Sony A77 vs RX1

The Sony Alpha SLT-A77 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2011 and September 2012. The A77 is a DSLR, while the RX1 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (A77) and a full frame (RX1) sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Sony A77		Sony RX1
Digital single lens reflex		Fixed lens compact camera
Sony A mount lenses		35mm f/2.0
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-16,000 (50 - 25,600)		ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)		Viewfinder optional
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
12 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		no shake reduction
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
470 shots per battery charge		270 shots per battery charge
143 x 104 x 81 mm, 732 g		113 x 65 x 70 mm, 482 g

Check A77 offers at
ebay.com
Check RX1 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha SLT-A77 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1? 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 physical size and weight of the Sony A77 and the Sony RX1 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.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony RX1 is considerably smaller (51 percent) than the Sony A77. It is worth mentioning in this context that the A77 is splash and dust resistant, while the RX1 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the RX1 has a lens built in, whereas the A77 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 A77 gets 470 shots out of its Sony NP-FM500H battery, while the RX1 can take 270 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 power pack. The power pack in the RX1 can be charged via the USB port, 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. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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 A77	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	732 g	470	Y	Aug 2011	1,399	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX1	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D5300	125 mm	98 mm	76 mm	480 g	600	n	Oct 2013	799	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic GH5	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	725 g	410	Y	Jan 2017	1,999	ebay.com
6.		Pentax K-3	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	560	Y	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
7.		Sony A6600	120 mm	67 mm	69 mm	503 g	810	Y	Aug 2019	1,399	amazon.com
8.		Sony A9	127 mm	96 mm	63 mm	673 g	650	Y	Apr 2017	4,499	ebay.com
9.		Sony A6500	120 mm	67 mm	53 mm	453 g	350	Y	Oct 2016	1,399	ebay.com
10.		Sony RX1R II	113 mm	65 mm	72 mm	507 g	220	n	Oct 2015	3,299	ebay.com
11.		Sony A68	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	610 g	540	n	Nov 2015	699	ebay.com
12.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
13.		Sony A77 II	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	647 g	480	Y	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
14.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	329	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX1R	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Jun 2013	2,799	ebay.com
16.		Sony A99	147 mm	111 mm	78 mm	812 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
17.		Sony NEX-7	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	400 g	430	n	Aug 2011	1,349	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 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. 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. 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.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony A77 features an APS-C sensor and the Sony RX1 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the RX1 is 132 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the RX1 has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the RX1 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 5.96μm versus 3.91μm for the A77), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the RX1 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year) than the A77, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Sony Alpha SLT-A77 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 16000, which can be extended to ISO 50-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

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 determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the RX1 offers substantially better image quality than the A77 (overall score 15 points higher). The advantage is based on 1.1 bits higher color depth, 1.1 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.7 stops in additional 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 A77	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.2	801	78
2.		Sony RX1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.1	14.3	2534	93
3.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
4.		Nikon D5300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.9	1338	83
5.		Panasonic GH5	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.9	13.0	807	77
6.		Pentax K-3	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.7	13.4	1216	80
7.		Sony A6600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.8	13.4	1497	82
8.		Sony A9	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.9	13.3	3517	92
9.		Sony A6500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.5	13.7	1405	85
10.		Sony RX1R II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	1080/60p	25.8	13.9	3204	97
11.		Sony A68	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.5	701	79
12.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
13.		Sony A77 II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.4	13.4	1013	82
14.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
15.		Sony RX1R	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	13.6	2537	91
16.		Sony A99	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	14.0	1555	89
17.		Sony NEX-7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.4	1016	81

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/60p).

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A77 has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the RX1 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the RX1 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the FDA-EV1MK. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Sony A77 and Sony RX1 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 A77	2359	Y	3.0 / 921	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony RX1	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
4.		Nikon D5300	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Panasonic GH5	3680	n	3.2 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
6.		Pentax K-3	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	Y	Y
7.		Sony A6600	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
8.		Sony A9	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
9.		Sony A6500	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Sony RX1R II	2360	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
11.		Sony A68	1440	Y	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony A77 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
15.		Sony RX1R	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony A99	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony NEX-7	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the A77, but is missing on the RX1 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the A77 and the RX1 write their files to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A77 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the RX1 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-A77 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 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 A77	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Sony RX1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Nikon D5300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Panasonic GH5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Pentax K-3	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
7.		Sony A6600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Sony A9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Sony A6500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Sony RX1R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony A68	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony A77 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony RX1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony A99	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony NEX-7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A77 (unlike the RX1) 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 A77 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the A77 and the RX1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A77 was replaced by the Sony A77 II, while the RX1 was followed by the Sony RX1R. Further information on the features and operation of the A77 and RX1 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A77 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony RX1 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Sony A77 or the Sony RX1 – 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.

Advantages of the Sony Alpha SLT-A77:

• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• 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 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Can take a variety of interchangeable lenses, including specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (470 versus 270) 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.
• 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.
• 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 August 2011).

Arguments in favor of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1:

• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (15 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (1.1 bits more color depth).
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (1.1 EV of extra DR).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1.7 stops ISO advantage).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 921k dots).
• Ready to shoot: Comes with an integrated lens, while the A77 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (113x65mm vs 143x104mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the A77).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A77 is the clear winner of the match-up (14 : 10 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A77 and the Sony RX1 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Prime Lens Compact 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 A77 or the RX1 perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 A77	5/5	91/100	..	81/100	..	5/5	Aug 2011	1,399	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX1	5/5	..	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D5300	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	799	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic GH5	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2017	1,999	ebay.com
6.		Pentax K-3	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
7.		Sony A6600	4/5	+	4/5	83/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2019	1,399	amazon.com
8.		Sony A9	5/5	+ +	4.8/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2017	4,499	ebay.com
9.		Sony A6500	5/5	+ +	3.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	1,399	ebay.com
10.		Sony RX1R II	5/5	..	..	82/100	..	4.5/5	Oct 2015	3,299	ebay.com
11.		Sony A68	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Nov 2015	699	ebay.com
12.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
13.		Sony A77 II	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
14.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	329	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX1R	5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	2,799	ebay.com
16.		Sony A99	5/5	..	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
17.		Sony NEX-7	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2011	1,349	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. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check A77 offers at
ebay.com
Check RX1 offers at
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 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.

~

Check A77 offers at
ebay.com
Check RX1 offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.