Canon S5 IS vs SX120 IS

differences

Advantages of the Canon S5 IS

Has a flip-out screen

Yes

Flip-out screens can be helpful when composing tricky shots or taking movies

Supports an external flash

Yes

An external flash often produces better looking flash images

Slightly wider aperture

f/2.7

f/2.8

At its widest zoom, the S5 IS's lens captures marginally more light (0.1 f-stops)

Has a viewfinder

Digital

None

A viewfinder can help save battery life by keeping the screen turned off

Slightly more zoom

12x

10x

More than 40% more zoom

Better macro capability

0 cm

1 cm

Almost the same

Shoots slightly faster

1.5 fps

0.9 fps

Around 70% faster continuous shooting

Faster max shutter speed

1/3200s

1/2500s

More than 20% faster max shutter speed

Learn more about
the Canon S5 IS

Advantages of the Canon SX120 IS

Much larger screen

3.0"

2.5"

More than 20% larger screen

Significantly smaller

111x71x45 mm

117x80x78 mm

2.1x smaller

Higher true resolution

8.6 MP

8 MP

Capture around 10% more detail in your photos

Significantly lighter

285 g

550 g

Around 50% lighter

Significantly thinner

1.8"

3.1"

More than 40% thinner

Learn more about
the Canon SX120 IS

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digicams, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot S5 IS

31	vs	31
Explain scores

Canon PowerShot SX120 IS

Too close to call! Snapsort considers these cameras too competitive to make a clear recommendation. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a super zoom with a travel zoom.

advice

Need help deciding?

Ask the community!

I am considering either the S5 IS or the SX120 IS,

For example: Taking photos in low light or great family photos or ability to take great photos underwater

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similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths

Common Weaknesses

Wide aperture

S5 IS:	f/2.7
SX120 IS:	f/2.8

Good macro capabilities

S5 IS:	0 cm
SX120 IS:	1 cm

	Good image stabilization
	Lens

Fast max shutter speeds

S5 IS:	1/3200s
SX120 IS:	1/2500s

	No boost ISO
	Lacks boost light sensitivity

Capture low resolution images

S5 IS:	8 MP
SX120 IS:	8.6 MP

	Poor wide angle
	36 mm

Heavy

S5 IS:	550 g
SX120 IS:	285 g

	Very small sensors
	1/2.5" 5.8x4.3mm

Quite thick

S5 IS:	3.1"
SX120 IS:	1.8"

	Neither camera stitches together panoramas
	You could stitch photos in post

	Lower-end sensor types
	CCD

	Movie support
	480p @ 30fps

	Neither has in-camera HDR
	You could do HDR manually

	Poor maximum light sensitivity
	1,600 ISO

Slow continuous shooting

S5 IS:	1.5 fps
SX120 IS:	0.9 fps

	Neither camera can take 3D photos
	No 3d support

	No touchscreens
	More buttons

Low resolution screens

S5 IS:	207k dots
SX120 IS:	230k dots

competitors

Canon PowerShot SX130 IS

Travel zoom

$144 - $245

Records lower quality movies

Has a much wider wide angle lens

Has a slower max shutter speed

Has a significantly narrower aperture

Compare the PowerShot SX130 IS vs the PowerShot S5 IS

Compare the PowerShot SX130 IS vs the PowerShot SX120 IS

Canon PowerShot SX150 IS

Travel zoom

$138 - $179

Records lower quality movies

Has a much wider wide angle lens

Has a slower max shutter speed

Has a significantly narrower aperture

Compare the PowerShot SX150 IS vs the PowerShot S5 IS

Compare the PowerShot SX150 IS vs the PowerShot SX120 IS

Canon Powershot SX40

Super zoom

$347 - $380

Has way more more zoom

Records higher quality movies

Is slightly more expensive

Is thicker

Compare the Powershot SX40 vs the PowerShot S5 IS

Compare the Powershot SX40 vs the PowerShot SX120 IS

Canon Powershot S100

Pro digicam

$356 - $430

Has a significantly wider aperture

Records higher quality movies

Has a slower max shutter speed

Is slightly more expensive

Compare the Powershot S100 vs the PowerShot S5 IS

Compare the Powershot S100 vs the PowerShot SX120 IS

Canon PowerShot SX10 IS

Super zoom

Has significantly more zoom

Has a much wider wide angle lens

Is thicker

Is much heavier

Compare the PowerShot SX10 IS vs the PowerShot S5 IS

Compare the PowerShot SX10 IS vs the PowerShot SX120 IS

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

Super zoom

$742

Much better wide angle

Much higher true resolution

Larger

Slightly narrower aperture

Compare the PowerShot SX20 IS vs the PowerShot S5 IS

Canon PowerShot G12

Pro digicam

$390 - $496

Much better wide angle

Much larger sensor

Less zoom

Slightly narrower aperture

Compare the PowerShot G12 vs the PowerShot S5 IS

Canon ELPH 300 HS

Compact

$148 - $179

Much better wide angle

Higher resolution movies

Screen does not flip out

Less zoom

Compare the ELPH 300 HS vs the PowerShot S5 IS

Canon Rebel T2i

Entry-level DSLR

$544 - $949 body only

$649 - $867 with 18-55mm lens

Much larger sensor

Much higher true resolution

No image stabilization

Screen does not flip out

Compare the Rebel T2i vs the PowerShot S5 IS

Canon Rebel T3i

Entry-level DSLR

$619 - $700 body only

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

Much larger sensor

Much higher true resolution

No image stabilization

Larger

Compare the Rebel T3i vs the PowerShot S5 IS

Canon ELPH 100 HS

Compact

$103 - $189

Much better wide angle

Higher resolution movies

Less zoom

Worse macro capability

Compare the ELPH 100 HS vs the PowerShot SX120 IS

Fujifilm FinePix S1800

Super zoom

Much better wide angle

Much higher true resolution

Narrower aperture

Larger

Compare the FinePix S1800 vs the PowerShot SX120 IS

Canon PowerShot SX230 HS

Travel zoom

$239 - $324

Much better wide angle

Higher resolution movies

Narrower aperture

Significantly worse macro capability

Compare the PowerShot SX230 HS vs the PowerShot SX120 IS

Canon ELPH 320 HS

Compact

$249

Much better wide angle

Higher resolution movies

Slightly less zoom

Worse macro capability

Compare the ELPH 320 HS vs the PowerShot SX120 IS

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Canon PowerShotS5 IS vs Canon PowerShotSX120 IS

Canon PowerShot S5 IS

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot S5 IS

Canon PowerShot SX120 IS

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot SX120 IS

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digicams, and ignoring price

differences

Advantages of the Canon S5 IS

Advantages of the Canon SX120 IS

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digicams, and ignoring price

advice

Need help deciding?

similarities

Compared to recent digicams

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon PowerShot SX130 IS

Canon PowerShot SX150 IS

Canon Powershot SX40

Canon Powershot S100

Canon PowerShot SX10 IS

Canon PowerShot S5 IS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

Canon PowerShot G12

Canon ELPH 300 HS

Canon Rebel T2i

Canon Rebel T3i

Canon PowerShot SX120 IS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon ELPH 100 HS

Fujifilm FinePix S1800

Canon PowerShot SX230 HS

Canon ELPH 320 HS

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Canon PowerShot
S5 IS
vs
Canon PowerShot
SX120 IS