How many Megapixels does the Canon SX540 have?

The Canon PowerShot SX540 HS is equipped with a a 1/2.3-inch sensor that offers an image resolution of 20.2 megapixels (MP), or 20.2 million pixels. With its native aspect ratio of 4:3, the sensor has 5 184 horizontal pixels and 3 888 vertical pixels.

A 35mm film slide or negative contains 5-15 MP of useful detail, so that the Canon SX540 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 20.2 MP?

The maximum print size of the Canon SX540 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 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 SX540 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 SX540	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.7	806	48
2.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
3.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
4.		Canon T6	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
5.		Canon SX420	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.3	11.7	806	48
6.		Canon SX720	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.8	817	48
7.		Canon SX410	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.2	11.6	720	47
8.		Canon SX530	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	712	47
9.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
10.		Panasonic ZS70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
11.		Panasonic FZ80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	900	49
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

In the United States, the SX540 was initially launched in January 2016 at a price of $399.

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Camera to camera comparisons

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