Canon SX220 HS vs Sony A55

Let's take a more detailed look at the Canon SX220 HS vs Sony A55, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Canon and Sony. There exists a huge gap among the sensor resolutions of the SX220 HS (12MP) and A55 (16MP) and the SX220 HS (1/2.3") and A55 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor measurements.

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The SX220 HS was released 6 months after the A55 which means that they are of a similar generation. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Canon SX220 HS being a Compact camera and the Sony A55 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go into a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the SX220 HS grades versus the A55 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon SX220 HS and Sony SLT-A55. The complete galleries are available at Canon SX220 HS Gallery and Sony A55 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry around your camera regularly, you need to think about its weight and size. The Canon SX220 HS provides external measurements of 106mm x 59mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.3" x 1.3") having a weight of n/a grams (0.00 lbs) whilst the Sony A55 has specifications of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") having a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

Examine the Canon SX220 HS vs Sony A55 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are employing during that time. Here is a front view over all size comparison of the SX220 HS against the A55.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SX220 HS and A55 is 96 and 67 respectively.

Typically, its difficult to visualise the difference in sensor sizes purely by seeing technical specs. The image below might provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the SX220 HS and A55.

As you have seen, both of these cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The SX220 HS because of its smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF more difficult and the Sony A55 will show greater detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop images a good deal more aggressively.