Sony a77 II vs Canon EOS 1D X

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a77 II and Canon EOS 1D X. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a77 II is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS 1D X 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 II has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Canon EOS 1D X 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.

** 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 II has a 24 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS 1D X has 18,1 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Sony a77 II has a 34 % larger resolution than Canon EOS 1D X. 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

Both of these cameras offer the exact same ISO range. They both have 100 to 51200.

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 II
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 1D X

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a77 II can shoot up to 12 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 1D X can shoot up to 12 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 II and Canon EOS 1D X 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 1D X weighs 1340 gr (equal to 2.95 lb) which is 107% heavier than Sony a77 II and its 647 gr (or 1.43 lb).

Sony a77 II vs Canon EOS 1D X Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a77 II and Canon EOS 1D X, 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 II	Canon EOS 1D X
Name	Sony a77 II	Canon EOS 1D X
Manufacturer	Sony	Canon
Release Date and Price	Sony a77 II	Canon EOS 1D X
Release Year	2014	2011
Release Date	2014-05-01	2011-10-18
MSRP	1199 USD	6799 USD
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Camera Type	Sony a77 II	Canon EOS 1D X
Camera Type	SLT	DSLR
Sensor	Sony a77 II	Canon EOS 1D X
Sensor Size	APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm)	Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm)
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	6000 x 4000 pixels	5184 x 3456 pixels
Megapixels	24 MP	18,1 MP
Image Processor	Bionz X	DUAL DIGIC 5+
Image	Sony a77 II	Canon EOS 1D X
ISO Range	100 - 51200	100 - 51200
White Balance Presets	9	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 II	Canon EOS 1D X
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView
Focus Points	79	61
Lens Mount	Sony A See Compatible Lenses	Canon EF 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 a77 II	Canon EOS 1D X
Articulated LCD	Fully articulated	Fixed
Screen size	3”	3.2”
Screen dots	1229000	1040000
Touch screen	No	No
Screen type	WhiteMagic TFT	Clear View II TFT LCD
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Electronic	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	1.09× (0.73× 35mm equiv.)	0.76×
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Sony a77 II	Canon EOS 1D X
Frames per second	12 fps	12 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/8000 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 Average
Exposure Compensation	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features	Sony a77 II	Canon EOS 1D X
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	No
Storage	Sony a77 II	Canon EOS 1D X
Memory Card	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC	Compact Flash
Connectivity	Sony a77 II	Canon EOS 1D X
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	Yes	No
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	Yes Built-in (802.11b/g/n with NFC)	Yes Optional with LC-5
Remote Control	Yes (wired, wireless, or smartphone)	Yes (N3 connector)
GPS	No	Yes Optional with GP-E1 and GP-E2
Body & Dimensions	Sony a77 II	Canon EOS 1D X
Enviromentally sealed	Yes	Yes
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	NP-FM500H lithium-ion battery and charger	Lithium-Ion LP-E4N rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	480 shots	1120 shots
Width	143 mm	158 mm
Height	104 mm	164 mm
Depth	81 mm	83 mm
Weight	647 gram	1340 gram