Canon SX740 vs Sony A3000

The Canon PowerShot SX740 HS and the Sony Alpha A3000 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in July 2018 and August 2013. The SX740 is a fixed lens compact, while the A3000 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (SX740) and an APS-C (A3000) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 20.2 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 19.8 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon SX740		Sony A3000
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
24-960mm f/3.3-6.9		Sony E mount lenses
20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		19.8 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 100-16,000
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (202k dots)
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		3.0" LCD – 230k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
10 shutter flaps per second		2.5 shutter flaps per second
265 shots per battery charge		470 shots per battery charge
110 x 64 x 40 mm, 299 g		128 x 91 x 85 mm, 411 g

Check SX740 price at
amazon.com
Check A3000 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS and the Sony Alpha A3000? 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 SX740 and the Sony A3000 are illustrated 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 A3000 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 A3000 is considerably larger (65 percent) than the Canon SX740. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX740 nor the A3000 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the SX740 has a lens built in, whereas the A3000 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the A3000 and their specifications in the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the SX740 gets 265 shots out of its Canon NB-13L battery, while the A3000 can take 470 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
2.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	EUR 299	ebay.com
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	EUR 929	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	EUR 779	amazon.com
5.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	EUR 499	ebay.com
6.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	EUR 479	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX430	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	323 g	195	n	Jan 2017	EUR 299	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	EUR 299	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX720	110 mm	64 mm	36 mm	270 g	250	n	Feb 2016	EUR 329	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	EUR 399	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic TZ90	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	EUR 429	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic TZ95	112 mm	69 mm	42 mm	327 g	380	n	Feb 2019	EUR 449	ebay.com
13.		Sony A5000	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	269 g	420	n	Jan 2014	EUR 399	ebay.com
14.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	EUR 499	ebay.com
15.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	EUR 549	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX1	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Sep 2012	EUR 3 099	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX1R	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Jun 2013	EUR 3 099	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 retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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 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. 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 tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon SX740 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Sony A3000 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the A3000 is 1175 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 1.5. The sensor in the SX740 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A3000 offers a 3:2 aspect.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Canon SX740 offers a higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 19.8 MP of the Sony A3000. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.18μm versus 4.25μm for the A3000). However, it should be noted that the SX740 is much more recent (by 4 years and 11 months) than the A3000, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the SX740 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Canon PowerShot SX740 HS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A3000 are ISO 100 to ISO 16000 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the SX740 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the A3000 uses a CMOS 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 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.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
5.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522	65
6.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
7.		Canon SX430	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.5	11.9	900	49
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 SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
11.		Panasonic TZ90	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
12.		Panasonic TZ95	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1103	52
13.		Sony A5000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.8	13.0	1089	79
14.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
15.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
16.		Sony RX1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.1	14.3	2534	93
17.		Sony RX1R	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	13.6	2537	91
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 have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the SX740 provides a higher video resolution than the A3000. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Sony is limited to 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A3000 has an electronic viewfinder (202k 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 table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon SX740 and Sony A3000 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
7.		Canon SX430	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/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 SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic TZ90	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Panasonic TZ95	2330	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony A5000	none	n	3.0 / 461	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
14.		Sony A5100	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony RX1	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony RX1R	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
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.

The SX740 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A3000 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The SX740 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the A3000 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 SX740 HS and Sony Alpha A3000 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.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX430	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	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 SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic TZ90	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Panasonic TZ95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Sony A5000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A5100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony RX1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony RX1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the SX740 offers wifi support, while the A3000 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

The SX740 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the A3000 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the A3000 from Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the SX740 and A3000 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX740 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A3000 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon SX740 or the Sony A3000 – 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:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60i).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (922k vs 230k 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 burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the A3000 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (110x64mm vs 128x91mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the A3000).
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• 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 11 months of technical progress since the A3000 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A3000:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/3200s) to freeze action.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (470 versus 265) out of a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in August 2013).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the SX740 is the clear winner of the match-up (15 : 11 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 Sony A3000 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings 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 partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the SX740 or the A3000. 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 SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
2.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	EUR 299	ebay.com
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	EUR 929	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	..	Jul 2019	EUR 779	amazon.com
5.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	EUR 499	ebay.com
6.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	EUR 479	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX430	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2017	EUR 299	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX710	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2015	EUR 299	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX720	..	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	EUR 329	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	EUR 399	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic TZ90	..	+ +	4/5	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	EUR 429	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic TZ95	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	..	Feb 2019	EUR 449	ebay.com
13.		Sony A5000	3/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	EUR 399	ebay.com
14.		Sony A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	EUR 499	ebay.com
15.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	EUR 549	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX1	5/5	..	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	EUR 3 099	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX1R	5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	EUR 3 099	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted 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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check SX740 price at
amazon.com
Check A3000 offers at
ebay.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. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

~

Check SX740 price at
amazon.com
Check A3000 offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.