Canon SX20 vs SX70

The Canon PowerShot SX20 IS and the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2009 and September 2018. Both the SX20 and the SX70 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The SX20 has a resolution of 12 megapixels, whereas the SX70 provides 20.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon SX20		Canon SX70
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
28-560mm f/2.8-5.7		21-1365mm f/3.4-6.5
12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
720/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 100-3,200
Electronic viewfinder (202k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2360k 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		10 shutter flaps per second
123 x 88 x 87 mm, 600 g		127 x 91 x 117 mm, 608 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS and the Canon PowerShot SX70 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon SX20 and the Canon SX70. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. 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 SX70 is notably larger (7 percent) than the Canon SX20. Moreover, the SX70 is slightly heavier (1 percent) than the SX20. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX20 nor the SX70 are weather-sealed.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon SX20	123 mm	88 mm	87 mm	600 g	..	n	Aug 2009	399	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX70	127 mm	91 mm	117 mm	608 g	325	n	Sep 2018	549	amazon.com
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX1	128 mm	88 mm	88 mm	615 g	..	n	Sep 2008	599	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX10	123 mm	88 mm	87 mm	600 g	..	n	Sep 2008	399	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX30	123 mm	92 mm	108 mm	601 g	370	n	Sep 2010	429	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX40	123 mm	92 mm	108 mm	600 g	380	n	Sep 2011	429	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX50	123 mm	87 mm	106 mm	595 g	315	n	Sep 2012	429	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
12.		Canon XS	126 mm	98 mm	65 mm	502 g	500	n	Jun 2008	449	ebay.com
13.		Leica V-LUX 2	124 mm	80 mm	95 mm	520 g	410	n	Sep 2010	849	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ100	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	540 g	410	n	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX400V	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	660 g	300	n	Feb 2014	499	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 SX20 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 27 percent) than the SX70, 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.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies 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.

Technology-wise, the SX70 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the SX20 (DIGIC 4), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the SX70 offers a higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 12 MP of the SX20. This megapixels advantage translates into a 30 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the SX70 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.18μm versus 1.53μm for the SX20). However, it should be noted that the SX70 is much more recent (by 9 years and 1 month) than the SX20, 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 SX70 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the SX70 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. The corresponding values for the Canon SX20 are 20 x 15 inches or 50.8 x 38.1 cm for good quality, 16 x 12 inches or 40.6 x 30.5 cm for very good quality, and 13.3 x 10 inches or 33.9 x 25.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon PowerShot SX20 IS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The Canon PowerShot SX70 HS offers exactly the same ISO settings.

In terms of underlying technology, the SX20 is build around a CCD sensor, while the SX70 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 determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-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 SX20	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	19.2	10.5	225	37
2.		Canon SX70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1063	51
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522	65
4.		Canon SX1	1/2.3	10.0	3648	2736	1080/30p	19.0	10.3	144	35
5.		Canon SX10	1/2.3	10.0	3648	2736	480/30p	19.0	10.3	144	35
6.		Canon SX30	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	720/30p	19.4	10.7	320	39
7.		Canon SX40	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	19.6	10.9	409	41
8.		Canon SX50	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	20.3	11.2	179	47
9.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
10.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
11.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
12.		Canon XS	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.0	10.9	719	62
13.		Leica V-LUX 2	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	1080/60i	19.4	10.7	321	39
14.		Panasonic FZ100	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	1080/60i	19.4	10.7	306	39
15.		Sony HX400V	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
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 SX70 provides a better video resolution than the SX20. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the SX20 is limited to 720/30p.

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 SX70 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the SX20 (2360k vs 202k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon SX20 and Canon SX70 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.		Canon SX20	202	n	2.5 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.7/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon SX70	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX1	202	n	2.8 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	4.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX10	202	n	2.5 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.7/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX30	202	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.6/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX40	202	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	10.3/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX50	202	n	3.0 / 461	swivel	n	1/2000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon XS	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Leica V-LUX 2	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Panasonic FZ100	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony HX400V	210	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

Both the SX20 and the SX70 have zoom lenses built in. The SX20 has a 28-560mm f/2.8-5.7 optic and the SX70 offers a 21-1365mm f/3.4-6.5 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the SX70 provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the SX20. The SX20 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The SX20 writes its imaging data to SDHC cards, while the SX70 uses SDXC cards. The SX70 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the SX20 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD 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 SX20 IS and Canon PowerShot SX70 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 SX20	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon SX70	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon SX10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon SX30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon SX40	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon SX50	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Canon XS	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Leica V-LUX 2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Panasonic FZ100	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the SX20 has a hotshoe, while the SX70 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

The SX70 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the SX20 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the SX20 was succeeded by the Canon SX30. Further information on the features and operation of the SX20 and SX70 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX20 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SX70 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon SX20 or the Canon SX70 – 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 Canon PowerShot SX20 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).
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• 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 August 2009).

Advantages of the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20.2 vs 12MP), which boosts linear resolution by 30%.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC 4).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 720/30p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2360k 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 (10 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 wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 9 years and 1 month of technical progress since the SX20 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the SX70 is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 5 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 wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 SX20 and the Canon SX70 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 SX20 or the SX70. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon SX20	..	+ +	..	73/100	..	4/5	Aug 2009	399	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX70	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Sep 2018	549	amazon.com
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX1	..	+ +	..	+	..	3.5/5	Sep 2008	599	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX10	..	+ +	..	..	..	4/5	Sep 2008	399	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX30	3/5	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Sep 2010	429	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX40	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2011	429	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX50	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	429	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
12.		Canon XS	..	82/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2008	449	ebay.com
13.		Leica V-LUX 2	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2010	849	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ100	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX400V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	499	ebay.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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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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. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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