Sony a900 vs Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital
This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a900 and Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
Sony a900 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.
Sony a900 were released 2008 and Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital was released 2010. That is a 2 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.| Camera | Released |
| Sony a900 | 2008 |
| Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital | 2010 |
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 Kiss X4 Digital 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 Kiss X4 Digital | 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 Kiss X4 Digital has 18,7 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 Kiss X4 Digital |
18,7 MP
17915904 pixels 5184 x 3456 |
Sony a900 has a 36 % larger resolution than Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital. 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 Kiss X4 Digital has a larger ISO-range than Sony a900. Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 12800 while Sony a900 has 100 to 1600.
| Camera | ISO Range |
| Sony a900 | 100-1600 |
| Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital | 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 a900
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital
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 Kiss X4 Digital can shoot up to 3,7 pictures per seconds.
| Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
| Sony a900 | 5 |
| Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital | 3,7 |
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 Kiss X4 Digital. 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 75% heavier than Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital and its 510 gr (or 1.12 lb).
| Camera | Weight |
| Sony a900 | 895 gr 1.97 lb |
| Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital | 510 gr 1.12 lb |
Sony a900 vs Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a900 and Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital, 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 Kiss X4 Digital |
| Name | Sony a900 | Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital |
| Manufacturer | Sony | Canon |
Release Date and Price |
Sony a900 |
Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital |
| Release Year | 2008 | 2010 |
| Release Date | 2008-09-09 | 2010-02-08 |
| MSRP | 2999 USD | 899 USD |
| Buy it today |
|
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Camera Type |
Sony a900 |
Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital |
| Camera Type | DSLR | DSLR |
Sensor |
Sony a900 |
Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital |
| 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 | 5184 x 3456 pixels |
| Megapixels | 25 MP | 18,7 MP |
| Image Processor | Bionz | DIGIC 4 |
Image |
Sony a900 |
Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital |
| ISO Range | 100 - 1600 | 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 a900 |
Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital |
| 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 Kiss X4 Digital |
| Articulated LCD | Fixed | Fixed |
| Screen size | 3” | 3” |
| Screen dots | 921600 | 1040000 |
| Touch screen | No | No |
| Screen type | TFT Xtra Fine color LCD | TFT color liquid-crystal LCD |
| Live view | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder Type | Optical (pentaprism) | Optical (pentamirror) |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 95% |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.74x | 0.87× (0.54× 35mm equiv.) |
| Viewfinder Resolution | N/A | N/A |
Photography features |
Sony a900 |
Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital |
| 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 | +/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps) | +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
Videography features |
Sony a900 |
Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital |
| 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 | No |
Storage |
Sony a900 |
Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital |
| Memory Card |
Compact Flash Memory Stick Pro Duo |
SD/SDHC |
Connectivity |
Sony a900 |
Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital |
| 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, InfraRed) |
| GPS | No | No |
Body & Dimensions |
Sony a900 |
Canon EOS Kiss X4 Digital |
| Enviromentally sealed | Yes | No |
| Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
| Battery Details |
Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery & charger
|
Lithium-Ion LP-E8 rechargeable battery & charger
|
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 880 shots | 440 shots |
| Width | 156 mm | 129 mm |
| Height | 117 mm | 98 mm |
| Depth | 82 mm | 62 mm |
| Weight | 895 gram | 510 gram |