• APS-C 332.3mm2
  • 18.0 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • APS-C 366.6mm2
  • 16.1 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 25,600

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Differences

Canon 7D advantages over Sony NEX-6

  • Lens selection
    Excellent vs Good
    Better lens selection gives you more options
  • Fast startup
    ~0.40 vs 2.0 sec
    Faster startup lets you catch the moment
  • Longer stills battery life
    More info 800 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
  • External Mic Jack
    Jack vs No jack
    Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
  • 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
    22 vs 12 shots
    Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
  • Bigger RAW buffer
    16 vs 10 shots
    Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
  • Faster shutter
    1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
    Shoot wide open in bright light

Sony NEX-6 advantages over Canon 7D

  • Focus peaking
    Peaker vs Non-peaker
    Your camera will highlight what's in focus
  • Larger sensor
    APS-C vs APS-C
    More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
  • 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 854 iso
    Take photos in low light with less noise
  • More dynamic range
    13.1 vs 11.7 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
  • Lighter weight
    469g vs 1467g
    Lighter weight
  • More viewfinder magnification
    0.73x vs 0.63x
    Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
  • 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 8.0 fps
    Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
  • Faster RAW shooting
    9.8 fps vs 8.0 fps
    Faster RAW shooting in 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
  • 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

Buy From

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Sony NEX-6

Review Excerpt

  • Excellent 18-megapixel sensor with impressively low noise and superb detail; Very good high ISO performance, especially for 18-megapixel subframe sensor; Rugged construction with magnesium body and weather sealing; Fast autofocus and fast burst rate of 8 fps; Full HD (1920x1080) movies at 30/25/24p, 60/50p at 1280x720.

  • No dedicated AF-assist lamp (flash is used), and AF-assist adjustment is buried in the Flash Settings menu; Kit lens (28-135mm) isn't quite up to the resolving power of the 18-megapixel sensor, odd focal length for subframe DSLR; No continuous autofocus in Movie mode.

  • 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 Canon 7D Mark II

Canon 7D
Canon 7D Mark II
  • $1499
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Less shutter lag
  • $1647
  • APS-C
  • Higher effective ISO
  • Built-in GPS
Sony NEX-6
Canon 7D Mark II
  • $549
  • APS-C
  • Focus peaking
  • Bigger pixels
  • $1647
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Fast startup

Compared to Canon 60D

Canon 7D
Canon 60D
  • $1499
  • APS-C
  • More cross-type AF points
  • Less shutter lag
  • $889
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Tilt-swivel screen
Sony NEX-6
Canon 60D
  • $549
  • APS-C
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
  • $889
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Tilt-swivel screen

Compared to Nikon D7000

Canon 7D
Nikon D7000
  • $1499
  • APS-C
  • More telephoto lens reach
  • More cross-type AF points
  • $699
  • APS-C
  • Larger sensor
  • Higher effective ISO
Sony NEX-6
Nikon D7000
  • $549
  • APS-C
  • Focus peaking
  • Less expensive
  • $699
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Fast startup

Compared to Sony A77

Canon 7D
Sony A77
  • $1499
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Fast startup
  • $1899
  • APS-C
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • Focus peaking
Sony NEX-6
Sony A77
  • $549
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Bigger pixels
  • $1899
  • APS-C
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compared to Sony NEX-F3

Canon 7D
Sony NEX-F3
  • $1499
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • $600
  • APS-C
  • Larger sensor
  • In-camera panoramas
Sony NEX-6
Sony NEX-F3
  • $549
  • APS-C
  • Focus peaking
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • $600
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Fast startup
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