Canon EOS 550D vs Sony a500

This is a full comparison between the cameras Canon EOS 550D and Sony a500. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Canon EOS 550D is manufacturered by Canon but Sony a500 is from Sony. Both Canon and Sony are well known brands though.

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Canon EOS 550D has a "Canon APS-C"-sensor while Sony a500 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)

Resolution

Canon EOS 550D has a 18,7 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Sony a500 has 12 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Canon EOS 550D has a 47 % larger resolution than Sony a500. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Canon EOS 550D has a larger ISO-range than Sony a500. Canon EOS 550D has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 12800 while Sony a500 has 200 to 12800.

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 550D
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a500

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Canon EOS 550D can shoot up to 3,7 pictures per seconds and Sony a500 can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

When comparing these two cameras there is only one of them that can shoot movies and that is Canon EOS 550D. Unfortunately Sony a500 does not support recording movies and movie clips.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Sony a500 weighs 630 gr (equal to 1.39 lb) which is 24% heavier than Canon EOS 550D and its 510 gr (or 1.12 lb).

Canon EOS 550D vs Sony a500 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Canon EOS 550D and Sony a500, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product	Canon EOS 550D	Sony a500
Name	Canon EOS 550D	Sony a500
Manufacturer	Canon	Sony
Release Date and Price	Canon EOS 550D	Sony a500
Release Year	2010	2009
Release Date	2010-02-08	2009-08-27
MSRP	899 USD	549 USD
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Camera Type	Canon EOS 550D	Sony a500
Camera Type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor	Canon EOS 550D	Sony a500
Sensor Size	APS-C (approx 22.3 x 14.9 mm)	APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm)
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	5184 x 3456 pixels	4272 x 2848 pixels
Megapixels	18,7 MP	12 MP
Image Processor	DIGIC 4	Bionz
Image	Canon EOS 550D	Sony a500
ISO Range	100 - 12800	200 - 12800
White Balance Presets	6	6
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	No	Yes (Sensor-Shift)
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	0 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW
Optics & Focus	Canon EOS 550D	Sony a500
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView
Focus Points	9	9
Lens Mount	Canon EF Canon EF-S See Compatible Lenses	Sony A See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	APS-C Sensor 1.6x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 38 mm 50 mm becomes 80 mm 100 mm becomes 160 mm 200 mm becomes 320 mm	APS-C Sensor (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 mm
Screen & Viewfinder	Canon EOS 550D	Sony a500
Articulated LCD	Fixed	Tilting
Screen size	3”	3”
Screen dots	1040000	230000
Touch screen	No	No
Screen type	TFT color liquid-crystal LCD	N/A
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Optical (pentamirror)	Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage	95%	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.87× (0.54× 35mm equiv.)	0.8× (0.53× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Canon EOS 550D	Sony a500
Frames per second	3,7 fps	5 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/4000 seconds	1/4000 seconds
Built-in Flash	Yes	Yes
Built-in Flash Range	13 meters	12 meters
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	Yes	No
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot Partial	Multi Center Weighted Spot
Exposure Compensation	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)	+/- 2 (at 1/3 EV steps)
Videography features	Canon EOS 550D	Sony a500
Video recording	Yes	No
Video format	H.264	N/A
Video resolution	1280 x 720 1920 x 1080	N/A
Built-in Microphone	Yes	No
Built-in Speakers	No	No
Storage	Canon EOS 550D	Sony a500
Memory Card	SD/SDHC	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Canon EOS 550D	Sony a500
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	No	No
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	Yes Eye-Fi Connected	No
Remote Control	Yes (E3 connector, InfraRed)	Yes (Wired or wirelss (Optional))
GPS	No	No
Body & Dimensions	Canon EOS 550D	Sony a500
Enviromentally sealed	No	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	Lithium-Ion LP-E8 rechargeable battery & charger	Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	N/A	520 shots
Width	129 mm	137 mm
Height	98 mm	104 mm
Depth	62 mm	84 mm
Weight	510 gram	630 gram