Canon 600D vs Sony HX95

The Canon EOS 600D (called Canon T3i in some regions) and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX95 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively,
in February 2011 and August 2018. The 600D is a DSLR, while the HX95 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (600D) and a 1/2.3-inch (HX95) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 17.9 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 18 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 600D and the
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX95? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 600D and the Sony HX95. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Sony HX95 is considerably smaller (56 percent) than the Canon 600D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 600D nor the HX95 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the HX95 has a lens built in,
whereas the 600D is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the 600D and their specifications in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 600D gets 440 shots out of its LP-E8 battery,
while the HX95 can take 370 images on a single charge of its NP-BX1 power pack. The power pack in the HX95 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, just use the right or left
arrows in the table to switch to the respective camera. Alternatively, you can also navigate to the CAM-parator app and
make your selection from the full list of cameras there.

Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The HX95 was launched at a lower price than the 600D, despite having a lens built in. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 600D features an APS-C sensor and the Sony HX95
a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the HX95 is 92 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 5.6. The sensor in the 600D has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the HX95 offers a 4:3 aspect.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the HX95 offers a slightly higher
resolution of 18 megapixels, compared with 17.9 MP of the 600D.
This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel
(with a pixel pitch of 1.25μm versus 4.31μm for the 600D). However, it should be noted that the HX95 is much more recent (by 7 years and 6 months) than the 600D, and its sensor
will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the HX95 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Canon EOS 600D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800.
The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX95 are ISO 80 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-6400.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

Camera Model

Sensor Class

Resolution (MP)

Horiz. Pixels

Vert. Pixels

Video Format

DXO Portrait

DXO Landscape

DXO Sports

DXO Overall

Camera Model

Canon 600D

APS-C

17.9

5184

3456

1080/30p

22.1

11.5

793

65

Canon 600D

Sony HX95

1/2.3

18.0

4896

3672

4K/30p

..

..

..

..

Sony HX95

Canon 77D

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/60p

23.6

13.3

971

78

Canon 77D

Canon SX730

1/2.3

20.2

5184

3888

1080/60p

..

..

..

..

Canon SX730

Canon 760D

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/30p

22.6

12.0

915

70

Canon 760D

Canon 1200D

APS-C

17.9

5184

3456

1080/30p

21.9

11.3

724

63

Canon 1200D

Canon 100D

APS-C

17.9

5184

3456

1080/30p

21.8

11.3

843

63

Canon 100D

Canon 700D

APS-C

17.9

5184

3456

1080/30p

21.7

11.2

681

61

Canon 700D

Canon 650D

APS-C

17.9

5184

3456

1080/30p

21.7

11.2

722

62

Canon 650D

Canon M

APS-C

17.9

5184

3456

1080/30p

22.1

11.2

827

65

Canon M

Canon 1100D

APS-C

12.2

4272

2848

720/30p

21.9

11.0

755

62

Canon 1100D

Canon 550D

APS-C

17.9

5184

3456

1080/30p

22.1

11.5

784

66

Canon 550D

Canon 500D

APS-C

15.1

4752

3168

1080/20p

21.7

11.5

663

63

Canon 500D

Sony HX99

1/2.3

18.0

4896

3672

4K/30p

..

..

..

..

Sony HX99

Sony WX800

1/2.3

18.0

4896

3672

4K/30p

..

..

..

..

Sony WX800

Sony HX90V

1/2.3

18.0

4896

3672

1080/60p

..

..

..

..

Sony HX90V

Sony HX400V

1/2.3

20.2

5184

3888

1080/60p

..

..

..

..

Sony HX400V

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the HX95 provides a better video resolution than the 600D. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the HX95 has an electronic viewfinder (638k dots), while the 600D has an optical one.
Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information
into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 600D and Sony HX95 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

Camera Model

Viewfinder (Type or '000 dots)

Control Panel (yes/no)

LCD Size (inch)

LCD Resolution ('000 dots)

LCD Attach- ment

Touch Screen (yes/no)

Mech Shutter Speed

Shutter Flaps (1/sec)

Built-in Flash (yes/no)

Built-in Image Stab

Camera Model

Canon 600D

optical

n

3.0

1040

swivel

n

1/4000s

3.7

Y

n

Canon 600D

Sony HX95

638

n

3.0

922

tilting

n

1/2000s

10.0

Y

Y

Sony HX95

Canon 77D

optical

Y

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

6.0

Y

n

Canon 77D

Canon SX730

none

n

3.0

922

tilting

n

1/3200s

5.9

Y

Y

Canon SX730

Canon 760D

optical

Y

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

5.0

Y

n

Canon 760D

Canon 1200D

optical

n

3.0

460

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.0

Y

n

Canon 1200D

Canon 100D

optical

n

3.0

1040

fixed

Y

1/4000s

4.9

Y

n

Canon 100D

Canon 700D

optical

n

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

5.0

Y

n

Canon 700D

Canon 650D

optical

n

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

5.0

Y

n

Canon 650D

Canon M

none

n

3.0

1040

fixed

Y

1/4000s

4.3

n

n

Canon M

Canon 1100D

optical

n

2.7

230

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.0

Y

n

Canon 1100D

Canon 550D

optical

n

3.0

1040

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.7

Y

n

Canon 550D

Canon 500D

optical

n

3.0

920

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.4

Y

n

Canon 500D

Sony HX99

638

n

3.0

922

tilting

Y

1/2000s

10.0

Y

Y

Sony HX99

Sony WX800

none

n

3.0

922

tilting

Y

1/2000s

10.0

Y

Y

Sony WX800

Sony HX90V

638

n

3.0

921

tilting

n

1/2000s

10.0

Y

Y

Sony HX90V

Sony HX400V

210

n

3.0

921

tilting

n

1/4000s

10.0

Y

Y

Sony HX400V

Both cameras have an articulated rear screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This feature will be particularly
appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies.

The 600D writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the HX95 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 600D and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX95 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

Camera Model

Hotshoe Port

Internal Microphone

Internal Speaker

Microphone Port

Headphone Port

HDMI Port

USB Port

WiFi Support

NFC Support

Bluetooth Support

Camera Model

Canon 600D

Y

mono

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 600D

Sony HX95

-

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

Y

Sony HX95

Canon 77D

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

Y

Canon 77D

Canon SX730

-

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

Y

Canon SX730

Canon 760D

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

-

Canon 760D

Canon 1200D

Y

mono

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 1200D

Canon 100D

Y

mono

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 100D

Canon 700D

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 700D

Canon 650D

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 650D

Canon M

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon M

Canon 1100D

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 1100D

Canon 550D

Y

stereo

none

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 550D

Canon 500D

Y

mono

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 500D

Sony HX99

-

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

Y

Sony HX99

Sony WX800

-

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Sony WX800

Sony HX90V

-

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Sony HX90V

Sony HX400V

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Sony HX400V

It is notable that the 600D has a hotshoe, while the HX95 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily
attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

The HX95 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony.
In contrast, the 600D has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the 600D was succeeded by the Canon 650D. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official
Canon and Sony websites.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon 600D better than the Sony HX95 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 600D:

Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.

More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.

More modern: Reflects 7 years and 6 months of technical progress since the 600D launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 600D comes out slightly ahead of the HX95 (14 : 13 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges
from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera
is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

600D 14:13 HX95

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 600D and the Sony HX95 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest
Best DSLR Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the 600D and the HX95 in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge,
reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.