Sony A68 vs A77

The Sony Alpha SLT-A68 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A77 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in November 2015 and August 2011. 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

Sony A68		Sony A77
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Sony A mount lenses		Sony A mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60i Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-16,000 (50 - 25,600)
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
2.7" LCD – 460k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)
8 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
540 shots per battery charge		470 shots per battery charge
143 x 104 x 81 mm, 610 g		143 x 104 x 81 mm, 732 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha SLT-A68 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A77? 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 physical size and weight of the Sony A68 and the Sony A77 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

In this particular case, the Sony A68 and the Sony A77 have exactly the same width and height, and, thus, have identically-sized bodies. However, the A77 is markedly heavier (20 percent) than the A68. It is noteworthy in this context that the A77 is splash and dust-proof, while the A68 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Sony A68	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	610 g	540	n	Nov 2015	US$ 699	ebay.com
2.		Sony A77	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	732 g	470	Y	Aug 2011	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
3.		Canon 750D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	US$ 749	ebay.com
4.		Canon 760D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic GH5	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	725 g	410	Y	Jan 2017	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
6.		Panasonic TZ100	111 mm	65 mm	44 mm	312 g	300	n	Jan 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
7.		Pentax K-S1	121 mm	93 mm	70 mm	558 g	410	n	Aug 2014	US$ 749	ebay.com
8.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
9.		Sony A9	127 mm	96 mm	63 mm	673 g	650	Y	Apr 2017	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
10.		Sony A58	129 mm	95 mm	78 mm	492 g	690	n	Feb 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
11.		Sony A77 II	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	647 g	480	Y	May 2014	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
12.		Sony A99	147 mm	111 mm	78 mm	812 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
13.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	US$ 799	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 markedly lower price (by 50 percent) than the A77, which puts it into a different market segment. 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. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the 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 and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 24 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the A68 and the A77 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the A68 is much more recent (by 4 years and 2 months) than the A77, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Sony Alpha SLT-A68 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha SLT-A77 are ISO 100 to ISO 16000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-25600.

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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. 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
1.		Sony A68	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.5	701	79
2.		Sony A77	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.2	801	78
3.		Canon 750D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
4.		Canon 760D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
5.		Panasonic GH5	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.9	13.0	807	77
6.		Panasonic TZ100	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.5	559	70
7.		Pentax K-S1	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.5	13.0	1061	78
8.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
9.		Sony A9	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.9	13.3	3517	92
10.		Sony A58	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.3	12.5	753	74
11.		Sony A77 II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.4	13.4	1013	82
12.		Sony A99	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	14.0	1555	89
13.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
14.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the A77 provides a faster frame rate than the A68. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the A68 is limited to 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the A77 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the A68 (2359k vs 1440k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Sony A68 and Sony A77 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.		Sony A68	1440	Y	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony A77	2359	Y	3.0 / 921	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon 750D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 760D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Panasonic GH5	3680	n	3.2 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
6.		Panasonic TZ100	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Pentax K-S1	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	5.4/s	Y	Y
8.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
9.		Sony A9	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
10.		Sony A58	1440	n	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Sony A77 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony A99	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the A68 and the A77 write their files to 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 Sony Alpha SLT-A68 and Sony Alpha SLT-A77 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.		Sony A68	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Sony A77	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 750D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon 760D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Panasonic GH5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Panasonic TZ100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Pentax K-S1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Sony A9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Sony A58	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Sony A77 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony A99	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A77 (unlike the A68) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the A77 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the A68 and the A77 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A77 was replaced by the Sony A77 II, while the A68 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the A68 and A77 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A68 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A77 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Sony A68 or the Sony A77 – 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 Sony Alpha SLT-A68:

• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 122g or 17 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (540 versus 470) on a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (50 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 2 months of technical progress since the A77 launch.

Advantages of the Sony Alpha SLT-A77:

• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/60i).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2359k vs 1440k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.73x vs 0.57x).
• 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 (921k vs 460k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in August 2011).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A77 is the clear winner of the contest (13 : 4 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 Sony A68 and the Sony A77 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the A68 or the A77 perform in practice. 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.		Sony A68	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Nov 2015	US$ 699	ebay.com
2.		Sony A77	5/5	91/100	..	81/100	..	5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
3.		Canon 750D	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 749	ebay.com
4.		Canon 760D	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic GH5	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
6.		Panasonic TZ100	4.5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
7.		Pentax K-S1	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	US$ 749	ebay.com
8.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
9.		Sony A9	5/5	+ +	4.8/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2017	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
10.		Sony A58	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
11.		Sony A77 II	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
12.		Sony A99	5/5	..	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
13.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. 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, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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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. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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