Canon SX10 vs SX60

The Canon PowerShot SX10 IS and the Canon PowerShot SX60 HS are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2008 and September 2014. Both the SX10 and the SX60 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The SX10 has a resolution of 10 megapixels, whereas the SX60 provides 14.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon SX10		Canon SX60
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
28-560mm f/2.8-5.7		21-1365mm f/3.4-6.5
10 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		14.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
480/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-1,600 (100 - 3,200)		ISO 100-3,200 (100 - 6,400)
Electronic viewfinder (202k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (922k dots)
2.5" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
0.7 shutter flaps per second		6.4 shutter flaps per second
123 x 88 x 87 mm, 600 g		128 x 93 x 114 mm, 650 g

Check SX10 offers at
ebay.com
Check SX60 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX10 IS and the Canon PowerShot SX60 HS? 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 Canon SX10 and the Canon SX60 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 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 Canon SX60 is notably larger (10 percent) than the Canon SX10. Moreover, the SX60 is markedly heavier (8 percent) than the SX10. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX10 nor the SX60 are weather-sealed.

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.		Canon SX10	123 mm	88 mm	87 mm	600 g	..	n	Sep 2008	US$ 399	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX1	128 mm	88 mm	88 mm	615 g	..	n	Sep 2008	US$ 599	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX20	123 mm	88 mm	87 mm	600 g	..	n	Aug 2009	US$ 399	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX30	123 mm	92 mm	108 mm	601 g	370	n	Sep 2010	US$ 429	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX40	123 mm	92 mm	108 mm	600 g	380	n	Sep 2011	US$ 429	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX50	123 mm	87 mm	106 mm	595 g	315	n	Sep 2012	US$ 429	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX70	127 mm	91 mm	117 mm	608 g	325	n	Sep 2018	US$ 549	amazon.com
11.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	US$ 399	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
13.		Canon XS	126 mm	98 mm	65 mm	502 g	500	n	Jun 2008	US$ 449	ebay.com
14.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	US$ 349	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic FZ300	132 mm	92 mm	117 mm	691 g	380	Y	Jul 2015	US$ 599	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 SX10 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 27 percent) than the SX60, 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 sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to 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 a 1/2.3-inch sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 5.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the smaller-sensor digicams that favor affordability and compact design. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the SX60 offers a higher resolution of 14.2 megapixels, compared with 10 MP of the SX10. This megapixels advantage translates into a 26 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the SX60 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.40μm versus 1.67μm for the SX10). However, it should be noted that the SX60 is much more recent (by 5 years and 11 months) than the SX10, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Canon SX60 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the SX60 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 15.4 inches or 58.5 x 39 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 12.3 inches or 46.8 x 31.2 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.4 x 10.2 inches or 39 x 26 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon SX10 are 18.2 x 13.7 inches or 46.3 x 34.7 cm for good quality, 14.6 x 10.9 inches or 37.1 x 27.8 cm for very good quality, and 12.2 x 9.1 inches or 30.9 x 23.2 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon PowerShot SX10 IS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 100-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon PowerShot SX60 HS are ISO 100 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-6400.

In terms of underlying technology, the SX10 is build around a CCD sensor, while the SX60 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. 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 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 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.		Canon SX10	1/2.3	10.0	3648	2736	480/30p	19.0	10.3	144	35
2.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
4.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
5.		Canon SX1	1/2.3	10.0	3648	2736	1080/30p	19.0	10.3	144	35
6.		Canon SX20	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	19.2	10.5	225	37
7.		Canon SX30	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	720/30p	19.4	10.7	320	39
8.		Canon SX40	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	19.6	10.9	409	41
9.		Canon SX50	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	20.3	11.2	179	47
10.		Canon SX70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1063	51
11.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
12.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
13.		Canon XS	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.0	10.9	719	62
14.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
15.		Panasonic FZ300	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	19.3	11.0	97	38
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the SX60 provides a better video resolution than the SX10. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the SX10 is limited to 480/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the SX60 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the SX10 (922k vs 202k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon SX10 and Canon SX60 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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 SX10	202	n	2.5 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.7/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX1	202	n	2.8 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	4.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX20	202	n	2.5 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.7/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX30	202	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.6/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX40	202	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	10.3/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX50	202	n	3.0 / 461	swivel	n	1/2000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX70	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Canon XS	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
15.		Panasonic FZ300	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

Both the SX10 and the SX60 have zoom lenses built in. The SX10 has a 28-560mm f/2.8-5.7 optic and the SX60 offers a 21-1365mm f/3.4-6.5 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the SX60 provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the SX10. The SX10 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The SX10 writes its imaging data to SDHC cards, while the SX60 uses SDXC cards.

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 PowerShot SX10 IS and Canon PowerShot SX60 HS 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 SX10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Canon SX1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon SX20	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon SX30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon SX40	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon SX50	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon SX70	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Canon XS	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
15.		Panasonic FZ300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-

It is notable that the SX60 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the SX10 does not provide wifi capability.

Both the SX10 and the SX60 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX10 was replaced by the Canon SX20, while the SX60 was followed by the Canon SX70. Further information on the features and operation of the SX10 and SX60 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX10 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SX60 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon SX10 and the Canon SX60? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon PowerShot SX10 IS:

• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/3200s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/2.8 vs f/3.4).
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (27 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2008).

Reasons to prefer the Canon PowerShot SX60 HS:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (14.2 vs 10MP), which boosts linear resolution by 21%.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/60p vs 480/30p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (922k vs 202k dots).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (922k vs 230k dots).
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6.4 vs 0.7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• 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.
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 11 months of technical progress since the SX10 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the SX60 is the clear winner of the contest (13 : 4 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 SX10 and the Canon SX60 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom 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 SX10 or the SX60. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 SX10	..	+ +	..	..	..	4/5	Sep 2008	US$ 399	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX1	..	+ +	..	+	..	3.5/5	Sep 2008	US$ 599	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX20	..	+ +	..	73/100	..	4/5	Aug 2009	US$ 399	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX30	3/5	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Sep 2010	US$ 429	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX40	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2011	US$ 429	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX50	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 429	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX70	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Sep 2018	US$ 549	amazon.com
11.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	US$ 399	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
13.		Canon XS	..	82/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2008	US$ 449	ebay.com
14.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	US$ 349	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic FZ300	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	US$ 599	amazon.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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Check SX10 offers at
ebay.com
Check SX60 offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

~

Check SX10 offers at
ebay.com
Check SX60 offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.