Canon SX400 vs SX70

The Canon PowerShot SX400 IS and the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in July 2014 and September 2018. Both the SX400 and the SX70 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The SX400 has a resolution of 15.9 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 SX400		Canon SX70
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-720mm f/3.4-5.8		21-1365mm f/3.4-6.5
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
720/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-1,600		ISO 100-3,200
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
0.8 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
190 shots per battery charge		325 shots per battery charge
104 x 69 x 80 mm, 313 g		127 x 91 x 117 mm, 608 g

Check SX400 offers at
ebay.com
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amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX400 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon SX400 and the Canon SX70 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures 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 considerably larger (61 percent) than the Canon SX400. Moreover, the SX70 is substantially heavier (94 percent) than the SX400. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX400 nor the SX70 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the SX400 gets 190 shots out of its Canon NB-11LH battery, while the SX70 can take 325 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E12 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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 SX400	104 mm	69 mm	80 mm	313 g	190	n	Jul 2014	249	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX70	127 mm	91 mm	117 mm	608 g	325	n	Sep 2018	549	amazon.com
3.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX420	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	195	n	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX410	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	185	n	Feb 2015	279	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX530	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	210	n	Jan 2015	429	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX610	105 mm	61 mm	27 mm	191 g	270	n	Jan 2015	249	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX700	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	250	n	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX600	104 mm	61 mm	26 mm	188 g	290	n	Jan 2014	249	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
14.		Canon SX510	104 mm	70 mm	80 mm	349 g	250	n	Aug 2013	249	ebay.com
15.		Nikon L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
16.		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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The SX400 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 55 percent) than the SX70, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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 size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to 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.

Technology-wise, the SX70 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the SX400 (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 15.9 MP of the SX400. This megapixels advantage translates into a 13 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 1.33μm for the SX400). However, it should be noted that the SX70 is much more recent (by 4 years and 1 month) than the SX400, 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 SX400 are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon PowerShot SX400 IS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS are ISO 100 to ISO 3200 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the SX400 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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 SX400	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	720/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
2.		Canon SX70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1063	51
3.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522	65
5.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
6.		Canon SX420	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.3	11.7	806	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 SX610	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	712	47
10.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
11.		Canon SX700	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
12.		Canon SX600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.0	11.4	620	45
13.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
14.		Canon SX510	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/24p	20.0	11.3	586	45
15.		Nikon L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.2	11.6	721	47
16.		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 are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the SX70 provides a better video resolution than the SX400. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the SX400 is limited to 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the SX70 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the SX400 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon SX400 and Canon SX70 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 SX400	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/1600s	0.8/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon SX70	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX420	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX410	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX530	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX610	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/2000s	2.5/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX710	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	6.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon SX700	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	8.5/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX600	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	3.9/s	Y	Y
13.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
14.		Canon SX510	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/1600s	3.8/s	Y	Y
15.		Nikon L840	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
16.		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 SX400 and the SX70 have zoom lenses built in. The SX400 has a 24-720mm f/3.4-5.8 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 SX400. Both cameras offer the same maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the SX400 and the SX70 write their files to SDXC cards. The SX70 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the SX400 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 SX400 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 SX400	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon SX70	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX420	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon SX410	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon SX530	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon SX610	-	- / -	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon SX710	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon SX700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon SX600	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Canon SX510	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Nikon L840	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the SX70 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the SX400 does not provide wifi capability.

The SX70 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the SX400 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the SX400 was succeeded by the Canon SX410. Further information on the features and operation of the SX400 and SX70 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX400 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SX70 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Canon SX400 better than the Canon SX70 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon PowerShot SX400 IS:

• More compact: Is smaller (104x69mm vs 127x91mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 295g or 49 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (55 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in July 2014).

Reasons to prefer the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20.2 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 13%.
• 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.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (922k vs 230k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/2000s vs 1/1600s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 0.8 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.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (325 versus 190) out of a single battery charge.
• 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 4 years and 1 month of technical progress since the SX400 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the SX70 is the clear winner of the contest (17 : 4 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 SX400 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 SX400 or the SX70. 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 expert reviews 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon SX400	..	+	..	..	..	..	Jul 2014	249	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX70	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Sep 2018	549	amazon.com
3.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX420	..	..	..	..	..	3/5	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX410	..	o	..	..	..	..	Feb 2015	279	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX530	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2015	429	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX610	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2015	249	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX710	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX700	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX600	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2014	249	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
14.		Canon SX510	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2013	249	ebay.com
15.		Nikon L840	..	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
16.		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 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.

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amazon.com

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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