Canon M vs SX620

The Canon EOS M and the Canon PowerShot SX620 HS are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in July 2012 and May 2016. The Canon M is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the SX620 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (Canon M) and a 1/2.3-inch (SX620) sensor. The Canon M has a resolution of 17.9 megapixels, whereas the SX620 provides 20.2 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon M		Canon SX620
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses		25-625mm f/3.2-6.6
17.9 MP – APS-C sensor		20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 80-3,200
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
4.3 shutter flaps per second		2.5 shutter flaps per second
230 shots per battery charge		295 shots per battery charge
109 x 66 x 32 mm, 298 g		97 x 57 x 28 mm, 182 g

Check Canon M offers at
ebay.com
Check SX620 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M and the Canon PowerShot SX620 HS? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon M and the Canon SX620 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The Canon M can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the SX620 is available in three color-versions (black, silver, red).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon SX620 is notably smaller (23 percent) than the Canon M. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the Canon M nor the SX620 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the SX620 has a lens built in, whereas the Canon M is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

Concerning battery life, the Canon M gets 230 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the SX620 can take 295 images on a single charge of its Canon NB-13L power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX620	97 mm	57 mm	28 mm	182 g	295	n	May 2016	US$ 279	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon G9 X	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	209 g	220	n	Oct 2015	US$ 529	ebay.com
5.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
6.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
7.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX410	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	185	n	Feb 2015	US$ 279	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX420	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	195	n	Jan 2016	US$ 299	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX430	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	323 g	195	n	Jan 2017	US$ 299	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX610	105 mm	61 mm	27 mm	191 g	270	n	Jan 2015	US$ 249	ebay.com
13.		Canon T3i	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	US$ 649	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic G3	115 mm	84 mm	47 mm	336 g	270	n	May 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic GF6	111 mm	65 mm	38 mm	323 g	340	n	Apr 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
17.		Sony NEX-3N	110 mm	62 mm	35 mm	269 g	480	n	Feb 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The SX620 was launched at a lower price than the Canon M, despite having a lens built in. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon M features an APS-C sensor and the Canon SX620 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the SX620 is 92 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 5.6. The sensor in the Canon M has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the SX620 offers a 4:3 aspect.

In terms of chip-set technology, the Canon M uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC V) than the SX620 (DIGIC 4+), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the SX620 offers a higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 17.9 MP of the Canon M. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.18μm versus 4.31μm for the Canon M). However, it should be noted that the SX620 is much more recent (by 3 years and 9 months) than the Canon M, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the SX620 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Canon M has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS M has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon PowerShot SX620 HS are ISO 80 to ISO 3200 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the Canon M is build around a CMOS sensor, while the SX620 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
2.		Canon SX620	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.4	11.8	838	49
3.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
4.		Canon G9 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.5	12.3	495	63
5.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
6.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
7.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
8.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
9.		Canon SX410	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.2	11.6	720	47
10.		Canon SX420	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.3	11.7	806	48
11.		Canon SX430	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.5	11.9	900	49
12.		Canon SX610	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	712	47
13.		Canon T3i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
14.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
15.		Panasonic G3	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	21.0	10.6	667	56
16.		Panasonic GF6	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	20.7	10.6	622	54
17.		Sony NEX-3N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	22.8	12.5	1067	74
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The Canon M and the SX620 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon M, the Canon SX620, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon M	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3/s	n	n
2.		Canon SX620	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/2000s	2.5/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G9 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
8.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
9.		Canon SX410	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX420	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon SX430	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX610	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/2000s	2.5/s	Y	Y
13.		Canon T3i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
14.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Panasonic G3	1440	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
16.		Panasonic GF6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
17.		Sony NEX-3N	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The Canon M has a touchscreen, while the SX620 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the Canon M and the SX620 write their files to SDXC cards. The Canon M supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the SX620 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS M and Canon PowerShot SX620 HS and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon M	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon SX620	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G9 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon SX410	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon SX420	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon SX430	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon SX610	-	- / -	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Canon T3i	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Panasonic G3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Panasonic GF6	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony NEX-3N	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the Canon M has a hotshoe, while the SX620 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

Both the Canon M and the SX620 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The Canon M was replaced by the Canon EOS M3, while the SX620 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the Canon M and SX620 can be found, respectively, in the Canon M Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SX620 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon M or the Canon SX620 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS M:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC V vs DIGIC 4+).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 922k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (4.3 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in July 2012).

Reasons to prefer the Canon PowerShot SX620 HS:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the Canon M necessitates an extra lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (97x57mm vs 109x66mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the Canon M).
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (295 versus 230) out of a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 9 months of technical progress since the Canon M launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the Canon M is the clear winner of the match-up (16 : 11 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon M and the Canon SX620 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the Canon M or the SX620 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX620	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	May 2016	US$ 279	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon G9 X	3.5/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	US$ 529	ebay.com
5.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
6.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
7.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX410	..	o	..	..	..	..	Feb 2015	US$ 279	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX420	..	..	..	..	..	3/5	Jan 2016	US$ 299	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX430	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 299	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX610	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2015	US$ 249	ebay.com
13.		Canon T3i	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	US$ 649	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic G3	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic GF6	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
17.		Sony NEX-3N	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Check Canon M offers at
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Check SX620 offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

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