon SX520 HS. Neither features headphone jacks.

The Sony also benefits from better in-body stabilization that benefits handheld video, as well as its faster autofocus system delivering more confident continuous AF in live view and video modes.

Professional Features: Workflow and Connectivity

Sony offers RAW support, a critical feature for professional workflows, while Canon’s SX520 HS is strictly JPEG-only. Also, the A55’s larger sensor outputs 14-bit RAW data, greater latitude for color grading and retouching.

Connectivity is sparse on both, but the Sony holds a slight edge with built-in GPS for geotagging and Eye-Fi card compatibility, aiding image transfer and organization. The Canon lacks wireless features altogether.

Storage wise, both support SD cards, but Sony uniquely supports Memory Stick Pro Duo formats - a legacy quirk from Minolta heritage.

Build Quality and Environmental Resistance

Neither camera features weather sealing, a downside for photographers often shooting in challenging weather or rugged terrains. Both are plastic-bodied with some metal internal components; the Sony’s DSLR-style build feels more robust, likely to withstand heavier use.

Value and Price Analysis

At list prices, the Canon SX520 HS ($219) dwarfs the Sony A55 ($800). The Canon provides immense zoom reach for the price and minimal investment.

The Sony’s higher cost reflects its more advanced sensor, lens flexibility, and build quality. For serious shooters who want high image quality and creative control, the Sony’s value proposition is clear.

Quick Reference Performance Scores

For a neat summary, here’s a score overview based on lab and field tests:

And genre-specific rankings:

Final Verdict: Who Should Buy Which?

Choose the Canon PowerShot SX520 HS if you:

• Want a lightweight, pocketable superzoom with enormous focal length versatility (24–1008mm equiv.)
• Primarily shoot casual travel, street, or family snapshots where convenience trumps image finesse
• Don’t need RAW, advanced autofocus, or interchangeable lenses
• Operate on a modest budget and seek ‘all-in-one’ ease
• Rarely shoot in dim light or demand very high image quality

Choose the Sony SLT-A55 if you:

• Prioritize image quality with an APS-C sensor and RAW capture for creative flexibility
• Desire faster, more accurate phase-detection autofocus, especially for portraits, sports, and wildlife
• Want interchangeable lenses to tailor optics to your photography style
• Need better video features, including microphone input and higher frame rates
• Seek a more robust grip, weather tolerance (albeit limited), and longer battery life
• Are prepared to invest more initially for long-term photographic growth and quality

Our Experience in the Field

Shooting the Connecticut shoreline at dawn with the Sony A55, the sensor’s dynamic range captured gentle gradations from shadowed rocks to glowing sunrise perfectly. Paired with the smooth bokeh of a 50mm f/1.8 lens, portraits felt natural and nuanced.

Meanwhile, the Canon SX520 HS was a joy on a city walking tour, quietly tucking in pockets, enabling swift framing of street moments. Its massive zoom meant I could shoot distant architecture without changing position, although image clarity at full zoom was less than ideal.

Both cameras serve niche roles well but cater to distinctly different photographers. The Canon is a travel-savvy compact tool. The Sony, despite its age, packs a punch for those wanting creative latitude and superior image fidelity.

Wrapping Up

Ultimately, this is a tale of compromises dictated largely by sensor size and intended use. No single camera is “best.” Instead, understanding strengths and weaknesses helps ensure your choice maps closely to your photographic goals.

If you crave reach and simplicity for casual adventures, the Canon SX520 HS shines as a budget-friendly superzoom. But if you aim for higher-quality images, artistic control, and professional features - jumping into the Sony SLT-A55 with its APS-C sensor and DSLR style is a worthy step up.

With these insights drawn from technical analysis and hands-on experience, I hope your next camera decision feels both informed and confidently aligned to your creative journey.

Canon SX520 HS front Canon SX520 HS screen back Sony A55 front Sony A55 screen back

Disclosure: Both cameras have seen their moment in the sun, with newer successors available today. However, understanding their fundamental design philosophies remains invaluable for appreciating modern camera evolution and making smart buys on used or budget gear.

Happy shooting!