Canon SX520 vs Kodak S-1

The Canon PowerShot SX520 HS and the Kodak PixPro S-1 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in July 2014 and January 2012. The SX520 is a fixed lens compact, while the S-1 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (SX520) and a Four Thirds (S-1) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Kodak provides 16.1 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon SX520		Kodak S-1
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
24-1008mm f/3.4-6		Micro Four Thirds lenses
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		16.1 MP – Four Thirds sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 200-12,800
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 461k dots		3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
1.6 shutter flaps per second		4 shutter flaps per second
Lens-based stabilization		In-body stabilization
210 shots per battery charge		410 shots per battery charge
120 x 82 x 92 mm, 441 g		116 x 68 x 36 mm, 290 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX520 HS and the Kodak PixPro S-1? 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 SX520 and the Kodak S-1 is provided in the side-by-side display below. 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.

The S-1 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), 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 Kodak S-1 is notably smaller (20 percent) than the Canon SX520. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX520 nor the S-1 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the SX520 has a lens built in, whereas the S-1 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the S-1 and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the SX520 gets 210 shots out of its Canon NB-6LH battery, while the S-1 can take 410 images on a single charge of its Kodak LB-070 power pack. The power pack in the S-1 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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.		Kodak S-1	116 mm	68 mm	36 mm	290 g	410	n	Jan 2012	299	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX510	104 mm	70 mm	80 mm	349 g	250	n	Aug 2013	249	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX530	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	210	n	Jan 2015	429	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX540	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	205	n	Jan 2016	399	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX700	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	250	n	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
9.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
10.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-P5	122 mm	69 mm	37 mm	420 g	330	n	May 2013	999	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-PL5	111 mm	64 mm	38 mm	325 g	360	n	Sep 2012	599	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-PL6	111 mm	64 mm	38 mm	325 g	360	n	May 2013	599	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-PM2	110 mm	64 mm	34 mm	269 g	360	n	Sep 2012	499	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GX7	123 mm	71 mm	55 mm	402 g	350	n	Aug 2013	999	ebay.com
16.		Sony H200	123 mm	83 mm	87 mm	530 g	240	n	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
17.		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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. 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 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 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 tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon SX520 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Kodak S-1 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the S-1 is 704 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 2.0. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

With 16.1MP, the S-1 offers a higher resolution than the SX520 (15.9MP), but the S-1 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.74μm versus 1.33μm for the SX520) due to its larger sensor. However, the SX520 is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 6 months) than the S-1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the SX520 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Canon PowerShot SX520 HS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Kodak PixPro S-1 are ISO 200 to ISO 12800 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the SX520 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the S-1 uses a 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.

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 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.		Kodak S-1	Four Thirds	16.1	4640	3480	1080/30p	22.2	11.8	598	65
3.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
4.		Canon SX510	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/24p	20.0	11.3	586	45
5.		Canon SX530	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	712	47
6.		Canon SX540	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.7	806	48
7.		Canon SX700	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
8.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
9.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
10.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
11.		Olympus E-P5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.4	895	72
12.		Olympus E-PL5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	889	72
13.		Olympus E-PL6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.5	12.0	717	68
14.		Olympus E-PM2	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.7	12.2	932	72
15.		Panasonic GX7	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	22.6	12.2	718	70
16.		Sony H200	1/2.3	15.2	5184	2930	720/30p	19.9	11.2	529	44
17.		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 cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The SX520 and the S-1 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 Kodak S-1, 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.		Kodak S-1	none	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX510	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/1600s	3.8/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX530	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX540	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX700	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	8.5/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX710	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	6.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon T5	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
11.		Olympus E-P5	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Olympus E-PL5	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
13.		Olympus E-PL6	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
14.		Olympus E-PM2	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
15.		Panasonic GX7	2760	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony H200	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
17.		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.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The SX520 has one, while the S-1 does not. While the built-in flash of the SX520 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the SX520 and the S-1 write their files to SDXC cards. The S-1 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 Kodak PixPro S-1 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.		Kodak S-1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon SX510	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Canon SX530	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon SX540	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon SX700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon SX710	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Olympus E-P5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Olympus E-PL5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Olympus E-PL6	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Olympus E-PM2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Panasonic GX7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony H200	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the S-1 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.

Both the SX520 and the S-1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX520 was replaced by the Canon SX530, while the S-1 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the SX520 and S-1 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX520 Manual (free pdf) or the online Kodak S-1 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon SX520 and the Kodak S-1? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Canon PowerShot SX520 HS:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the S-1 requires a separate lens.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 6 months of technical progress since the S-1 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Kodak PixPro S-1:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (920k 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 (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (4 vs 1.6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• More compact: Is smaller (116x68mm vs 120x82mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (410 versus 210) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2012).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the S-1 is the clear winner of the contest (18 : 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 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 Kodak S-1 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings 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 incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the SX520 or the S-1 perform in practice. 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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.		Kodak S-1	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2012	299	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX510	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2013	249	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX530	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2015	429	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX540	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2016	399	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX700	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX710	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
9.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
10.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-P5	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2013	999	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-PL5	3/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	599	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-PL6	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2013	599	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-PM2	3/5	..	..	77/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	499	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GX7	4/5	+	..	79/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2013	999	ebay.com
16.		Sony H200	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. 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

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