Sony a550 vs Canon EOS R3
This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a550 and Canon EOS R3. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
Sony a550 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS R3 is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.
Sony a550 were released 2009 and Canon EOS R3 was released 2021. That is a 12 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.| Camera | Released |
| Sony a550 | 2009 |
| Canon EOS R3 | 2021 |
Type of camera
Sony a550 is a DSLR camera while Canon EOS R3 is a Mirrorless camera. More information about their differences will come soon.
Sensors / crop factor
These cameras have different sensors. Sony a550 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Canon EOS R3 has a "Canon Full Frame"-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 a550 | 75 mm Sony APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5 |
| Canon EOS R3 | 50 mm Full-frame sensor No crop factor/focal length multiplier |
** 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 a550 has a 14 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS R3 has 24 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:
| Camera | Megapixels |
| Sony a550 |
14 MP
14033152 pixels 4592 x 3056 |
| Canon EOS R3 |
24 MP
24000000 pixels 6000 x 4000 |
Canon EOS R3 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 R3 has a larger ISO-range than Sony a550. Canon EOS R3 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 102400 while Sony a550 has 200 to 12800.
| Camera | ISO Range |
| Sony a550 | 200-12800 |
| Canon EOS R3 | 100-102400 |
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.
Worth mentioning is that Canon EOS R3 belongs to the Canon EOS R-system and needs an adapter to work with Canons EF, EF-S, MP-E, and TS-E lenses. You can read more about this adapter here:
Canon Lens Mount Adapter EF-EOS R
Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a550
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS R3
Pictures per second
Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a550 can shoot up to 7 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS R3 can shoot up to 30 pictures per seconds.
| Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
| Sony a550 | 7 |
| Canon EOS R3 | 30 |
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 R3. Sadly, the Sony a550 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.
Canon EOS R3 weighs 1015 gr (equal to 2.24 lb) which is 61% heavier than Sony a550 and its 632 gr (or 1.39 lb).
| Camera | Weight |
| Sony a550 | 632 gr 1.39 lb |
| Canon EOS R3 | 1015 gr 2.24 lb |
Sony a550 vs Canon EOS R3 Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a550 and Canon EOS R3, 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 a550 |
Canon EOS R3 |
| Name | Sony a550 | Canon EOS R3 |
| Manufacturer | Sony | Canon |
Release Date and Price |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS R3 |
| Release Year | 2009 | 2021 |
| Release Date | 2009-08-27 | 2021-04-14 |
| MSRP | 949 USD | 5999 USD |
| Buy it today |
|
|
Camera Type |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS R3 |
| Camera Type | DSLR | Mirrorless |
Sensor |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS R3 |
| Sensor Size | APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm) | Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | Stacked CMOS |
| Resolution | 4592 x 3056 pixels | 6000 x 4000 pixels |
| Megapixels | 14 MP | 24 MP |
| Image Processor | Bionz | DIGIC X |
Image |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS R3 |
| ISO Range | 200 - 12800 | 100 - 102400 |
| White Balance Presets | 6 | 6 |
| Custom White Balance | Yes | No |
| Image Stabilization |
Yes (Sensor-Shift) |
Yes (Sensor-Shift) |
| Image Stabilization CIPA Rating | 0 stops | 0 stops |
| Uncompressed format | RAW | RAW |
Optics & Focus |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS R3 |
| Autofocus Motor | Yes | Yes |
| Autofocus |
Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection LiveView |
| Focus Points | 9 | 1053 |
| Lens Mount |
Sony A See Compatible Lenses |
Canon RF 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 |
Full frame No multiplier Example: 24 mm remains 24 mm 50 mm remains 50 mm 100 mm remains 100 mm 200 mm remains 200 mm |
Screen & Viewfinder |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS R3 |
| Articulated LCD | Tilting | Fully articulated |
| Screen size | 3” | 3.2” |
| Screen dots | 921600 | 4150000 |
| Touch screen | No | Yes |
| Screen type | N/A | TFT LCD |
| Live view | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder Type | Optical (pentamirror) | Electronic |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 95% | 100% |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.8× (0.53× 35mm equiv.) | 0.76× |
| Viewfinder Resolution | N/A | 5760000 |
Photography features |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS R3 |
| Frames per second | 7 fps | 30 fps |
| Minimum Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/4000 seconds | 1/8000 seconds |
| Built-in Flash | Yes | No |
| Built-in Flash Range | 12 meters | N/A |
| 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) | +/- 3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
Videography features |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS R3 |
| Video recording | No | Yes |
| Video format | N/A |
MPEG4 H.264 H.265 |
| Video resolution | N/A |
1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160 4096 x 2160 |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Built-in Speakers | No | Yes |
Storage |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS R3 |
| Memory Card |
Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC |
Compact Flash Express SD/SDHC |
Connectivity |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS R3 |
| HDMI Output | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone Port | No | Yes |
| Headphone Port | No | Yes |
| Wireless | No |
Yes Built-in (802.11ac + Bluetooth) |
| Remote Control | Yes (Wired or Wireless (Optional)) | Yes (via smartphone) |
| GPS | No |
Yes Built-in |
Body & Dimensions |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS R3 |
| Enviromentally sealed | No | Yes |
| Battery | Battery Pack | Built-in |
| Battery Details |
Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery & charger
|
LP-E19 lithium-ion battery & charger
|
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 480 shots | 760 shots |
| Width | 137 mm | 150 mm |
| Height | 104 mm | 143 mm |
| Depth | 84 mm | 87 mm |
| Weight | 632 gram | 1015 gram |