Sony a850 vs Canon EOS 70D

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a850 and Canon EOS 70D. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a850 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS 70D is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.

Sony a850 were released 2009 and Canon EOS 70D was released 2013. That is a 4 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony a850 2009
Canon EOS 70D 2013

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a850 has a "Sony Full Frame"-sensor while Canon EOS 70D 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 a850 50 mm
Full-frame sensor
No crop factor/focal length multiplier
Canon EOS 70D 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 a850 has a 25 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS 70D has 20,2 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera Megapixels
Sony a850 25 MP
24385536 pixels
6048 x 4032
Canon EOS 70D 20,2 MP
19961856 pixels
5472 x 3648

Sony a850 has a 22 % larger resolution than Canon EOS 70D. 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 70D has a larger ISO-range than Sony a850. Canon EOS 70D has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 12800 while Sony a850 has 200 to 3200.

Camera ISO Range
Sony a850 200-3200
Canon EOS 70D 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 a850
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 70D

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a850 can shoot up to 3 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 70D can shoot up to 7 pictures per seconds.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a850 3
Canon EOS 70D 7

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 70D. Sadly, the Sony a850 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 a850 weighs 895 gr (equal to 1.97 lb) which is 19% heavier than Canon EOS 70D and its 755 gr (or 1.66 lb).

Camera Weight
Sony a850 895 gr
1.97 lb
Canon EOS 70D 755 gr
1.66 lb

Sony a850 vs Canon EOS 70D Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a850 and Canon EOS 70D, 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 a850
Canon EOS 70D
Name Sony a850 Canon EOS 70D
Manufacturer Sony Canon
Release Date and Price
Sony a850
Canon EOS 70D
Release Year 2009 2013
Release Date 2009-08-27 2013-07-02
MSRP 1999 USD 1199 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony a850
Canon EOS 70D
Camera Type DSLR DSLR
Sensor
Sony a850
Canon EOS 70D
Sensor Size Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) APS-C (approx 22.3 x 14.9 mm)
Sensor Type CMOS CMOS
Resolution 6048 x 4032 pixels 5472 x 3648 pixels
Megapixels 25 MP 20,2 MP
Image Processor Bionz DIGIC 5+
Image
Sony a850
Canon EOS 70D
ISO Range 200 - 3200 100 - 12800
White Balance Presets 7 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 a850
Canon EOS 70D
Autofocus Motor Yes Yes
Autofocus Phase Detect
Multi Area
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
Contract Detect (sensor)
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Center
Selective Single Point
Tracking
Single
Continuous
Touch
Face Detection
LiveView
Focus Points 9 19
Lens Mount Sony A

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 a850
Canon EOS 70D
Articulated LCD Fixed Fully articulated
Screen size 3” 3”
Screen dots 921600 1040000
Touch screen No Yes
Screen type TFT Xtra Fine color LCD Clear View II TFT color LCD
Live view No Yes
Viewfinder Type Optical (pentaprism) Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage 98% 98%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.74× 0.95× (0.59× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution N/A 0
Photography features
Sony a850
Canon EOS 70D
Frames per second 3 fps 7 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed 30 seconds 30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000 seconds 1/8000 seconds
Built-in Flash No Yes
Built-in Flash Range N/A 12 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 +/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps) +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features
Sony a850
Canon EOS 70D
Video recording No Yes
Video format N/A H.264
Video resolution N/A 1280 x 720
1920 x 1080
Built-in Microphone No Yes
Built-in Speakers No Yes
Storage
Sony a850
Canon EOS 70D
Memory Card Compact Flash
Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
Connectivity
Sony a850
Canon EOS 70D
HDMI Output Yes Yes
Microphone Port No Yes
Headphone Port No No
Wireless No Yes
Remote Control Yes (Wired or Wireless (Optional)) Yes (RS-60E3 cable release, RC-6 wireless remote, or using smartphone over Wi-Fi)
GPS No Yes
Optional through GP-E2
Body & Dimensions
Sony a850
Canon EOS 70D
Enviromentally sealed No Yes
Battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery Details Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery & charger
Lithium-Ion LP-E6 rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 880 shots 920 shots
Width 156 mm 139 mm
Height 117 mm 104 mm
Depth 82 mm 79 mm
Weight 895 gram 755 gram