Canon SX610 vs SX710
The Canon PowerShot SX610 HS and the Canon PowerShot SX710 HS are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public in January 2015. Both the SX610 and the SX710 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 20.2 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 SX610 HS and the Canon PowerShot SX710 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.
Body comparison
An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon SX610 and the Canon SX710 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.
The SX610 can be obtained in three different colors (black, red, white), while the SX710 is available in two color-versions (black, red).
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon SX710 is notably larger (16 percent) than the Canon SX610. Moreover, the SX710 is substantially heavier (41 percent) than the SX610. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX610 nor the SX710 are weather-sealed.
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 |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon SX610 | 105 mm | 61 mm | 27 mm | 191 g | 270 | n | Jan 2015 | EUR 249 | ebay.com | |
2. | Canon SX710 | 113 mm | 66 mm | 35 mm | 269 g | 230 | n | Jan 2015 | EUR 299 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon G5 X | 112 mm | 76 mm | 44 mm | 353 g | 210 | n | Oct 2015 | EUR 789 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon G7 X | 103 mm | 60 mm | 40 mm | 304 g | 210 | n | Sep 2014 | EUR 649 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon G7 X Mark II | 106 mm | 61 mm | 42 mm | 319 g | 265 | n | Feb 2016 | EUR 685 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon G9 X | 98 mm | 58 mm | 31 mm | 209 g | 220 | n | Oct 2015 | EUR 499 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon G9 X Mark II | 98 mm | 58 mm | 31 mm | 206 g | 235 | n | Jan 2017 | EUR 499 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon SX410 | 104 mm | 69 mm | 85 mm | 325 g | 185 | n | Feb 2015 | EUR 279 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon SX420 | 104 mm | 69 mm | 85 mm | 325 g | 195 | n | Jan 2016 | EUR 299 | ebay.com | |
10. | Canon SX540 | 120 mm | 82 mm | 92 mm | 442 g | 205 | n | Jan 2016 | EUR 369 | ebay.com | |
11. | Canon SX600 | 104 mm | 61 mm | 26 mm | 188 g | 290 | n | Jan 2014 | EUR 249 | ebay.com | |
12. | Canon SX620 | 97 mm | 57 mm | 28 mm | 182 g | 295 | n | May 2016 | EUR 269 | ebay.com | |
13. | Canon SX700 | 113 mm | 66 mm | 35 mm | 269 g | 250 | n | Feb 2014 | EUR 349 | ebay.com | |
14. | Canon SX720 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 36 mm | 270 g | 250 | n | Feb 2016 | EUR 329 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The SX610 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 29 percent) than the SX710, 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 size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to 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.
Technology-wise, the SX710 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 6) than the SX610 (DIGIC 4+), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.
The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 20.2 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the SX610 and the SX710 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. Moreover, the two cameras were released in close succession, so that their sensors are from the same technological generation. 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 Canon PowerShot SX610 HS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 3200. The Canon PowerShot SX710 HS offers exactly the same ISO settings.
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.
Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 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 SX610 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/30p | 20.2 | 11.6 | 712 | 47 | |
2. | Canon SX710 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 20.2 | 11.6 | 712 | 47 | |
3. | Canon G5 X | 1-inch | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/60p | 21.4 | 12.3 | 471 | 62 | |
4. | Canon G7 X | 1-inch | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/60p | 23.0 | 12.7 | 556 | 71 | |
5. | Canon G7 X Mark II | 1-inch | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/60p | 21.8 | 11.9 | 260 | 62 | |
6. | Canon G9 X | 1-inch | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/60p | 21.5 | 12.3 | 495 | 63 | |
7. | Canon G9 X Mark II | 1-inch | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/60p | 21.9 | 12.5 | 522 | 65 | |
8. | Canon SX410 | 1/2.3 | 19.9 | 5152 | 3864 | 720/30p | 20.2 | 11.6 | 720 | 47 | |
9. | Canon SX420 | 1/2.3 | 19.9 | 5152 | 3864 | 720/25p | 20.3 | 11.7 | 806 | 48 | |
10. | Canon SX540 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 20.3 | 11.7 | 806 | 48 | |
11. | Canon SX600 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 20.0 | 11.4 | 620 | 45 | |
12. | Canon SX620 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/30p | 20.4 | 11.8 | 838 | 49 | |
13. | Canon SX700 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 20.1 | 11.4 | 629 | 45 | |
14. | Canon SX720 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 20.3 | 11.8 | 817 | 48 | |
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 also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the SX710 provides a faster frame rate than the SX610. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the SX610 is limited to 1080/30p.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The SX610 and the SX710 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 SX610, the Canon SX710, 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 SX610 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 2.5/s | Y | Y | |
2. | Canon SX710 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/3200s | 6.0/s | Y | Y | |
3. | Canon G5 X | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/2000s | 5.9/s | Y | Y | |
4. | Canon G7 X | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/2000s | 6.5/s | Y | Y | |
5. | Canon G7 X Mark II | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/2000s | 8.0/s | Y | Y | |
6. | Canon G9 X | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | Y | 1/2000s | 6.0/s | Y | Y | |
7. | Canon G9 X Mark II | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | Y | 1/2000s | 8.2/s | Y | Y | |
8. | Canon SX410 | none | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 0.5/s | Y | Y | |
9. | Canon SX420 | none | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 0.5/s | Y | Y | |
10. | Canon SX540 | none | n | 3.0 / 461 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 5.9/s | Y | Y | |
11. | Canon SX600 | none | n | 3.0 / 461 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 3.9/s | Y | Y | |
12. | Canon SX620 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 2.5/s | Y | Y | |
13. | Canon SX700 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/3200s | 8.5/s | Y | Y | |
14. | Canon SX720 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/3200s | 5.9/s | Y | Y | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
Both the SX610 and the SX710 have zoom lenses built in. The SX610 has a 25-450mm f/3.8-6.9 optic and the SX710 offers a 25-750mm f/3.2-6.9 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the SX610 and SX710 provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the SX710 has more tele-photo reach at the long end. The SX710 offers the faster maximum aperture.
Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the SX610 and the SX710 write their files to SDXC cards. The SX710 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the SX610 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 SX610 HS and Canon PowerShot SX710 HS 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 SX610 | - | - / - | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
2. | Canon SX710 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
3. | Canon G5 X | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
4. | Canon G7 X | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
5. | Canon G7 X Mark II | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
6. | Canon G9 X | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
7. | Canon G9 X Mark II | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
8. | Canon SX410 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Canon SX420 | - | mono / mono | - | - | - | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
10. | Canon SX540 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
11. | Canon SX600 | - | mono / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
12. | Canon SX620 | - | mono / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
13. | Canon SX700 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
14. | Canon SX720 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - |
Both the SX610 and the SX710 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX610 was replaced by the Canon SX620, while the SX710 was followed by the Canon SX720. Further information on the features and operation of the SX610 and SX710 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX610 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SX710 Manual.
Review summary
So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon SX610 or the Canon SX710 – 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 SX610 HS:
- More compact: Is smaller (105x61mm vs 113x66mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
- Less heavy: Is lighter (by 78g or 29 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (270 versus 230) on a single battery charge.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (29 percent cheaper at launch).
Reasons to prefer the Canon PowerShot SX710 HS:
- Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 6 vs DIGIC 4+).
- Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/3200s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/3.2 vs f/3.8).
- More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
- Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the SX710 emerges as the winner of the match-up (7 : 4 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 SX610 and the Canon SX710 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 SX610 or the SX710. 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 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 |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon SX610 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Jan 2015 | EUR 249 | ebay.com | |
2. | Canon SX710 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 3.5/5 | Jan 2015 | EUR 299 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon G5 X | 5/5 | + + | .. | 78/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2015 | EUR 789 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon G7 X | 4/5 | + + | .. | 77/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2014 | EUR 649 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon G7 X Mark II | 4.5/5 | + + | .. | 81/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2016 | EUR 685 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon G9 X | 3.5/5 | + + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2015 | EUR 499 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon G9 X Mark II | 4/5 | .. | 4/5 | 75/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2017 | EUR 499 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon SX410 | .. | o | .. | .. | .. | .. | Feb 2015 | EUR 279 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon SX420 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 3/5 | Jan 2016 | EUR 299 | ebay.com | |
10. | Canon SX540 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Jan 2016 | EUR 369 | ebay.com | |
11. | Canon SX600 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Jan 2014 | EUR 249 | ebay.com | |
12. | Canon SX620 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | May 2016 | EUR 269 | ebay.com | |
13. | Canon SX700 | .. | + + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2014 | EUR 349 | ebay.com | |
14. | Canon SX720 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2016 | EUR 329 | 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 rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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 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.
- Canon SX610 vs Leica CL
- Canon SX610 vs Leica Digilux 3
- Canon SX610 vs Nikon B700
- Canon SX610 vs Nikon D90
- Canon SX610 vs Sony A7
- Canon SX610 vs Sony RX100 VI
- Canon SX710 vs Leica V-LUX 3
- Canon SX710 vs Leica V-LUX Typ 114
- Canon SX710 vs Leica X-U Typ 113
- Canon SX710 vs Sony A850
- Canon SX710 vs Sony RX0 II
- Canon SX710 vs Sony RX100 IV
Specifications: Canon SX610 vs Canon SX710
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 SX610 | Canon SX710 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Fixed lens compact camera | Fixed lens compact camera |
Camera Lens | 25-450mm f/3.8-6.9 | 25-750mm f/3.2-6.9 |
Launch Date | January 2015 | January 2015 |
Launch Price | USD 249 | USD 349 |
Sensor Specs | Canon SX610 | Canon SX710 |
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 | 20.2 Megapixels | 20.2 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 5184 x 3888 pixels | 5184 x 3888 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 1.18 μm | 1.18 μm |
Pixel Density | 71.80 MP/cm2 | 71.80 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | no AA filter | no AA filter |
Movie Capability | 1080/30p Video | 1080/60p Video |
ISO Setting | 80 - 3,200 ISO | 80 - 3,200 ISO |
Image Processor | DIGIC 4+ | DIGIC 6 |
Screen Specs | Canon SX610 | Canon SX710 |
Viewfinder Type | no viewfinder | no viewfinder |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 922k dots | 922k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Fixed screen |
Shooting Specs | Canon SX610 | Canon SX710 |
Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | Contrast-detect AF |
Continuous Shooting | 2.5 shutter flaps/s | 6 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 | UHS-I |
Connectivity Specs | Canon SX610 | Canon SX710 |
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 SX610 | Canon SX710 |
Battery Type | Canon NB-6LH | Canon NB-6LH |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 270 shots per charge | 230 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
105 x 61 x 27 mm (4.1 x 2.4 x 1.1 in) |
113 x 66 x 35 mm (4.4 x 2.6 x 1.4 in) |
Camera Weight | 191 g (6.7 oz) | 269 g (9.5 oz) |
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