Canon SX520 vs Panasonic ZS70
The Canon PowerShot SX520 HS and the Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS70 (labelled Panasonic TZ90 in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in July 2014 and April 2017. Both the SX520 and the ZS70 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 Panasonic provides 20.2 MP.
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 DC-ZS70? 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 ZS70. 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 ZS70 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 ZS70 is notably smaller (24 percent) than the Canon SX520. Moreover, the ZS70 is markedly lighter (27 percent) than the SX520. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX520 nor the ZS70 are weather-sealed.
Concerning battery life, the SX520 gets 210 shots out of its Canon NB-6LH battery, while the ZS70 can take 380 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLG10 power pack. The power pack in the ZS70 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.
# | 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 ZS70 | 112 mm | 67 mm | 41 mm | 322 g | 380 | n | Apr 2017 | 449 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon SX730 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 40 mm | 300 g | 250 | n | Apr 2017 | 399 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon SX540 | 120 mm | 82 mm | 92 mm | 442 g | 205 | n | Jan 2016 | 399 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon SX720 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 36 mm | 270 g | 250 | n | Feb 2016 | 379 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon SX530 | 120 mm | 82 mm | 92 mm | 442 g | 210 | n | Jan 2015 | 429 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon SX710 | 113 mm | 66 mm | 35 mm | 269 g | 230 | n | Jan 2015 | 349 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon SX700 | 113 mm | 66 mm | 35 mm | 269 g | 250 | n | Feb 2014 | 349 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon SX60 | 128 mm | 93 mm | 114 mm | 650 g | 340 | n | Sep 2014 | 549 | ebay.com | |
10. | Canon T5 | 130 mm | 100 mm | 78 mm | 480 g | 500 | n | Feb 2014 | 449 | ebay.com | |
11. | Canon SX510 | 104 mm | 70 mm | 80 mm | 349 g | 250 | n | Aug 2013 | 249 | ebay.com | |
12. | Nikon B600 | 122 mm | 82 mm | 99 mm | 500 g | 280 | n | Jan 2019 | 349 | ebay.com | |
13. | Panasonic ZS80 | 112 mm | 69 mm | 42 mm | 327 g | 380 | n | Feb 2019 | 449 | ebay.com | |
14. | Panasonic FZ80 | 130 mm | 94 mm | 119 mm | 616 g | 330 | n | Jan 2017 | 399 | ebay.com | |
15. | Panasonic FZ150 | 124 mm | 82 mm | 92 mm | 528 g | 410 | n | Aug 2011 | 499 | 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. | |||||||||||
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 somewhat lower price (by 11 percent) than the ZS70, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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. 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 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 ZS70 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 ZS70 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 ZS70 is much more recent (by 2 years and 8 months) 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 Panasonic ZS70 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the ZS70 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 corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS70 are ISO 80 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-6400.
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 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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.
# | 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 ZS70 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 19.1 | 10.6 | 106 | 36 | |
3. | Canon SX730 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 20.5 | 11.9 | 924 | 50 | |
4. | Canon SX540 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 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 SX530 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 20.2 | 11.6 | 712 | 47 | |
7. | Canon SX710 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 20.2 | 11.6 | 712 | 47 | |
8. | Canon SX700 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 20.1 | 11.4 | 629 | 45 | |
9. | Canon SX60 | 1/2.3 | 14.2 | 4608 | 3072 | 1080/60p | 19.2 | 10.8 | 127 | 39 | |
10. | Canon T5 | APS-C | 17.9 | 5184 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 21.9 | 11.3 | 724 | 63 | |
11. | Canon SX510 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/24p | 20.0 | 11.3 | 586 | 45 | |
12. | Nikon B600 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 20.7 | 12.2 | 1095 | 52 | |
13. | Panasonic ZS80 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 20.7 | 12.2 | 1103 | 52 | |
14. | Panasonic FZ80 | 1/2.3 | 18.0 | 4896 | 3672 | 4K/30p | 20.5 | 11.9 | 900 | 49 | |
15. | Panasonic FZ150 | 1/2.3 | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/60p | 19.4 | 10.9 | 132 | 40 | |
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 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 ZS70 provides a better video resolution than the SX520. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the ZS70 has an electronic viewfinder (1166k 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 adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon SX520 and Panasonic ZS70 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.
# | 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 ZS70 | 1166 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/2000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
3. | Canon SX730 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | n | 1/3200s | 5.9/s | Y | Y | |
4. | Canon SX540 | none | n | 3.0 / 461 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 5.9/s | Y | Y | |
5. | Canon SX720 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/3200s | 5.9/s | Y | Y | |
6. | Canon SX530 | none | n | 3.0 / 461 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 1.6/s | Y | Y | |
7. | Canon SX710 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/3200s | 6.0/s | Y | Y | |
8. | Canon SX700 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/3200s | 8.5/s | Y | Y | |
9. | Canon SX60 | 922 | n | 3.0 / 922 | swivel | n | 1/2000s | 6.4/s | Y | Y | |
10. | Canon T5 | optical | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
11. | Canon SX510 | none | n | 3.0 / 461 | fixed | n | 1/1600s | 3.8/s | Y | Y | |
12. | Nikon B600 | none | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 7.4/s | Y | Y | |
13. | Panasonic ZS80 | 2330 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/2000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
14. | Panasonic FZ80 | 1166 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | Y | 1/2000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
15. | Panasonic FZ150 | 202 | n | 3.0 / 460 | swivel | n | 1/2000s | 12.0/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. |
One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The ZS70 has a touchscreen, while the SX520 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.
The ZS70 has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the SX520 does not have a selfie-screen.The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the ZS70 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).
Both the SX520 and the ZS70 have zoom lenses built in. The SX520 has a 24-1008mm f/3.4-6 optic and the ZS70 offers a 24-720mm f/3.3-6.4 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Canon and Panasonic provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the Panasonic has less tele-photo reach at the long end. The ZS70 offers the faster maximum aperture.
Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the SX520 and the ZS70 write their files to SDXC cards. The ZS70 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 Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS70 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 ZS70 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
3. | Canon SX730 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
4. | Canon SX540 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
5. | Canon SX720 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
6. | Canon SX530 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
7. | Canon SX710 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
8. | Canon SX700 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
9. | Canon SX60 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
10. | Canon T5 | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Canon SX510 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
12. | Nikon B600 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
13. | Panasonic ZS80 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
14. | Panasonic FZ80 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
15. | Panasonic FZ150 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
16. | Sony HX90V | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
17. | Sony H200 | - | mono / mono | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - |
It is notable that the ZS70 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 ZS70 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX520 was replaced by the Canon SX530, while the ZS70 was followed by the Panasonic ZS80. Further information on the features and operation of the SX520 and ZS70 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX520 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic ZS70 Manual.
Review summary
So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon SX520 and the Panasonic ZS70? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.
Advantages of the Canon PowerShot SX520 HS:
- More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (11 percent cheaper at launch).
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in July 2014).
Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS70:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (20.2 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 13%.
- Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
- Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 461k dots).
- More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
- Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
- More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 1.6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
- Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/3.3 vs f/3.4).
- More compact: Is smaller (112x67mm vs 120x82mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
- Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 119g or 27 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
- Longer lasting: Gets more shots (380 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.
- Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
- More modern: Reflects 2 years and 8 months of technical progress since the SX520 launch.
If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the ZS70 is the clear winner of the contest (17 : 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 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 ZS70 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the SX520 and the ZS70 in practical situations. 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 where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 ZS70 | .. | + + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Apr 2017 | 449 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon SX730 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Apr 2017 | 399 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon SX540 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Jan 2016 | 399 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon SX720 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2016 | 379 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon SX530 | .. | + + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Jan 2015 | 429 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon SX710 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 3.5/5 | Jan 2015 | 349 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon SX700 | .. | + + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2014 | 349 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon SX60 | 3/5 | + + | .. | 75/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2014 | 549 | ebay.com | |
10. | Canon T5 | 3/5 | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2014 | 449 | ebay.com | |
11. | Canon SX510 | .. | + + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Aug 2013 | 249 | ebay.com | |
12. | Nikon B600 | .. | + | .. | .. | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | Jan 2019 | 349 | ebay.com | |
13. | Panasonic ZS80 | .. | + + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | .. | Feb 2019 | 449 | ebay.com | |
14. | Panasonic FZ80 | .. | + + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2017 | 399 | ebay.com | |
15. | Panasonic FZ150 | 3/5 | + + | .. | 76/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2011 | 499 | 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. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.
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 your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.
- Canon 77D vs Canon SX520
- Canon M100 vs Panasonic ZS70
- Canon SX520 vs Leica V-LUX 1
- Canon SX520 vs Nikon D700
- Canon SX520 vs Nikon D80
- Canon SX520 vs Panasonic G6
- Canon SX520 vs Panasonic G85
- Fujifilm X100 vs Panasonic ZS70
- Leica M8 vs Panasonic ZS70
- Nikon D7500 vs Panasonic ZS70
- Olympus E-M1 III vs Panasonic ZS70
- Panasonic ZS70 vs Sony A850
Specifications: Canon SX520 vs Panasonic ZS70
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 ZS70 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Fixed lens compact camera | Fixed lens compact camera |
Camera Lens | 24-1008mm f/3.4-6 | 24-720mm f/3.3-6.4 |
Launch Date | July 2014 | April 2017 |
Launch Price | USD 399 | USD 449 |
Sensor Specs | Canon SX520 | Panasonic ZS70 |
Sensor Technology | BSI-CMOS | BSI-CMOS |
Sensor Format | 1/2.3" Sensor | 1/2.3" Sensor |
Sensor Size | 6.17 x 4.55 mm | 6.17 x 4.55 mm |
Sensor Area | 28.0735 mm2 | 28.0735 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 7.7 mm | 7.7 mm |
Crop Factor | 5.6x | 5.6x |
Sensor Resolution | 15.9 Megapixels | 20.2 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 4608 x 3456 pixels | 5184 x 3888 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 1.33 μm | 1.18 μm |
Pixel Density | 56.73 MP/cm2 | 71.80 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | no AA filter | no AA filter |
Movie Capability | 1080/30p Video | 4K/30p Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 3,200 ISO | 80 - 3,200 ISO |
ISO Boost | no Enhancement | 80 - 6,400 ISO |
Image Processor | DIGIC 4+ | Venus |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | .. | 36 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | .. | 19.1 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | .. | 10.6 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | .. | 106 |
Screen Specs | Canon SX520 | Panasonic ZS70 |
Viewfinder Type | no viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.46x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 1166k dots | |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 461k dots | 1040k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Tilting screen |
Touch Input | no Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Canon SX520 | Panasonic ZS70 |
Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | Contrast-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/2000s | 1/2000s |
Continuous Shooting | 1.6 shutter flaps/s | 10 shutter flaps/s |
Electronic Shutter | no E-Shutter | up to 1/16000s |
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 | UHS-I |
Connectivity Specs | Canon SX520 | Panasonic ZS70 |
External Flash | no Hotshoe | no Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | mini HDMI | micro HDMI |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | Wifi built-in |
Body Specs | Canon SX520 | Panasonic ZS70 |
Battery Type | Canon NB-6LH | Panasonic DMW-BLG10 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 210 shots per charge | 380 shots per charge |
In-Camera Charging | no USB charging | USB charging |
Body Dimensions |
120 x 82 x 92 mm (4.7 x 3.2 x 3.6 in) |
112 x 67 x 41 mm (4.4 x 2.6 x 1.6 in) |
Camera Weight | 441 g (15.6 oz) | 322 g (11.4 oz) |
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