Canon SX500 Comparison Review

The Canon PowerShot SX500 IS is a fixed lens compact camera that was revealed to the public in August 2012 and is equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. It offers a resolution of 15.9 megapixel.

Is the Canon SX500 a good camera? The SX500 has a Camera Elo of 988. This rating puts the SX500 below average of all superzoom compact cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (small sensor cameras), the SX500 also ranks below average. – Well, the Canon SX500 is more than 9 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 2012.

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

Body comparison with a credit card

The physical dimensions of the Canon SX500 relative to a credit card are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Canon SX500 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible 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 SX500	104 mm	70 mm	80 mm	341 g	195	n	Aug 2012	329
2.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399
3.		Canon SX430	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	323 g	195	n	Jan 2017	299
4.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399
5.		Canon SX420	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	195	n	Jan 2016	299
6.		Canon SX410	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	185	n	Feb 2015	279
7.		Canon SX520	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	441 g	210	n	Jul 2014	399
8.		Canon SX700	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	250	n	Feb 2014	349
9.		Canon SX400	104 mm	69 mm	80 mm	313 g	190	n	Jul 2014	249
10.		Canon SX510	104 mm	70 mm	80 mm	349 g	250	n	Aug 2013	249
11.		Sony WX800	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	233 g	370	n	Oct 2018	399
Notes: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Canon SX500 was launched in the US market at a price of $329. 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 with a 35mm slide

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. 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 are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Canon SX500 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 5.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Canon SX500 among the smaller-sensor digicams that favor affordability and compact design.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of alternative 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 SX500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	720/30p	..	..	..	..
2.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
3.		Canon SX430	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	..	..	..	..
4.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
5.		Canon SX420	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	..	..	..	..
6.		Canon SX410	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	..	..	..	..
7.		Canon SX520	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	..	..	..	..
8.		Canon SX700	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
9.		Canon SX400	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	720/30p	..	..	..	..
10.		Canon SX510	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/24p	..	..	..	..
11.		Sony WX800	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	..	..	..	..

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The SX500 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the SX500 can use is 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The tables below summarize some of the other core capabilities of the Canon SX500 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)	Mech Shutter Speed	Shutter Flaps (1/sec)	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon SX500	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/1600s	0.8	Y	Y
2.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX430	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX420	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX410	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX520	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX700	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	8.5	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX400	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/1600s	0.8	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX510	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/1600s	3.8	Y	Y
11.		Sony WX800	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0	Y	Y

One convenient feature of the SX500 is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.

Connection 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 SX500 IS 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 SX500	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon SX430	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX420	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon SX410	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon SX520	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon SX700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon SX400	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon SX510	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Sony WX800	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

The SX500 has a zoom lens built in (4.3-129mm f/3.4-5.8), which, in full frame equivalent terms, provides a focal length range from 24 to 720mm. The camera is, hence, ready to shoot, while remaining more compact in size than an interchangeable lens camera with an optic that offers similar focal length and aperture specifications.

Expert reviews

While the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the SX500 handle or perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent 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]).

Review Scores

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon SX500	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2012	329
2.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399
3.		Canon SX430	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2017	299
4.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399
5.		Canon SX420	..	..	..	..	..	3/5	Jan 2016	299
6.		Canon SX410	..	o	..	..	..	..	Feb 2015	279
7.		Canon SX520	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2014	399
8.		Canon SX700	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	349
9.		Canon SX400	..	+	..	..	..	..	Jul 2014	249
10.		Canon SX510	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2013	249
11.		Sony WX800	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	399
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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