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Canon SX600 vs SX610

The Canon PowerShot SX600 HS and the Canon PowerShot SX610 HS are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in January 2014 and January 2015. Both the SX600 and the SX610 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The SX600 has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the SX610 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 SX600
versus
Canon SX610
Canon SX600   Canon SX610
Fixed lens compact camera Fixed lens compact camera
25-450mm f/3.8-6.9 25-450mm f/3.8-6.9
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor 20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/30p Video 1080/30p Video
ISO 100-3,200 ISO 80-3,200
No viewfinder, LCD framing No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 461k dots 3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3.9 shutter flaps per second 2.5 shutter flaps per second
290 shots per battery charge270 shots per battery charge
104 x 61 x 26 mm, 188 g 105 x 61 x 27 mm, 191 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX600 HS and the Canon PowerShot SX610 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.

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Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon SX600 and the Canon SX610 is provided in the side-by-side display below. 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.

Both cameras are available in three different colors (black, red, white).

Size Canon SX600 vs Canon SX610
Compare SX600 versus SX610 top
Comparison SX600 or SX610 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon SX600 and the Canon SX610 are of equal size. However, the SX610 is slightly heavier (2 percent) than the SX600. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX600 nor the SX610 are weather-sealed.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon SX600 104 mm 61 mm 26 mm 188 g 290 n Jan 2014 249ebay.com
2.
 
Canon SX610 105 mm 61 mm 27 mm 191 g 270 n Jan 2015 249ebay.com
3.
 
Canon SX420 104 mm 69 mm 85 mm 325 g 195 n Jan 2016 299ebay.com
4.
 
Canon SX620 97 mm 57 mm 28 mm 182 g 295 n May 2016 279ebay.com
5.
 
Canon G9 X 98 mm 58 mm 31 mm 209 g 220 n Oct 2015 529ebay.com
6.
 
Canon SX410 104 mm 69 mm 85 mm 325 g 185 n Feb 2015 279ebay.com
7.
 
Canon SX530 120 mm 82 mm 92 mm 442 g 210 n Jan 2015 429ebay.com
8.
 
Canon SX520 120 mm 82 mm 92 mm 441 g 210 n Jul 2014 399ebay.com
9.
 
Canon SX400 104 mm 69 mm 80 mm 313 g 190 n Jul 2014 249ebay.com
10.
 
Canon SX60 128 mm 93 mm 114 mm 650 g 340 n Sep 2014 549ebay.com
11.
 
Canon SX510 104 mm 70 mm 80 mm 349 g 250 n Aug 2013 249ebay.com
12.
 
Nikon L840 113 mm 78 mm 96 mm 538 g 590 n Feb 2015 299ebay.com
13.
 
Sony H200 123 mm 83 mm 87 mm 530 g 240 n Jan 2013 249ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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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 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 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. 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 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.

Canon SX600 and Canon SX610 sensor measures

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the SX610 offers a higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 15.9 MP of the SX600. This megapixels advantage translates into a 13 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the SX610 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 SX600). However, it should be noted that the SX610 is a somewhat more recent model (by 11 months) than the SX600, and its sensor might 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 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 SX610 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the SX610 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 SX600 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 SX600 HS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon PowerShot SX610 HS are ISO 80 to ISO 3200 (no boost).

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.

SX600 versus SX610 MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Canon SX600 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/30p20.011.462045
2.
 
Canon SX610 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38881080/30p20.211.671247
3.
 
Canon SX420 1/2.3 19.9 5152 3864720/25p20.311.780648
4.
 
Canon SX620 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38881080/30p20.411.883849
5.
 
Canon G9 X 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p21.512.349563
6.
 
Canon SX410 1/2.3 19.9 5152 3864720/30p20.211.672047
7.
 
Canon SX530 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/30p20.211.671247
8.
 
Canon SX520 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/30p20.111.567246
9.
 
Canon SX400 1/2.3 15.9 4608 3456720/30p20.111.567246
10.
 
Canon SX60 1/2.3 14.2 4608 30721080/60p19.210.812739
11.
 
Canon SX510 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/24p20.011.358645
12.
 
Nikon L840 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/60i20.211.672147
13.
 
Sony H200 1/2.3 15.2 5184 2930720/30p19.911.252944
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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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, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/30p).

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Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The SX600 and the SX610 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 SX600, the Canon SX610, and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
# image 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 SX600none n3.0 / 461 fixed n 1/2000s 3.9/s Y Y
2.
 
Canon SX610none n3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/2000s 2.5/s Y Y
3.
 
Canon SX420none n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 0.5/s Y Y
4.
 
Canon SX620none n3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/2000s 2.5/s Y Y
5.
 
Canon G9 Xnone n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/2000s 6.0/s Y Y
6.
 
Canon SX410none n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 0.5/s Y Y
7.
 
Canon SX530none n3.0 / 461 fixed n 1/2000s 1.6/s Y Y
8.
 
Canon SX520none n3.0 / 461 fixed n 1/2000s 1.6/s Y Y
9.
 
Canon SX400none n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/1600s 0.8/s Y Y
10.
 
Canon SX60922 n3.0 / 922 swivel n 1/2000s 6.4/s Y Y
11.
 
Canon SX510none n3.0 / 461 fixed n 1/1600s 3.8/s Y Y
12.
 
Nikon L840none n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/4000s 7.4/s Y Y
13.
 
Sony H200none n3.0 / 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.
padding

Both the SX600 and the SX610 have zoom lenses built in. Both optics have identical focal length range and aperture specifications (4.5-81mm f/3.8-6.9). Both cameras offer the same maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the SX600 and the SX610 write their files to SDXC cards.

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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 SX600 HS and Canon PowerShot SX610 HS and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Canon SX600-mono / mono--micro2.0YY-
2.
 
Canon SX610-- / ---micro2.0YY-
3.
 
Canon SX420-mono / mono---2.0YY-
4.
 
Canon SX620-mono / mono--micro2.0YY-
5.
 
Canon G9 X-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
6.
 
Canon SX410-stereo / mono---2.0---
7.
 
Canon SX530-stereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
8.
 
Canon SX520-stereo / mono--mini2.0---
9.
 
Canon SX400-stereo / mono---2.0---
10.
 
Canon SX60Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
11.
 
Canon SX510-stereo / mono--mini2.0Y--
12.
 
Nikon L840-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
13.
 
Sony H200-mono / mono---2.0---
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Both the SX600 and the SX610 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX600 was replaced by the Canon SX610, while the SX610 was followed by the Canon SX620. Further information on the features and operation of the SX600 and SX610 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX600 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SX610 Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon SX600 or the Canon SX610 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.


Arguments in favor of the Canon PowerShot SX600 HS:

  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3.9 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2014).


Reasons to prefer the Canon PowerShot SX610 HS:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (20.2 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 13%.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (922k vs 461k dots).
  • More modern: Was introduced somewhat (11 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the SX610 comes out slightly ahead of the SX600 (3 : 2 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.

SX600 02:03 SX610

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon SX600 and the Canon SX610 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 SX600 or the SX610. 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 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon SX600..+....4/54/5 Jan 2014 249ebay.com
2.
 
Canon SX610........4/54/5 Jan 2015 249ebay.com
3.
 
Canon SX420..........3/5 Jan 2016 299ebay.com
4.
 
Canon SX620..........4/5 May 2016 279ebay.com
5.
 
Canon G9 X3.5/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Oct 2015 529ebay.com
6.
 
Canon SX410..o........ Feb 2015 279ebay.com
7.
 
Canon SX530..+ +....4/54/5 Jan 2015 429ebay.com
8.
 
Canon SX520..+....3.5/53.5/5 Jul 2014 399ebay.com
9.
 
Canon SX400..+........ Jul 2014 249ebay.com
10.
 
Canon SX603/5+ +..75/1004/54.5/5 Sep 2014 549ebay.com
11.
 
Canon SX510..+ +....4.5/54/5 Aug 2013 249ebay.com
12.
 
Nikon L840..+ +....3.5/54/5 Feb 2015 299ebay.com
13.
 
Sony H200........3.5/53.5/5 Jan 2013 249ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
padding

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date 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

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications: Canon SX600 vs Canon SX610

    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 Specifications
    Camera Model Canon SX600 Canon SX610
    Camera Type Fixed lens compact camera Fixed lens compact camera
    Camera Lens 25-450mm f/3.8-6.9 25-450mm f/3.8-6.9
    Launch Date January 2014 January 2015
    Launch Price USD 249 USD 249
    Sensor Specs Canon SX600 Canon SX610
    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 1080/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 3,200 ISO 80 - 3,200 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC 4+ DIGIC 4+
    Screen Specs Canon SX600 Canon SX610
    Viewfinder Type no viewfinder no viewfinder
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 461k dots 922k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Fixed screen
    Shooting Specs Canon SX600 Canon SX610
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Contrast-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 3.9 shutter flaps/s 2.5 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 SX600 Canon SX610
    External Flash no Hotshoe no Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI micro HDMI
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication NFC built-in NFC built-in
    Body Specs Canon SX600 Canon SX610
    Battery Type Canon NB-6LH Canon NB-6LH
    Battery Life (CIPA)290 shots per charge270 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 104 x 61 x 26 mm
    (4.1 x 2.4 x 1.0 in)
    105 x 61 x 27 mm
    (4.1 x 2.4 x 1.1 in)
    Camera Weight 188 g (6.6 oz) 191 g (6.7 oz)
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