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Canon SX30 IS vs Sony a5000 Comparison

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Canon SX30 IS

14 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

Canon SX30 IS
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Sony a5000

20 MP | APS-C (23.2 x 15.4 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony a5000
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Canon SX30 IS vs Sony a5000 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Canon SX30 IS, which was introduced in September 2010 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 14.0MP 1/2.3" sensor whereas Sony a5000, which was introduced in January 2014 is a Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a 20.0MP APS-C sensor. As you can see, SX30 IS is 4 years older than a5000. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Comparing an interchangeble lens camera to a fixed lens camera is a bit tricky but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon SX30 IS and Sony a5000 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon SX30 IS Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2010-09-14
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • 24-840 mm F2.7-5.8 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 2.7" Fully Articulated Screen
  • Electronic viewfinder
  • 1 fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 601g. 123 x 92 x 108 mm
  • Replaced Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Compare

Sony a5000 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-01-07
  • 20MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 16000
  • Sony E Mount
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • 4 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 269g. 110 x 63 x 36 mm
  • Replaced Sony Alpha NEX-3N Compare

Canon SX30 IS was replaced by Canon PowerShot SX40 HS. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon PowerShot SX40 HS vs Canon PowerShot SX30 IS
Canon PowerShot SX40 HS vs Sony Alpha a5000

Sony a5000 was replaced by Sony Alpha a5100. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha a5100 vs Sony Alpha a5000
Sony Alpha a5100 vs Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon SX30 IS and Sony a5000 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SX30 IS over Sony Alpha a5000
Image Stabilization
Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
Flash Coverage
6.8m vs 4.0m 2.8m longer range


Reasons to choose Sony Alpha a5000 over Canon PowerShot SX30 IS
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs Eye-Fi Connected Better connectivity
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 14 MP 42% more pixels
Max ISO
16.000 vs 1.600 900% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
25 vs 9 16 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.7" 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
461k dots vs 230k dots 100% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/3200s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
4.0fps vs 1.0fps 3 fps faster
Weight
269 g vs 601 g 332 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area
18.03µm2 vs 2.01µm2 797% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone

Common Strengths of Canon PowerShot SX30 IS and Sony Alpha a5000
Adjustable LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Tilting Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Common Weaknesses of Canon PowerShot SX30 IS and Sony Alpha a5000
LCD Screen Resolution
230k dots vs 461k dots Low resolution screens
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Canon SX30 IS vs Sony a5000: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Canon SX30 IS and Sony a5000 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon SX30 IS has external dimensions of 123 x 92 x 108 mm (4.84 x 3.62 x 4.25″) and weighs 601 g (1.32 lb / 21.20 oz) (including batteries). Sony a5000 has external dimensions of 110 x 63 x 36 mm (4.33 x 2.48 x 1.42″) and weighs 269 g (0.59 lb / 9.49 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon SX30 IS and Sony a5000. Sony a5000 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 13mm narrower, 29mm shorter and 72mm thinner than Canon SX30 IS. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Canon SX30 IS has a built-in lens but Sony a5000 doesn't. Once you put a lens on a5000, its thickness will increase significantly.

Canon SX30 IS vs Sony a5000 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Canon SX30 IS and Sony a5000 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony a5000 is significantly lighter (332g ) than the Canon SX30 IS which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on a5000, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Canon PowerShot SX30 IS nor Sony Alpha a5000 provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing
Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony a5000's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Canon SX30 IS's 2.7" screen.

Canon SX30 IS vs Sony a5000: Sensor Comparison

Canon SX30 IS has a 14.0MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Digic 4 processor. On the other hand, Sony a5000 has a 20.0MP APS-C (23.2 x 15.4 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor.

Sony a5000's sensor provides 6MP more than Canon SX30 IS's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the SX30 IS and a5000 sensor size comparison.

Canon SX30 IS vs Sony a5000 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon SX30 IS and Sony a5000 Cameras


As seen above, Sony a5000 has a 12.7x Larger sensor area than Canon SX30 IS. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

What types of Photography are Canon SX30 IS and Sony a5000 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon SX30 IS and Sony a5000 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Canon SX30 IS for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Sony a5000 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.2 x 15.4 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Street Photography

GOOD

Sony a5000 for Street Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.70
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.2 x 15.4 mm) sensor
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Sony a5000 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
840 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/3200s
No RAW shooting capability
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.80
Read the details
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Sony a5000 for Daily Photography

GOOD
35.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
601g
Body Thickness 108mm
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.2 x 15.4 mm) sensor
269g
Medium size Body
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony a5000 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.2 x 15.4 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS vs Sony a5000: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Canon SX30 IS and Sony a5000, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Canon SX30 IS and Sony a5000 scores compare:

Canon SX30 IS
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #69 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #626 out of 1220 in all Cameras
Sony a5000
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #50 out of 126 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #270 out of 1220 in all Cameras

Sony a5000 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon SX30 IS in all criteria.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Canon SX30 IS
Canon SX30 IS
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Sony a5000
Sony a5000
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Sony a5000 vs Canon SX30 IS Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Sony Alpha a5000
Brand Canon Sony
Announced 2010-09-14 2014-01-07
Body Type SLR-like (bridge) Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CCD CMOS
Size 1/2.3" APS-C
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 23.2 x 15.4 mm
Area 28.07mm2 357.28mm2
Megapixels 14 megapixels 20 megapixels
Max Resolution 4320 x 3240 5456 x 3632
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 ISO 16,000 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 ISO 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 9 25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens Sony E
Lens Focal Range 24-840 mm (35×) no lens
Max Aperture F2.7-5.8 no lens
Macro Focus Range 0cm no lens
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Tilting
Size 2.7" 3"
Resolution 230k dots 461k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/3200s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.80 m 4.00 m (at ISO 100)
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/160s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps 4.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720 1920 x 1080
Video Formats Motion JPEG MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Eye-Fi Connected Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 601g 269g
Dimensions 123 x 92 x 108mm 110 x 63 x 36mm
Battery Life n/a 420 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording With Downloadable App
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 79
DxO Color Depth not tested 23.8
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 13.0
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 1089
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