Sony A58 vs Canon 7D Mark II

Cameras
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Sony A58 vs Canon 7D Mark II

APS-C 366.6mm²
20.1 megapixels
ISO 100 - 16,000

Go in depth with our full Sony A58 Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A58 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A58.
Compare Sony A58 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A58 conclusion.

APS-C 337.5mm²
20.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 16,000

Go in depth with our full Canon 7D Mark II Review.
How does it shoot? Canon 7D Mark II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the 7D Mark II.
Compare Canon 7D Mark II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Canon 7D Mark II conclusion.

Succeeded by the Sony A68
Compare A58 vs A68
Compare Sony A68 vs Canon 7D Mark II

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Differences

Sony A58 advantages over Canon 7D Mark II

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Lighter weight
731g vs 1388g
Lighter weight
Less shutter lag
0.13 vs 0.25 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)

Canon 7D Mark II advantages over Sony A58

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Fast startup
~0.50 vs 1.9 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
7D Mark II test data on DxO Mark A58 test data on DxO Mark

1,082 vs 753 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
More telephoto lens reach
216 mm vs 83 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
More cross-type AF points
65 vs 3
Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
Higher max flash sync
1/250 vs 1/160 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Higher-res screen
347k vs 154k pixels
More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
More viewfinder magnification
0.63x vs 0.57x
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
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
More AF points
65 vs 15
More AF points improve autofocus
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Faster JPEG shooting
9.5 fps vs 4.9 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
103 vs 8 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
9.5 fps vs 4.8 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
26 vs 6 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 16000 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
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
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
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Wi-Fi
Neither provide
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Adorama
Read A58 User Reviews

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Buy the Sony A58

Kit with 18-55mm Lens

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Buy the Canon 7D Mark II

Body Only

Body Only
Body with W-E1 Wi-Fi Adapter
Kit with 18-135mm Lens
Kit with 18-135mm Lens and Wi-Fi Adapter

All 7D Mark II Deals

Review Excerpt

Improved 20.1-megapixel resolution; Impressive image quality, especially for its price; Fast and decisive autofocus (in most conditions); Very good battery life; Good video quality (Full HD 1080p, though it doesn't support 60p frame rate).
Plastic lens mount; Slower burst mode speeds and shallower buffer than A57; LCD no longer fully articulating; Mediocre kit lens; Electronic instead of an optical viewfinder may be a turnoff for some.
Read our Sony A58 Review

Excellent image quality; High ISO performance improved over predecessor; Excellent burst speeds (up to 10fps); Significantly improved buffer depths; 65-pt AF system; Dual Pixel CMOS AF; Can focus down to f/8 (great for teleconverters); 1080/60p video; Headphone and mic jacks; Rugged build quality.
Autofocus speed (AF shutter lag) slower than 7D and 70D; Mediocre battery life for a pro DSLR; Dynamic range at low to moderate ISOs not as good as competitors; Phase-detect AF did not perform as well as expected in our low-light AF tests; No built-in Wi-Fi; No autofocus for 1080/60p video.
Read our Canon 7D Mark II Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon 7D

Sony A58

Canon 7D

$598
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$1499
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A58 vs Canon 7D

Canon 7D Mark II

Canon 7D

$1647
APS-C

Higher effective ISO
Built-in GPS

$1499
APS-C

Less expensive
Less shutter lag

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Canon 7D

Compared to Canon 6D

Sony A58

Canon 6D

$598
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1699
35mm

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Sony A58 vs Canon 6D

Canon 7D Mark II

Canon 6D

$1647
APS-C

On-sensor phase detect
More telephoto lens reach

$1699
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Canon 6D

Compared to Pentax K-5 IIs

Sony A58

Pentax K-5 IIs

$598
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$497
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A58 vs Pentax K-5 IIs

Canon 7D Mark II

Pentax K-5 IIs

$1647
APS-C

Built-in GPS
On-sensor phase detect

$497
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Bigger pixels

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Pentax K-5 IIs

Compared to Nikon D5200

Sony A58

Nikon D5200

$598
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$500
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony A58 vs Nikon D5200

Canon 7D Mark II

Nikon D5200

$1647
APS-C

Built-in GPS
On-sensor phase detect

$500
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Nikon D5200

Compared to Canon T5i

Sony A58

Canon T5i

$598
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$539
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony A58 vs Canon T5i

Canon 7D Mark II

Canon T5i

$1647
APS-C

Fast startup
Higher effective ISO

$539
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Canon T5i

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