• APS-C 332.3mm2
  • 18.0 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • APS-C 369.7mm2
  • 16.2 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 12,800

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Differences

Canon 7D advantages over Sony A55

  • Lens selection
    Excellent vs Good
    Better lens selection gives you more options
  • Fast startup
    ~0.40 vs 0.9 sec
    Faster startup lets you catch the moment
  • Longer stills battery life
    More info 800 vs 330 shots
    Capture more photos
  • More telephoto lens reach
    216 mm vs 83 mm
    Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
  • Top deck display
    Yes vs No
    Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
  • More cross-type AF points
    19 vs 3
    Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
  • Higher max flash sync
    1/250 vs 1/160 sec
    Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
  • Shoots 24p video
    Yes vs No
    Gives your movies a big-screen feel
  • Shoots 1080p video
    Yes vs No
    You'll want this if you shoot video
  • Less shutter lag
    0.13 vs 0.22 sec
    Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
  • Shoots 60p video
    Yes vs No
    A faster framerate can give you more editing options
  • Faster shutter
    1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
    Shoot wide open in bright light

Sony A55 advantages over Canon 7D

  • Larger sensor
    APS-C 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
  • In-camera panoramas
    Yes vs No
    Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
  • Tiltable Screen
    Tiltable vs Fixed
    Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
  • Built-in GPS
    GPS vs None
    Geotag your photos
  • Lighter weight
    727g vs 1467g
    Lighter weight
  • More viewfinder magnification
    0.73x vs 0.63x
    Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
  • Wider angle kit lens
    27 mm vs 45 mm
    Capture more of the scene with the included lens
  • Faster JPEG shooting
    9.0 fps vs 8.0 fps
    Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
  • Higher extended ISO
    25600 vs 12800 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
  • Internal flash
    Both provide
    Useful in a pinch for fill flash
  • 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

  • Focus peaking
    Neither provide
    Your camera will highlight what's in focus
  • Touchscreen
    Neither provide
    Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
    Neither provide
    Share your photos wirelessly
  • Built-in Bluetooth
    Neither provide
    Always-on wireless connectivity
  • On-sensor phase detect
    Neither provide
    Usually improves live view and video AF performance
  • Dual card slots
    Neither provide
    Gives you more storage flexibility
  • Headphone jack
    Neither provide
    Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
  • Slow-motion videos
    Neither provide
    Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Your purchases support this site

Review Excerpt

  • Excellent 18-megapixel sensor with impressively low noise and superb detail; Very good high ISO performance, especially for 18-megapixel subframe sensor; Rugged construction with magnesium body and weather sealing; Fast autofocus and fast burst rate of 8 fps; Full HD (1920x1080) movies at 30/25/24p, 60/50p at 1280x720.

  • No dedicated AF-assist lamp (flash is used), and AF-assist adjustment is buried in the Flash Settings menu; Kit lens (28-135mm) isn't quite up to the resolving power of the 18-megapixel sensor, odd focal length for subframe DSLR; No continuous autofocus in Movie mode.

The Competition

Compared to Canon 7D Mark II

Canon 7D
Canon 7D Mark II
  • $1499
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Less shutter lag
  • $1597
  • APS-C
  • Higher effective ISO
  • Built-in GPS
Sony A55
Canon 7D Mark II
  • $734
  • APS-C
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • Bigger pixels
  • $1597
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Fast startup

Compared to Canon 60D

Canon 7D
Canon 60D
  • $1499
  • APS-C
  • More cross-type AF points
  • Less shutter lag
  • $899
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Tilt-swivel screen
Sony A55
Canon 60D
  • $734
  • APS-C
  • Larger sensor
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • $899
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Tilt-swivel screen

Compared to Sony A33

Canon 7D
Sony A33
  • $1499
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Fast startup
  • $540
  • APS-C
  • Larger sensor
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
Sony A55
Sony A33
  • $734
  • APS-C
  • Higher effective ISO
  • Built-in GPS
  • $540
  • APS-C

Compared to Nikon D7000

Canon 7D
Nikon D7000
  • $1499
  • APS-C
  • More telephoto lens reach
  • More cross-type AF points
  • $699
  • APS-C
  • Larger sensor
  • Higher effective ISO
Sony A55
Nikon D7000
  • $734
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • $699
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Fast startup

Compared to Sony A35

Canon 7D
Sony A35
  • $1499
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Fast startup
  • $567
  • APS-C
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • In-camera panoramas
Sony A55
Sony A35
  • $734
  • APS-C
  • Tiltable Screen
  • Built-in GPS
  • $567
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Longer stills battery life
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