Sony a500 vs Canon EOS 550D

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

Manufacturing

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

Sony a500 were released 2009 and Canon EOS 550D was released 2010. That is a 1 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony a500 2009
Canon EOS 550D 2010

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

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

Camera Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 **
Sony a500 75 mm
Sony APS-C sensor
Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5
Canon EOS 550D 80 mm
Canon APS-C sensor
Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.6

** 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 (Sony)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)

Resolution

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

Camera Megapixels
Sony a500 12 MP
12166656 pixels
4272 x 2848
Canon EOS 550D 18,7 MP
17915904 pixels
5184 x 3456

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.

Camera ISO Range
Sony a500 200-12800
Canon EOS 550D 100-12800

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 Sony a500
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 550D

Pictures per second

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

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a500 5
Canon EOS 550D 3,7

Ability to record movies

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

It is only one of these two cameras that support recording movies and movie clips and that is Canon EOS 550D. Sadly, the Sony a500 does not support this.

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).

Camera Weight
Sony a500 630 gr
1.39 lb
Canon EOS 550D 510 gr
1.12 lb

Sony a500 vs Canon EOS 550D Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a500 and Canon EOS 550D, 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
Sony a500
Canon EOS 550D
Name Sony a500 Canon EOS 550D
Manufacturer Sony Canon
Release Date and Price
Sony a500
Canon EOS 550D
Release Year 2009 2010
Release Date 2009-08-27 2010-02-08
MSRP 549 USD 899 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony a500
Canon EOS 550D
Camera Type DSLR DSLR
Sensor
Sony a500
Canon EOS 550D
Sensor Size APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm) APS-C (approx 22.3 x 14.9 mm)
Sensor Type CMOS CMOS
Resolution 4272 x 2848 pixels 5184 x 3456 pixels
Megapixels 12 MP 18,7 MP
Image Processor Bionz DIGIC 4
Image
Sony a500
Canon EOS 550D
ISO Range 200 - 12800 100 - 12800
White Balance Presets 6 6
Custom White Balance Yes Yes
Image Stabilization Yes
(Sensor-Shift)
No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating 0 stops 0 stops
Uncompressed format RAW RAW
Optics & Focus
Sony a500
Canon EOS 550D
Autofocus Motor Yes Yes
Autofocus Phase Detect
Multi Area
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
Face Detection
LiveView
Contract Detect (sensor)
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
Face Detection
LiveView
Focus Points 9 9
Lens Mount Sony A

See Compatible Lenses
Canon EF
Canon EF-S

See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier 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
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
Screen & Viewfinder
Sony a500
Canon EOS 550D
Articulated LCD Tilting Fixed
Screen size 3” 3”
Screen dots 230000 1040000
Touch screen No No
Screen type N/A TFT color liquid-crystal LCD
Live view Yes Yes
Viewfinder Type Optical (pentamirror) Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage 95% 95%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.8× (0.53× 35mm equiv.) 0.87× (0.54× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution N/A N/A
Photography features
Sony a500
Canon EOS 550D
Frames per second 5 fps 3,7 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 12 meters 13 meters
External Flash Yes Yes
Self-Timer Yes Yes
Time-lapse No Yes
Metering modes Multi
Center Weighted
Spot
Multi
Center Weighted
Spot
Partial
Exposure Compensation +/- 2 (at 1/3 EV steps) +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features
Sony a500
Canon EOS 550D
Video recording No Yes
Video format N/A H.264
Video resolution N/A 1280 x 720
1920 x 1080
Built-in Microphone No Yes
Built-in Speakers No No
Storage
Sony a500
Canon EOS 550D
Memory Card Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
SD/SDHC
Connectivity
Sony a500
Canon EOS 550D
HDMI Output Yes Yes
Microphone Port No No
Headphone Port No No
Wireless No Yes
Eye-Fi Connected
Remote Control Yes (Wired or wirelss (Optional)) Yes (E3 connector, InfraRed)
GPS No No
Body & Dimensions
Sony a500
Canon EOS 550D
Enviromentally sealed No No
Battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery Details Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery & charger
Lithium-Ion LP-E8 rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 520 shots N/A
Width 137 mm 129 mm
Height 104 mm 98 mm
Depth 84 mm 62 mm
Weight 630 gram 510 gram