Canon SX730 vs Sony H300

The Canon PowerShot SX730 HS and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in April 2017 and February 2014. Both the SX730 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 SX730		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
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
5.9 shutter flaps per second		0.8 shutter flaps per second
250 shots per battery charge		350 shots per battery charge
110 x 64 x 40 mm, 300 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 SX730 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.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon SX730 and the Sony H300. 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 SX730 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the H300 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 Sony H300 is considerably larger (62 percent) than the Canon SX730. Moreover, the H300 is substantially heavier (97 percent) than the SX730. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX730 nor the H300 are weather-sealed.

The power pack in the SX730 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along 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 SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	US$ 399	ebay.com
2.		Sony H300	128 mm	89 mm	92 mm	590 g	350	n	Feb 2014	US$ 219	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X Mark II	106 mm	61 mm	42 mm	319 g	265	n	Feb 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	US$ 529	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX420	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	195	n	Jan 2016	US$ 299	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX430	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	323 g	195	n	Jan 2017	US$ 299	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX540	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	205	n	Jan 2016	US$ 399	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	US$ 349	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX720	110 mm	64 mm	36 mm	270 g	250	n	Feb 2016	US$ 379	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
11.		Fujifilm X-A5	117 mm	68 mm	40 mm	361 g	450	n	Jan 2018	US$ 399	ebay.com
12.		Leica Q Typ 116	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	640 g	300	n	Jun 2015	US$ 4 249	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic TZ90	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	US$ 449	ebay.com
14.		Sony H200	123 mm	83 mm	87 mm	530 g	240	n	Jan 2013	US$ 249	ebay.com
15.		Sony H400	130 mm	95 mm	122 mm	628 g	300	n	Feb 2014	US$ 319	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX400V	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	660 g	300	n	Feb 2014	US$ 499	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	US$ 999	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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The H300 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 45 percent) than the SX730, 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. 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. 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 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.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the SX730 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 SX730 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 SX730 is much more recent (by 3 years and 1 month) 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 SX730 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 SX730 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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 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 SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
2.		Sony H300	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
3.		Canon G7 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.8	11.9	260	62
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522	65
5.		Canon SX420	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.3	11.7	806	48
6.		Canon SX430	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.5	11.9	900	49
7.		Canon SX540	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.7	806	48
8.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
9.		Canon SX720	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.8	817	48
10.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
11.		Fujifilm X-A5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.3	1800	82
12.		Leica Q Typ 116	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.7	2221	85
13.		Panasonic TZ90	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
14.		Sony H200	1/2.3	15.2	5184	2930	720/30p	19.9	11.2	529	44
15.		Sony H400	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
16.		Sony HX400V	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
17.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70
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 can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the SX730 provides a higher video resolution than the H300. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the Sony is limited to 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The SX730 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 SX730 and Sony H300 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 SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony H300	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G7 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX420	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX430	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX540	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX710	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	6.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX720	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Fujifilm X-A5	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
12.		Leica Q Typ 116	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic TZ90	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony H200	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony H400	210	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	0.7/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony HX400V	210	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX100 IV	2359	n	3.0 / 1228	tilting	n	1/2000s	16.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

Both the SX730 and the H300 have zoom lenses built in. The SX730 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 SX730 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The SX730 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the H300 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo 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 SX730 HS and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300 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 SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
2.		Sony H300	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon G7 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX420	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon SX430	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon SX540	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon SX710	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon SX720	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Fujifilm X-A5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Leica Q Typ 116	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Panasonic TZ90	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Sony H200	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony H400	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

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

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon SX730 better than the Sony H300 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon PowerShot SX730 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).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• 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 290g or 49 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 1 month of technical progress since the H300 launch.

Arguments in favor 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 (45 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 SX730 is the clear winner of the match-up (15 : 3 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 SX730 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the SX730 or the H300 perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews 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	Street Price
1.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	US$ 399	ebay.com
2.		Sony H300	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2014	US$ 219	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X Mark II	4.5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 529	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX420	..	..	..	..	..	3/5	Jan 2016	US$ 299	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX430	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 299	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX540	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2016	US$ 399	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX710	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2015	US$ 349	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX720	..	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 379	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
11.		Fujifilm X-A5	..	+	4.1/5	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2018	US$ 399	ebay.com
12.		Leica Q Typ 116	5/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	US$ 4 249	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic TZ90	..	+ +	4/5	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	US$ 449	ebay.com
14.		Sony H200	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2013	US$ 249	ebay.com
15.		Sony H400	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 319	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX400V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	US$ 499	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	US$ 999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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