How many Megapixels does the Canon SX510 have?

The Canon PowerShot SX510 HS is equipped with a a 1/2.3-inch sensor that offers an image resolution of 15.9 megapixels (MP), or 15.9 million pixels. With its native aspect ratio of 4:3, the sensor has 4 608 horizontal pixels and 3 456 vertical pixels.

A 35mm film slide or negative contains 5-15 MP of useful detail, so that the Canon SX510 can be considered to be a high-resolution camera that outresolves any 35mm film camera.

A high megapixel count makes it possible to crop any captured image substantially or to make very large prints from the image file. On the downside, large megapixel files are slower to transfer and take up more storage space on the computer harddisk. Also, high-resolution imaging requires sharper, more expensive lenses than low-res picture taking.

How large can I print with 15.9 MP?

The maximum print size of the Canon SX510 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm. Few people actually print their images that large on a regular basis, but it is nice to have the option to make very large prints of exceptional shots. Also, as mentioned earlier, a key advantage of high-MP cameras is that it is possible to crop an image ex-post and thereby, for example, change the composition of the capture or zoom in on some detail.

Sensor specs and performance

The table below compares the sensor specs of the Canon SX510 to those of several similar cameras. In addition to sensor class and megapixel count, DXO values are reported as indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better). Three aspects are covered: color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape), and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon SX510	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/24p	20.0	11.3	586	45
2.		Canon SX430	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.5	11.9	900	49
3.		Canon SX420	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.3	11.7	806	48
4.		Canon SX410	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.2	11.6	720	47
5.		Canon SX520	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
6.		Canon SX700	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
7.		Canon SX600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.0	11.4	620	45
8.		Canon SX400	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	720/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
9.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
10.		Canon SX500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	720/30p	19.8	11.1	494	43
11.		Sony H200	1/2.3	15.2	5184	2930	720/30p	19.9	11.2	529	44
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

In the United States, the SX510 was initially launched in August 2013 at a price of $249.

Check SX510 offers at
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Camera to camera comparisons

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