Canon XSi vs Sony RX10

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Canon XSi vs Sony RX10

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APS-C 328.6mm²
12.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 1600

Go in depth with our full Canon XSi Review.
See real-world photos taken with the XSi.

1 inch 116.2mm²
20.2 megapixels
24.00mm - 200.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Sony RX10 Review.
How does it shoot? Sony RX10 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the RX10.
Compare Sony RX10 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony RX10 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Canon T1i
Compare XSi vs T1i

Succeeded by the Sony RX10 II
Compare RX10 vs RX10 II

Compare CANON T1I vs SONY RX10 II

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Differences

Canon XSi advantages over Sony RX10

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 1 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 5.20 vs 2.41 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.40 vs 2.0 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
XSi test data on DxO Mark RX10 test data on DxO Mark

692 vs 474 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Thinner
61 mm vs 102 mm
Thinner
Lighter weight
539g vs 832g
Lighter weight
Less shutter lag
0.16 vs 0.23 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
Bigger JPEG buffer
53 vs 21 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Sony RX10 advantages over Canon XSi

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
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 Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
More dynamic range

More dynamic range

Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
RX10 test data on DxO Mark XSi test data on DxO Mark

12.6 vs 10.8 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Integrated ND filter
Yes vs No
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Higher max flash sync
1/3200 vs 1/200 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Newer
11 years vs 17 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
HDMI out
HDMI out vs None
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
More dots on screen
1229k vs 230k dots
Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
Shoots 1080p video
Yes vs No
You'll want this if you shoot video
More viewfinder magnification
0.70x vs 0.54x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
20.2 vs 12.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Faster JPEG shooting
10.0 fps vs 3.5 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Higher extended ISO
25600 vs 1600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read XSi User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read RX10 User Reviews

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Sony RX10

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Review Excerpt

Read our Canon XSi Full Review

Smaller than SLR/CSC with comparable lenses; Larger sensor than other bridge cameras; SLR-like body without the hassle of changing lenses; Weather-sealed; Constant f/2.8 maximum aperture; Generous zoom range; Great viewfinder; Swift performance; Plenty of enthusiast-friendly features including raw shooting; Wi-Fi and NFC wireless sharing.
Expensive compared to other bridge cameras; Menus respond slowly after burst shooting; Lens doesn't zoom very quickly; High ISO performance doesn't quite match RX100 II.
Read our Sony RX10 Review

The Competition

Compared to Panasonic FZ1000

Canon XSi

Panasonic FZ1000

$649
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$773
1 inch

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

Compare Canon XSi vs Panasonic FZ1000

Sony RX10

Panasonic FZ1000

$698
1 inch

Top deck display
Integrated ND filter

$773
1 inch

Tilt-swivel screen
Shoot 4K video

Compare Sony RX10 vs Panasonic FZ1000

Compared to Nikon D60

Canon XSi

Nikon D60

$649
APS-C

Higher effective ISO
Less shutter lag

$700
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Canon XSi vs Nikon D60

Sony RX10

Nikon D60

$698
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$700
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 vs Nikon D60

Compared to Pentax K2000

Canon XSi

Pentax K2000

$649
APS-C

More pixels
More AF points

$556
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Canon XSi vs Pentax K2000

Sony RX10

Pentax K2000

$698
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-camera panoramas

$556
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 vs Pentax K2000

Compared to Canon T1i

Canon XSi

Canon T1i

$649
APS-C

Longer stills battery life

$900
APS-C

Fast startup
HDMI out

Compare Canon XSi vs Canon T1i

Sony RX10

Canon T1i

$698
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$900
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 vs Canon T1i

Compared to Sony RX10 II

Canon XSi

Sony RX10 II

$649
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$998
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Canon XSi vs Sony RX10 II

Sony RX10

Sony RX10 II

$698
1 inch

Less expensive

$998
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
Higher effective ISO

Compare Sony RX10 vs Sony RX10 II

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