Sony a77 vs Canon EOS Rebel T3i

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a77 and Canon EOS Rebel T3i. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a77 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS Rebel T3i is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.

Type of camera

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a77 has a "Sony APS-C"-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.

** 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 a77 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:

Sony a77 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 a77 has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS Rebel T3i. Sony a77 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 16000 while Canon EOS Rebel T3i has 100 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 Sony a77
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 a77 can shoot up to 12 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS Rebel T3i can shoot up to 3,7 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

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

In this case, both Sony a77 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.

Sony a77 weighs 732 gr (equal to 1.61 lb) which is 28% heavier than Canon EOS Rebel T3i and its 570 gr (or 1.26 lb).

Sony a77 vs Canon EOS Rebel T3i Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a77 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 a77	Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Name	Sony a77	Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Manufacturer	Sony	Canon
Release Date and Price	Sony a77	Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Release Year	2011	2011
Release Date	2011-08-24	2011-02-07
MSRP	1399 USD	1099 USD
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Camera Type	Sony a77	Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Camera Type	SLT	DSLR
Sensor	Sony a77	Canon EOS Rebel T3i
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	6000 x 4000 pixels	5184 x 3456 pixels
Megapixels	24 MP	18 MP
Image Processor	Bionz	DIGIC 4
Image	Sony a77	Canon EOS Rebel T3i
ISO Range	100 - 16000	100 - 12800
White Balance Presets	8	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 a77	Canon EOS Rebel T3i
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	19	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 a77	Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Articulated LCD	Fully articulated	Fully articulated
Screen size	3”	3”
Screen dots	921000	1040000
Touch screen	No	No
Screen type	N/A	TFT color LCD, liquid-crystal monitor
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Electronic	Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	1.1× (0.73× 35mm equiv.)	0.85× (0.53× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Sony a77	Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Frames per second	12 fps	3,7 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/8000 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	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features	Sony a77	Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Video recording	Yes	Yes
Video format	MPEG4 H.264 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 a77	Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Memory Card	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC	SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Sony a77	Canon EOS Rebel T3i
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	No	No
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	Yes Eye-Fi Connected	Yes Eye-Fi Connected
Remote Control	Yes (Optional)	Yes (E3 connector, InfraRed)
GPS	Yes Built-in	No
Body & Dimensions	Sony a77	Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Enviromentally sealed	Yes	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	Rechargeable NP-FM500H battery & charger	Lithium-Ion LP-E8 rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	470 shots	440 shots
Width	143 mm	133 mm
Height	104 mm	100 mm
Depth	81 mm	80 mm
Weight	732 gram	570 gram