Canon PowerShot
SX1 IS
vs
Canon PowerShot
SX20 IS

Updated (September, 2010): Compare the Canon PowerShot SX1 IS vs Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Winner

Canon PowerShot SX1 IS

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot SX1 IS

	Full HD
	1080p @ 30fps

	Flip-out screen
	Great for movies

	CMOS Sensor
	Better in low light

	Shoots RAW
	Better editing

	External flash
	Better lighting

Runner-up

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

	Flip-out screen
	Great for movies

	External flash
	Better lighting

differences

Advantages of the Canon SX1 IS

Higher resolution movies

1080p @ 30fps

720p @ 30fps

Shoots higher resolution Full HD (1080p) video

Significantly larger screen

2.8"

2.5"

More than 10% larger screen

Has a CMOS-family sensor

CMOS

CCD

CMOS-family sensors often produce better quality images

Shoots RAW

Yes

Digitally develop your own photos with precise image control

Shoots faster

4 fps

0.7 fps

More than 5.5x faster continuous shooting

Learn more about
the Canon SX1 IS

Advantages of the Canon SX20 IS

Slightly lighter

600 g

615 g

Almost the same

Learn more about
the Canon SX20 IS

recommendations

Relative to the best recent super zooms, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot SX1 IS

66	vs	58
Explain scores

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

Snapsort recommends the Canon PowerShot SX1 IS.

performance Which camera has better performance? Cast your vote!

	CanonPowerShot SX1 IS		vs		CanonPowerShot SX20 IS


Uses	Travel On holiday or vacation	2		0
Uses	Travel On holiday or vacation	Vote		Vote

	Sports Fast action, sometimes indoors	2		0
	Sports Fast action, sometimes indoors	Vote		Vote

Features	Low light image quality Lack of noise, sharp details	2		0
Features	Low light image quality Lack of noise, sharp details	Vote		Vote

	Color accuracy White balance in varied lighting	2		0
	Color accuracy White balance in varied lighting	Vote		Vote

	Still image focusing Speed and accuracy	2		0
	Still image focusing Speed and accuracy	Vote		Vote

	Video focusing Speed and accuracy	2		0
	Video focusing Speed and accuracy	Vote		Vote

	Manual settings How quickly and easily you can change settings	3		0
		Vote		Vote

	Image stabilization Ability to reduce blur from hand shake	2		0
	Image stabilization Ability to reduce blur from hand shake	Vote		Vote

Join in the discussion below!

similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths

Common Weaknesses

	Flip-out screens
	Great for movies

	Great zoom
	20x

	Wide aperture
	f/2.8

	Good macro capabilities
	0 cm

	Good image stabilization
	Lens

	Support external flash
	Better lighting

	Both have digital viewfinders
	Digital

	Fast max shutter speeds
	1/3200 of a second

Heavy

SX1 IS:	615 g
SX20 IS:	600 g

Quite thick

SX1 IS:	3.5"
SX20 IS:	3.4"

	No boost ISO
	Lacks boost light sensitivity

Large

SX1 IS:	128x88x88 mm
SX20 IS:	128x88x87 mm

	Poor maximum light sensitivity
	1,600 ISO

Very small screens

SX1 IS:	2.8"
SX20 IS:	2.5"

	Low resolution screens
	230k dots

Compared to recent super zooms

Common Strengths

Common Weaknesses

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

	Poor zoom
	20x

	Poor wide angle
	28 mm

competitors

Canon Powershot SX40

Super zoom

$379

Has way more more zoom

Has a significantly wider wide angle lens

Is thicker

Is slightly larger

Compare the Powershot SX40 vs the PowerShot SX1 IS

Compare the Powershot SX40 vs the PowerShot SX20 IS

Fujifilm FinePix HS20

Super zoom

$310 - $475

Has much more zoom

Has a significantly wider wide angle lens

Is thicker

Is slightly heavier

Compare the FinePix HS20 vs the PowerShot SX1 IS

Compare the FinePix HS20 vs the PowerShot SX20 IS

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Super zoom

$420

Has way more more zoom

Has a significantly wider wide angle lens

Is thicker

Is slightly larger

Compare the PowerShot SX30 IS vs the PowerShot SX1 IS

Compare the PowerShot SX30 IS vs the PowerShot SX20 IS

Fujifilm FinePix HS10

Super zoom

$496

Has much more zoom

Has a significantly wider wide angle lens

Is thicker

Has worse image stabilization

Compare the FinePix HS10 vs the PowerShot SX1 IS

Compare the FinePix HS10 vs the PowerShot SX20 IS

Nikon Coolpix P500

Super zoom

$339 - $350

Has way more more zoom

Has a significantly wider wide angle lens

Has a slower max shutter speed

Doesn't support an external flash

Compare the Coolpix P500 vs the PowerShot SX1 IS

Compare the Coolpix P500 vs the PowerShot SX20 IS

Nikon Coolpix P100

Super zoom

Has significantly more zoom

Has a slightly wider wide angle lens

Has a slower max shutter speed

Doesn't support an external flash

Compare the Coolpix P100 vs the PowerShot SX1 IS

Compare the Coolpix P100 vs the PowerShot SX20 IS

Canon PowerShot SX10 IS

Super zoom

Doesn't have a screen which flips out

Records lower quality movies

Compare the PowerShot SX10 IS vs the PowerShot SX1 IS

Compare the PowerShot SX10 IS vs the PowerShot SX20 IS

Fujifilm Finepix X10

Pro digicam

$584 - $600

Much larger sensor

Significantly wider aperture

Screen does not flip out

Significantly less zoom

Compare the Finepix X10 vs the PowerShot SX1 IS

Fujifilm FinePix HS30 EXR

Super zoom

$643 - $754

Significantly more zoom

Records high-speed movies

Much larger

Worse image stabilization

Compare the FinePix HS30 EXR vs the PowerShot SX1 IS

No significant competitors found that are specific to the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS.

appearance

Find similar cameras

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discussion Which do you think is better?

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Showing 2 comments

Alex Black

(8:36 PM, August 11, 2010)

Thanks for pointing that out, fixed!

Amkroosh

(4:41 PM, August 10, 2010)

both cameras has a flip-out screen as you can see in the pictures you included.
Please correct that mistake

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Canon PowerShot
SX1 IS
vs
Canon PowerShot
SX20 IS