• APS-C 369.7mm2
  • 15.1 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • APS-C 366.6mm2
  • 16.1 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 25,600

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Differences

Canon 50D advantages over Sony NEX-6

  • Lens selection
    Excellent vs Good
    Better lens selection gives you more options
  • Fast startup
    ~0.30 vs 2.0 sec
    Faster startup lets you catch the moment
  • Longer stills battery life
    More info 640 vs 360 shots
    Capture more photos
  • More telephoto lens reach
    216 mm vs 75 mm
    Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
  • Top deck display
    Yes vs No
    Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
  • Higher max flash sync
    1/250 vs 1/160 sec
    Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
  • Less shutter lag
    0.13 vs 0.26 sec
    Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
  • Bigger JPEG buffer
    43 vs 12 shots
    Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
  • Faster shutter
    1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
    Shoot wide open in bright light

Sony NEX-6 advantages over Canon 50D

  • Focus peaking
    Peaker vs Non-peaker
    Your camera will highlight what's in focus
  • Less expensive
    $1000 vs $1399 (MSRP)
    Save money for lenses or accessories
  • In-camera panoramas
    Yes vs No
    Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
  • Tiltable Screen
    Tiltable vs Fixed
    Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi vs None
    Share your photos wirelessly
  • Higher effective ISO
    1,018 vs 696 iso
    Take photos in low light with less noise
  • More dynamic range
    13.1 vs 11.4 evs
    Retain detail in highlight and shadows
  • On-sensor phase detect
    Yes vs No
    Usually improves live view and video AF performance
  • Thinner
    42 mm vs 73 mm
    Thinner
  • Shoots 24p video
    Yes vs No
    Gives your movies a big-screen feel
  • Shoots 1080p video
    Yes vs No
    You'll want this if you shoot video
  • More viewfinder magnification
    0.73x vs 0.59x
    Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
  • Shoots 60p video
    Yes vs No
    A faster framerate can give you more editing options
  • Wider angle kit lens
    24 mm vs 45 mm
    Capture more of the scene with the included lens
  • Faster JPEG shooting
    9.7 fps vs 6.3 fps
    Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
  • Higher extended ISO
    25600 vs 12800 ISO
    Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

  • Eye-level viewfinder
    Both provide
    You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
  • Internal flash
    Both provide
    Useful in a pinch for fill flash
  • HDMI out
    Both provide
    Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
  • Hot shoe
    Both provide
    Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
  • Bulb shutter
    Both provide
    Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

  • Tilt-swivel screen
    Neither provide
    Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
    Neither provide
    Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
  • Touchscreen
    Neither provide
    Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
  • NFC
    Neither provide
    Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
  • Built-in Bluetooth
    Neither provide
    Always-on wireless connectivity
  • Built-in GPS
    Neither provide
    Geotag your photos
  • External Mic Jack
    Neither provide
    Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
  • Dual card slots
    Neither provide
    Gives you more storage flexibility
  • Headphone jack
    Neither provide
    Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
  • Slow-motion videos
    Neither provide
    Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Buy the Sony NEX-6

Review Excerpt

  • Very good image quality; More consumer-friendly control setup than NEX-7 but more advanced (actual Mode dial) than step-down models; OLED EVF and 3-inch tilting LCD monitor provide viewfinder flexibility; Fast and decisive AF on stationary subjects, and good continuous AF on normal moving subjects; Full HD 1080p video recording at up to 60p.

  • Hybrid AF system speed and accuracy still lags somewhat behind higher-end DSLRs; Wi-Fi features still rudimentary (join the club); LCD is not a touchscreen; User interface foibles.

The Competition

Compared to Samsung GX-20

Canon 50D
Samsung GX-20
  • $1000
  • APS-C
  • HDMI out
  • More dots on screen
  • $1400
  • APS-C
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
Sony NEX-6
Samsung GX-20
  • $549
  • APS-C
  • Focus peaking
  • Less expensive
  • $1400
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compared to Pentax K-7

Canon 50D
Pentax K-7
  • $1000
  • APS-C
  • Fast startup
  • Higher effective ISO
  • $1300
  • APS-C
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
Sony NEX-6
Pentax K-7
  • $549
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Focus peaking
  • $1300
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compared to Sony DSLR-A550

Canon 50D
Sony DSLR-A550
  • $1000
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Fast startup
  • $859
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
Sony NEX-6
Sony DSLR-A550
  • $549
  • APS-C
  • Focus peaking
  • In-camera panoramas
  • $859
  • APS-C
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • Fast startup

Compared to Sony NEX-F3

Canon 50D
Sony NEX-F3
  • $1000
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • $600
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • In-camera panoramas
Sony NEX-6
Sony NEX-F3
  • $549
  • APS-C
  • Focus peaking
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • $600
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Fast startup

Compared to Sony NEX-5R

Canon 50D
Sony NEX-5R
  • $1000
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • $499
  • APS-C
  • Focus peaking
  • Less expensive
Sony NEX-6
Sony NEX-5R
  • $549
  • APS-C
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • Higher effective ISO
  • $499
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Touchscreen
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