Canon EOS650D vs. Sony SLT A57

When searching for a good entry-level SLR camera you will look at, among other things, sooner or later the Sony A57 and the Canon EOS 650D. Therefore, here is a small comparison of these two current models:

Image Quality:
Both have (thankfully) a moderate but more than adequate resolution of 16 MP (Sony A57) or 18 MP (Canon EOS 650D). In terms of contrast ratio / dynamic range, the Sony is a little better.

Live view (ie you can also use the display as a viewfinder, so as with a compact camera / mobile):
Thanks to hybrid autofocus and new STM lenses the autofocus of the 650D is at least faster than the 600D (which, however, was also extremely slow!).
From the performance of the A57 that is still far away. Because through the transparent mirror of the A57 is the rapid phase shift Autofocus (incl. Continuous AF) in Live View. This goes with the EOS both only in the viewfinder mode.
In the viewfinder mode again have to do without etc in the EOS on face detection, video recording, picture playback. This is there only in Live View. When Sony all goes in all modes.
So if you like to the display as a viewfinder used (eg for unusual perspectives, overhead etc, finally, the display can be folded in two and well resolved), is with the Sony much better served, since the functionality and operation here is exactly the same, no matter if you look through the viewfinder or on the display. Switching even works automatically as you approach the viewfinder. Could not be better.

Autofocus:
Viewfinder mode:
The EOS has 9 AF points, including all cross-type sensors.
A57 15 AF points, including 3 cross sensors, plus face detection, plus motive tracking
Live View:
As already described the AF system of the EOS is very limited and slow.
When the Sony og full AF system is available.

Moving subjects:
Sony boasts 10 frames / sec at full resolution.
However, the settings here are very limited because it is a special program. Full manually beinflussbar is 6 frames / sec - mode.
In addition to the conventional continuous AF there is a motive tracking. Here a design is selected and the camera follows this motif based on color / contrast. This helps to defocus (if the subject covered short or out of the picture was) to avoid.
The 650D provides 5 frames / sec, but only in the viewfinder operation and without a motive tracking.

Video:
As mentioned above, the A57 also filming in the viewfinder mode, nice if you have big heavy lenses on it, just keeps better.
Again, the a57 ​​full AF available, the EOS 650D has caught up here with the hybrid AF, although not as fast as the A57.
Among the other features of video I can not say anything because I use rarely.

Image Stabilization:
The A57 has the stabilizer in the camera, the EOS in the lens.
Has both its advantages and disadvantages:
With the built-in stabilizer all lenses, including primes will have the most no built stabilizer, stabilized.
Disadvantage is that it only works when triggered and not while looking through the viewfinder. At high focal lengths, it can therefore be shaky.

Accessories:
For no system is there so much lenses and other accessories such as Canon.
Here there is certainly no shortage, with even the Sony system is now very extensive. Most lenses from Sigma and Tamron are also available as a Canon EF and Sony A bayonet.

Service
The 650D display is a touch screen, so settings can be made right there .. Good for beginners it from their smartphone are so used or if you do not so often used the camera and the position of the buttons no longer has quite the head.
The A57 has no touch screen. Concept here is that you can see all the important settings right and left of the image and with the Fn key also right there calling the options to do so. That's well done. In addition, there is of course - as with the EOS also - direct buttons for the main functions, because no menu and no touch screen is so quick to use (and that is often important) as a direct button. With the A57, you can remap the function of some keys so that frequently used functions for the user are always within reach.

Scene Modes
Both cameras have beginner-oriented scene modes (Landscape, Portrait, Night Portrait, etc), the Sony goes one step further and chooses even the right program from (as the camera through the transparent mirror already sees the picture and analyze the scene accordingly, ).
Great scene mode A57: Sweep Panorama. Keep to press the shutter button and the camera pans while a panoramic aufzunehemen. The many individual images are assembled directly into the camera. If not exactly moving subjects are works very well. (This is also cross / edgewise to large buildings draufzubekommen but that was not very successful with me.)

HDR
With the 650D Canon now also has an integrated HDR function. However, you can adjust here neither the strength, nor is recognized when an HDR image would be advisable.
When Sony both going.

Viewfinder:
Due to the concept, the A57, the 650D has an electronic viewfinder (EVF), an optical (OVF).
The OVF is of course second to none as it is easy to see when it comes to resolution and speed no faster and more direct than are directly (through the mirror) on the subject.
The EVF is the A57 in terms of speed and resolution, although at a very high level, as well as bigger and brighter than the OVF the 650D, but not nearly as contrast and detail that characterize the OLED viewfinder in the Sony A65 (although slightly better than the a55).
Consequently, you can use it not only as a viewfinder, but also for playing back the photos, that you do not always take the camera down to look at the picture. Helpful to an image to view even in bright environments times without ambient light.
Also, the image can be seen in advance with the selected exposure, white balance, etc.
So one measures by sports measurement a certain point, the image is displayed immediately in accordance with how it would also exposed.
Also you can in the course EVF show much more information, so do not look at the display in between etc.
This flexibility has a OVF not natural, it is an OVF the more direct sense, an EVF is likely already a preview as the chosen settings are taken into account in the final photo.
The switch from an OVF EVF was not a problem for me as I quickly learned to love the benefits; but an OLED-based viewfinder (like the A65) is on the wish list for some time to come A58 (?) near the top ...

Lens Corrections
Both A57 as correct 650D also vignetting and chromatic aberration inside the camera (for output JPG). The A57 corrected additionally distortion. Why, however, is off by default beyond me, namely to work discreetly and well. Unless you already working with RAW is definitely an argument also buy original lenses because the camera lens internal database, only the manufacturer's own lenses are of course each deposited.

Other:
The Sony has a few gimmicks that are maybe nice for beginners (auto portrait-cutting, 3D panorama ....) But one thing is still useful for advanced:
When focusing manually, the sharp areas can be marked in color. This helps to eg for macro shots to see the sharp areas more clearly. The Point Zoom course there still.

Conclusion:
I can very well understand the EISA A57 for best DSLR has voted and they 2012/2013 <1000 undisputed number 1 in the chip leaderboard Category DSLR (EOS: 9th place) and also the Gold Award of dpreview (EOS: Silver ) is fully in order.

Sure you can do with the 650D excellent images, but if you have not just a closet full of old EOS lenses, I think the A57 for a better choice.
By the way:
Who with the elec. Viewfinder is not warm, should have a look through the viewfinder of throwing a65 ...

That leaves the question of the stars:
3 would be mid, but the 650D compared to the current models from Sony, Nikon, Pentax, Lumix still center? Actually rather topsy. No matter, I give 3 stars to the 650D.

And a word about lenses:
I find it constantly frustrating how many people walk around with your 18-55mm kit lens. Hey, it does not make sense. Take at least a 18-135mm (there from Canon and Sony both), which is a good universal zoom and then one can see farther when needed ...
When 650D but necessarily take the new STM-model!