Canon SX420 vs SX610

The Canon PowerShot SX420 IS and the Canon PowerShot SX610 HS are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in January 2016 and January 2015. Both the SX420 and the SX610 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The SX420 has a resolution of 19.9 megapixels, whereas the SX610 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 SX420		Canon SX610
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-1008mm f/3.5-6.6		25-450mm f/3.8-6.9
19.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
720/25p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-1,600		ISO 80-3,200
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
0.5 shutter flaps per second		2.5 shutter flaps per second
195 shots per battery charge		270 shots per battery charge
104 x 69 x 85 mm, 325 g		105 x 61 x 27 mm, 191 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX420 IS and the Canon PowerShot SX610 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 SX420 and the Canon SX610 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 width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The SX420 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the SX610 is available in three color-versions (black, red, white).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon SX610 is notably smaller (11 percent) than the Canon SX420. Moreover, the SX610 is substantially lighter (41 percent) than the SX420. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX420 nor the SX610 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the SX420 gets 195 shots out of its Canon NB-11LH battery, while the SX610 can take 270 images on a single charge of its Canon NB-6LH power pack.

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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon SX420	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	195	n	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX610	105 mm	61 mm	27 mm	191 g	270	n	Jan 2015	249	ebay.com
3.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	106 mm	61 mm	42 mm	319 g	265	n	Feb 2016	699	ebay.com
5.		Canon G9 X	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	209 g	220	n	Oct 2015	529	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX410	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	185	n	Feb 2015	279	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX430	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	323 g	195	n	Jan 2017	299	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX600	104 mm	61 mm	26 mm	188 g	290	n	Jan 2014	249	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX620	97 mm	57 mm	28 mm	182 g	295	n	May 2016	279	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX720	110 mm	64 mm	36 mm	270 g	250	n	Feb 2016	379	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic ZS70	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	449	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 SX610 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 17 percent) than the SX420, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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 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 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 SX610 offers a slightly higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 19.9 MP of the SX420. This megapixels advantage translates into a 0.59999999999999 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the SX610 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.18μm versus 1.19μm for the SX420). Moreover, it should be noted, that the SX420 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year) than the SX610, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of individual pixels. 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 Canon PowerShot SX420 IS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon PowerShot SX610 HS are ISO 80 to ISO 3200 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the SX420 is build around a CCD sensor, while the SX610 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.

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 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 SX420	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.3	11.7	806	48
2.		Canon SX610	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	712	47
3.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.8	11.9	260	62
5.		Canon G9 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.5	12.3	495	63
6.		Canon SX410	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.2	11.6	720	47
7.		Canon SX430	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.5	11.9	900	49
8.		Canon SX600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.0	11.4	620	45
9.		Canon SX620	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.4	11.8	838	49
10.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
11.		Canon SX720	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.8	817	48
12.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
13.		Panasonic ZS70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
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 SX610 provides a better video resolution than the SX420. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/30p, while the SX420 is limited to 720/25p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The SX420 and the SX610 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon SX420 and Canon SX610 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 SX420	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon SX610	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/2000s	2.5/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G9 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX410	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX430	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX600	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	3.9/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX620	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 SX720	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
13.		Panasonic ZS70	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

Both the SX420 and the SX610 have zoom lenses built in. The SX420 has a 24-1008mm f/3.5-6.6 optic and the SX610 offers a 25-450mm f/3.8-6.9 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the SX420 provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the SX610. The SX420 offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the SX420 and the SX610 write their files to 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 SX420 IS and Canon PowerShot SX610 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 SX420	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Canon SX610	-	- / -	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon G9 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon SX410	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon SX430	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon SX600	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon SX620	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon SX710	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon SX720	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Panasonic ZS70	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-

Both the SX420 and the SX610 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX610 was replaced by the Canon SX620, while the SX420 was followed by the Canon SX430. Further information on the features and operation of the SX420 and SX610 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX420 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SX610 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon SX420 or the Canon SX610 – 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.

Reasons to prefer the Canon PowerShot SX420 IS:

• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/3.5 vs f/3.8).
• 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.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year after the SX610).

Advantages of the Canon PowerShot SX610 HS:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/30p vs 720/25p).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (922k vs 230k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (2.5 vs 0.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (105x61mm vs 104x69mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 134g or 41 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (270 versus 195) out of a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (17 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2015).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the SX610 emerges as the winner of the match-up (8 : 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 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 SX420 and the Canon SX610 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the SX420 or the SX610 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera 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 SX420	..	..	..	..	..	3/5	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX610	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2015	249	ebay.com
3.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	4.5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	699	ebay.com
5.		Canon G9 X	3.5/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	529	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX410	..	o	..	..	..	..	Feb 2015	279	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX430	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2017	299	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX600	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2014	249	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX620	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	May 2016	279	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX710	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX720	..	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	379	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic ZS70	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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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. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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