Canon R10 vs Sony ZV-1

The Canon EOS R10 and the Sony Cyber-shot ZV-1 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in May 2022 and May 2020. The R10 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the ZV-1 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (R10) and an one-inch (ZV-1) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 20 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon R10		Sony ZV-1
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
		24-70mm f/1.8-2.8
24 MP – APS-C sensor		20 MP – 1" sensor
4k/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 125-12,800 (80 - 25,600)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
15 shutter flaps per second		24 shutter flaps per second
450 shots per battery charge		260 shots per battery charge
123 x 88 x 83 mm, 429 g		105 x 60 x 44 mm, 294 g

Check R10 price at
amazon.com
Check ZV-1 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R10 and the Sony Cyber-shot ZV-1? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon R10 and the Sony ZV-1. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony ZV-1 is considerably smaller (42 percent) than the Canon R10. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the R10 nor the ZV-1 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the ZV-1 has a lens built in, whereas the R10 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

Concerning battery life, the R10 gets 450 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the ZV-1 can take 260 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	979	amazon.com
2.		Sony ZV-1	105 mm	60 mm	44 mm	294 g	260	n	May 2020	799	ebay.com
3.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	679	amazon.com
4.		Canon R100	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	356 g	400	n	May 2023	479	amazon.com
5.		Canon T8i	131 mm	103 mm	76 mm	515 g	800	n	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
7.		Canon SL3	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
8.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	899	ebay.com
9.		Canon M6 Mark II	120 mm	70 mm	49 mm	408 g	305	n	Aug 2019	849	ebay.com
10.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
11.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
12.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
13.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	979	ebay.com
14.		Sony ZV-1 II	106 mm	60 mm	47 mm	292 g	290	n	May 2023	899	amazon.com
15.		Sony RX100 VII	102 mm	58 mm	43 mm	302 g	260	n	Jul 2019	1,199	amazon.com
16.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	799	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 II	102 mm	58 mm	38 mm	281 g	350	n	Jun 2013	749	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The ZV-1 was launched at a lower price than the R10, despite having a lens built in. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon R10 features an APS-C sensor and the Sony ZV-1 an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the ZV-1 is 65 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 2.7. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 24MP, the R10 offers a higher resolution than the ZV-1 (20MP), but the R10 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.70μm versus 2.41μm for the ZV-1) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the R10 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 11 months) than the ZV-1, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The resolution advantage of the Canon R10 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the R10 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Sony ZV-1 are 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm for good quality, 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm for very good quality, and 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The R10 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS R10 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 32000, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot ZV-1 are ISO 125 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-25600.

In terms of underlying technology, the R10 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the ZV-1 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
2.		Sony ZV-1	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.6	669	66
3.		Canon R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
4.		Canon R100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/24p	24.1	13.9	2197	84
5.		Canon T8i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.5	1873	83
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
7.		Canon SL3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
8.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
9.		Canon M6 Mark II	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
10.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
11.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
12.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
13.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
14.		Sony ZV-1 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.3	12.9	965	67
15.		Sony RX100 VII	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	21.8	12.4	418	63
16.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67
17.		Sony RX100 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.5	12.4	483	67
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the R10 provides a higher frame rate than the ZV-1. It can shoot video footage at 4k/60p, while the Sony is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the R10 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the ZV-1 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon R10 and Sony ZV-1 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

#		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony ZV-1	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon R100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.5/s	Y	n
5.		Canon T8i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.5/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon SL3	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon M6 Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	14.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony ZV-1 II	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	n	n
15.		Sony RX100 VII	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	Y	1/2000s	90.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX100 II	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The R10 has one, while the ZV-1 does not. While the built-in flash of the R10 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon R10 and the Sony ZV-1 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The R10 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the ZV-1 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The R10 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the ZV-1 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS R10 and Sony Cyber-shot ZV-1 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

#		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony ZV-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon R100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon T8i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon M6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony ZV-1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony RX100 VII	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

The R10 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the ZV-1 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the ZV-1 was succeeded by the Sony ZV-1 II. Further information on the features and operation of the R10 and ZV-1 can be found, respectively, in the Canon R10 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony ZV-1 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon R10 and the Sony ZV-1? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS R10:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 20MP) with a 10% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4k/60p versus 4K/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 922k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (450 versus 260) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 11 months after the ZV-1).

Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot ZV-1:

• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (24 vs 15 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the R10 necessitates an extra lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (105x60mm vs 123x88mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the R10).
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in May 2020).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the R10 is the clear winner of the match-up (15 : 6 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon R10 and the Sony ZV-1 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Travel-Zoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the R10 or the ZV-1 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	979	amazon.com
2.		Sony ZV-1	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2020	799	ebay.com
3.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	679	amazon.com
4.		Canon R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	479	amazon.com
5.		Canon T8i	4.5/5	+	3/5	80/100	4/5	3.5/5	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
7.		Canon SL3	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
8.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	899	ebay.com
9.		Canon M6 Mark II	..	+	4.5/5	85/100	4/5	4/5	Aug 2019	849	ebay.com
10.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
11.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
12.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
13.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	979	ebay.com
14.		Sony ZV-1 II	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	83/100	3.5/5	4.5/5	May 2023	899	amazon.com
15.		Sony RX100 VII	4.5/5	..	4/5	..	4/5	5/5	Jul 2019	1,199	amazon.com
16.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	799	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 II	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	749	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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amazon.com
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ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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