Sony a900 vs Canon EOS 1100D

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a900 and Canon EOS 1100D. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a900 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS 1100D is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.

Sony a900 were released 2008 and Canon EOS 1100D was released 2011. That is a 3 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony a900 2008
Canon EOS 1100D 2011

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a900 has a "Sony Full Frame"-sensor while Canon EOS 1100D 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 a900 50 mm
Full-frame sensor
No crop factor/focal length multiplier
Canon EOS 1100D 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 a900 has a 25 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS 1100D has 12,2 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera Megapixels
Sony a900 25 MP
24385536 pixels
6048 x 4032
Canon EOS 1100D 12,2 MP
12166656 pixels
4272 x 2848

Sony a900 has a 100 % larger resolution than Canon EOS 1100D. 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 1100D has a larger ISO-range than Sony a900. Canon EOS 1100D has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 6400 while Sony a900 has 100 to 1600.

Camera ISO Range
Sony a900 100-1600
Canon EOS 1100D 100-6400

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 a900
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 1100D

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a900 can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 1100D can shoot up to 3 pictures per seconds.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a900 5
Canon EOS 1100D 3

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 1100D. Sadly, the Sony a900 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 a900 weighs 895 gr (equal to 1.97 lb) which is 81% heavier than Canon EOS 1100D and its 495 gr (or 1.09 lb).

Camera Weight
Sony a900 895 gr
1.97 lb
Canon EOS 1100D 495 gr
1.09 lb

Sony a900 vs Canon EOS 1100D Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a900 and Canon EOS 1100D, 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 a900
Canon EOS 1100D
Name Sony a900 Canon EOS 1100D
Manufacturer Sony Canon
Release Date and Price
Sony a900
Canon EOS 1100D
Release Year 2008 2011
Release Date 2008-09-09 2011-02-07
MSRP 2999 USD 419 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony a900
Canon EOS 1100D
Camera Type DSLR DSLR
Sensor
Sony a900
Canon EOS 1100D
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 4272 x 2848 pixels
Megapixels 25 MP 12,2 MP
Image Processor Bionz DIGIC 4
Image
Sony a900
Canon EOS 1100D
ISO Range 100 - 1600 100 - 6400
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 a900
Canon EOS 1100D
Autofocus Motor Yes Yes
Autofocus Phase Detect
Multi Area
Center
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
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 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 a900
Canon EOS 1100D
Articulated LCD Fixed Fixed
Screen size 3” 2.7”
Screen dots 921600 230000
Touch screen No No
Screen type TFT Xtra Fine color LCD TFT color LCD, liquid-crystal monitor
Live view No Yes
Viewfinder Type Optical (pentaprism) Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 95%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.74x 0.8× (0.5× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution N/A N/A
Photography features
Sony a900
Canon EOS 1100D
Frames per second 5 fps 3 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 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 +/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps) +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features
Sony a900
Canon EOS 1100D
Video recording No Yes
Video format N/A H.264
Video resolution N/A 1280 x 720
Built-in Microphone No Yes
Built-in Speakers No No
Storage
Sony a900
Canon EOS 1100D
Memory Card Compact Flash
Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
Connectivity
Sony a900
Canon EOS 1100D
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 a900
Canon EOS 1100D
Enviromentally sealed Yes 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) 880 shots 700 shots
Width 156 mm 130 mm
Height 117 mm 100 mm
Depth 82 mm 78 mm
Weight 895 gram 495 gram