Canon SX510 vs SX60

The Canon PowerShot SX510 HS and the Canon PowerShot SX60 HS are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2013 and September 2014. Both the SX510 and the SX60 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The SX510 has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the SX60 provides 14.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon SX510		Canon SX60
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		14.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/24p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 80-3,200		ISO 100-3,200 (100 - 6,400)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (922k dots)
3.0" LCD – 461k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
3.8 shutter flaps per second		6.4 shutter flaps per second
250 shots per battery charge		340 shots per battery charge
104 x 70 x 80 mm, 349 g		128 x 93 x 114 mm, 650 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX510 HS and the Canon PowerShot SX60 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 SX510 and the Canon SX60 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 SX60 is considerably larger (64 percent) than the Canon SX510. Moreover, the SX60 is substantially heavier (86 percent) than the SX510. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX510 nor the SX60 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the SX510 gets 250 shots out of its Canon NB-6LH battery, while the SX60 can take 340 images on a single charge of its Canon NB-10L 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 SX510	104 mm	70 mm	80 mm	349 g	250	n	Aug 2013	249	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX70	127 mm	91 mm	117 mm	608 g	325	n	Sep 2018	549	amazon.com
4.		Canon SX430	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	323 g	195	n	Jan 2017	299	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX420	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	195	n	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX410	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	185	n	Feb 2015	279	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX520	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	441 g	210	n	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX700	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	250	n	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX600	104 mm	61 mm	26 mm	188 g	290	n	Jan 2014	249	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX400	104 mm	69 mm	80 mm	313 g	190	n	Jul 2014	249	ebay.com
11.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
12.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	549	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX500	104 mm	70 mm	80 mm	341 g	195	n	Aug 2012	329	ebay.com
14.		Canon SX50	123 mm	87 mm	106 mm	595 g	315	n	Sep 2012	429	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic FZ300	132 mm	92 mm	117 mm	691 g	380	Y	Jul 2015	599	amazon.com
16.		Sony H200	123 mm	83 mm	87 mm	530 g	240	n	Jan 2013	249	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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The SX510 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 55 percent) than the SX60, 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and 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 SX60 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 6) than the SX510 (DIGIC 4), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the SX510 offers a higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 14.2 MP of the SX60. This megapixels advantage translates into a 0 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the SX510 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.33μm versus 1.40μm for the SX60). Moreover, it should be noted that the SX60 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year) than the SX510, 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 SX510 HS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon PowerShot SX60 HS are ISO 100 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-6400.

In terms of underlying technology, the SX510 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the SX60 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 SX510	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/24p	20.0	11.3	586	45
2.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
3.		Canon SX70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1063	51
4.		Canon SX430	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.5	11.9	900	49
5.		Canon SX420	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.3	11.7	806	48
6.		Canon SX410	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.2	11.6	720	47
7.		Canon SX520	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
8.		Canon SX700	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
9.		Canon SX600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.0	11.4	620	45
10.		Canon SX400	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	720/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
11.		Canon G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
12.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
13.		Canon SX500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	720/30p	19.8	11.1	494	43
14.		Canon SX50	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	20.3	11.2	179	47
15.		Panasonic FZ300	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	19.3	11.0	97	38
16.		Sony H200	1/2.3	15.2	5184	2930	720/30p	19.9	11.2	529	44
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 SX60 provides a faster frame rate than the SX510. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the SX510 is limited to 1080/24p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the SX60 has an electronic viewfinder (922k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the SX510 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon SX510, the Canon SX60, and comparable 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 SX510	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/1600s	3.8/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX70	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX430	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX420	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX410	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX520	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX700	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	8.5/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX600	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	3.9/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX400	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/1600s	0.8/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
13.		Canon SX500	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/1600s	0.8/s	Y	Y
14.		Canon SX50	202	n	3.0 / 461	swivel	n	1/2000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
15.		Panasonic FZ300	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony H200	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

Both the SX510 and the SX60 have zoom lenses built in. The SX510 has a 24-720mm f/3.4-5.8 optic and the SX60 offers a 21-1365mm f/3.4-6.5 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the SX60 provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the SX510. Both cameras offer the same maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the SX510 and the SX60 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 SX510 HS and Canon PowerShot SX60 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 SX510	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon SX70	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon SX430	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	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 SX600	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon SX400	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Canon SX500	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Canon SX50	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Panasonic FZ300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Sony H200	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the SX60 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The SX510 does not feature such a mic input.

Both the SX510 and the SX60 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX510 was replaced by the Canon SX520, while the SX60 was followed by the Canon SX70. Further information on the features and operation of the SX510 and SX60 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX510 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SX60 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon SX510 and the Canon SX60? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon PowerShot SX510 HS:

• More compact: Is smaller (104x70mm vs 128x93mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 301g or 46 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 on the market for longer (launched in August 2013).

Arguments in favor of the Canon PowerShot SX60 HS:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 6 vs DIGIC 4).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/24p).
• 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 461k 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 (6.4 vs 3.8 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 (340 versus 250) out of a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the SX60 is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 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 SX510 and the Canon SX60 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 SX510 or the SX60 perform in practice. 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 hands-on reviews by experts are important. 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 SX510	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2013	249	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX70	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Sep 2018	549	amazon.com
4.		Canon SX430	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2017	299	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX420	..	..	..	..	..	3/5	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX410	..	o	..	..	..	..	Feb 2015	279	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX520	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX700	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX600	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2014	249	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX400	..	+	..	..	..	..	Jul 2014	249	ebay.com
11.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
12.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	549	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX500	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2012	329	ebay.com
14.		Canon SX50	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	429	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic FZ300	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	599	amazon.com
16.		Sony H200	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted 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 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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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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