Sony a550 vs Canon EOS Rebel T3

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a550 and Canon EOS Rebel T3. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a550 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS Rebel T3 is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon 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. Sony a550 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Canon EOS Rebel T3 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.

** 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 Rebel T3 has 12,2 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Sony a550 has a 15 % larger resolution than Canon EOS Rebel T3. 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

Sony a550 has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS Rebel T3. Sony a550 has an ISO range that stretches from 200 to 12800 while Canon EOS Rebel T3 has 100 to 6400.

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 a550
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS Rebel T3

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 Rebel T3 can shoot up to 3 pictures per seconds.

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 Rebel T3. 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.

Sony a550 weighs 632 gr (equal to 1.39 lb) which is 28% heavier than Canon EOS Rebel T3 and its 495 gr (or 1.09 lb).

Sony a550 vs Canon EOS Rebel T3 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a550 and Canon EOS Rebel T3, 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 Rebel T3
Name	Sony a550	Canon EOS Rebel T3
Manufacturer	Sony	Canon
Release Date and Price	Sony a550	Canon EOS Rebel T3
Release Year	2009	2011
Release Date	2009-08-27	2011-02-07
MSRP	949 USD	499 USD
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Camera Type	Sony a550	Canon EOS Rebel T3
Camera Type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor	Sony a550	Canon EOS Rebel T3
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	4592 x 3056 pixels	4272 x 2848 pixels
Megapixels	14 MP	12,2 MP
Image Processor	Bionz	DIGIC 4
Image	Sony a550	Canon EOS Rebel T3
ISO Range	200 - 12800	100 - 6400
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 a550	Canon EOS Rebel T3
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 a550	Canon EOS Rebel T3
Articulated LCD	Tilting	Fixed
Screen size	3”	2.7”
Screen dots	921600	230000
Touch screen	No	No
Screen type	N/A	TFT color LCD, liquid-crystal monitor
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Optical (pentamirror)	Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage	95%	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.8× (0.53× 35mm equiv.)	0.8× (0.5× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Sony a550	Canon EOS Rebel T3
Frames per second	7 fps	3 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	9 meters
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	No	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot	Multi Center Weighted Partial
Exposure Compensation	+/- 2 (at 1/3 EV steps)	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features	Sony a550	Canon EOS Rebel T3
Video recording	No	Yes
Video format	N/A	Motion JPEG H.264
Video resolution	N/A	1280 x 720
Built-in Microphone	No	Yes
Built-in Speakers	No	No
Storage	Sony a550	Canon EOS Rebel T3
Memory Card	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC	SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Sony a550	Canon EOS Rebel T3
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	No	No
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	No	Yes Eye-Fi Connected
Remote Control	Yes (Wired or Wireless (Optional))	Yes (E3 connector)
GPS	No	No
Body & Dimensions	Sony a550	Canon EOS Rebel T3
Enviromentally sealed	No	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery & charger	Lithium-Ion LP-E10 rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	480 shots	700 shots
Width	137 mm	130 mm
Height	104 mm	100 mm
Depth	84 mm	78 mm
Weight	632 gram	495 gram