Sony NEX-6 vs Canon 70D

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Sony NEX-6 vs Canon 70D

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APS-C 366.6mm²
16.1 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Sony NEX-6 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the NEX-6.

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.

Succeeded by the Sony A6000
Compare NEX-6 vs A6000

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

Compare SONY A6000 vs CANON 80D

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Differences

Sony NEX-6 advantages over Canon 70D

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Bigger pixels
~ 4.78 vs 4.11 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
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.
NEX-6 test data on DxO Mark 70D test data on DxO Mark

13.1 vs 11.6 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
Thinner
42 mm vs 78 mm
Thinner
Lighter weight
469g vs 1233g
Lighter weight
More viewfinder magnification
0.73x vs 0.59x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Wider angle kit lens
24 mm vs 29 mm
Capture more of the scene with the included lens
Faster JPEG shooting
9.7 fps vs 6.7 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
9.8 fps vs 6.7 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode

Canon 70D advantages over Sony NEX-6

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
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Fast startup
~0.70 vs 2.0 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
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 360 shots
Capture more photos
More telephoto lens reach
216 mm vs 75 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
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Higher max flash sync
1/250 vs 1/160 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Less shutter lag
0.07 vs 0.26 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More pixels
20.2 vs 16.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Bigger JPEG buffer
65 vs 12 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Bigger RAW buffer
14 vs 10 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
On-sensor phase detect
Both provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
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 Image Stabilization
Neither provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
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

Amazon
Adorama
Read NEX-6 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read 70D User Reviews

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Buy the Sony NEX-6

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Body Only
Kit with 16-50mm and 55-210mm Lenses
Kit with 16-50mm Lens

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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

Review Excerpt

Very good image quality; More consumer-friendly control setup than NEX-7 but more advanced (actual Mode dial) than step-down models; OLED EVF and 3-inch tilting LCD monitor provide viewfinder flexibility; Fast and decisive AF on stationary subjects, and good continuous AF on normal moving subjects; Full HD 1080p video recording at up to 60p.
Hybrid AF system speed and accuracy still lags somewhat behind higher-end DSLRs; Wi-Fi features still rudimentary (join the club); LCD is not a touchscreen; User interface foibles.
Read our Sony NEX-6 Review

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

The Competition

Compared to Nikon D7100

Sony NEX-6

Nikon D7100

$549
APS-C

Focus peaking
Bigger pixels

$750
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony NEX-6 vs Nikon D7100

Canon 70D

Nikon D7100

$999
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

$750
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

Compare Canon 70D vs Nikon D7100

Compared to Sony NEX-5N

Sony NEX-6

Sony NEX-5N

$549
APS-C

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

$700
APS-C

Less expensive

Compare Sony NEX-6 vs Sony NEX-5N

Canon 70D

Sony NEX-5N

$999
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Lens selection

$700
APS-C

Bigger pixels
In-camera panoramas

Compare Canon 70D vs Sony NEX-5N

Compared to Sony NEX-F3

Sony NEX-6

Sony NEX-F3

$549
APS-C

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

$600
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

Compare Sony NEX-6 vs Sony NEX-F3

Canon 70D

Sony NEX-F3

$999
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

$600
APS-C

Bigger pixels
In-camera panoramas

Compare Canon 70D vs Sony NEX-F3

Compared to Sony NEX-5R

Sony NEX-6

Sony NEX-5R

$549
APS-C

Eye-level viewfinder
Higher effective ISO

$499
APS-C

Less expensive
Touchscreen

Compare Sony NEX-6 vs Sony NEX-5R

Canon 70D

Sony NEX-5R

$999
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

$499
APS-C

Focus peaking
Bigger pixels

Compare Canon 70D vs Sony NEX-5R

Compared to Sony A77 II

Sony NEX-6

Sony A77 II

$549
APS-C

Bigger pixels
On-sensor phase detect

$1198
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Sony NEX-6 vs 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

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