Sony A100 vs Canon G1 X MII Comparison

Camera to replace

Change

Sony A100

10 MP | APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) CCD Sensor

CHECK PRICE

Change

Canon G1 X II

13 MP | 1.5″ (18.7 x 14 mm) CMOS Sensor

CHECK PRICE

Sony A100 vs Canon G1 X II Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Sony A100, which was introduced in July 2006 is a Entry-Level DSLR camera with a 10.0MP APS-C sensor whereas Canon G1 X II, which was introduced in February 2014 is a Large Sensor Compact camera with a 13.0MP 1.5-inch sensor. As you can see, A100 is 8 years older than G1 X MII. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Comparing a DSLR camera to a Fixed Lens camera is not an easy task but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Sony A100 and Canon G1 X II before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A100 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2006-07-31

10MP - APS-C CCD Sensor

ISO 100 - 1600

Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

2.5" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder

3 fps continuous shooting

No Video Mode

638g. 133 x 95 x 71 mm

Replaced Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D Compare

Canon G1 X II Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2014-02-12

13MP - 1.5-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 12800

24-120 mm F2.0-3.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Tilting Screen

5 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

553g. 116 x 74 x 66 mm

Replaced Canon PowerShot G1 X Compare

Sony A100 was replaced by Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha DSLR-A580 vs Sony Alpha DSLR-A100
Sony Alpha DSLR-A580 vs Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

Canon G1 X II was replaced by Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III vs Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III vs Sony Alpha DSLR-A100

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony A100 and Canon G1 X II compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 over Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

Viewfinder	Optical vs Electronic (Optional)	Better framing and control
Color Depth	22.0 vs 21.5	higher color depth
Dynamic Range	11.2 vs 10.8	higher dynamic range
Sensor Pixel Area	37.14µm² vs 20.17µm²	84% larger pixel area

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II over Sony Alpha DSLR-A100

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
LCD Screen	Tilting vs Fixed Type	Flexible shooting positions
Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution	13 MP vs 10 MP	30% more pixels
Max ISO	12.800 vs 1.600	700% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	31 vs 9	22 more focus points
LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.5"	0.5 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution	1.040k dots vs 230k dots	352% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting	5.0fps vs 3.0fps	2 fps faster
Weight	553 g vs 638 g	85 g lighter
Low Light ISO	581 vs 476	better High ISO performance
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs None	Higher Resolution Video
Built-in ND Filter	3.0-stops vs No	Use larger aperture under strong light
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD	Yes vs No	Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
NFC Connection	Yes vs No	Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 and Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality

Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 and Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
AE Bracketing	No vs No	Not good for multi-exposure HDR

Sony A100 vs Canon G1 X II: 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 A100 and Canon G1 X II side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Sony A100 has external dimensions of 133 x 95 x 71 mm (5.24 x 3.74 x 2.8″) and weighs 638 g (1.41 lb / 22.50 oz) (including batteries). Canon G1 X II has external dimensions of 116 x 74 x 66 mm (4.57 x 2.91 x 2.6″) and weighs 553 g (1.22 lb / 19.51 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A100 and Canon G1 X II. Canon G1 X II is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 17mm narrower, 21mm shorter and 5mm thinner than Sony A100. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Canon G1 X II has a built-in lens but Sony A100 doesn't. Once you put a lens on A100, its thickness will increase significantly.

Comparison image of Sony A100 and Canon G1 X II 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.

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 A100, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 nor Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II 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 DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon G1 X II's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Sony A100's 2.5" screen.

In addition to the size advantage, Canon G1 X II LCD screen also has a Tilting feature where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels. On the other hand, Sony A100 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to G1 X MII.

Sony A100 vs Canon G1 X II: Sensor Comparison

Sony A100 has a 10.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Canon G1 X II has a 13.0MP 1.5-inch (18.7 x 14 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic 6 processor.

Below you can see the A100 and G1 X MII sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A100 and Canon G1 X II Cameras

As seen above, Sony A100 has a 1.4x Larger sensor area than Canon G1 X II. 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 A100 and Canon G1 X II 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, A100 has scored 61, 3 points higher than G1 X MII.

Model	Overall	Color Depth	Dynamic Range	Low-light ISO
Sony A100	61	22.0 bits	11.2 Evs	476 ISO
Canon G1 X II	58	21.5 bits	10.8 Evs	581 ISO

What types of Photography are Sony A100 and Canon G1 X II Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Sony A100 and Canon G1 X II 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 A100 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Canon G1 X II for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
Read the details

Large 1.5″ (18.7 x 14 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Average Resolution Sensor: 13.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Sony A100 for Street Photography

GOOD

Canon G1 X II for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details

Large 1.5″ (18.7 x 14 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Optional External Viewfinder
Read the details

Sony A100 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Canon G1 X II for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Read the details

Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
1 Cross Type Focus sensors
31 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Fast Lens at Tele: f3.90
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
120 mm Tele Lens
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 240 shots
Read the details

Sony A100 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Canon G1 X II for Daily Photography

GOOD

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Large Body
638g
Body Thickness 71mm
Read the details

Large 1.5″ (18.7 x 14 mm) sensor
Compact Body
5.0X Optical Zoom
553g
Body Thickness 66mm
Read the details

Sony A100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon G1 X II for Landscape Photography

POOR

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
No Live-view
Read the details

Large 1.5″ (18.7 x 14 mm) sensor
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 13.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Sony A100 vs Canon G1 X II: 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 A100 and Canon G1 X II, 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 A100 and Canon G1 X II scores compare:

Sony A100

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #61 out of 79 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #495 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Canon G1 X II

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #30 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #247 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Canon G1 X II has a higher Overall Score than the Sony A100 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Canon G1 X II vs Sony A100 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Sony Alpha DSLR-A100	Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Brand	Sony	Canon
Announced	2006-07-31	2014-02-12
Body Type	Compact SLR	Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CMOS
Size	APS-C	1.5-inch
Dimensions	23.6 x 15.8 mm	18.7 x 14 mm
Area	372.88mm²	261.80mm²
Megapixels	10 megapixels	13 megapixels
Max Resolution	3872 x 2592	4160 x 3120
Max Native Light sensitivity	1,600 ISO	12,800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 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	31
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Sony/Minolta Alpha	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	no lens	24-120 mm (5x)
Max Aperture	no lens	F2.0-3.9
Macro Focus Range	no lens	5cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Tilting
Size	2.5"	3"
Resolution	230k dots	1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentamirror)	Electronic (optional)
Viewfinder Coverage	95%	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	0.55x	n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	n/a	6.80 m
Max Flash Sync	1/160s	n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	3.0 fps	5.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	None	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	n/a	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	638g	553g
Dimensions	133 x 95 x 71mm	116 x 74 x 66mm
Battery Life	n/a	240 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	61	58
DxO Color Depth	22.0	21.5
DxO Dynamic Range	11.2	10.8
DxO Low Light ISO	476	581
	Report a correction	Report a correction