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Sony A7S vs Canon SX50 HS Comparison

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Sony A7S

12 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony A7S
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Canon SX50 HS

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Canon SX50 HS
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Sony A7S vs Canon SX50 HS Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Sony A7S, which was introduced in April 2014 is a Pro Mirrorless camera with a 12.0MP Full frame sensor whereas Canon SX50 HS, which was introduced in January 2013 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 12.0MP 1/2.3" sensor. There is 15 months difference between A7S and SX50 HS so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger A7S, especially in sensor tech.

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 Sony A7S and Canon SX50 HS before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A7S Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-04-06
  • 12MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 409600
  • Sony E Mount
  • 3 Tilting Screen
  • 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 120 fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 489g. 127 x 94 x 48 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Canon SX50 HS Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-01-15
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • 24-1200 mm F3.4-6.5 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 2.8" Fully Articulated Screen
  • 202k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 2 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 240 fps High-Speed Video
  • 595g. 123 x 87 x 106 mm
  • Replaced Canon PowerShot SX40 HS Compare

Sony A7S was replaced by Sony Alpha 7S II. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha 7S II vs Sony Alpha A7S
Sony Alpha 7S II vs Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

Canon SX50 HS was replaced by Canon PowerShot SX60 HS. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon PowerShot SX60 HS vs Canon PowerShot SX50 HS
Canon PowerShot SX60 HS vs Sony Alpha A7S

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony A7S and Canon SX50 HS compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7S over Canon PowerShot SX50 HS
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
Max ISO
409.600 vs 6.400 6300% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
25 vs 9 16 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
3 vs 2.8" 0.2 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
1.230k dots vs 461k dots 166% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
5.0fps vs 2.0fps 3 fps faster
Battery Life
360 shots vs 315 shots 45 more frames with a single charge
Weight
489 g vs 595 g 106 g lighter
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs No better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Viewfinder Resolution
2359k dot vs 202k dot 1067% higher resolution
Color Depth
23.9 vs 20.3 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
13.2 vs 11.2 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
3702 vs 179 better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area
71.24µm2 vs 2.34µm2 2944% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone


Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SX50 HS over Sony Alpha A7S
Image Stabilization
Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha A7S and Canon PowerShot SX50 HS
Adjustable LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fully Articulated Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha A7S and Canon PowerShot SX50 HS
LCD Screen Size
3 vs 2.8" Small display
Sony A7S vs Canon SX50 HS: 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 Sony A7S and Canon SX50 HS side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Sony A7S has external dimensions of 127 x 94 x 48 mm (5 x 3.7 x 1.89″) and weighs 489 g (1.08 lb / 17.25 oz) (including batteries). Canon SX50 HS has external dimensions of 123 x 87 x 106 mm (4.84 x 3.43 x 4.17″) and weighs 595 g (1.31 lb / 20.99 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A7S and Canon SX50 HS. Canon SX50 HS is 4mm narrower and 7mm shorter than Sony A7S but it is also 58mm thicker. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Canon SX50 HS has a built-in lens but Sony A7S doesn't. Once you put a lens on A7S, its thickness will increase significantly.

Sony A7S vs Canon SX50 HS Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Sony A7S and Canon SX50 HS Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Sony A7S and Canon SX50 HS.

Sony A7S vs Canon SX50 HS Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Sony A7S and Canon SX50 HS Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony A7S and Canon SX50 HS.
Sony A7S vs Canon SX50 HS Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Sony A7S and Canon SX50 HS Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A7S is significantly lighter (106g ) than the Canon SX50 HS 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 A7S, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

With its weather sealed body, we believe that A7S has a big advantage over SX50 HS which doesn't provide any kind of environmental sealing.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony A7S's 3 LCD screen is slightly larger than Canon SX50 HS's 2.8" screen.

Sony A7S vs Canon SX50 HS: Sensor Comparison

Both Sony A7S and Canon SX50 HS have 12.0 MP resolution sensors but Sony A7S's sensor is Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm ) and Canon SX50 HS's sensor is 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ).

Since Sony A7S's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Canon SX50 HS.

Below you can see the A7S and SX50 HS sensor size comparison.

Sony A7S vs Canon SX50 HS Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A7S and Canon SX50 HS Cameras


As seen above, Sony A7S has a 30.5x Larger sensor area than Canon SX50 HS. 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.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

Both Sony A7S and Canon SX50 HS sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, A7S has scored 87, 40 points higher than SX50 HS.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Sony A7S 87 23.9 bits 13.2 Evs 3702 ISO
Canon SX50 HS 47 20.3 bits 11.2 Evs 179 ISO
What types of Photography are Sony A7S and Canon SX50 HS Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony A7S and Canon SX50 HS 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.

Sony A7S for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Canon SX50 HS for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Sony A7S for Street Photography

GOOD

Canon SX50 HS for Street Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Sony A7S for Sports Photography

GOOD

Canon SX50 HS for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
1200 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50
Read the details

Sony A7S for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Canon SX50 HS for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
489g
Body Thickness 48mm
Read the details
50.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
595g
Body Thickness 106mm
Read the details

Sony A7S for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Canon SX50 HS for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Read the details
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Sony A7S vs Canon SX50 HS: 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 Sony A7S and Canon SX50 HS, 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 Sony A7S and Canon SX50 HS scores compare:

Sony A7S
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #39 out of 86 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #71 out of 1220 in all Cameras
Canon SX50 HS
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #27 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #388 out of 1220 in all Cameras

Sony A7S is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon SX50 HS in all criteria. It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Sony A7S
Sony A7S
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Canon SX50 HS
Canon SX50 HS
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Canon SX50 HS vs Sony A7S Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Alpha A7S Canon PowerShot SX50 HS
Brand Sony Canon
Announced 2014-04-06 2013-01-15
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Size Full frame 1/2.3"
Dimensions 35.8 x 23.9 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 855.62mm2 28.07mm2
Megapixels 12 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4240 x 2832 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 409,600 ISO 6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 80 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 25 9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Sony E fixed lens
Lens Focal Range no lens 24-1200 mm (50x)
Max Aperture no lens F3.4-6.5
Macro Focus Range no lens 0cm
Screen
Type Tilting Fully Articulated
Size 3 2.8"
Resolution 1,230k dots 461k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution 2,359k dots 202k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.71x n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range no built-in flash 5.50 m
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/2000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 2.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 489g 595g
Dimensions 127 x 94 x 48mm 123 x 87 x 106mm
Battery Life 360 shots 315 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording With Downloadable App
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 87 47
DxO Color Depth 23.9 20.3
DxO Dynamic Range 13.2 11.2
DxO Low Light ISO 3702 179
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