What is the pixel pitch of the Canon SX720?

The Canon PowerShot SX720 HS provides 20.2 megapixels from a 1/2.3-inch sensor. This pixel density gives rise to a size of the individual pixel of 1.18µm.

The pixel size or pixel pitch can be calculated by dividing the sensor area by the pixel count and then taking the square root. In particular, the sensor in the Canon SX720 measures 6.17mm in width and 4.55mm in height, so that the total imaging area of the sensor amounts to 28 mm². Moreover, the SX720 has 5 184 horizontal pixels and 3 888 vertical pixels, for a total of 20.2 megapixels. Then, the size (height or width) of each individual pixel can be calculated as the square root of the ratio of the sensor area (28 mm²) to the MP count (20 155 392).

Larger pixels provide advantages with respect to gathering light, particularly in low-light situations. Large pixels notably have a better signal to noise ratio, meaning that they can better differentiate between incoming photons and the noisy signals that the internal processes of the camera create. As a result, big pixels are particularly helpful to the photographer when shooting with high ISO settings.

Sensor specs and performance

The table below compares the sensor specs of the Canon SX720 to those of several similar cameras. The reported DXO values are indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better), covering 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 SX720	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.8	817	48
2.		Canon SX410	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.2	11.6	720	47
3.		Canon SX420	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.3	11.7	806	48
4.		Canon SX430	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.5	11.9	900	49
5.		Canon SX540	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.7	806	48
6.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
7.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
8.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
9.		Panasonic ZS70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
10.		Sony HX80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.4	11.8	822	48
11.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Further information on the sensor in the Canon SX720 and the camera's operation can be found in the camera manual.

In the United States, the SX720 was initially launched in February 2016 at a price of $379.

Check SX720 offers at
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Camera to camera comparisons

In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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