Canon SX740 vs SX70

The Canon PowerShot SX740 HS and the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in July 2018 and September 2018. Both the SX740 and the SX70 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.

Headline Specifications

Canon SX740		Canon SX70
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-960mm f/3.3-6.9		21-1365mm f/3.4-6.5
20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 100-3,200
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
10 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
265 shots per battery charge		325 shots per battery charge
110 x 64 x 40 mm, 299 g		127 x 91 x 117 mm, 608 g

Check SX740 price at
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Check SX70 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS and the Canon PowerShot SX70 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 SX740 and the Canon SX70 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 SX740 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), 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 SX70 is considerably larger (64 percent) than the Canon SX740. Moreover, the SX70 is substantially heavier (103 percent) than the SX740. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX740 nor the SX70 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the SX740 gets 265 shots out of its Canon NB-13L battery, while the SX70 can take 325 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E12 power pack. The power pack in the SX740 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
2.		Canon SX70	127 mm	91 mm	117 mm	608 g	325	n	Sep 2018	549	amazon.com
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX430	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	323 g	195	n	Jan 2017	299	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX720	110 mm	64 mm	36 mm	270 g	250	n	Feb 2016	379	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic TS7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	449	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic ZS70	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic ZS80	112 mm	69 mm	42 mm	327 g	380	n	Feb 2019	449	ebay.com
12.		Sony HX95	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
13.		Sony HX99	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
14.		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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 SX740 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 27 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.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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 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.

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 SX740 and the SX70 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 SX740 HS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The Canon PowerShot SX70 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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar 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 SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
2.		Canon SX70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1063	51
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522	65
4.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
5.		Canon SX430	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.5	11.9	900	49
6.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
7.		Canon SX720	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.8	817	48
8.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
9.		Panasonic TS7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
10.		Panasonic ZS70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
11.		Panasonic ZS80	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1103	52
12.		Sony HX95	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1057	51
13.		Sony HX99	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1058	51
14.		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 cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range 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 SX740 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon SX740 and Canon SX70 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 SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon SX70	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX430	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX710	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	6.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX720	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
9.		Panasonic TS7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Panasonic ZS70	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic ZS80	2330	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony HX95	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony HX99	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		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.

The Canon SX740 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 SX740 and the SX70 have zoom lenses built in. The SX740 has a 24-960mm f/3.3-6.9 optic and the SX70 offers a 21-1365mm f/3.4-6.5 (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 SX740. The SX740 offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the SX740 and the SX70 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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 SX740 HS and Canon PowerShot SX70 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 SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon SX70	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon SX430	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon SX710	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon SX720	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Panasonic TS7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Panasonic ZS70	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Panasonic ZS80	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Sony HX95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Sony HX99	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the SX70 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The SX740 does not feature such a mic input.

Both the SX740 and the SX70 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The SX740 replaced the earlier Canon SX730 HS, while the SX70 followed on from the Canon SX60 . Further information on the features and operation of the SX740 and SX70 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX740 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SX70 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon SX740 or the Canon SX70 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS:

• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/3200s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• 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/3.3 vs f/3.4).
• More compact: Is smaller (110x64mm vs 127x91mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 309g or 51 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (27 percent cheaper at launch).

Arguments in favor of the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS:

• 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.
• 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: Gets more shots (325 versus 265) out of a single battery charge.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the SX740 comes out slightly ahead of the SX70 (7 : 6 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 SX740 and the Canon SX70 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the SX740 and the SX70 in practical situations. 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 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
2.		Canon SX70	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Sep 2018	549	amazon.com
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX430	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2017	299	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX710	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX720	..	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	379	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic TS7	..	+	..	..	..	3.5/5	May 2018	449	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic ZS70	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic ZS80	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	..	Feb 2019	449	ebay.com
12.		Sony HX95	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
13.		Sony HX99	..	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
14.		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 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 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.

Check SX740 price at
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Check SX70 price at
amazon.com

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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