Sony a7 vs Canon EOS Rebel T3i

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a7 and Canon EOS Rebel T3i. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a7 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS Rebel T3i is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.

Sony a7 were released 2013 and Canon EOS Rebel T3i was released 2011. That is a 2 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony a7 2013
Canon EOS Rebel T3i 2011

Type of camera

Sony a7 is a Mirrorless camera while Canon EOS Rebel T3i is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a7 has a "Sony Full Frame"-sensor while Canon EOS Rebel T3i 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 a7 50 mm
Full-frame sensor
No crop factor/focal length multiplier
Canon EOS Rebel T3i 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 a7 has a 24 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS Rebel T3i has 18 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera Megapixels
Sony a7 24 MP
24000000 pixels
6000 x 4000
Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP
17915904 pixels
5184 x 3456

Sony a7 has a 34 % larger resolution than Canon EOS Rebel T3i. 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 a7 has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS Rebel T3i. Sony a7 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 25600 while Canon EOS Rebel T3i has 100 to 12800.

Camera ISO Range
Sony a7 100-25600
Canon EOS Rebel T3i 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 a7
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a7 can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS Rebel T3i can shoot up to 3,7 pictures per seconds.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a7 5
Canon EOS Rebel T3i 3,7

Ability to record movies

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

In this case, both Sony a7 and Canon EOS Rebel T3i can shoot movies.

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 Rebel T3i weighs 570 gr (equal to 1.26 lb) which is 20% heavier than Sony a7 and its 474 gr (or 1.04 lb).

Camera Weight
Sony a7 474 gr
1.04 lb
Canon EOS Rebel T3i 570 gr
1.26 lb

Sony a7 vs Canon EOS Rebel T3i Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a7 and Canon EOS Rebel T3i, 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 a7
Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Name Sony a7 Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Manufacturer Sony Canon
Release Date and Price
Sony a7
Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Release Year 2013 2011
Release Date 2013-10-16 2011-02-07
MSRP 1699 USD 1099 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony a7
Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Camera Type Mirrorless DSLR
Sensor
Sony a7
Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Sensor Size Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) APS-C (approx 22.3 x 14.9 mm)
Sensor Type CMOS CMOS
Resolution 6000 x 4000 pixels 5184 x 3456 pixels
Megapixels 24 MP 18 MP
Image Processor Bionz X DIGIC 4
Image
Sony a7
Canon EOS Rebel T3i
ISO Range 100 - 25600 100 - 12800
White Balance Presets 10 6
Custom White Balance Yes Yes
Image Stabilization No No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating 0 stops 0 stops
Uncompressed format RAW RAW
Optics & Focus
Sony a7
Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Autofocus Motor Yes Yes
Autofocus Contract Detect (sensor)
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Center
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 117 9
Lens Mount Sony E

See Compatible Lenses
Canon EF
Canon EF-S

See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier 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
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 a7
Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Articulated LCD Tilting Fully articulated
Screen size 3” 3”
Screen dots 1230000 1040000
Touch screen No No
Screen type Xtra Fine LCD TFT color LCD, liquid-crystal monitor
Live view Yes Yes
Viewfinder Type Electronic Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 95%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.71× 0.85× (0.53× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution N/A N/A
Photography features
Sony a7
Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Frames per second 5 fps 3,7 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed 30 seconds 30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Built-in Flash No Yes
Built-in Flash Range N/A 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 +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features
Sony a7
Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Video recording Yes Yes
Video format MPEG4
AVCHD
MPEG4
H.264
Video resolution 1440 x 1080
1920 x 1080
1280 x 720
1920 x 1080
Built-in Microphone Yes Yes
Built-in Speakers Yes Yes
Storage
Sony a7
Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Memory Card Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
SD/SDHC
Connectivity
Sony a7
Canon EOS Rebel T3i
HDMI Output Yes Yes
Microphone Port Yes No
Headphone Port Yes No
Wireless Yes
Built-In ( with NFC and wireless control via PlayMemories Mobile app)
Yes
Eye-Fi Connected
Remote Control Yes (wired) Yes (E3 connector, InfraRed)
GPS No No
Body & Dimensions
Sony a7
Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Enviromentally sealed Yes No
Battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery Details NP-FW50 lithium-ion battery and charger
Lithium-Ion LP-E8 rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 340 shots 440 shots
Width 127 mm 133 mm
Height 94 mm 100 mm
Depth 48 mm 80 mm
Weight 474 gram 570 gram