Sony A57 vs YI M1

Here is a extended review of the Sony A57 and YI M1, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Sony and YI. The resolution of the A57 (16MP) and the M1 (20MP) is fairly comparable but the A57 (APS-C) and M1 (Four Thirds) have totally different sensor measurements.

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The A57 was revealed 5 years before the M1 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Sony A57 being a Compact SLR camera and the YI M1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a simple view of how the A57 scores vs the M1 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Sony SLT-A57 and YI M1. The full galleries are viewable at Sony A57 Gallery and YI M1 Gallery.

When you are going to carry your camera frequently, you'll have to consider its weight and volume. The Sony A57 provides physical dimensions of 132mm x 98mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.2") with a weight of 618 grams (1.36 lbs) while the YI M1 has sizing of 114mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.5" x 2.5" x 1.3") and a weight of 350 grams (0.77 lbs).

Compare the Sony A57 and YI M1 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have chosen during that time. Underneath is a front view size comparison of the A57 compared to the M1.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the A57 and M1 is 64 and 87 respectively.

Often, its tough to visualise the difference in sensor sizing merely by checking out specs. The visual below may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the A57 and M1.

As you can plainly see, both cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The A57 with its larger sensor will make getting shallower depth of field less difficult and the YI M1 will provide greater detail because of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will help you crop images a good deal more aggressively. The older A57 will be behind when it comes to sensor technology.