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Canon SX520 vs Sony A99

The Canon PowerShot SX520 HS and the Sony Alpha SLT-A99 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in July 2014 and September 2012. The SX520 is a fixed lens compact, while the A99 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (SX520) and a full frame (A99) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Canon SX520
versus
Sony A99
Canon SX520   Sony A99
Fixed lens compact camera Digital single lens reflex
24-1008mm f/3.4-6 Sony A mount lenses
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor 24 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/30p Video 1080/60p Video
ISO 100-3,200 ISO 100-25,600
No viewfinder, LCD framing Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.0" LCD – 461k dots 3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)
1.6 shutter flaps per second 6 shutter flaps per second
Lens-based stabilizationIn-body stabilization
not weather sealedWeathersealed body
210 shots per battery charge500 shots per battery charge
120 x 82 x 92 mm, 441 g 147 x 111 x 78 mm, 812 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX520 HS and the Sony Alpha SLT-A99? 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.

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Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon SX520 and the Sony A99 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Canon SX520 vs Sony A99
Compare SX520 versus A99 top
Comparison SX520 or A99 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A99 is considerably larger (66 percent) than the Canon SX520. It is noteworthy in this context that the A99 is splash and dust-proof, while the SX520 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the SX520 has a lens built in, whereas the A99 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 SX520 gets 210 shots out of its NB-6LH battery, while the A99 can take 500 images on a single charge of its NP-FM500H power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon SX520 120 mm 82 mm 92 mm 441 g 210 n Jul 2014 399ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A99 147 mm 111 mm 78 mm 812 g 500 Y Sep 2012 2,799ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 4000D 129 mm 102 mm 77 mm 436 g 500 n Feb 2018 399 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon 1300D 129 mm 101 mm 78 mm 485 g 500 n Mar 2016 449ebay.com
5.
 
Canon SX540 120 mm 82 mm 92 mm 442 g 205 n Jan 2016 399ebay.com
6.
 
Canon SX530 120 mm 82 mm 92 mm 442 g 210 n Jan 2015 429ebay.com
7.
 
Canon SX710 113 mm 66 mm 35 mm 269 g 230 n Jan 2015 349ebay.com
8.
 
Canon SX700 113 mm 66 mm 35 mm 269 g 250 n Feb 2014 349ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 1200D 130 mm 100 mm 78 mm 480 g 500 n Feb 2014 449ebay.com
10.
 
Canon SX60 128 mm 93 mm 114 mm 650 g 340 n Sep 2014 549ebay.com
11.
 
Canon SX510 104 mm 70 mm 80 mm 349 g 250 n Aug 2013 249ebay.com
12.
 
Nikon B600 122 mm 82 mm 99 mm 500 g 280 n Jan 2019 349ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A9 127 mm 96 mm 63 mm 673 g 650 Y Apr 2017 4,499ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A99 II 143 mm 104 mm 76 mm 849 g 490 Y Sep 2016 3,199ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A77 143 mm 104 mm 81 mm 732 g 470 Y Aug 2011 1,399ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A850 156 mm 117 mm 82 mm 895 g 880 Y Aug 2009 1,999ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A900 156 mm 117 mm 82 mm 895 g 880 Y Sep 2008 2,999ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The SX520 was launched at a lower price than the A99, 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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 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. 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 more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon SX520 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Sony A99 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A99 is 2943 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 1.0. The sensor in the SX520 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A99 offers a 3:2 aspect.

Canon SX520 and Sony A99 sensor measures

With 24MP, the A99 offers a higher resolution than the SX520 (15.9MP), but the A99 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.96μm versus 1.33μm for the SX520) due to its larger sensor. However, the SX520 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 10 months) than the A99, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the SX520 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A99 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A99 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 Canon SX520 are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon PowerShot SX520 HS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha SLT-A99 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-25600.

In terms of underlying technology, the SX520 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the A99 uses a 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.

SX520 versus A99 MP

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Canon SX520 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/30p20.111.567246
2.
 
Sony A99 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p25.014.0155589
3.
 
Canon 4000D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.911.469563
4.
 
Canon 1300D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.011.778166
5.
 
Canon SX540 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38881080/60p20.311.780648
6.
 
Canon SX530 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/30p20.211.671247
7.
 
Canon SX710 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38881080/60p20.211.671247
8.
 
Canon SX700 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/60p20.111.462945
9.
 
Canon 1200D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.911.372463
10.
 
Canon SX60 1/2.3 14.2 4608 30721080/60p19.210.812739
11.
 
Canon SX510 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/24p20.011.358645
12.
 
Nikon B600 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/30p20.712.2109552
13.
 
Sony A9 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.913.3351792
14.
 
Sony A99 II Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p25.413.4231792
15.
 
Sony A77 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.013.280178
16.
 
Sony A850 Full Frame 24.4 6048 4032none23.812.2141579
17.
 
Sony A900 Full Frame 24.4 6048 4032none23.712.3143179
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the A99 provides a faster frame rate than the SX520. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A99 has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the SX520 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon SX520 and Sony A99 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
# image 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 SX520none n3.0 / 461 fixed n 1/2000s 1.6/s Y Y
2.
 
Sony A992359 Y3.0 / 1229 full-flex n 1/8000s 6.0/s n Y
3.
 
Canon 4000Doptical n2.7 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
4.
 
Canon 1300Doptical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
5.
 
Canon SX540none n3.0 / 461 fixed n 1/2000s 5.9/s Y Y
6.
 
Canon SX530none n3.0 / 461 fixed n 1/2000s 1.6/s Y Y
7.
 
Canon SX710none n3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/3200s 6.0/s Y Y
8.
 
Canon SX700none n3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/3200s 8.5/s Y Y
9.
 
Canon 1200Doptical n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
10.
 
Canon SX60922 n3.0 / 922 swivel n 1/2000s 6.4/s Y Y
11.
 
Canon SX510none n3.0 / 461 fixed n 1/1600s 3.8/s Y Y
12.
 
Nikon B600none n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 7.4/s Y Y
13.
 
Sony A93686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n Y
14.
 
Sony A99 II2400 Y3.0 / 1229 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
15.
 
Sony A772359 Y3.0 / 921 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s Y Y
16.
 
Sony A850optical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 3.0/s n Y
17.
 
Sony A900optical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The SX520 has one, while the A99 does not. While the built-in flash of the SX520 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The A99 has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the SX520 does not have a selfie-screen.

The SX520 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A99 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A99 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the SX520 only has one slot. The A99 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the SX520 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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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 PowerShot SX520 HS and Sony Alpha SLT-A99 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Canon SX520-stereo / mono--mini2.0---
2.
 
Sony A99Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0---
3.
 
Canon 4000DYmono / mono--mini2.0YY-
4.
 
Canon 1300DYmono / mono--mini2.0YY-
5.
 
Canon SX540-stereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
6.
 
Canon SX530-stereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
7.
 
Canon SX710-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
8.
 
Canon SX700-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
9.
 
Canon 1200DYmono / mono--mini2.0---
10.
 
Canon SX60Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
11.
 
Canon SX510-stereo / mono--mini2.0Y--
12.
 
Nikon B600-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
13.
 
Sony A9Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YYY
14.
 
Sony A99 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YYY
15.
 
Sony A77Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
16.
 
Sony A850Y- / ---mini2.0---
17.
 
Sony A900Y- / ---mini2.0---
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It is notable that the A99 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The SX520 does not feature such a mic input.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A99 (unlike the SX520) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the A99 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the SX520 and the A99 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A99 was replaced by the Sony A99, while the SX520 was followed by the Canon SX530. Further information on the features and operation of the SX520 and A99 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX520 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A99 Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon SX520 or the Sony A99 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

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Advantages of the Canon PowerShot SX520 HS:

  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • Ready to shoot: Comes with a built-in lens, while the A99 requires a separate lens.
  • More compact: Is smaller (120x82mm vs 147x111mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the A99).
  • Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
  • More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
  • More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 10 months after the A99).

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Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha SLT-A99:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 25%.
  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
  • Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
  • More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
  • Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
  • 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.
  • Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 461k dots).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 1.6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • More flexible: Makes it possible to change lenses and thus to use specialty optics.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (500 versus 210) out of a single battery charge.
  • Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
  • Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
  • Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2012).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A99 is the clear winner of the contest (25 : 7 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

SX520 07:25 A99

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon SX520 and the Sony A99 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the SX520 or the A99. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon SX520..+....3.5/53.5/5 Jul 2014 399ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A995/5....84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 2,799ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 4000D2.5/5o3/5..3.5/53.5/5 Feb 2018 399 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon 1300D4/5o4/573/1004/54/5 Mar 2016 449ebay.com
5.
 
Canon SX540............ Jan 2016 399ebay.com
6.
 
Canon SX530..+ +....4/54/5 Jan 2015 429ebay.com
7.
 
Canon SX710..+....4/53.5/5 Jan 2015 349ebay.com
8.
 
Canon SX700..+ +....4/54/5 Feb 2014 349ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 1200D3/5+....4/54.5/5 Feb 2014 449ebay.com
10.
 
Canon SX603/5+ +..75/1004/54.5/5 Sep 2014 549ebay.com
11.
 
Canon SX510..+ +....4.5/54/5 Aug 2013 249ebay.com
12.
 
Nikon B600..+....3.5/53/5 Jan 2019 349ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A95/5+ +4.8/589/1005/55/5 Apr 2017 4,499ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A99 II....4.5/585/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2016 3,199ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A775/591/100..81/100..5/5 Aug 2011 1,399ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A8503/5....75/100..4.5/5 Aug 2009 1,999ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A900..+ +..+ +4.5/55/5 Sep 2008 2,999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The above review scores should be interpreted 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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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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 a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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    Specifications: Canon SX520 vs Sony A99

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Canon SX520 Sony A99
    Camera Type Fixed lens compact camera Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens 24-1008mm f/3.4-6 Sony A mount lenses
    Launch Date July 2014 September 2012
    Launch Price USD 399 USD 2,799
    Sensor Specs Canon SX520 Sony A99
    Sensor Technology BSI-CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format 1/2.3" Sensor Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 6.17 x 4.55 mm 35.8 x 23.8 mm
    Sensor Area 28.0735 mm2 852.04 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 7.7 mm 43 mm
    Crop Factor 5.6x 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 15.9 Megapixels 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4608 x 3456 pixels 6000 x 4000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 1.33 μm 5.96 μm
    Pixel Density 56.73 MP/cm2 2.82 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/30p Video 1080/60p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 3,200 ISO 100 - 25,600 ISO
    ISO Boost no Enhancement 50 - 25,600 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC 4+ BIONZ X
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) .. 89
    DXO Color Depth (bits) .. 25.0
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) .. 14.0
    DXO Low Light (ISO) .. 1555
    Screen Specs Canon SX520 Sony A99
    Viewfinder Type no viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.71x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2359k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 461k dots 1229k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Fully flexible screen
    Shooting Specs Canon SX520 Sony A99
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking FeatureFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/2000s 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 1.6 shutter flaps/s 6 shutter flaps/s
    Image StabilizationLens-based stabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards MS or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    UHS card support no UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs Canon SX520 Sony A99
    External Flash no Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Headphone Socket no Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support no Wifi no Wifi
    Geotagging no internal GPS GPS built-in
    Body Specs Canon SX520 Sony A99
    Environmental Sealingnot weather sealedWeathersealed body
    Battery Type NB-6LH NP-FM500H
    Battery Life (CIPA)210 shots per charge500 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 120 x 82 x 92 mm
    (4.7 x 3.2 x 3.6 in)
    147 x 111 x 78 mm
    (5.8 x 4.4 x 3.1 in)
    Camera Weight 441 g (15.6 oz) 812 g (28.6 oz)
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    Check A99 offers at
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