Canon 77D vs Sony A68

The Canon EOS 77D and the Sony Alpha SLT-A68 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2017 and November 2015. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon 77D		Sony A68
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Sony A mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-25,600
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		2.7" LCD – 460k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
6 shutter flaps per second		8 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
600 shots per battery charge		540 shots per battery charge
131 x 100 x 76 mm, 540 g		143 x 104 x 81 mm, 610 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 77D and the Sony Alpha SLT-A68? 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 77D and the Sony A68. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear 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 A68 is notably larger (14 percent) than the Canon 77D. Moreover, the A68 is markedly heavier (13 percent) than the 77D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 77D nor the A68 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the 77D gets 600 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the A68 can take 540 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FM500H power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
2.		Sony A68	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	610 g	540	n	Nov 2015	US$ 699	ebay.com
3.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
4.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
6.		Canon T4i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
7.		Canon T6	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	US$ 449	ebay.com
8.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	US$ 749	ebay.com
9.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
10.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
11.		Canon T7i	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	US$ 749	ebay.com
12.		Canon T8i	131 mm	103 mm	76 mm	515 g	800	n	Feb 2020	US$ 749	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-S1	121 mm	93 mm	70 mm	558 g	410	n	Aug 2014	US$ 749	ebay.com
14.		Sony A58	129 mm	95 mm	78 mm	492 g	690	n	Feb 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Sony A77	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	732 g	470	Y	Aug 2011	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
16.		Sony A77 II	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	647 g	480	Y	May 2014	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The A68 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 22 percent) than the 77D, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the A68 is 11 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.6 (77D) and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the A68 has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the A68 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 3.72μm for the 77D), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the 77D is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 3 months) than the A68, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The 77D has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS 77D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha SLT-A68 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
2.		Sony A68	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.5	701	79
3.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
4.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
5.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
6.		Canon T4i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
7.		Canon T6	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
8.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
9.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
10.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
11.		Canon T7i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
12.		Canon T8i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.5	1873	83
13.		Pentax K-S1	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.5	13.0	1061	78
14.		Sony A58	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.3	12.5	753	74
15.		Sony A77	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.2	801	78
16.		Sony A77 II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.4	13.4	1013	82
17.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the 77D provides a higher frame rate than the A68. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the Sony is limited to 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A68 has an electronic viewfinder (1440k dots), while the 77D 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 viewfinder in the A68 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the 77D (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the A68 has a higher magnification (0.57x vs 0.51x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 77D and Sony A68 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony A68	1440	Y	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon T4i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon T6	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon T7i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon T8i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.5/s	Y	n
13.		Pentax K-S1	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	5.4/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony A58	1440	n	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony A77	2359	Y	3.0 / 921	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony A77 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The 77D has a touchscreen, while the A68 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The Canon 77D has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The 77D writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A68 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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 77D and Sony Alpha SLT-A68 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 Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
2.		Sony A68	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon T4i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon T6	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon T7i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon T8i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Pentax K-S1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony A58	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony A77	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony A77 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the 77D offers wifi support, while the A68 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the 77D and the A68 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Canon and Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the 77D and A68 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 77D Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A68 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 77D or the Sony A68 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 77D:

• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.5 stops ISO advantage).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/60i).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 460k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (131x100mm vs 143x104mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 70g or 11 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (600 versus 540) on a single battery charge.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 3 months after the A68).

Advantages of the Sony Alpha SLT-A68:

• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.57x vs 0.51x).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (22 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in November 2015).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 77D is the clear winner of the match-up (17 : 7 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 77D and the Sony A68 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 77D or the A68. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
2.		Sony A68	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Nov 2015	US$ 699	ebay.com
3.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
4.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
6.		Canon T4i	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
7.		Canon T6	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	US$ 449	ebay.com
8.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 749	ebay.com
9.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
10.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
11.		Canon T7i	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 749	ebay.com
12.		Canon T8i	4.5/5	+	3/5	80/100	4/5	3.5/5	Feb 2020	US$ 749	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-S1	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	US$ 749	ebay.com
14.		Sony A58	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Sony A77	5/5	91/100	..	81/100	..	5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
16.		Sony A77 II	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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