Sony Vs Canon DSLR Cameras For Filmmaking: Figuring Out The Best One

Choosing the best DSLR camera for film can be an absolute nightmare when it comes down to Sony vs Canon. With Sony offering an impressive range of video capabilities, 4K, and weight and size, they are perfect for any run and gun or travel filmmaker. On the flip side, Canon's incredible colour, lens selection and over-all quality and reliability give films a cinematic look right out of the box. No matter, be it lowlight, auto focus, battery life or ergonomics, there are so many factors to consider when deciding on which camera to use. In this article we will go through them all, the good and the bad, to help you decide on which camera system is right for you.

Canon R100 Mirrorless Camera RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS ST

The Canon R100 is a compact, straightforward, and approachable mirrorless camera that is perfect for anyone looking to enter the world of photography and video as a hobby. The body is very light and compact, allowing you to store it into a small backpack to take with you on holiday, family parties, college and workshops, and even daily shoots. The 18-45mm kit lens is great for everyday photography, portrait photography and landscapes.

Fast facial and eye detection ensure sharp photographs without much technical expertise. Color rendition is realistic and smooth, and for social media, and basic content creation, the videos will come out smooth and clean. Controls and interface are minimal, making the whole experience stress-free for the first-time user. This is definitely not a cinema camera, but it is a superb and trusted mirrorless camera for starters.

Specifications

• 24.1 MP APS-C CMOS sensor
• DIGIC 8 processor
• 4K video at 24p (crop)
• Full HD video up to 60p
• Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus
• 143 autofocus points
• 6.5 fps continuous shooting
• 2.36M-dot OLED viewfinder
• 3-inch LCD screen
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support

Pros

• Very easy to use and very light to carry
• Fast face and eye focus

Con

• 4K video has crop

Canon EOS 1500D DSLR Camera Body

Canon EOS 1500D is a very basic and user friendly DSLR for beginner's to start with. Build quality is excellent, and it is comfortable to use for college assignments, event photos, holidays, and regular practising. The kit lens (18-55mm) is capable of day to day photography, portraits, and basic landscapes. Image quality is nice with soft and natural colors. It performs decently in low light for basic indoor and evening photos. The interface is quite straight-forward and menu settings are easily accessible.

Thus, it's a very friendly camera for new users who don't find themselves lost amidst the interface. Moreover, photo transfer can be easily done with the aid of WiFi and NFC. Clearly, it is not a sports or cinema camera, but for learning photography and experiencing a full-fledged DSLR, it is a very good and safe starting point for any beginner.

Specifications

• Sensor 24.1 MP APS C CMOS
• Image processor DIGIC 4 Plus
• Autofocus 9 point AF system
• ISO range 100 to 6400 expandable to 12800
• Video Full HD 1080p at 30 fps
• Continuous shooting 3 fps
• Viewfinder optical viewfinder
• Screen 3 inch LCD display
• Connectivity Wi Fi and NFC
• Lens mount Canon EF and EF S

Pros

• Easy DSLR for beginners
• Strong body and simple controls

Con

• No 4K video recording

SONY ILCE-6100X Mirrorless Camera Body

Sony ILCE 6100X is a small, smart and powerful mirrorless camera made for people who want sharp photos and fast focus without heavy gear. It feels light in the hand and is very easy to carry for travel, daily shooting and content work. This kit comes with two lenses, a 16 to 50 mm lens for daily photos and a 55 to 210 mm lens for far subjects and zoom shots.

The camera focuses very fast on faces and eyes, so pictures stay clear even when people move. Colours look bright and natural and videos look clean for social media and YouTube. The screen can tilt, which helps in low angle and selfie style shooting. It is not made for long cinema shoots, but for learning, fast shooting and daily creative work, this camera feels fun and very friendly.

Specifications

• Sensor 24.2 MP APS C CMOS
• Image processor BIONZ X
• Video recording 4K resolution
• Autofocus fast hybrid AF system
• Touch screen 3 inch LCD
• Screen type tilt screen
• Continuous shooting up to 11 fps
• Shutter speed up to 1 by 4000 sec
• Connectivity Wi Fi and NFC
• Lens mount Sony E mount

Pros

• Very fast and accurate autofocus for people and action
• Two lens kit gives more shooting options in one box

Con

• Battery life feels short for long shoots

SONY Alpha ILCE-6600 APS-C Mirrorless Camera Body

The Sony Alpha a6600 is a robust camera for anyone taking photos and videos, requires stability and longer battery life. The body only option is great if you already have the Sony E mount lenses or intend on investing the lenses bit by bit to make up your kit. It sits comfortably in your hand, and works like a dream for travel vlogs, interviews, documentaries, and even your everyday work. The in-body image stabilisation feature is great for handheld shots and any low light photography.

The eye auto focus and the subject tracking hold up well even if the person is moving really fast, so there is less adjusting during shoots. The colours and the 4K footage is really great and clean. The battery is a blessing for long shooting days. Although it is not the latest model, it's a reliable one and ideal for work.

Specifications

• Sensor 24.2 MP APS C CMOS
• Image processor BIONZ X
• Video recording UHD 4K
• Autofocus real time Eye AF and tracking
• In body stabilisation 5 axis
• Continuous shooting up to 11 fps
• Screen 3 inch tilting touch display
• Shutter speed 1 by 4000 to 30 sec
• Lens mount Sony E
• Battery high capacity Z series

Pros

• Built in stabilisation helps a lot for handheld video
• Very long battery life for real shoots

Con

• Body only, lenses must be bought separately

Read More: Best-Rated Digital Cameras Under 15000 In India

Which Camera is Better for Beginners: Canon EOS R50 or Sony a6600?

Honestly, I would say it depends on what you are going to use it for. If you are a beginner photographer and you are purchasing your first camera, I would say start with the Canon EOS R50 kit, because it's smaller, lighter, and you already get two lenses, which means you can start shooting photos and videos right away. The vari-angle screen and the Dual Pixel AF plus the fact that you can shoot in 4K is going to appeal a lot to the vloggers and social media creators.

The Sony a6600 is a more serious camera, with the built-in IBIS, better battery life, and the best real-time Eye AF in the world. So if you are going to do photography a bit more seriously and you will probably invest in more lenses later on, or you are looking for a professional camera, then maybe Sony a6600 is a better choice. In any other case, if you are a complete beginner, I would say it's much easier to start with the Canon R50.