Updated (September, 2011): Compare the Canon Powershot SX40 vs Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Canon Powershot SX40

98

Reasons to buy the Canon Powershot SX40

Zoom
Great zoom
35x
Movie format
Full HD
1080p @ 24fps
Wide angle
Wide angle lens
24 mm
High-speed framerate
High speed movies
240 fps
Supports 24p
24p movies
For that film look
Continuous shooting
Rapid fire
10.3 fps
Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

56

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

External flash
External flash
Better lighting

differences

Advantages of the Canon SX40

Zoom Much more zoom 35x vs 20x
Help
More than 3x more zoom
Movie format Higher resolution movies 1080p @ 24fps vs 720p @ 30fps
Help
Shoots higher resolution Full HD (1080p) video but at a lower frame rate
Supports 24p Supports 24p Yes vs No
Help
Get that real film feel
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle 24 mm vs 28 mm
Help
More than 10% better wide angle
High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies 240 fps vs None
Help
Capture events too fast for the naked eye and play them back in super-slow motion
Continuous shooting Shoots significantly faster 10.3 fps vs 0.7 fps
Help
More than 14.5x faster continuous shooting
Screen size Larger screen 2.7" vs 2.5"
Help
Around 10% larger screen
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor CMOS vs CCD
Help
CMOS-family sensors often produce better quality images
Aperture Slightly wider aperture f/2.7 vs f/2.8
Help
At its widest zoom, the SX40's lens captures marginally more light (0.1 f-stops)
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 3,200 ISO vs 1,600 ISO
Help
The SX40's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
Lowest price Much cheaper $347.00 vs $742.98
Help
The best price we've seen is $396 cheaper (2.1x less)
Canon Powershot SX40 Learn more about
the Canon SX40

Advantages of the Canon SX20 IS

Size Smaller 128x88x87 mm vs 123x92x108 mm
Help
Around 20% smaller
Thickness Thinner 3.4" vs 4.3"
Help
Around 20% thinner
True resolution Slightly higher true resolution 9.8 MP vs 9.7 MP
Help
Almost the same
Sensor size Slightly larger sensor 1/2.3" 6.2x4.6mm vs 1/2.3" 6.2x4.6mm
Help
Almost the same
Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Learn more about
the Canon SX20 IS
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent super zooms, and ignoring price

Canon Powershot SX40 Canon Powershot SX40
98 vs 56
Explain scores
Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon Powershot SX40.

advice

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similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Screen flips out Flip-out screens Help
Great for movies
Aperture Wide aperture Help
SX40:f/2.7
SX20 IS:f/2.8
Zoom Great zoom Help
SX40:35x
SX20 IS:20x
Macro focus Good macro capabilities Help
0 cm
Image stabilization Good image stabilization Help
Lens
External flash Support external flash Help
Better lighting
Viewfinder Both have digital viewfinders Help
Digital
Fastest shutter speed Fast max shutter speeds Help
1/3200 of a second
Weight Heavy Help
600 g
Lowest price Very expensive Help
SX40:$347.00
SX20 IS:$742.98
Thickness Quite thick Help
SX40:4.3"
SX20 IS:3.4"
Size Large Help
SX40:123x92x108 mm
SX20 IS:128x88x87 mm
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
Screen size Very small screens Help
SX40:2.7"
SX20 IS:2.5"
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Touch screen No touchscreens Help
More buttons
Screen resolution Low resolution screens Help
230k dots

Compared to recent super zooms

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses

Snapsort is not aware of any interesting strengths shared by these two products.

Supports RAW No RAW support Help
Less editing fidelity
External mic jack Neither has an external mic jack Help
Limited to the in-camera mic

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon Coolpix P500

Nikon Coolpix P500

Super zoom

$300

Screen size Has a significantly larger screen
Screen resolution Has a much higher resolution screen
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
External flash Doesn't support an external flash
Sony Cybershot DSC-HX100v

Sony Cybershot DSC-HX100v

Super zoom

$409

Screen size Has a significantly larger screen
Screen resolution Has a much higher resolution screen
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
External flash Doesn't support an external flash
Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Super zoom

$420

Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Canon PowerShot G12

Canon PowerShot G12

Pro digicam

$390 - $496

Screen size Has a slightly larger screen
Screen resolution Has a slightly higher resolution screen
Wide angle Has a significantly narrower wide angle lens
Zoom Has significantly less zoom
Canon Rebel T3

Canon Rebel T3

Entry-level DSLR

$330 body only

$489 - $500 with 18-55mm lens

True resolution Takes much higher resolution photos
Light sensitivity Significantly higher maximum light sensitivity
Autofocus Lacks autofocus
Screen flips out Doesn't have a screen which flips out
Fujifilm FinePix HS20 EXR

Fujifilm FinePix HS20

Super zoom

$299

Screen size Has a significantly larger screen
Screen resolution Has a slightly higher resolution screen
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Canon Rebel T3i

Canon Rebel T3i

Entry-level DSLR

$619 - $700 body only

$745 - $1,000 with 18-55mm lens

Screen size Has a significantly larger screen
Screen resolution Has a much higher resolution screen
Lowest price Is much more expensive
Autofocus Lacks autofocus

Canon Powershot SX40 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon Coolpix P510

Nikon Coolpix P510

Super zoom

$397 - $400

Zoom Significantly more zoom
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
Supports 24p No 24p support
Aperture Narrower aperture
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Super zoom

$499

External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Screen size Significantly larger screen
Zoom Much less zoom
Supports 24p No 24p support
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V

Super zoom

$399

Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity
Supports 24p No 24p support
Zoom Significantly less zoom
Fujifilm FinePix HS30 EXR

Fujifilm FinePix HS30 EXR

Super zoom

$438 - $500

Screen size Significantly larger screen
Battery life Much longer battery life
Supports 24p No 24p support
Zoom Significantly less zoom

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon Coolpix P100

Nikon Coolpix P100

Super zoom

Screen size Much larger screen
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Image stabilization Worse image stabilization
External flash No external flash support
Canon PowerShot S5 IS

Canon PowerShot S5 IS

Super zoom

Size Smaller
Aperture Slightly wider aperture
Wide angle Much worse wide angle
True resolution Much lower true resolution
Canon PowerShot SX1 IS

Canon PowerShot SX1 IS

Super zoom

$644

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Screen size Significantly larger screen
Weight Slightly heavier
Nikon Coolpix L120

Nikon Coolpix L120

Super zoom

$180 - $219

Screen size Much larger screen
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Aperture Narrower aperture

appearance

Canon Powershot SX40 Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
Canon Powershot SX40 Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
Canon Powershot SX40 Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

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