Canon EOS Rebel SL3 vs Sony a550

This is a full comparison between the cameras Canon EOS Rebel SL3 and Sony a550. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 is manufacturered by Canon but Sony a550 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 Rebel SL3 has a "Canon APS-C"-sensor while Sony a550 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 Rebel SL3 has a 24 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Sony a550 has 14 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 has a 71 % larger resolution than Sony a550. 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 Rebel SL3 has a larger ISO-range than Sony a550. Canon EOS Rebel SL3 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 25600 while Sony a550 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 Rebel SL3
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a550

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Canon EOS Rebel SL3 can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds and Sony a550 can shoot up to 7 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 Rebel SL3. Unfortunately Sony a550 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 a550 weighs 632 gr (equal to 1.39 lb) which is 41% heavier than Canon EOS Rebel SL3 and its 449 gr (or 0.99 lb).

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 vs Sony a550 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Canon EOS Rebel SL3 and Sony a550, 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 Rebel SL3	Sony a550
Name	Canon EOS Rebel SL3	Sony a550
Manufacturer	Canon	Sony
Release Date and Price	Canon EOS Rebel SL3	Sony a550
Release Year	2019	2009
Release Date	2019-04-10	2009-08-27
MSRP	599 USD	949 USD
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Camera Type	Canon EOS Rebel SL3	Sony a550
Camera Type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor	Canon EOS Rebel SL3	Sony a550
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	6000 x 4000 pixels	4592 x 3056 pixels
Megapixels	24 MP	14 MP
Image Processor	DIGIC 8	Bionz
Image	Canon EOS Rebel SL3	Sony a550
ISO Range	100 - 25600	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 Rebel SL3	Sony a550
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Touch 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 Rebel SL3	Sony a550
Articulated LCD	Fully articulated	Tilting
Screen size	3”	3”
Screen dots	1040000	921600
Touch screen	Yes	No
Screen type	TFT 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	0	N/A
Photography features	Canon EOS Rebel SL3	Sony a550
Frames per second	5 fps	7 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	N/A	12 meters
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	No	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 Rebel SL3	Sony a550
Video recording	Yes	No
Video format	MPEG4 H.264	N/A
Video resolution	1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160	N/A
Built-in Microphone	Yes	No
Built-in Speakers	Yes	No
Storage	Canon EOS Rebel SL3	Sony a550
Memory Card	SD/SDHC	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Canon EOS Rebel SL3	Sony a550
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	Yes	No
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	Yes Built-in (802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth)	No
Remote Control	Yes (via wired or wireless remote or smartphone)	Yes (Wired or Wireless (Optional))
GPS	No	No
Body & Dimensions	Canon EOS Rebel SL3	Sony a550
Enviromentally sealed	No	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	LP-E17 lithium-ion battery & charger	Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	1070 shots	480 shots
Width	122 mm	137 mm
Height	93 mm	104 mm
Depth	70 mm	84 mm
Weight	449 gram	632 gram