Canon SX410 vs T6s

The Canon PowerShot SX410 IS and the Canon EOS Rebel T6s (labelled Canon 760D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced in February 2015. The SX410 is a fixed lens compact, while the T6s is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (SX410) and an APS-C (T6s) sensor. The SX410 has a resolution of 19.9 megapixels, whereas the T6s provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon SX410		Canon T6s
Fixed lens compact camera		Digital single lens reflex
24-960mm f/3.5-5.6		Canon EF mount lenses
19.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
720/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-1,600		ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
0.5 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
185 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
104 x 69 x 85 mm, 325 g		132 x 101 x 78 mm, 565 g

Check SX410 offers at
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Check T6s offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX410 IS and the Canon EOS Rebel T6s? 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 SX410 and the Canon T6s are illustrated 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The SX410 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the T6s is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon T6s is considerably larger (86 percent) than the Canon SX410. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX410 nor the T6s are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the SX410 has a lens built in, whereas the T6s is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the T6s and their specifications in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the SX410 gets 185 shots out of its NB-11LH battery, while the T6s can take 440 images on a single charge of its LP-E17 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon SX410	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	185	n	Feb 2015	279	ebay.com
2.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX430	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	323 g	195	n	Jan 2017	299	amazon.com
4.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
6.		Canon T7i	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
7.		Canon G7 X Mark II	106 mm	61 mm	42 mm	319 g	265	n	Feb 2016	699	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX420	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	195	n	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX620	97 mm	57 mm	28 mm	182 g	295	n	May 2016	279	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX720	110 mm	64 mm	36 mm	270 g	250	n	Feb 2016	379	ebay.com
11.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
12.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX610	105 mm	61 mm	27 mm	191 g	270	n	Jan 2015	249	ebay.com
14.		Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
15.		Canon SX400	104 mm	69 mm	80 mm	313 g	190	n	Jul 2014	249	ebay.com
16.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
17.		Canon T4i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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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 SX410 was launched at a lower price than the T6s, despite having a lens built in. 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 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon SX410 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Canon T6s an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the T6s is 1086 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 1.6. The sensor in the SX410 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the T6s offers a 3:2 aspect.

Technology-wise, the T6s uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 6) than the SX410 (DIGIC 4+), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 24MP, the T6s offers a higher resolution than the SX410 (19.9MP), but the T6s nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 1.19μm for the SX410) due to its larger sensor. It is noteworthy in this context that the two cameras were released in close succession, so that their sensors are from the same technological generation. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the SX410 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Canon T6s implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the T6s for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon SX410 are 25.8 x 19.3 inches or 65.4 x 49.1 cm for good quality, 20.6 x 15.5 inches or 52.3 x 39.3 cm for very good quality, and 17.2 x 12.9 inches or 43.6 x 32.7 cm for excellent quality prints.

The T6s has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon PowerShot SX410 IS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS Rebel T6s are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

In terms of underlying technology, the SX410 is build around a CCD sensor, while the T6s uses a 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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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 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 SX410	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.2	11.6	720	47
2.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
3.		Canon SX430	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.5	11.9	900	49
4.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
5.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
6.		Canon T7i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
7.		Canon G7 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.8	11.9	260	62
8.		Canon SX420	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.3	11.7	806	48
9.		Canon SX620	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.4	11.8	838	49
10.		Canon SX720	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.8	817	48
11.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
12.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
13.		Canon SX610	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	712	47
14.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
15.		Canon SX400	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	720/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
16.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
17.		Canon T4i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
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 can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the T6s provides a better video resolution than the SX410. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/30p, while the SX410 is limited to 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the T6s has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the SX410 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon SX410 and Canon T6s 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 SX410	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon SX430	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon T7i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon G7 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX420	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX620	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/2000s	2.5/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX720	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon SX610	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/2000s	2.5/s	Y	Y
14.		Canon SX710	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	6.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Canon SX400	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/1600s	0.8/s	Y	Y
16.		Canon T5	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
17.		Canon T4i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The T6s has a touchscreen, while the SX410 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the SX410 and the T6s write their files to SDXC cards. The T6s supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the SX410 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 SX410 IS and Canon EOS Rebel T6s 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 SX410	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon SX430	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon T7i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon G7 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon SX420	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon SX620	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon SX720	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Canon SX610	-	- / -	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Canon SX710	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Canon SX400	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Canon T4i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the T6s offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the SX410 does not provide wifi capability.

Both the SX410 and the T6s have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX410 was replaced by the Canon SX420, while the T6s was followed by the Canon 77D. Further information on the features and operation of the SX410 and T6s can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX410 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon T6s Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon SX410 better than the Canon T6s or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Canon PowerShot SX410 IS:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with a built-in lens, while the T6s requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (104x69mm vs 132x101mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the T6s).
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.

Advantages of the Canon EOS Rebel T6s:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 19.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 12%.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 6 vs DIGIC 4+).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/30p vs 720/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 230k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 0.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Makes it possible to change lenses and thus to use specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (440 versus 185) out of a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• 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.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the T6s is the clear winner of the contest (23 : 6 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 SX410 and the Canon T6s place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the SX410 or the T6s. 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 SX410	..	o	..	..	..	..	Feb 2015	279	ebay.com
2.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX430	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2017	299	amazon.com
4.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
6.		Canon T7i	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
7.		Canon G7 X Mark II	4.5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	699	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX420	..	..	..	..	..	3/5	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX620	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	May 2016	279	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX720	..	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	379	ebay.com
11.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
12.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX610	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2015	249	ebay.com
14.		Canon SX710	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
15.		Canon SX400	..	+	..	..	..	..	Jul 2014	249	ebay.com
16.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
17.		Canon T4i	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. 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. 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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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 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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