Canon SX510 vs Sony HX80

The Canon PowerShot SX510 HS and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX80 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2013 and March 2016. Both the SX510 and the HX80 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 18 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 HX80
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-720mm f/3.4-5.8		24-720mm f/3.5-6.4
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		18 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/24p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 80-3,200		ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 12,800)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (638k dots)
3.0" LCD – 461k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
3.8 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
250 shots per battery charge		390 shots per battery charge
104 x 70 x 80 mm, 349 g		102 x 58 x 36 mm, 245 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-HX80? 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 HX80. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear 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 Sony HX80 is notably smaller (19 percent) than the Canon SX510. Moreover, the HX80 is markedly lighter (30 percent) than the SX510. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX510 nor the HX80 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the SX510 gets 250 shots out of its Canon NB-6LH battery, while the HX80 can take 390 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 power pack. The power pack in the HX80 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera 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 SX510	104 mm	70 mm	80 mm	349 g	250	n	Aug 2013	249	ebay.com
2.		Sony HX80	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	390	n	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX430	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	323 g	195	n	Jan 2017	299	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX420	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	195	n	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX720	110 mm	64 mm	36 mm	270 g	250	n	Feb 2016	379	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX410	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	185	n	Feb 2015	279	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX520	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	441 g	210	n	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX700	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	250	n	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX600	104 mm	61 mm	26 mm	188 g	290	n	Jan 2014	249	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX400	104 mm	69 mm	80 mm	313 g	190	n	Jul 2014	249	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX500	104 mm	70 mm	80 mm	341 g	195	n	Aug 2012	329	ebay.com
14.		Sony WX800	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	233 g	370	n	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 V	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	299 g	220	n	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX90V	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	360	n	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
17.		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 29 percent) than the HX80, which puts it into a different market segment. 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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 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.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the HX80 offers a higher resolution of 18 megapixels, compared with 15.9 MP of the SX510. This megapixels advantage translates into a 6 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the HX80 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.25μm versus 1.33μm for the SX510). However, it should be noted that the HX80 is much more recent (by 2 years and 6 months) than the SX510, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that 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 HX80 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the HX80 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 24.5 x 18.4 inches or 62.2 x 46.6 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 19.6 x 14.7 inches or 49.7 x 37.3 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 16.3 x 12.2 inches or 41.5 x 31.1 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 corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX80 are ISO 80 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-12800.

In terms of underlying technology, the SX510 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the HX80 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 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 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 HX80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.4	11.8	822	48
3.		Canon SX430	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.5	11.9	900	49
4.		Canon SX420	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.3	11.7	806	48
5.		Canon SX720	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.8	817	48
6.		Canon SX410	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.2	11.6	720	47
7.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
8.		Canon SX520	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
9.		Canon SX700	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
10.		Canon SX600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.0	11.4	620	45
11.		Canon SX400	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	720/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
12.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
13.		Canon SX500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	720/30p	19.8	11.1	494	43
14.		Sony WX800	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.2	1070	51
15.		Sony RX100 V	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	586	70
16.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
17.		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 can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the HX80 provides a faster frame rate than the SX510. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the HX80 has an electronic viewfinder (638k 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 Sony HX80, 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.		Sony HX80	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX430	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX420	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX720	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX410	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX710	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	6.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX520	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX700	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	8.5/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX600	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	3.9/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon SX400	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/1600s	0.8/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
13.		Canon SX500	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/1600s	0.8/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony WX800	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony RX100 V	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony HX90V	638	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		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 HX80 have zoom lenses built in. The SX510 has a 24-720mm f/3.4-5.8 optic and the HX80 offers a 24-720mm f/3.5-6.4 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). The SX510 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The SX510 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the HX80 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The HX80 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the SX510 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 SX510 HS and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX80 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 HX80	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon SX430	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon SX420	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon SX720	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon SX410	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon SX710	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon SX520	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon SX700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon SX600	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon SX400	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Canon SX500	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony WX800	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony RX100 V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony H200	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

Both the SX510 and the HX80 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX510 was replaced by the Canon SX520, while the HX80 was followed by the Sony HX90. Further information on the features and operation of the SX510 and HX80 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX510 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony HX80 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon SX510 better than the Sony HX80 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Canon PowerShot SX510 HS:

• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/3.4 vs f/3.5).
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (29 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2013).

Arguments in favor of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX80:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (18 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 6%.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/24p).
• 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 tilting screen for odd-angle shots in 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 (10 vs 3.8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (102x58mm vs 104x70mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 104g or 30 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (390 versus 250) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• 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.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 6 months of technical progress since the SX510 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the HX80 is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 3 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 wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 HX80 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 remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the SX510 or the HX80. 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 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 HX80	..	..	..	..	..	..	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX430	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2017	299	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX420	..	..	..	..	..	3/5	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX720	..	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	379	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX410	..	o	..	..	..	..	Feb 2015	279	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX710	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX520	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX700	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX600	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2014	249	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX400	..	+	..	..	..	..	Jul 2014	249	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX500	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2012	329	ebay.com
14.		Sony WX800	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 V	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
17.		Sony H200	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated 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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price 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

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