Canon SX520 vs Sony RX100

The Canon PowerShot SX520 HS and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in July 2014 and June 2012. Both the SX520 and the RX100 are fixed lens compact cameras that are based on a 1/2.3-inch (SX520) and an one-inch (RX100) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 20 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon SX520		Sony RX100
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-1008mm f/3.4-6		28-100mm f/1.8-4.9
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		20 MP – 1" sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 25,600)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 461k dots		3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
1.6 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
210 shots per battery charge		330 shots per battery charge
120 x 82 x 92 mm, 441 g		102 x 58 x 36 mm, 240 g

Check SX520 offers at
ebay.com
Check RX100 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX520 HS and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100? 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 Sony RX100 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 dimensions 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 RX100 is considerably smaller (40 percent) than the Canon SX520. Moreover, the RX100 is substantially lighter (46 percent) than the SX520. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX520 nor the RX100 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the SX520 gets 210 shots out of its Canon NB-6LH battery, while the RX100 can take 330 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 power pack. The power pack in the RX100 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 SX520	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	441 g	210	n	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX100	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	240 g	330	n	Jun 2012	649	ebay.com
3.		Canon G9 X	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	209 g	220	n	Oct 2015	529	ebay.com
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX510	104 mm	70 mm	80 mm	349 g	250	n	Aug 2013	249	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX530	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	210	n	Jan 2015	429	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX540	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	205	n	Jan 2016	399	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX700	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	250	n	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
11.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
12.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
13.		Sony H200	123 mm	83 mm	87 mm	530 g	240	n	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX90V	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	360	n	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX10	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	420	Y	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 II	102 mm	58 mm	38 mm	281 g	350	n	Jun 2013	749	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	799	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 obviously take relative prices into account. 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 markedly lower price (by 39 percent) than the RX100, which puts it into a different market segment. 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. 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. 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon SX520 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Sony RX100 an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the RX100 is 314 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 2.7. The sensor in the SX520 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the RX100 offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 20MP, the RX100 offers a higher resolution than the SX520 (15.9MP), but the RX100 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 2.41μm versus 1.33μm for the SX520) due to its larger sensor. However, the SX520 is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 1 month) than the RX100, 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 resolution advantage of the Sony RX100 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the RX100 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

In terms of underlying technology, the SX520 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the RX100 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 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.

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.		Sony RX100	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.6	12.4	390	66
3.		Canon G9 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.5	12.3	495	63
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522	65
5.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
6.		Canon SX510	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/24p	20.0	11.3	586	45
7.		Canon SX530	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	712	47
8.		Canon SX540	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.7	806	48
9.		Canon SX700	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
10.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
11.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
12.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
13.		Sony H200	1/2.3	15.2	5184	2930	720/30p	19.9	11.2	529	44
14.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
15.		Sony RX10	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.9	12.6	474	69
16.		Sony RX100 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.5	12.4	483	67
17.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67
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 have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the RX100 provides a faster frame rate than the SX520. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, 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. The SX520 and the RX100 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 adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon SX520 and Sony RX100 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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.		Sony RX100	none	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G9 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX510	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/1600s	3.8/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX530	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX540	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX700	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	8.5/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX710	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	6.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon T5	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony H200	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony HX90V	638	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony RX10	1440	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony RX100 II	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

Both the SX520 and the RX100 have zoom lenses built in. The SX520 has a 24-1008mm f/3.4-6 optic and the RX100 offers a 28-100mm f/1.8-4.9 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Canon provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the Sony. The RX100 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The SX520 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the RX100 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 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.		Sony RX100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon G9 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon SX510	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Canon SX530	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon SX540	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon SX700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon SX710	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Sony H200	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony RX10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony RX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Both the SX520 and the RX100 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The RX100 was replaced by the Sony RX100 II, while the SX520 was followed by the Canon SX530. Further information on the features and operation of the SX520 and RX100 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX520 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony RX100 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon SX520 and the Sony RX100? Which camera is better? 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.
• Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (39 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 1 month of technical progress since the RX100 launch.

Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 14%.
• 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 (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 461k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 1.6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/1.8 vs f/3.4).
• More compact: Is smaller (102x58mm vs 120x82mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 201g or 46 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (330 versus 210) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in June 2012).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the RX100 is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 5 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding 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 Sony RX100 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best Travel-Zoom 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 RX100 perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

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.		Sony RX100	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4/5	5/5	Jun 2012	649	ebay.com
3.		Canon G9 X	3.5/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	529	ebay.com
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX510	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2013	249	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX530	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2015	429	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX540	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2016	399	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX700	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX710	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
11.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
12.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
13.		Sony H200	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX10	5/5	+	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 II	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	749	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	799	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 RX100 offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

~

Check SX520 offers at
ebay.com
Check RX100 offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.