Sony A55 vs Canon T2i vs Nikon D90 - Comparison Review
http://www.digitalphotographywriter.com/2010/08/sony-a55-vs-canon-550d-vs-nikon-d90.html
The Sony Alpha SLT-A55V (α55) has already been announced. It is packed with Sony's luxury technologies and advanced features. All in all,
it seems like the perfect advanced/amateur DSLR camera. With its semi-translucent mirror technology, 10fps continuous shooting,
in-camera image stabilization and an articulating 3-inch TruBlack LCD screen, it is more than we could ask for. In this Sony Alpha SLT-A55 vs. Canon 550D (T2i) vs. Nikon D90, I want to compare all those DSLR against each other. Which on is the best for your needs?, Which one performs better and offers the best price/performance value?
Before Sony has released the Alpha SLT-A55V DSLR, the Canon Rebel T2i (550D) and Nikon's D90, seems like the best choice for enthusiast photographers. Nikon has recently announced the
Nikon D3100 entry-level camera, and Canon has announced its new
Canon 60D. Enthusiast photographers will probably have a hard time choosing between one of the three. I am sure that when the
replacement of the Nikon D90 comes out, we will probably have a different debate here, but lets focus on the
Sony SLT-A55 vs Canon T2i vs Nikon D90 for now. Of course you can take the Sony A33 (α33) into account, as its prices $100 lower than the A55V.
Basic Features Comparison (Sony SLT-A55 vs. Canon T2i vs. Nikon D90)
<table style="border: 1px solid gray; width: 470px;" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"><tbody> <tr> <td>Features</td> <td>
Sony Alpha SLT-A55V</td><td>
Canon Rebel T2i (EOS 550D)</td><td>
Nikon D90</td> </tr> <tr><td>Camera Format</td><td>SLT
(Single Lens Translucent)</td><td>SLR</td><td>SLR</td></tr> <tr><td>Retail Price</td><td>$849.99*</td><td>$899.00*</td><td>$899.95*</td></tr> <tr><td>Size</td><td>124 x 92 x 85 mm (4.9 x 3.6 x 3.3 in)</td><td>130 x 97 x 76 mm (5.1 x 3.8 x 3.0 in)</td><td>132 x 103 x 747 mm (5.2 x 4.1 x 3 in)</td></tr> <tr><td>LCD Resolution (pixels)</td><td>921,600</td><td>1,040,000</td><td>920,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Max ISO</td><td>12800</td><td>12800</td><td>6400</td></tr> <tr><td>Usable Memory Types</td><td>SD/MMC, SDHC, SDXC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo </td><td>SD/MMC, SDHC, SDXC </td><td>SD/MMC, SDHC, SDXC </td></tr> <tr><td>Movie File Format</td><td>AVCHD, MP4 </td><td>.MOV (H.264) </td><td>AVI (Motion JPEG) </td></tr> <tr><td>HD Resolution</td><td>1080p</td><td>1080p</td><td>720p</td></tr> <tr><td>Battery CIPA Rating</td><td>330</td><td>440</td><td>850</td></tr> <tr><td>In-camera Image Stabilization</td><td>
(Sensor-shift)</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr> <tr><td>Articulating LCD</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr> <tr><td>Sweep Panorama</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr> <tr><td>Full-time AF in Movies</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr> <tr><td>Continuous Mode Rat </td><td>10 fps</td><td>3.7 fps</td><td>4.5 fps</td></tr> <tr><td>Sesor Resolution (Effective)</td><td>16.2 million</td><td>18.0 million</td><td>12.3 million</td></tr> <tr><td>Pop-up Flash</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr> <tr><td>External Flash</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr> <tr><td>In-camera GPS Receiver for Geotagging Images</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr> </tbody></table>
* visit Nikon, Canon and Sony official websites for updated prices.
The Nikon has been announced at October, 2008, so a placement should be reviled pretty soon. In terms of price, all those cameras can currently compete against each other. Both SLT-A55 (α55), Canon EOS 550D and Nikon D90, all are popular digital SLR cameras, that are intended for the enthusiast photographer's market. The Nikon D90 is one of the most successful digital SLR cameras of the bunch. Canon Rebel T2i (550D) keeps getting flattering reviews in all major photography lab testing' sites.
Full-Time AF & Phase Detection in Movies
When Sony has announced the Sony SLT-A55V (α55) at 24 August, 2010, I knew that the game is going to change. Sony SLT-A55 advantages: it has a full-time continuous focusing while shooting 1080p HD movies and still images, internal image stabilization (sensor-shift), compact body and 10fps burst, due to the translucent mirror implementation. Sony has developed the A55V from the ground up, to fit perfectly to the new digital SLR era & photographers demand.
If you are not familiar with Sony's Translucent Mirror Technology, watch this video from Sony LearnTV to find out:
Sony Innovates and Customer are Happy
In a competitive market, such as the
DSLR market, a success of one company is directly related to competitor innovations. Time is also critical, and camera manufacturers like Sony, Nikon and Canon, all know the importance of releasing their cameras in the right moment.
Nikon D90 doen't have a 1080p Full HD recording, and its video image quality is behind the competition. If you compare the video output quality of the Nikon D90 vs Canon T2i vs Sony SLT-A55V, you can clearly see that there is a room for improvements. 1080p HD videos are a default feature in today's DSLR cameras. The reason that is high in demand, it's because both amateur and enthusiast photographer use it. If you have kids, you will probably know what I am talking about (no that I have). It is a blessed thing to have both a digital HD camcorder and digital SLR at the same package. You can easily say goodbye to your old & cheap camcorder, without regret.
In terms of stills' image quality, all cameras produce beautiful JPEG images out of the box. So the features that will decide which one is better, Nikon D90, Sony Alpha SLT-A55 or Canon T2i (550D), won't be directly related to image quality.
Reliability, innovation, lens availability and ergonomics, all are very important. When done right, they will directly impact the buying decision in the consumer market.
Lens Availability, an Important Factor
In terms of lens availability,no doubt that Nikon and Canon lead the pack. Sony is not so far behind, introducing new Alpha lenses every year. Sony also has some excellent
Carl Zeiss lenses, which have gotten excellent reviews throughout the web. Until now, I think that the body was an important part, but not the MOST important part for enthusiast photographers. Lenses have an important place in enthusiast photographers' buying decision. The reason for that, is that camera bodies come and go, and "Lenses are Forever". Lenses have a crucial part in the final image quality. It means, that, even if you have the best professional body DSLR camera, you will still need a very good glass in-front of the sensor.
<table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;">
</td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canon's new Telephoto Zoom lens
EF 7-300mm F4-5.6L IS USM</td></tr> </tbody></table>
I think that when Canon has a released the
EF 70-300mm F/4-5.6L IS USM lens, in some way, Canon buys itself more customers. Try to find an affordable high-grade 70-300mm IS USM-like lens in the competition. Of course we will still need to wait for the final lab tests for be sure. Many pro photographers will tell you to invest more money on high-quality lenses, then on the body itself. HOWEVER, what if the body has some really useful features, like an internal GPS receiver for automatically
Geotag photos?
In-camera Image Stabilization
Furthermore, the Sony Alpha SLT-A55V has an internal image stabilization (sensor shift). That means that every lens that you attach to the camera, is automatically becoming image-stabilized.
Sony claims for up to 4 stops advantage. Furthermore,
it means that you don't have to pay extra for high-cost optical stabilized lenses. The size of the telephoto lenses can also be reduced, due to the fact that no in-lens image stabilization mechanism is implemented.
Overall, you will save money, and spend that extra money on other accessories whom you need.
Don't expect that Canon and Nikon will implement their own in-camera image stabilization, it won't happen. The reason why enthusiast photographers pay more for lenses, part of it is due to the lens image stabilization. Both Nikon and Canon work hard on improving this feature, and that's the reason why we see 4 stops advantage Hybrid image stabilization feature on Canon's new telephoto-zoom lenses (like in the Canon 70-200mm F4/L IS).
Which one is better? - Nikon D90, Sony SLT-A55 or Canon T2i?
Well, if you want my own opinion,
my first choice is the Sony SLT-A55. However, you should also take Sony's lens availability in your country. In many countries, some importers prefer holding Canon and Nikon lenses, and fewer Sony's ones. As Sony starts to become a more favorite choice among photographers worldwide, we will see the availability of the lenses rising. The Nikon D90 and Canon T2i are excellent cameras. It is all depend on your needs. The reason I prefer the Sony SLT-A55V, probably because of the internal image stabilization & GPS receiver, full-time Phase-detection while shooting images and videos, 10fps continuous shooting.
<table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;">
</td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
My first choice, Sony Alpah A55</td></tr> </tbody></table>
It seems that Sony has just done everything right this time. Furthermore, as a photographer and a customer, I want to stick with the company that listens to its customers. How many times you have read people asking about in-camera GPS, faster burst rate & full-time AF on videos? - Well, MANY TIMES. When using new technologies, features which were
only available on pro DSLRs, now available on less expensive digital SLR cameras.
You can see that
Sony really listens to its customers, and you can clearly see this in their latest
Sony A55 (α55) DSLR camera. I said "Bravo Sony" before, and I will say it again. The thing is that many frustrated photographers keep being loyal companies that keep disappointing them. Don't be fooled with people telling you "Buy only Nikon", or "Canon is the best DSLR on the planet"... bla bla bla. Listen to your needs and desires. Pick a camera that will make you work easier and more efficient. Do you really want to use an internal GPS receiver and a software to geotag your photos, where you have a built-in solution for that right now?