Canon SX600 vs XC10

The Canon PowerShot SX600 HS and the Canon XC10 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2014 and April 2015. Both the SX600 and the XC10 are fixed lens compact cameras that are based on a 1/2.3-inch (SX600) and an one-inch (XC10) sensor. The SX600 has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the XC10 provides 12 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon SX600		Canon XC10
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
25-450mm f/3.8-6.9		24-240mm f/2.8-5.6
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		12 MP – 1" sensor
1080/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 160-20,000
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 461k dots		3.0" LCD – 1030k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting touchscreen
3.9 shutter flaps per second		3.8 shutter flaps per second
290 shots per battery charge		370 shots per battery charge
104 x 61 x 26 mm, 188 g		125 x 102 x 122 mm, 1040 g

Check SX600 offers at
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Check XC10 offers at
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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 XC10? 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 SX600 and the Canon XC10 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The SX600 can be obtained in three different colors (black, red, white), while the XC10 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 Canon XC10 is considerably larger (101 percent) than the Canon SX600. Moreover, the XC10 is substantially heavier (453 percent) than the SX600. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX600 nor the XC10 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the SX600 gets 290 shots out of its Canon NB-6LH battery, while the XC10 can take 370 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6N power pack. The power pack in the XC10 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

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.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon SX600	104 mm	61 mm	26 mm	188 g	290	n	Jan 2014	EUR 249	ebay.com
2.		Canon XC10	125 mm	102 mm	122 mm	1040 g	370	n	Apr 2015	EUR 2 199	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	EUR 849	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	EUR 789	ebay.com
5.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	EUR 649	ebay.com
6.		Canon G7 X Mark II	106 mm	61 mm	42 mm	319 g	265	n	Feb 2016	EUR 685	ebay.com
7.		Canon G9 X	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	209 g	220	n	Oct 2015	EUR 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	EUR 529	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX400	104 mm	69 mm	80 mm	313 g	190	n	Jul 2014	EUR 179	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX410	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	185	n	Feb 2015	EUR 279	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX510	104 mm	70 mm	80 mm	349 g	250	n	Aug 2013	EUR 329	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX520	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	441 g	210	n	Jul 2014	EUR 299	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX530	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	210	n	Jan 2015	EUR 379	ebay.com
14.		Canon SX610	105 mm	61 mm	27 mm	191 g	270	n	Jan 2015	EUR 249	ebay.com
15.		Canon SX620	97 mm	57 mm	28 mm	182 g	295	n	May 2016	EUR 269	ebay.com
16.		Nikon L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	EUR 259	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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The SX600 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 90 percent) than the XC10, 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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 more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon SX600 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Canon XC10 an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the XC10 is 339 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 2.75. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Canon SX600 offers a higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 12 MP of the Canon XC10. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.33μm versus 3.20μm for the XC10). Moreover, it should be noted that the XC10 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 3 months) than the SX600, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the SX600 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Canon SX600 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the SX600 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon XC10 are 20 x 15 inches or 50.8 x 38.1 cm for good quality, 16 x 12 inches or 40.6 x 30.5 cm for very good quality, and 13.3 x 10 inches or 33.9 x 25.4 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 XC10 are ISO 160 to ISO 20000 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the SX600 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the XC10 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		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	3456	1080/30p	20.0	11.4	620	45
2.		Canon XC10	1-inch	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	21.7	11.8	197	61
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
4.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
5.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
6.		Canon G7 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.8	11.9	260	62
7.		Canon G9 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.5	12.3	495	63
8.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
9.		Canon SX400	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	720/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
10.		Canon SX410	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.2	11.6	720	47
11.		Canon SX510	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/24p	20.0	11.3	586	45
12.		Canon SX520	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
13.		Canon SX530	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	712	47
14.		Canon SX610	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	712	47
15.		Canon SX620	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.4	11.8	838	49
16.		Nikon L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.2	11.6	721	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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the XC10 provides a better video resolution than the SX600. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the SX600 is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The SX600 and the XC10 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 table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon SX600 and Canon XC10 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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 SX600	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	3.9/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon XC10	none	n	3.0 / 1030	tilting	Y	1/2000s	3.8/s	n	Y
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon G7 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon G9 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX400	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/1600s	0.8/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX410	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon SX510	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/1600s	3.8/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX520	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
13.		Canon SX530	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
14.		Canon SX610	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/2000s	2.5/s	Y	Y
15.		Canon SX620	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/2000s	2.5/s	Y	Y
16.		Nikon L840	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/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 SX600 has one, while the XC10 does not. While the built-in flash of the SX600 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Canon XC10 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Both the SX600 and the XC10 have zoom lenses built in. The SX600 has a 25-450mm f/3.8-6.9 optic and the XC10 offers a 24-240mm f/2.8-5.6 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the XC10 provides a wider angle of view at the short end than the SX600, but less tele-photo reach at the long end. The XC10 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The SX600 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the XC10 uses CFast or SDXC cards. The XC10 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the SX600 only has one slot. The XC10 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the SX600 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 SX600 HS and Canon XC10 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 SX600	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Canon XC10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon G7 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon G9 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon SX400	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon SX410	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon SX510	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Canon SX520	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon SX530	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Canon SX610	-	- / -	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Canon SX620	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Nikon L840	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the XC10 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The SX600 does not feature such a mic input.

Both the SX600 and the XC10 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX600 was replaced by the Canon SX610, while the XC10 was followed by the Canon XC15. Further information on the features and operation of the SX600 and XC10 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX600 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon XC10 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon SX600 and the Canon XC10? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon PowerShot SX600 HS:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (15.9 vs 12MP) with a 15% higher linear resolution.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• More compact: Is smaller (104x61mm vs 125x102mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 852g or 82 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (90 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2014).

Reasons to prefer the Canon XC10:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1030k 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.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/2.8 vs f/3.8).
• Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (370 versus 290) 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.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 3 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the XC10 is the clear winner of the contest (20 : 8 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 SX600 and the Canon XC10 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 the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the SX600 or the XC10 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 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon SX600	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2014	EUR 249	ebay.com
2.		Canon XC10	..	..	..	80/100	..	..	Apr 2015	EUR 2 199	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	EUR 849	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	EUR 789	ebay.com
5.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	EUR 649	ebay.com
6.		Canon G7 X Mark II	4.5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	EUR 685	ebay.com
7.		Canon G9 X	3.5/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	EUR 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	EUR 529	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX400	..	+	..	..	..	..	Jul 2014	EUR 179	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX410	..	o	..	..	..	..	Feb 2015	EUR 279	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX510	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2013	EUR 329	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX520	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2014	EUR 299	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX530	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2015	EUR 379	ebay.com
14.		Canon SX610	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2015	EUR 249	ebay.com
15.		Canon SX620	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	May 2016	EUR 269	ebay.com
16.		Nikon L840	..	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	EUR 259	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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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 a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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