Sony A68 vs Canon T5

The Sony Alpha SLT-A68 and the Canon EOS Rebel T5 (labelled Canon 1200D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in November 2015 and February 2014. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Canon provides 17.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Sony A68		Canon T5
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Sony A mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60i Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)		Optical viewfinder
2.7" LCD – 460k dots		3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
8 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
540 shots per battery charge		500 shots per battery charge
143 x 104 x 81 mm, 610 g		130 x 100 x 78 mm, 480 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha SLT-A68 and the Canon EOS Rebel T5? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Sony A68 and the Canon T5 is provided in the side-by-side display below. 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 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 Canon T5 is notably smaller (13 percent) than the Sony A68. Moreover, the T5 is markedly lighter (21 percent) than the A68. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the A68 nor the T5 are weather-sealed.

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 A68 gets 540 shots out of its Sony NP-FM500H battery, while the T5 can take 500 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E10 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.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony A68	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	610 g	540	n	Nov 2015	699	ebay.com
2.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
3.		Canon T100	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
4.		Canon T6	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
5.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
6.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
7.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
8.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
9.		Canon T3	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	495 g	700	n	Feb 2011	449	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	699	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic ZS100	111 mm	65 mm	44 mm	312 g	300	n	Jan 2016	699	ebay.com
12.		Pentax K-S1	121 mm	93 mm	70 mm	558 g	410	n	Aug 2014	749	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
14.		Sony A77 II	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	647 g	480	Y	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
15.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
16.		Sony A58	129 mm	95 mm	78 mm	492 g	690	n	Feb 2013	599	ebay.com
17.		Sony A77	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	732 g	470	Y	Aug 2011	1,399	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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The T5 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 36 percent) than the A68, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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 sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and 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.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the T5 is 10 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.5 (A68) and 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 24MP, the A68 offers a higher resolution than the T5 (17.9MP), but the A68 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 4.31μm for the T5). However, the A68 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 8 months) than the T5, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A68 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A68 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 T5 are 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Sony Alpha SLT-A68 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS Rebel T5 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-12800.

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.

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"). Of the two cameras under review, the A68 provides substantially higher image quality than the T5, with an overall score that is 16 points higher. This advantage is based on 2.2 bits higher color depth, 2.2 EV in additional dynamic range, and -0 stops of reduced low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Sony A68	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.5	701	79
2.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
3.		Canon T100	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
4.		Canon T6	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
5.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
6.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
7.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
8.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
9.		Canon T3	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	720/30p	21.9	11.0	755	62
10.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
11.		Panasonic ZS100	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.5	559	70
12.		Pentax K-S1	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.5	13.0	1061	78
13.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
14.		Sony A77 II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.4	13.4	1013	82
15.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
16.		Sony A58	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.3	12.5	753	74
17.		Sony A77	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.2	801	78

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the A68 provides a higher frame rate than the T5. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60i, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A68 has an electronic viewfinder (1440k dots), while the T5 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the A68 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the T5 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the A68 has a higher magnification (0.57x vs 0.50x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Sony A68 and Canon T5 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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.		Sony A68	1440	Y	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon T5	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon T100	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon T6	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
8.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon T3	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Panasonic ZS100	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Pentax K-S1	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	5.4/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A77 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony A58	1440	n	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony A77	2359	Y	3.0 / 921	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the A68, but is missing on the T5 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The A68 writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the T5 uses SDXC cards. The A68 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the T5 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD 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 Sony Alpha SLT-A68 and Canon EOS Rebel T5 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.		Sony A68	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon T100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon T6	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon T3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic ZS100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Pentax K-S1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A77 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony A58	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony A77	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the A68 has a microphone port, which is missing on the T5. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Both the A68 and the T5 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The T5 was replaced by the Canon T6, while the A68 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the A68 and T5 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A68 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon T5 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Sony A68 better than the Canon T5 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha SLT-A68:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 17.9MP) with a 16% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (16 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• Richer colors: Generates images with noticeably better colors (2.2 bits more color depth).
• More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (2.2 EV of extra DR).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60i versus 1080/30p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.57x vs 0.50x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 8 months after the T5).

Advantages of the Canon EOS Rebel T5:

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• More compact: Is smaller (130x100mm vs 143x104mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 130g or 21 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (36 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2014).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A68 is the clear winner of the match-up (15 : 6 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding 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 Sony A68 and the Canon T5 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR 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 A68 or the T5. 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 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.

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.		Sony A68	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Nov 2015	699	ebay.com
2.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
3.		Canon T100	..	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
4.		Canon T6	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
5.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
6.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
7.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
8.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
9.		Canon T3	..	80/100	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	449	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	699	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic ZS100	4.5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	699	ebay.com
12.		Pentax K-S1	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	749	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
14.		Sony A77 II	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
15.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
16.		Sony A58	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	599	ebay.com
17.		Sony A77	5/5	91/100	..	81/100	..	5/5	Aug 2011	1,399	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. 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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