Canon SX540 HS vs Sony a5100

The following is a in depth assessment of the Canon SX540 HS versus Sony a5100, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Canon and Sony. The resolution of the SX540 HS (20MP) and the a5100 (24MP) is very well matched but the SX540 HS (1/2.3") and a5100 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor sizing.

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The SX540 HS was unveiled 17 months after the a5100 making them a generation away from each other. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Canon SX540 HS being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony a5100 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving into a detailed comparison, here is a concise synopsis of how the SX540 HS scores against the a5100 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Canon PowerShot SX540 HS & Sony Alpha a5100. The full galleries are provided at Canon SX540 HS Gallery & Sony a5100 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to travel with your camera often, you will want to think about its weight and dimensions. The Canon SX540 HS has outside measurements of 120mm x 82mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.2" x 3.6") accompanied by a weight of 442 grams (0.97 lbs) whilst the Sony a5100 has dimensions of 110mm x 63mm x 36mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.4") with a weight of 283 grams (0.62 lbs).

See the Canon SX540 HS versus Sony a5100 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you select during that time. Following is a front view overall size comparison of the SX540 HS and the a5100.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the SX540 HS and a5100 is 69 and 89 respectively.

Generally, it can be hard to envision the gap between sensor dimensions simply by looking at technical specs. The image underneath should offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the SX540 HS and a5100.

As you have seen, each of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The SX540 HS with its tinier sensor will make achieving shallow DOF more difficult and the Sony a5100 will give greater detail having an extra 4MP. Greater resolution will help you crop photos a bit more aggressively. The more modern SX540 HS will have an edge in sensor tech.