Canon SX420 vs SX620

The Canon PowerShot SX420 IS and the Canon PowerShot SX620 HS are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2016 and May 2016. Both the SX420 and the SX620 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The SX420 has a resolution of 19.9 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 SX420		Canon SX620
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-1008mm f/3.5-6.6		25-625mm f/3.2-6.6
19.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
720/25p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-1,600		ISO 80-3,200
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
0.5 shutter flaps per second		2.5 shutter flaps per second
195 shots per battery charge		295 shots per battery charge
104 x 69 x 85 mm, 325 g		97 x 57 x 28 mm, 182 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX420 IS 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 SX420 and the Canon SX620 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The SX420 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), 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 SX420. Moreover, the SX620 is substantially lighter (44 percent) than the SX420. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX420 nor the SX620 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the SX420 gets 195 shots out of its Canon NB-11LH 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 would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras 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 SX420	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	195	n	Jan 2016	US$ 299	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX620	97 mm	57 mm	28 mm	182 g	295	n	May 2016	US$ 279	ebay.com
3.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	US$ 799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	106 mm	61 mm	42 mm	319 g	265	n	Feb 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
5.		Canon G9 X	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	209 g	220	n	Oct 2015	US$ 529	ebay.com
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	US$ 529	ebay.com
7.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX410	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	185	n	Feb 2015	US$ 279	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX430	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	323 g	195	n	Jan 2017	US$ 299	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX610	105 mm	61 mm	27 mm	191 g	270	n	Jan 2015	US$ 249	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	US$ 349	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX720	110 mm	64 mm	36 mm	270 g	250	n	Feb 2016	US$ 379	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	US$ 399	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

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The SX620 was somewhat cheaper (by 7 percent) than the SX420 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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 tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a 1/2.3-inch sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 5.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the smaller-sensor digicams that favor affordability and compact design. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the SX620 offers a slightly higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 19.9 MP of the SX420. This megapixels advantage translates into a 0.59999999999999 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the SX620 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.18μm versus 1.19μm for the SX420). However, it should be noted that the SX620 is a somewhat more recent model (by 4 months) than the SX420, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The Canon PowerShot SX420 IS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon PowerShot SX620 HS are ISO 80 to ISO 3200 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the SX420 is build around a CCD 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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. 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 SX420	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.3	11.7	806	48
2.		Canon SX620	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.4	11.8	838	49
3.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.8	11.9	260	62
5.		Canon G9 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.5	12.3	495	63
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522	65
7.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
8.		Canon SX410	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.2	11.6	720	47
9.		Canon SX430	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.5	11.9	900	49
10.		Canon SX610	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	712	47
11.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
12.		Canon SX720	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.8	817	48
13.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
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 can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the SX620 provides a better video resolution than the SX420. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/30p, while the SX420 is limited to 720/25p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The SX420 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 table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon SX420 and Canon SX620 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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 SX420	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon SX620	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/2000s	2.5/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G9 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
8.		Canon SX410	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX430	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX610	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/2000s	2.5/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon SX710	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	6.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX720	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
13.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

Both the SX420 and the SX620 have zoom lenses built in. The SX420 has a 24-1008mm f/3.5-6.6 optic and the SX620 offers a 25-625mm f/3.2-6.6 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the SX420 provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the SX620. The SX620 offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the SX420 and the SX620 write their files to SDXC 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 PowerShot SX420 IS 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 SX420	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Canon SX620	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon G9 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX410	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon SX430	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon SX610	-	- / -	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon SX710	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon SX720	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y

Both the SX420 and the SX620 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX420 was replaced by the Canon SX430, while the SX620 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the SX420 and SX620 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX420 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SX620 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon SX420 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.

Reasons to prefer the Canon PowerShot SX420 IS:

• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2016).

Advantages of the Canon PowerShot SX620 HS:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/30p vs 720/25p).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (922k vs 230k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (2.5 vs 0.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/3.2 vs f/3.5).
• More compact: Is smaller (97x57mm vs 104x69mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 143g or 44 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (295 versus 195) out of a single battery charge.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (4 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the SX620 is the clear winner of the contest (8 : 4 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. 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 SX420 and the Canon SX620 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera listing 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the SX420 and the SX620 in practical situations. 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 table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 SX420	..	..	..	..	..	3/5	Jan 2016	US$ 299	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX620	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	May 2016	US$ 279	ebay.com
3.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	US$ 799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	4.5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
5.		Canon G9 X	3.5/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	US$ 529	ebay.com
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 529	ebay.com
7.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX410	..	o	..	..	..	..	Feb 2015	US$ 279	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX430	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 299	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX610	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2015	US$ 249	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX710	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2015	US$ 349	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX720	..	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 379	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	US$ 399	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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