Canon SX70 vs SX700

The Canon PowerShot SX70 HS and the Canon PowerShot SX700 HS are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2018 and February 2014. Both the SX70 and the SX700 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The SX70 has a resolution of 20.2 megapixels, whereas the SX700 provides 15.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon SX70		Canon SX700
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
21-1365mm f/3.4-6.5		25-750mm f/3.2-6.9
20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 100-3,200
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
10 shutter flaps per second		8.5 shutter flaps per second
325 shots per battery charge		250 shots per battery charge
127 x 91 x 117 mm, 608 g		113 x 66 x 35 mm, 269 g

Check SX70 price at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS and the Canon PowerShot SX700 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

The physical size and weight of the Canon SX70 and the Canon SX700 are illustrated 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.

The SX700 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the SX70 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 SX700 is considerably smaller (35 percent) than the Canon SX70. Moreover, the SX700 is substantially lighter (56 percent) than the SX70. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX70 nor the SX700 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the SX70 gets 325 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the SX700 can take 250 images on a single charge of its Canon NB-6LH power pack.

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.

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 SX70	127 mm	91 mm	117 mm	608 g	325	n	Sep 2018	549	amazon.com
2.		Canon SX700	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	250	n	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
4.		Canon SX430	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	323 g	195	n	Jan 2017	299	ebay.com
5.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX520	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	441 g	210	n	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX400	104 mm	69 mm	80 mm	313 g	190	n	Jul 2014	249	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX1	128 mm	88 mm	88 mm	615 g	..	n	Sep 2008	599	ebay.com
13.		Nikon B700	125 mm	85 mm	107 mm	565 g	350	n	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ80	130 mm	94 mm	119 mm	616 g	330	n	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX400V	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	660 g	300	n	Feb 2014	499	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 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 SX700 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 36 percent) than the SX70, 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 imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies 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.

In terms of chip-set technology, the SX70 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the SX700 (DIGIC 6), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the SX70 offers a higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 15.9 MP of the SX700. This megapixels advantage translates into a 13 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the SX70 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 SX700). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the SX70 is much more recent (by 4 years and 7 months) than the SX700, 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 Canon SX70 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the SX70 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 SX700 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 SX70 HS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The Canon PowerShot SX700 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.

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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-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 SX70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1063	51
2.		Canon SX700	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
3.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
4.		Canon SX430	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.5	11.9	900	49
5.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522	65
7.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
8.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
9.		Canon SX520	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
10.		Canon SX400	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	720/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
11.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
12.		Canon SX1	1/2.3	10.0	3648	2736	1080/30p	19.0	10.3	144	35
13.		Nikon B700	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.4	11.8	818	48
14.		Panasonic FZ80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	900	49
15.		Sony HX400V	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
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 SX70 provides a higher video resolution than the SX700. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the SX700 is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the SX70 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the SX700 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon SX70 and Canon SX700 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 SX70	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon SX700	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	8.5/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX430	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX710	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	6.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX520	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX400	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/1600s	0.8/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX1	202	n	2.8 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	4.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Nikon B700	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Panasonic FZ80	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony HX400V	210	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

Both the SX70 and the SX700 have zoom lenses built in. The SX70 has a 21-1365mm f/3.4-6.5 optic and the SX700 offers a 25-750mm f/3.2-6.9 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the SX70 provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the SX700. The SX700 offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the SX70 and the SX700 write their files to SDXC cards. The SX70 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the SX700 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 SX70 HS and Canon PowerShot SX700 HS 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 SX70	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon SX700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon SX430	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX710	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon SX520	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon SX400	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon SX1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon B700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Panasonic FZ80	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the SX70 has a microphone port, which is missing on the SX700. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

The SX70 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the SX700 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the SX700 was succeeded by the Canon SX710. Further information on the features and operation of the SX70 and SX700 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX70 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SX700 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon SX70 better than the Canon SX700 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (20.2 vs 15.9MP) with a 13% higher linear resolution.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC 6).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 8.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• 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.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (325 versus 250) on a single battery charge.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 7 months of technical progress since the SX700 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Canon PowerShot SX700 HS:

• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/3200s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/3.2 vs f/3.4).
• More compact: Is smaller (113x66mm vs 127x91mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 339g or 56 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (36 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2014).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the SX70 is the clear winner of the match-up (14 : 7 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 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 SX70 and the Canon SX700 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 remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the SX70 or the SX700 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 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 SX70	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Sep 2018	549	amazon.com
2.		Canon SX700	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
4.		Canon SX430	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2017	299	ebay.com
5.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX710	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX520	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX400	..	+	..	..	..	..	Jul 2014	249	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX1	..	+ +	..	+	..	3.5/5	Sep 2008	599	ebay.com
13.		Nikon B700	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ80	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX400V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

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? 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.

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