Canon R7 vs Sony A5000

The Canon EOS R7 and the Sony Alpha A5000 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in May 2022 and January 2014. Both the R7 and the A5000 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 32.3 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 19.8 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon R7		Sony A5000
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
		Sony E mount lenses
32.3 MP – APS-C sensor		19.8 MP – APS-C sensor
4k/60p Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-16,000
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1620k dots		3.0" LCD – 461k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
15 shutter flaps per second		3.5 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
660 shots per battery charge		420 shots per battery charge
132 x 90 x 92 mm, 612 g		110 x 63 x 36 mm, 269 g

Check R7 price at
amazon.com
Check A5000 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R7 and the Sony Alpha A5000? 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 R7 and the Sony A5000. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The A5000 can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, white), while the R7 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A5000 is considerably smaller (42 percent) than the Canon R7. Moreover, the A5000 is substantially lighter (56 percent) than the R7. It is worth mentioning in this context that the R7 is splash and dust resistant, while the A5000 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the R7 gets 660 shots out of its Canon LP-E6NH battery, while the A5000 can take 420 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 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 R7	132 mm	90 mm	92 mm	612 g	660	Y	May 2022	1,499	amazon.com
2.		Sony A5000	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	269 g	420	n	Jan 2014	449	ebay.com
3.		Canon 90D	141 mm	105 mm	77 mm	701 g	1300	Y	Aug 2019	1,199	amazon.com
4.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
5.		Canon R5	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	738 g	320	Y	Jul 2020	3,899	amazon.com
6.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	2,499	amazon.com
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	670 g	450	Y	Nov 2022	2,499	amazon.com
8.		Fujifilm X-T4	135 mm	93 mm	64 mm	607 g	500	Y	Feb 2020	1,699	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X-T5	130 mm	91 mm	64 mm	557 g	580	Y	Nov 2022	1,699	amazon.com
10.		Nikon D3300	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	430 g	700	n	Jan 2014	499	ebay.com
11.		Nikon Z5	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	470	Y	Jul 2020	1,399	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic GH5 II	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	727 g	400	Y	May 2021	1,699	amazon.com
13.		Sony A7 IV	131 mm	96 mm	80 mm	659 g	580	Y	Oct 2021	2,499	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7C II	124 mm	71 mm	63 mm	514 g	540	Y	Aug 2023	2,199	amazon.com
15.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
16.		Sony NEX-3N	110 mm	62 mm	35 mm	269 g	480	n	Feb 2013	499	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	999	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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The A5000 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 70 percent) than the R7, which puts it into a different market segment. 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the A5000 is 8 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.6 (R7) and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Canon R7 offers a higher resolution of 32.3 megapixels, compared with 19.8 MP of the Sony A5000. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.20μm versus 4.25μm for the A5000). However, it should be noted that the R7 is much more recent (by 8 years and 4 months) than the A5000, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The resolution advantage of the Canon R7 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the R7 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 34.8 x 23.2 inches or 88.4 x 58.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 23.2 x 15.5 inches or 58.9 x 39.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Sony A5000 are 27.3 x 18.2 inches or 69.3 x 46.1 cm for good quality, 21.8 x 14.5 inches or 55.4 x 36.9 cm for very good quality, and 18.2 x 12.1 inches or 46.2 x 30.8 cm for excellent quality prints.

The R7 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS R7 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 Alpha A5000 are ISO 100 to ISO 16000 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon R7	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2092	84
2.		Sony A5000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.8	13.0	1089	79
3.		Canon 90D	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
4.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
5.		Canon R5	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8K/30p	25.3	14.6	3042	95
6.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	25.4	14.6	3154	96
8.		Fujifilm X-T4	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.1	13.6	1995	84
9.		Fujifilm X-T5	APS-C	39.8	7728	5152	6.2k/30p	24.3	13.9	2264	86
10.		Nikon D3300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.8	1385	82
11.		Nikon Z5	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2929	95
12.		Panasonic GH5 II	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.7	13.1	1136	79
13.		Sony A7 IV	Full Frame	32.7	7008	4672	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3379	97
14.		Sony A7C II	Full Frame	32.7	7008	4672	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3237	96
15.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
16.		Sony NEX-3N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	22.8	12.5	1067	74
17.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70
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. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the R7 provides a higher video resolution than the A5000. It can shoot video footage at 4k/60p, while the Sony is limited to 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the R7 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the A5000 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon R7, the Sony A5000, and comparable 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 R7	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	n	Y
2.		Sony A5000	none	n	3.0 / 461	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 90D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
5.		Canon R5	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
6.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
8.		Fujifilm X-T4	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	n	Y
9.		Fujifilm X-T5	3690	n	3.0 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	n	Y
10.		Nikon D3300	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon Z5	3690	n	3.2 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/8000s	4.5/s	n	Y
12.		Panasonic GH5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony A7 IV	3686	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7C II	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A5100	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony NEX-3N	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony RX100 IV	2359	n	3.0 / 1228	tilting	n	1/2000s	16.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that differentiates the R7 and the A5000 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The R7 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the A5000 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

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, the R7 is one of those camera that have an additional 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 R7 has 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 R7 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A5000 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The R7 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the A5000 only has one slot. The R7 supports UHS-II cards (on both slots), while the A5000 can use UHS-I cards.

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 R7 and Sony Alpha A5000 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 R7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony A5000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon 90D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon R5	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Fujifilm X-T4	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
9.		Fujifilm X-T5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Nikon D3300	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon Z5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Panasonic GH5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Sony A7 IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony A7C II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony A5100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony NEX-3N	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the R7 has a hotshoe, while the A5000 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

The R7 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the A5000 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the A5000 was succeeded by the Sony A5100. Further information on the features and operation of the R7 and A5000 can be found, respectively, in the Canon R7 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A5000 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon R7 better than the Sony A5000 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS R7:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (32.3 vs 19.8MP) with a 28% higher linear resolution.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4k/60p vs 1080/60i).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1620k vs 461k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (15 vs 3.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (660 versus 420) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 8 years and 4 months of technical progress since the A5000 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A5000:

• More compact: Is smaller (110x63mm vs 132x90mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 343g or 56 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (70 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2014).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the R7 is the clear winner of the match-up (22 : 6 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 R7 and the Sony A5000 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the R7 or the A5000. 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 R7	4.5/5	+	5/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2022	1,499	amazon.com
2.		Sony A5000	3/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	449	ebay.com
3.		Canon 90D	4/5	+	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2019	1,199	amazon.com
4.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
5.		Canon R5	4.5/5	+	4/5	91/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2020	3,899	amazon.com
6.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	2,499	amazon.com
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2022	2,499	amazon.com
8.		Fujifilm X-T4	5/5	+ +	5/5	88/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2020	1,699	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X-T5	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	90/100	4.5/5	..	Nov 2022	1,699	amazon.com
10.		Nikon D3300	3/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	499	ebay.com
11.		Nikon Z5	4/5	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jul 2020	1,399	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic GH5 II	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2021	1,699	amazon.com
13.		Sony A7 IV	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2021	2,499	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7C II	4/5	..	4/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2023	2,199	amazon.com
15.		Sony A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
16.		Sony NEX-3N	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	499	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

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