Canon SX510 vs Sony H400

The Canon PowerShot SX510 HS and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in August 2013 and February 2014. Both the SX510 and the H400 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 19.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon SX510		Sony H400
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-720mm f/3.4-5.8		24.5-1550mm f/3.4-6.5
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		19.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/24p Video		720/30p Video
ISO 80-3,200		ISO 80-3,200
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (210k dots)
3.0" LCD – 461k dots		3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3.8 shutter flaps per second		0.7 shutter flaps per second
250 shots per battery charge		300 shots per battery charge
104 x 70 x 80 mm, 349 g		130 x 95 x 122 mm, 628 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon SX510 and the Sony H400. 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.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony H400 is considerably larger (70 percent) than the Canon SX510. Moreover, the H400 is substantially heavier (80 percent) than the SX510. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX510 nor the H400 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the SX510 gets 250 shots out of its Canon NB-6LH battery, while the H400 can take 300 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.		Sony H400	130 mm	95 mm	122 mm	628 g	300	n	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX400	104 mm	69 mm	80 mm	313 g	190	n	Jul 2014	249	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX410	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	185	n	Feb 2015	279	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX420	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	195	n	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX430	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	323 g	195	n	Jan 2017	299	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX500	104 mm	70 mm	80 mm	341 g	195	n	Aug 2012	329	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX520	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	441 g	210	n	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX600	104 mm	61 mm	26 mm	188 g	290	n	Jan 2014	249	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX700	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	250	n	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
13.		Sony H200	123 mm	83 mm	87 mm	530 g	240	n	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
14.		Sony H300	128 mm	89 mm	92 mm	590 g	350	n	Feb 2014	219	ebay.com
15.		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

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 somewhat lower price (by 22 percent) than the H400, 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 H400 offers a higher resolution of 19.9 megapixels, compared with 15.9 MP of the SX510. This megapixels advantage translates into a 12 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the H400 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.19μm versus 1.33μm for the SX510). However, it should be noted that the H400 is a somewhat more recent model (by 5 months) than the SX510, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly 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 Sony H400 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the H400 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.8 x 19.3 inches or 65.4 x 49.1 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.6 x 15.5 inches or 52.3 x 39.3 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.2 x 12.9 inches or 43.6 x 32.7 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon SX510 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 SX510 HS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 3200. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400 offers exactly the same ISO settings.

In terms of underlying technology, the SX510 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the H400 uses a CCD 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 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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.		Sony H400	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
3.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
4.		Canon SX400	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	720/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
5.		Canon SX410	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.2	11.6	720	47
6.		Canon SX420	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.3	11.7	806	48
7.		Canon SX430	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.5	11.9	900	49
8.		Canon SX500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	720/30p	19.8	11.1	494	43
9.		Canon SX520	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
10.		Canon SX600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.0	11.4	620	45
11.		Canon SX700	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
12.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
13.		Sony H200	1/2.3	15.2	5184	2930	720/30p	19.9	11.2	529	44
14.		Sony H300	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
15.		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 have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the SX510 provides a higher video resolution than the H400. It can shoot video footage at 1080/24p, while the Sony is limited to 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the H400 has an electronic viewfinder (210k 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 table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon SX510 and Sony H400 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 SX510	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/1600s	3.8/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony H400	210	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	0.7/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX400	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/1600s	0.8/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX410	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX420	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 SX500	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/1600s	0.8/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX520	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX600	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	3.9/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon SX700	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	8.5/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX710	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	6.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony H200	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony H300	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
15.		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 SX510 and the H400 have zoom lenses built in. The SX510 has a 24-720mm f/3.4-5.8 optic and the H400 offers a 24.5-1550mm f/3.4-6.5 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Canon provides a wider angle of view at the short end than the Sony, but less tele-photo reach at the long end. Both cameras offer the same maximum aperture.

The SX510 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the H400 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400 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.		Sony H400	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon SX400	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon SX410	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon SX420	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon SX430	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon SX500	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon SX520	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon SX600	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon SX700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon SX710	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony H200	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony H300	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Both the SX510 and the H400 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX510 was replaced by the Canon SX520, while the H400 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the SX510 and H400 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX510 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony H400 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon SX510 better than the Sony H400 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Canon PowerShot SX510 HS:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/24p vs 720/30p).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3.8 vs 0.7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
• More compact: Is smaller (104x70mm vs 130x95mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 279g or 44 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (22 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in August 2013).

Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (19.9 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 12%.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/2000s vs 1/1600s) to freeze action.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (300 versus 250) out of a single battery charge.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (5 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the SX510 comes out slightly ahead of the H400 (7 : 6 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 Sony H400 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the SX510 and the H400 in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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.		Sony H400	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX400	..	+	..	..	..	..	Jul 2014	249	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX410	..	o	..	..	..	..	Feb 2015	279	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX420	..	..	..	..	..	3/5	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX430	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2017	299	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX500	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2012	329	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX520	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX600	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2014	249	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX700	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX710	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
13.		Sony H200	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
14.		Sony H300	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2014	219	ebay.com
15.		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. 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, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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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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