Canon PowerShot
SX30 IS
 vs
Pentax
X90

Updated (September, 2011): Compare the Canon Powershot SX40 vs Pentax X90

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

52

  
Pentax X90

50

  

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Aperture
 Wide aperture
f/2.7
Image stabilization
 Image stabilization
Lens
Screen flips out
 Flip-out screen
Great for movies
External flash
 External flash
Better lighting
 
Runner-up

Pentax X90

Reasons to buy the Pentax X90

Size
 Really small
Prosumer size 112x81x99 mm
Light sensitivity
 High ISO
6,400 ISO
Weight
 Light-weight
428 g
Fastest shutter speed
 Fast shutter speed
1/4000 of a second
 

differences

Advantages of the Canon SX30 IS
Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen Yes vs No
Help
 Flip-out screens can be helpful when composing tricky shots or taking movies
Zoom More zoom 35x vs 26x
Help
 More than 80% more zoom
Wide angle Better wide angle 24 mm vs 26 mm
Help
 Around 10% better wide angle
Image stabilization Better image stabilization Lens vs Sensor shift
Help
 Less risk of blur
Aperture Slightly wider aperture f/2.7 vs f/2.8
Help
 At its widest zoom, the SX30 IS's lens captures marginally more light (0.1 f-stops)
External flash Supports an external flash Yes vs No
Help
 An external flash often produces better looking flash images
Shutter lag Less shutter lag 320 ms vs 430 ms
Help
 Around 30% less delay when taking photos
Macro focus Slightly better macro capability 0 cm vs 0.9 cm
Help
 Almost the same
Longest exposure Longer exposures 15s vs 4s
Help
 Around 4x longer exposures
Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Learn more about
the Canon SX30 IS

Advantages of the Pentax X90
Size Smaller 112x81x99 mm vs 123x92x108 mm
Help
 Around 30% smaller
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 6,400 ISO vs 1,600 ISO
Help
 The X90's maximum light sensitivity is 2 f-stops better
Weight Lighter 428 g vs 601 g
Help
 Around 30% lighter
Thickness Slightly thinner 3.9" vs 4.3"
Help
 Around 10% thinner
Fastest shutter speed Faster max shutter speed 1/4000s vs 1/3200s
Help
 20% faster max shutter speed
Pentax X90 Learn more about
the Pentax X90
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent super zooms, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Canon PowerShot SX30 IS
52 vs 50
Explain scores
Pentax X90 Pentax X90
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon PowerShot SX30 IS.

similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Zoom Great zoom Help
SX30 IS:35x
X90:26x
Aperture Wide aperture Help
SX30 IS:f/2.7
X90:f/2.8
Macro focus Good macro capabilities Help
SX30 IS:0 cm
X90:0.9 cm
Viewfinder Both have digital viewfinders Help
Digital
Fastest shutter speed Fast max shutter speeds Help
SX30 IS:1/3200s
X90:1/4000s
Light sensitivity (boost) No boost ISO Help
Lacks boost light sensitivity
Thickness Quite thick Help
SX30 IS:4.3"
X90:3.9"
Weight Heavy Help
SX30 IS:601 g
X90:428 g
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Sensor type Lower-end sensor types Help
CCD
Continuous shooting Slow continuous shooting Help
1.1 fps
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Size Large Help
SX30 IS:123x92x108 mm
X90:112x81x99 mm
Screen size Very small screens Help
2.7"
Screen resolution Low resolution screens Help
230k dots
Movie format HD (720p) video Help
SX30 IS:720p @ 30fps
X90:720p

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
High-speed framerate No high speed movie support Help
Not supported

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

Super zoom

$429 - $450
Zoom Has way more more zoom
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Weight Is slightly heavier
Compare the PowerShot SX50 HS vs the PowerShot SX30 IS
Compare the PowerShot SX50 HS vs the X90
Nikon Coolpix P500

Nikon Coolpix P500

Super zoom

$596
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Screen size Has a significantly larger screen
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Aperture Has a significantly narrower aperture
Compare the Coolpix P500 vs the PowerShot SX30 IS
Compare the Coolpix P500 vs the X90
Sony Cybershot DSC-HX100v

Sony Cybershot DSC-HX100v

Super zoom

$642 - $683
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Screen size Has a significantly larger screen
Weight Is slightly heavier
Wide angle Has a slightly narrower wide angle lens
Compare the Cybershot DSC-HX100v vs the PowerShot SX30 IS
Compare the Cybershot DSC-HX100v vs the X90
Fujifilm FinePix HS20 EXR

Fujifilm FinePix HS20 EXR

Super zoom
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Screen size Has a significantly larger screen
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is significantly heavier
Compare the FinePix HS20 EXR vs the PowerShot SX30 IS
Compare the FinePix HS20 EXR vs the X90
Nikon Coolpix P510

Nikon Coolpix P510

Super zoom

$339 - $349
Zoom Has significantly more zoom
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Weight Is slightly heavier
Macro focus Slightly worse macro focusing
Compare the Coolpix P510 vs the PowerShot SX30 IS
Compare the Coolpix P510 vs the X90
Fujifilm FinePix HS30 EXR

Fujifilm FinePix HS30 EXR

Super zoom

$299 - $339
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Screen size Has a significantly larger screen
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is significantly heavier
Compare the FinePix HS30 EXR vs the PowerShot SX30 IS
Compare the FinePix HS30 EXR vs the X90
Nikon Coolpix L820

Nikon Coolpix L820

Super zoom

$277
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Screen size Has a significantly larger screen
Viewfinder Doesn't have a viewfinder
Aperture Has a slightly narrower aperture
Compare the Coolpix L820 vs the PowerShot SX30 IS
Compare the Coolpix L820 vs the X90

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon Powershot SX40

Canon Powershot SX40

Super zoom

$299 - $311
Supports 24p Supports 24p
Movie format Higher resolution movies
True resolution Slightly lower true resolution
Shutter lag Slightly more shutter lag
Compare the Powershot SX40 vs the PowerShot SX30 IS
Canon PowerShot SX500 IS

Canon PowerShot SX500 IS

Super zoom

$248 - $249
Size Significantly smaller
Screen size Significantly larger screen
Aperture Significantly narrower aperture
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Compare the PowerShot SX500 IS vs the PowerShot SX30 IS
Nikon Coolpix P100

Nikon Coolpix P100

Super zoom
Screen size Significantly larger screen
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Zoom Less zoom
Wide angle Worse wide angle
Compare the Coolpix P100 vs the PowerShot SX30 IS

Pentax X90 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Pentax X-5

Pentax X-5

Super zoom

$227 - $260
Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen
Screen size Significantly larger screen
Aperture Narrower aperture
Size Larger
Compare the X-5 vs the X90
Pentax K-5

Pentax K-5

Entry-level DSLR

$692 - $699 body only

$819 - $829 with 18-55mm lens
Sensor size Much larger sensor
Autofocus Faster autofocus
Weight Significantly heavier
Compare the K-5 vs the X90
Nikon Coolpix P90

Nikon Coolpix P90

Super zoom
Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen
Screen size Significantly larger screen
Movie format Lower resolution movies
Zoom Slightly less zoom
Compare the Coolpix P90 vs the X90
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200

Super zoom

$498
External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen
Size Larger
Light sensitivity Worse maximum light sensitivity
Compare the Lumix DMC-FZ200 vs the X90

appearance

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Pentax X90
Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Pentax X90
Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Pentax X90

discussion

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