Canon SX520 vs Panasonic GH2
The Canon PowerShot SX520 HS and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in July 2014 and September 2010. The SX520 is a fixed lens compact, while the GH2 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (SX520) and a Four Thirds (GH2) sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 15.9 megapixels.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX520 HS and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2? 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 Panasonic GH2. 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The GH2 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 Panasonic GH2 is notably larger (13 percent) than the Canon SX520. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX520 nor the GH2 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 GH2 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 GH2 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 GH2 can take 330 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLC12 power pack.
The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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.
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. | Panasonic GH2 | 124 mm | 90 mm | 76 mm | 442 g | 330 | n | Sep 2010 | 899 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 1200D | 130 mm | 100 mm | 78 mm | 480 g | 500 | n | Feb 2014 | 449 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 1300D | 129 mm | 101 mm | 78 mm | 485 g | 500 | n | Mar 2016 | 449 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon 4000D | 129 mm | 102 mm | 77 mm | 436 g | 500 | n | Feb 2018 | 399 | amazon.com | |
6. | Canon SX60 | 128 mm | 93 mm | 114 mm | 650 g | 340 | n | Sep 2014 | 549 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon SX510 | 104 mm | 70 mm | 80 mm | 349 g | 250 | n | Aug 2013 | 249 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon SX530 | 120 mm | 82 mm | 92 mm | 442 g | 210 | n | Jan 2015 | 429 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon SX540 | 120 mm | 82 mm | 92 mm | 442 g | 205 | n | Jan 2016 | 399 | ebay.com | |
10. | Canon SX700 | 113 mm | 66 mm | 35 mm | 269 g | 250 | n | Feb 2014 | 349 | ebay.com | |
11. | Canon SX710 | 113 mm | 66 mm | 35 mm | 269 g | 230 | n | Jan 2015 | 349 | ebay.com | |
12. | Nikon B600 | 122 mm | 82 mm | 99 mm | 500 g | 280 | n | Jan 2019 | 349 | ebay.com | |
13. | Panasonic G6 | 122 mm | 85 mm | 71 mm | 390 g | 340 | n | Apr 2013 | 599 | ebay.com | |
14. | Panasonic GH1 | 124 mm | 90 mm | 45 mm | 385 g | 300 | n | Mar 2009 | 899 | ebay.com | |
15. | Panasonic GH3 | 133 mm | 93 mm | 82 mm | 550 g | 540 | Y | Sep 2012 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
16. | Panasonic GM5 | 99 mm | 60 mm | 36 mm | 211 g | 220 | n | Sep 2014 | 749 | ebay.com | |
17. | Panasonic GX1 | 116 mm | 68 mm | 39 mm | 318 g | 320 | n | Nov 2011 | 699 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
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. The SX520 was launched at a lower price than the GH2, despite having a lens built in. 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.
Sensor comparison
The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. 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.
Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon SX520 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Panasonic GH2 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the GH2 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.
Even though the GH2 has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 15.9 megapixels. This implies that the GH2 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 1.33μm for the SX520), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the SX520 is much more recent (by 3 years and 10 months) than the GH2, and its sensor will 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 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 are ISO 160 to ISO 12800 (no boost).
In terms of underlying technology, the SX520 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the GH2 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.
Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.
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. | Panasonic GH2 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60i | 21.2 | 11.3 | 655 | 60 | |
3. | Canon 1200D | APS-C | 17.9 | 5184 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 21.9 | 11.3 | 724 | 63 | |
4. | Canon 1300D | APS-C | 17.9 | 5184 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.0 | 11.7 | 781 | 66 | |
5. | Canon 4000D | APS-C | 17.9 | 5184 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 21.9 | 11.4 | 695 | 63 | |
6. | Canon SX60 | 1/2.3 | 14.2 | 4608 | 3072 | 1080/60p | 19.2 | 10.8 | 127 | 39 | |
7. | Canon SX510 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/24p | 20.0 | 11.3 | 586 | 45 | |
8. | Canon SX530 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 20.2 | 11.6 | 712 | 47 | |
9. | Canon SX540 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 20.3 | 11.7 | 806 | 48 | |
10. | Canon SX700 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 20.1 | 11.4 | 629 | 45 | |
11. | Canon SX710 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 20.2 | 11.6 | 712 | 47 | |
12. | Nikon B600 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 20.7 | 12.2 | 1095 | 52 | |
13. | Panasonic G6 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 21.3 | 11.5 | 639 | 61 | |
14. | Panasonic GH1 | Four Thirds | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/24p | 21.6 | 11.6 | 772 | 64 | |
15. | Panasonic GH3 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 22.7 | 12.4 | 812 | 71 | |
16. | Panasonic GM5 | Four Thirds | 15.8 | 4592 | 3448 | 1080/60p | 22.1 | 11.7 | 721 | 66 | |
17. | Panasonic GX1 | Four Thirds | 15.8 | 4592 | 3448 | 1080/60p | 20.8 | 10.6 | 703 | 55 | |
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, but the GH2 provides a faster frame rate than the SX520. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60i, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the GH2 has an electronic viewfinder (1534k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the SX520 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 SX520, the Panasonic GH2, and comparable cameras.
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. | Panasonic GH2 | 1534 | n | 3.0 / 460 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
3. | Canon 1200D | optical | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
4. | Canon 1300D | optical | n | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
5. | Canon 4000D | optical | n | 2.7 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
6. | Canon SX60 | 922 | n | 3.0 / 922 | swivel | n | 1/2000s | 6.4/s | Y | Y | |
7. | Canon SX510 | none | n | 3.0 / 461 | fixed | n | 1/1600s | 3.8/s | Y | Y | |
8. | Canon SX530 | none | n | 3.0 / 461 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 1.6/s | Y | Y | |
9. | Canon SX540 | none | n | 3.0 / 461 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 5.9/s | Y | Y | |
10. | Canon SX700 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/3200s | 8.5/s | Y | Y | |
11. | Canon SX710 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/3200s | 6.0/s | Y | Y | |
12. | Nikon B600 | none | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 7.4/s | Y | Y | |
13. | Panasonic G6 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 1036 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | Y | n | |
14. | Panasonic GH1 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 460 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
15. | Panasonic GH3 | 1746 | n | 3.0 / 614 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
16. | Panasonic GM5 | 1166 | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | Y | 1/500s | 5.8/s | n | n | |
17. | Panasonic GX1 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 4.2/s | Y | n | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the SX520 and the GH2 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 SX520 HS and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
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. | Panasonic GH2 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
3. | Canon 1200D | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
4. | Canon 1300D | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
5. | Canon 4000D | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
6. | Canon SX60 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
7. | Canon SX510 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
8. | Canon SX530 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
9. | Canon SX540 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
10. | Canon SX700 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
11. | Canon SX710 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
12. | Nikon B600 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
13. | Panasonic G6 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
14. | Panasonic GH1 | Y | stereo / - | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
15. | Panasonic GH3 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
16. | Panasonic GM5 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
17. | Panasonic GX1 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - |
It is notable that the GH2 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The SX520 does not feature such a mic input.
Both the SX520 and the GH2 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The GH2 was replaced by the Panasonic GH3, while the SX520 was followed by the Canon SX530. Further information on the features and operation of the SX520 and GH2 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX520 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic GH2 Manual.
Review summary
So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon SX520 better than the Panasonic GH2 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.
Arguments in favor of 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 GH2 requires a separate lens.
- More compact: Is smaller (120x82mm vs 124x90mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
- Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
- More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
- More modern: Reflects 3 years and 10 months of technical progress since the GH2 launch.
Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2:
- 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.
- Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60i versus 1080/30p).
- 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 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 (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3 vs 1.6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
- Longer lasting: Gets more shots (330 versus 210) out of a single battery charge.
- Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
- More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2010).
If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the GH2 is the clear winner of the contest (16 : 6 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 SX520 and the Panasonic GH2 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 GH2 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 expert reviews 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.
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. | Panasonic GH2 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 79/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Sep 2010 | 899 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 1200D | 3/5 | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2014 | 449 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 1300D | 4/5 | o | 4/5 | 73/100 | 4/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2016 | 449 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon 4000D | 2.5/5 | o | 3/5 | .. | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | Feb 2018 | 399 | amazon.com | |
6. | Canon SX60 | 3/5 | + + | .. | 75/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2014 | 549 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon SX510 | .. | + + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Aug 2013 | 249 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon SX530 | .. | + + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Jan 2015 | 429 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon SX540 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Jan 2016 | 399 | ebay.com | |
10. | Canon SX700 | .. | + + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2014 | 349 | ebay.com | |
11. | Canon SX710 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 3.5/5 | Jan 2015 | 349 | ebay.com | |
12. | Nikon B600 | .. | + | .. | .. | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | Jan 2019 | 349 | ebay.com | |
13. | Panasonic G6 | 4/5 | + + | .. | .. | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2013 | 599 | ebay.com | |
14. | Panasonic GH1 | .. | + + | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2009 | 899 | ebay.com | |
15. | Panasonic GH3 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 79/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
16. | Panasonic GM5 | 3.5/5 | + | .. | 77/100 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2014 | 749 | ebay.com | |
17. | Panasonic GX1 | 3/5 | + | .. | 77/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Nov 2011 | 699 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, 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 rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon SX420 vs Canon SX520
- Canon SX520 vs Canon SX730
- Canon SX520 vs Hasselblad X1D II
- Canon SX520 vs Olympus TG-6
- Canon SX520 vs Panasonic GF2
- Canon SX520 vs Sony NEX-7
- Canon SX720 vs Panasonic GH2
- Fujifilm X-T3 vs Panasonic GH2
- Leica M-E Typ 240 vs Panasonic GH2
- Panasonic FZ200 vs Panasonic GH2
- Panasonic GH2 vs Pentax K-S1
- Panasonic GH2 vs Sony NEX-5R
Specifications: Canon SX520 vs Panasonic GH2
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Canon SX520 | Panasonic GH2 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Fixed lens compact camera | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | 24-1008mm f/3.4-6 | Micro Four Thirds lenses |
Launch Date | July 2014 | September 2010 |
Launch Price | USD 399 | USD 899 |
Sensor Specs | Canon SX520 | Panasonic GH2 |
Sensor Technology | BSI-CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | 1/2.3" Sensor | Four Thirds Sensor |
Sensor Size | 6.17 x 4.55 mm | 17.3 x 13.0 mm |
Sensor Area | 28.0735 mm2 | 224.9 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 7.7 mm | 21.6 mm |
Crop Factor | 5.6x | 2.0x |
Sensor Resolution | 15.9 Megapixels | 15.9 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 4608 x 3456 pixels | 4608 x 3456 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 1.33 μm | 3.76 μm |
Pixel Density | 56.73 MP/cm2 | 7.08 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | no AA filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | 1080/30p Video | 1080/60i Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 3,200 ISO | 160 - 12,800 ISO |
Image Processor | DIGIC 4+ | Venus FHD |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | .. | 60 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | .. | 21.2 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | .. | 11.3 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | .. | 655 |
Screen Specs | Canon SX520 | Panasonic GH2 |
Viewfinder Type | no viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.71x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 1534k dots | |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 461k dots | 460k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Swivel screen |
Shooting Specs | Canon SX520 | Panasonic GH2 |
Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | Contrast-detect AF |
Continuous Shooting | 1.6 shutter flaps/s | 3 shutter flaps/s |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | SDXC cards | SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
UHS card support | no | no |
Connectivity Specs | Canon SX520 | Panasonic GH2 |
External Flash | no Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | mini HDMI | mini HDMI |
Microphone Port | no MIC socket | External MIC port |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | no Wifi |
Body Specs | Canon SX520 | Panasonic GH2 |
Battery Type | Canon NB-6LH | Panasonic DMW-BLC12 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 210 shots per charge | 330 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
120 x 82 x 92 mm (4.7 x 3.2 x 3.6 in) |
124 x 90 x 76 mm (4.9 x 3.5 x 3.0 in) |
Camera Weight | 441 g (15.6 oz) | 442 g (15.6 oz) |
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