Canon 70D vs Sony A1

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Canon 70D vs Sony A1

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APS-C 337.5mm²
20.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 12,800

Go in depth with our full Canon 70D Review.
How does it shoot? Canon 70D in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the 70D.
Compare Canon 70D image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Canon 70D conclusion.

35mm 861.6mm²
50.1 megapixels
ISO 100 - 32,000

Go in depth with our full Sony A1 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the A1.
Compare Sony A1 image quality against competitors.

Succeeded by the Canon 80D
Compare 70D vs 80D
Compare Canon 80D vs Sony A1

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Differences

Canon 70D advantages over Sony A1

Less expensive
$999 vs $5498*
Save money for lenses or accessories
Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs tilt-only
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

920 vs 530 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos

Sony A1 advantages over Canon 70D

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Shoot 4K video
No vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
Higher max flash sync
1/400 vs 1/250 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Newer
4 years vs 11 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
More viewfinder magnification
0.90x vs 0.59x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
50.1 vs 20.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos
Faster JPEG shooting
30.0 fps vs 6.7 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
165 vs 65 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
20.0 fps vs 6.7 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
155 vs 14 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/32000 vs 1/8000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
102400 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Touchscreen
Both provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
On-sensor phase detect
Both provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read 70D User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A1 User Reviews

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Buy the Canon 70D

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 18-135mm Lens
Kit with 18-55mm Lens

All 70D Deals

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Sony A1

Body Only

All A1 Deals

Review Excerpt

Dual Pixel CMOS AF delivers full-time continuous autofocus (with phase detect at every pixel in framing area) for video and Live View still shooting; Full HD (1080p) video recording with pro-level features and quality; Improved resolution and good high ISO performance; Excellent Wi-Fi remote shooting with full exposure controls; 3-inch articulating LCD touchscreen.
Image quality only improved slightly over 60D; Dynamic range still lags behind competing models; May not feature enough upgrades to convince people to step up from 60D.
Read our Canon 70D Review

We haven’t finished our review of the Sony A1, but we have extensive sample photos and a hands-on report.
Read our Sony A1 Shooter's Report

The Competition

Compared to Nikon D7100

Canon 70D

Nikon D7100

$999
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

$810
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

Compare Canon 70D vs Nikon D7100

Sony A1

Nikon D7100

$5998
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$810
APS-C

Less expensive
Lens selection

Compare Sony A1 vs Nikon D7100

Compared to Sony A77 II

Canon 70D

Sony A77 II

$999
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

$1198
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Canon 70D vs Sony A77 II

Sony A1

Sony A77 II

$5998
35mm

Larger sensor
Shoot 4K video

$1198
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony A1 vs Sony A77 II

Compared to Canon 7D Mark II

Canon 70D

Canon 7D Mark II

$999
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$1597
APS-C

Fast startup
Higher effective ISO

Compare Canon 70D vs Canon 7D Mark II

Sony A1

Canon 7D Mark II

$5998
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$1597
APS-C

Less expensive
Lens selection

Compare Sony A1 vs Canon 7D Mark II

Compared to Nikon D7200

Canon 70D

Nikon D7200

$999
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$1016
APS-C

Fast startup
NFC

Compare Canon 70D vs Nikon D7200

Sony A1

Nikon D7200

$5998
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$1016
APS-C

Less expensive
Lens selection

Compare Sony A1 vs Nikon D7200

Compared to Sony A7R IV

Canon 70D

Sony A7R IV

$999
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

$3217
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Canon 70D vs Sony A7R IV

Sony A1

Sony A7R IV

$5998
35mm

Slower slow-motion
Longer video battery life

$3217
35mm

Less expensive
High resolution composite

Compare Sony A1 vs Sony A7R IV

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