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Canon SX720 vs Sony H300

The Canon PowerShot SX720 HS and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2016 and February 2014. Both the SX720 and the H300 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 20.2 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 19.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Canon SX720
versus
Sony H300
Canon SX720   Sony H300
Fixed lens compact camera Fixed lens compact camera
24-960mm f/3.3-6.9 25-875mm f/3.4-6.5
20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor 19.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/60p Video 720/30p Video
ISO 80-3,200 ISO 80-3,200
No viewfinder, LCD framing No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 922k dots 3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
5.9 shutter flaps per second 0.8 shutter flaps per second
250 shots per battery charge350 shots per battery charge
110 x 64 x 36 mm, 270 g 128 x 89 x 92 mm, 590 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX720 HS and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300? 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

The physical size and weight of the Canon SX720 and the Sony H300 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The SX720 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the H300 is only available in black.

Size Canon SX720 vs Sony H300
Compare SX720 versus H300 top
Comparison SX720 or H300 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony H300 is considerably larger (62 percent) than the Canon SX720. Moreover, the H300 is substantially heavier (119 percent) than the SX720. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX720 nor the H300 are weather-sealed.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.

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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 SX720 110 mm 64 mm 36 mm 270 g 250 n Feb 2016 379ebay.com
2.
 
Sony H300 128 mm 89 mm 92 mm 590 g 350 n Feb 2014 219ebay.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 299ebay.com
5.
 
Canon SX730 110 mm 64 mm 40 mm 300 g 250 n Apr 2017 399ebay.com
6.
 
Canon SX420 104 mm 69 mm 85 mm 325 g 195 n Jan 2016 299ebay.com
7.
 
Canon SX540 120 mm 82 mm 92 mm 442 g 205 n Jan 2016 399ebay.com
8.
 
Canon SX410 104 mm 69 mm 85 mm 325 g 185 n Feb 2015 279ebay.com
9.
 
Canon SX610 105 mm 61 mm 27 mm 191 g 270 n Jan 2015 249ebay.com
10.
 
Canon SX710 113 mm 66 mm 35 mm 269 g 230 n Jan 2015 349ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic ZS70 112 mm 67 mm 41 mm 322 g 380 n Apr 2017 449ebay.com
12.
 
Sony HX80 102 mm 58 mm 36 mm 245 g 390 n Mar 2016 349ebay.com
13.
 
Sony HX90V 102 mm 58 mm 36 mm 245 g 360 n Apr 2015 429ebay.com
14.
 
Sony HX400V 130 mm 93 mm 103 mm 660 g 300 n Feb 2014 499ebay.com
15.
 
Sony H400 130 mm 95 mm 122 mm 628 g 300 n Feb 2014 319ebay.com
16.
 
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.
padding

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 H300 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 42 percent) than the SX720, 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. 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.

Canon SX720 and Sony H300 sensor measures

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the SX720 offers a slightly higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 19.9 MP of the H300. This megapixels advantage translates into a 0.59999999999999 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the SX720 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.18μm versus 1.19μm for the H300). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the SX720 is much more recent (by 2 years) than the H300, 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 Canon PowerShot SX720 HS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 3200. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300 offers exactly the same ISO settings.

In terms of underlying technology, the SX720 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the H300 uses a CCD 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.

SX720 versus H300 MP

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.

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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 SX720 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38881080/60p20.311.881748
2.
 
Sony H300 1/2.3 19.9 5152 3864720/30p20.111.463045
3.
 
Canon SX740 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38884K/30p20.612.1105051
4.
 
Canon SX430 1/2.3 19.9 5152 3864720/25p20.511.990049
5.
 
Canon SX730 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38881080/60p20.511.992450
6.
 
Canon SX420 1/2.3 19.9 5152 3864720/25p20.311.780648
7.
 
Canon SX540 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38881080/60p20.311.780648
8.
 
Canon SX410 1/2.3 19.9 5152 3864720/30p20.211.672047
9.
 
Canon SX610 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38881080/30p20.211.671247
10.
 
Canon SX710 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38881080/60p20.211.671247
11.
 
Panasonic ZS70 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38884K/30p19.110.610636
12.
 
Sony HX80 1/2.3 18.0 4896 36721080/60p20.411.882248
13.
 
Sony HX90V 1/2.3 18.0 4896 36721080/60p20.211.673847
14.
 
Sony HX400V 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38881080/60p20.111.462945
15.
 
Sony H400 1/2.3 19.9 5152 3864720/30p20.111.463045
16.
 
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 are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the SX720 provides a higher video resolution than the H300. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the Sony is limited to 720/30p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The SX720 and the H300 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 SX720 and Sony H300 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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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 SX720none n3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/3200s 5.9/s Y Y
2.
 
Sony H300none n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/1500s 0.8/s Y Y
3.
 
Canon SX740none n3.0 / 922 tilting n 1/3200s 10.0/s Y Y
4.
 
Canon SX430none n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 0.5/s Y Y
5.
 
Canon SX730none n3.0 / 922 tilting n 1/3200s 5.9/s Y Y
6.
 
Canon SX420none n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 0.5/s Y Y
7.
 
Canon SX540none n3.0 / 461 fixed n 1/2000s 5.9/s Y Y
8.
 
Canon SX410none n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 0.5/s Y Y
9.
 
Canon SX610none n3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/2000s 2.5/s Y Y
10.
 
Canon SX710none n3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/3200s 6.0/s Y Y
11.
 
Panasonic ZS701166 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
12.
 
Sony HX80638 n3.0 / 922 tilting n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
13.
 
Sony HX90V638 n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
14.
 
Sony HX400V210 n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/4000s 10.0/s Y Y
15.
 
Sony H400210 n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/2000s 0.7/s Y Y
16.
 
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 SX720 and the H300 have zoom lenses built in. The SX720 has a 24-960mm f/3.3-6.9 optic and the H300 offers a 25-875mm f/3.4-6.5 (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 SX720 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The SX720 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the H300 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The SX720 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the H300 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD 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 SX720 HS and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300 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 SX720-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
2.
 
Sony H300-mono / mono--micro2.0Y--
3.
 
Canon SX740-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
4.
 
Canon SX430-mono / mono---2.0YY-
5.
 
Canon SX730-stereo / mono--micro2.0YYY
6.
 
Canon SX420-mono / mono---2.0YY-
7.
 
Canon SX540-stereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
8.
 
Canon SX410-stereo / mono---2.0---
9.
 
Canon SX610-- / ---micro2.0YY-
10.
 
Canon SX710-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
11.
 
Panasonic ZS70-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
12.
 
Sony HX80-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
13.
 
Sony HX90V-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
14.
 
Sony HX400VYstereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
15.
 
Sony H400-mono / mono--micro2.0Y--
16.
 
Sony H200-mono / mono---2.0---
padding

Both the SX720 and the H300 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX720 was replaced by the Canon SX730, while the H300 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the SX720 and H300 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX720 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony H300 Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon SX720 and the Sony H300? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

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Arguments in favor of the Canon PowerShot SX720 HS:

  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/60p vs 720/30p).
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (922k vs 460k dots).
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/3200s vs 1/1500s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5.9 vs 0.8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/3.3 vs f/3.4).
  • 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 compact: Is smaller (110x64mm vs 128x89mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 320g or 54 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
  • More modern: Reflects 2 years of technical progress since the H300 launch.

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Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300:

  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (350 versus 250) out of a single battery charge.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (42 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2014).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the SX720 is the clear winner of the match-up (12 : 3 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.

SX720 12:03 H300

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon SX720 and the Sony H300 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 SX720 or the H300 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.

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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 SX720..+....4/54.5/5 Feb 2016 379ebay.com
2.
 
Sony H300..+....4.5/54/5 Feb 2014 219ebay.com
3.
 
Canon SX740..+3.5/5..4/54/5 Jul 2018 399 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon SX430........3.5/53.5/5 Jan 2017 299ebay.com
5.
 
Canon SX730..+....4/54/5 Apr 2017 399ebay.com
6.
 
Canon SX420..........3/5 Jan 2016 299ebay.com
7.
 
Canon SX540............ Jan 2016 399ebay.com
8.
 
Canon SX410..o........ Feb 2015 279ebay.com
9.
 
Canon SX610........4/54/5 Jan 2015 249ebay.com
10.
 
Canon SX710..+....4/53.5/5 Jan 2015 349ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic ZS70..+ +....4/54/5 Apr 2017 449ebay.com
12.
 
Sony HX80............ Mar 2016 349ebay.com
13.
 
Sony HX90V4/5+ +....4/54.5/5 Apr 2015 429ebay.com
14.
 
Sony HX400V4/5+ +....4/54/5 Feb 2014 499ebay.com
15.
 
Sony H400..o....3.5/53.5/5 Feb 2014 319ebay.com
16.
 
Sony H200........3.5/53.5/5 Jan 2013 249ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. 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, 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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    Specifications: Canon SX720 vs Sony H300

    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 SX720 Sony H300
    Camera Type Fixed lens compact camera Fixed lens compact camera
    Camera Lens 24-960mm f/3.3-6.9 25-875mm f/3.4-6.5
    Launch Date February 2016 February 2014
    Launch Price USD 379 USD 219
    Sensor Specs Canon SX720 Sony H300
    Sensor Technology BSI-CMOS CCD
    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 19.9 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5184 x 3888 pixels 5152 x 3864 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 1.18 μm 1.19 μm
    Pixel Density 71.80 MP/cm2 70.91 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60p Video 720/30p Video
    ISO Setting 80 - 3,200 ISO 80 - 3,200 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC 6 BIONZ
    Screen Specs Canon SX720 Sony H300
    Viewfinder Type no viewfinder no viewfinder
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 922k dots 460k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Fixed screen
    Shooting Specs Canon SX720 Sony H300
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Contrast-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 5.9 shutter flaps/s 0.8 shutter flaps/s
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards MS or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I no
    Connectivity Specs Canon SX720 Sony H300
    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 no NFC
    Body Specs Canon SX720 Sony H300
    Battery Type Canon NB-13L Sony 4xAA
    Battery Life (CIPA)250 shots per charge350 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 110 x 64 x 36 mm
    (4.3 x 2.5 x 1.4 in)
    128 x 89 x 92 mm
    (5.0 x 3.5 x 3.6 in)
    Camera Weight 270 g (9.5 oz) 590 g (20.8 oz)
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