Updated (January, 2012): Compare the Canon ELPH 520 HS vs Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS

Canon ELPH 500 HS
 
Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS
 

Reasons to buy the Canon ELPH 500 HS

Aperture
Wide aperture
f/2.0
Wide angle
Wide angle lens
24 mm
Screen size
Large screen
3.2"
Touch screen
Touch screen
Less buttons
Supports 24p
24p movies
For that film look
 

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS

Aperture
Wide aperture
f/2.0
 

differences

Advantages of the Canon 500 HS

Wide angle Much better wide angle 24 mm vs 28 mm
Help
More than 10% better wide angle
Supports 24p Supports 24p Yes vs No
Help
Get that real film feel
Touch screen Has a touch screen Yes vs No
Help
Fewer buttons to worry about and direct interaction with camera menus
Movie format Higher resolution movies 1080p @ 24fps vs 720p @ 30fps
Help
Shoots higher resolution Full HD (1080p) video but at a lower frame rate
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 461k dots vs 230k dots
Help
More than 2x higher resolution screen
Screen size Larger screen 3.2" vs 3.0"
Help
Around 10% larger screen
Canon ELPH 500 HS Learn more about
the Canon 500 HS

Advantages of the Canon SD4000 IS

Size Smaller 100x54x23 mm vs 100x55x25 mm
Help
More than 10% smaller
Fastest shutter speed Much faster max shutter speed 1/2500s vs 1/1000s
Help
2.5x faster max shutter speed
Thickness Thinner 0.9" vs 1"
Help
Around 10% thinner
True resolution Slightly higher true resolution 9.8 MP vs 9.7 MP
Help
Almost the same
Weight Slightly lighter 175 g vs 185 g
Help
Around 10% lighter
Placeholder Learn more about
the Canon SD4000 IS
vs

recommendations

Snapsort can't make a recommendation (yet) because it doesn't have enough data yet about either the 500 HS or the SD4000 IS.

similarities

Compared to recent compacts

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Aperture Very wide aperture Help
f/2.0
High-speed framerate Very high speed movies Help
240 fps
Sensor type Better sensor types Help
Better in low light
Image stabilization Good image stabilization Help
Lens
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Zoom Poor zoom Help
500 HS:4.4x
SD4000 IS:3.8x

Compared to recent pro digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Size Very small Help
500 HS:100x55x25 mm
SD4000 IS:100x54x23 mm
Thickness Very thin Help
500 HS:1"
SD4000 IS:0.9"
Weight Very light Help
500 HS:185 g
SD4000 IS:175 g
External flash No external flash support Help
Less expandable
Longest exposure Short max exposure time Help
15 seconds
Viewfinder No viewfinders Help
Can only preview photos on the screen
Autofocus Slower contrast detection autofocus Help
slower focusing
Screen flips out No flip-out screens Help
Less flexible
True resolution Capture low resolution images Help
500 HS:9.7 MP
SD4000 IS:9.8 MP
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
3,200 ISO
External mic jack Neither has an external mic jack Help
Limited to the in-camera mic
Supports RAW No RAW support Help
Less editing fidelity
Screen resolution Low resolution screens Help
500 HS:461k dots
SD4000 IS:230k dots
Sensor size Very small sensors Help
1/2.3" 6.2x4.6mm
Continuous shooting Slow continuous shooting Help
500 HS:3.4 fps
SD4000 IS:3.7 fps
Screen type No OLED screens Help
LCD

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon ELPH 300 HS

Canon ELPH 300 HS

Compact

$152

Size Is slightly smaller
Thickness Is thinner
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Screen size Has a significantly smaller screen
Canon ELPH 520 HS

Canon PowerShot ELPH 520 HS

Ultra compact

$129 - $149

Zoom Has significantly more zoom
Size Is slightly smaller
Wide angle Has a much narrower wide angle lens
Aperture Has a much narrower aperture
Canon PowerShot ELPH 110 HS

Canon PowerShot ELPH 110 HS

Compact

$146 - $199

Thickness Is thinner
Weight Is slightly lighter
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Aperture Has a significantly narrower aperture
Canon ELPH 510 HS

Canon ELPH 510 HS

Travel zoom

Zoom Has significantly more zoom
Macro focus Slightly closer macro focusing
Weight Is slightly heavier
Wide angle Has a much narrower wide angle lens
Canon ELPH 310 HS

Canon ELPH 310 HS

Travel zoom

Panorama Creates panoramas in-camera
Macro focus Slightly closer macro focusing
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Wide angle Has a much narrower wide angle lens
Canon Powershot S100

Canon Powershot S100

Pro digicam

$310 - $349

Sensor size Has a significantly larger sensor
Supports RAW Shoots RAW
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX50

Sony Cyber-shot WX50

Ultra compact

$100 - $190

Size Is slightly smaller
Light sensitivity Much higher maximum light sensitivity
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Longest exposure Slightly shorter exposures

Canon ELPH 500 HS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon PowerShot ELPH 320 HS

Canon ELPH 320 HS

Compact

$124 - $139

Size Smaller
Weight Lighter
Aperture Significantly narrower aperture
Continuous shooting Shoots slightly slower
Canon ELPH 530 HS

Canon PowerShot ELPH 530 HS

Ultra compact

$159

Zoom More zoom
Size Smaller
Aperture Much narrower aperture
Wide angle Much worse wide angle

Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon PowerShot SD4500 IS

Canon PowerShot SD4500 IS

Travel zoom

$119

Supports 24p Supports 24p
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Aperture Much narrower aperture
Wide angle Much worse wide angle

appearance

Canon ELPH 500 HS Placeholder
Canon ELPH 500 HS Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS
Canon ELPH 500 HS Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS

discussion

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