Canon SX520 vs SX740

The Canon PowerShot SX520 HS and the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in July 2014 and July 2018. Both the SX520 and the SX740 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The SX520 has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the SX740 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 SX520		Canon SX740
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-1008mm f/3.4-6		24-960mm f/3.3-6.9
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 100-3,200
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 461k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
1.6 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
210 shots per battery charge		265 shots per battery charge
120 x 82 x 92 mm, 441 g		110 x 64 x 40 mm, 299 g

Check SX520 offers at
ebay.com
Check SX740 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX520 HS and the Canon PowerShot SX740 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon SX520 and the Canon SX740. 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.

The SX740 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the SX520 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon SX740 is notably smaller (28 percent) than the Canon SX520. Moreover, the SX740 is markedly lighter (32 percent) than the SX520. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX520 nor the SX740 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the SX520 gets 210 shots out of its Canon NB-6LH battery, while the SX740 can take 265 images on a single charge of its Canon NB-13L power pack. The power pack in the SX740 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 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 SX520	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	441 g	210	n	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
3.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX430	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	323 g	195	n	Jan 2017	299	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX510	104 mm	70 mm	80 mm	349 g	250	n	Aug 2013	249	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX530	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	210	n	Jan 2015	429	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX540	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	205	n	Jan 2016	399	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX700	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	250	n	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX720	110 mm	64 mm	36 mm	270 g	250	n	Feb 2016	379	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
12.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
13.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic ZS80	112 mm	69 mm	42 mm	327 g	380	n	Feb 2019	449	ebay.com
15.		Sony H200	123 mm	83 mm	87 mm	530 g	240	n	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX90V	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	360	n	Apr 2015	429	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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The two cameras under review were launched at the same price and fall into the same 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 size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. 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 SX740 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the SX520 (DIGIC 4+), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the SX740 offers a higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 15.9 MP of the SX520. This megapixels advantage translates into a 13 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the SX740 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.18μm versus 1.33μm for the SX520). However, it should be noted that the SX740 is much more recent (by 4 years) than the SX520, 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 Canon SX740 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the SX740 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon SX520 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 SX520 HS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The Canon PowerShot SX740 HS offers exactly the same ISO settings.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. 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 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 SX520	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
2.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
3.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
4.		Canon SX430	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.5	11.9	900	49
5.		Canon SX510	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/24p	20.0	11.3	586	45
6.		Canon SX530	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	712	47
7.		Canon SX540	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.7	806	48
8.		Canon SX700	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
9.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
10.		Canon SX720	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.8	817	48
11.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
12.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
13.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
14.		Panasonic ZS80	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1103	52
15.		Sony H200	1/2.3	15.2	5184	2930	720/30p	19.9	11.2	529	44
16.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
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 SX740 provides a better video resolution than the SX520. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the SX520 is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The SX520 and the SX740 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 following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon SX520, the Canon SX740, 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 SX520	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX430	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX510	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/1600s	3.8/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX530	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX540	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX700	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	8.5/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX710	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	6.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX720	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon T5	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
14.		Panasonic ZS80	2330	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony H200	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony HX90V	638	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The Canon SX740 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Both the SX520 and the SX740 have zoom lenses built in. The SX520 has a 24-1008mm f/3.4-6 optic and the SX740 offers a 24-960mm f/3.3-6.9 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the SX520 and SX740 provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the SX740 has less tele-photo reach at the long end. The SX740 offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the SX520 and the SX740 write their files to SDXC cards. The SX740 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the SX520 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 SX520 HS and Canon PowerShot SX740 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 SX520	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon SX430	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon SX510	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Canon SX530	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon SX540	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon SX700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon SX710	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon SX720	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic ZS80	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony H200	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the SX740 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the SX520 does not provide wifi capability.

The SX740 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the SX520 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the SX520 was succeeded by the Canon SX530. Further information on the features and operation of the SX520 and SX740 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX520 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SX740 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Canon SX520 better than the Canon SX740 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Canon PowerShot SX520 HS:

• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in July 2014).

Arguments in favor of the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20.2 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 13%.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC 4+).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
• 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 (1/3200s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 1.6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/3.3 vs f/3.4).
• More compact: Is smaller (110x64mm vs 120x82mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 142g or 32 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (265 versus 210) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 4 years of technical progress since the SX520 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the SX740 is the clear winner of the contest (18 : 2 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 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 SX520 and the Canon SX740 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 SX520 or the SX740. 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 SX520	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
3.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX430	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2017	299	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX510	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2013	249	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX530	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2015	429	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX540	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2016	399	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX700	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX710	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX720	..	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	379	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
12.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
13.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic ZS80	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	..	Feb 2019	449	ebay.com
15.		Sony H200	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, 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.

Check SX520 offers at
ebay.com
Check SX740 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

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