Canon SX50 vs Nikon W150

The Canon PowerShot SX50 HS and the Nikon Coolpix W150 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2012 and April 2019. Both the SX50 and the W150 are fixed lens compact cameras that are based on a 1/2.3-inch (SX50) and a 1/3.1-inch (W150) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 12 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 13 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon SX50		Nikon W150
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-1200mm f/3.4-6.5		30-90mm f/3.3-5.9
12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		13 MP – 1/3.1" sensor
1080/24p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 80-6,400		ISO 125-1,600
Electronic viewfinder (202k dots)		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 461k dots		2.7" LCD – 230k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
2.2 shutter flaps per second		4.7 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Waterproof body (10m)
315 shots per battery charge		220 shots per battery charge
123 x 87 x 106 mm, 595 g		110 x 67 x 38 mm, 177 g

Check SX50 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX50 HS and the Nikon Coolpix W150? 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

The physical size and weight of the Canon SX50 and the Nikon W150 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The W150 can be obtained in five different colors (blue, orange, white, flower, resort), while the SX50 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon W150 is considerably smaller (31 percent) than the Canon SX50. Moreover, the W150 is substantially lighter (70 percent) than the SX50. It is noteworthy in this context that the W150 is splash and dust-proof, while the SX50 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the W150 is water-proof up to 10m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

The power pack in the W150 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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 SX50	123 mm	87 mm	106 mm	595 g	315	n	Sep 2012	US$ 429	ebay.com
2.		Nikon W150	110 mm	67 mm	38 mm	177 g	220	Y	Apr 2019	US$ 159	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X	117 mm	81 mm	65 mm	534 g	250	n	Jan 2012	US$ 799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G15	107 mm	76 mm	40 mm	352 g	350	n	Sep 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
5.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
6.		Canon S120	100 mm	59 mm	29 mm	217 g	230	n	Aug 2013	US$ 449	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX10	123 mm	88 mm	87 mm	600 g	..	n	Sep 2008	US$ 399	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX20	123 mm	88 mm	87 mm	600 g	..	n	Aug 2009	US$ 399	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX30	123 mm	92 mm	108 mm	601 g	370	n	Sep 2010	US$ 429	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX40	123 mm	92 mm	108 mm	600 g	380	n	Sep 2011	US$ 429	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
12.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	US$ 999	amazon.com
13.		Nikon W300	112 mm	66 mm	29 mm	231 g	280	Y	May 2017	US$ 389	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ150	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	528 g	410	n	Aug 2011	US$ 499	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic TS7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	US$ 449	ebay.com
16.		Ricoh WG-60	123 mm	62 mm	30 mm	193 g	300	Y	Oct 2018	US$ 279	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX0 II	59 mm	41 mm	35 mm	132 g	240	Y	Mar 2019	US$ 699	amazon.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 W150 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 63 percent) than the SX50, which puts it into a different market segment. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon SX50 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Nikon W150 a 1/3.1-inch sensor. The sensor area in the W150 is 43 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 7.4. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the W150 offers a slightly higher resolution of 13 megapixels, compared with 12 MP of the SX50. 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 1.11μm versus 1.53μm for the SX50). However, it should be noted that the W150 is much more recent (by 6 years and 7 months) than the SX50, 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 W150 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Canon PowerShot SX50 HS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Coolpix W150 are ISO 125 to ISO 1600 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the SX50 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the W150 uses a 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 is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon SX50	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	20.3	11.2	179	47
2.		Nikon W150	1/3.1	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	22.1	13.8	4058	65
3.		Canon G1 X	1.5-inch	14.2	4352	3264	1080/24p	21.7	10.8	644	60
4.		Canon G15	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	19.9	11.5	165	46
5.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
6.		Canon S120	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.3	11.9	246	56
7.		Canon SX10	1/2.3	10.0	3648	2736	480/30p	19.0	10.3	144	35
8.		Canon SX20	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	19.2	10.5	225	37
9.		Canon SX30	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	720/30p	19.4	10.7	320	39
10.		Canon SX40	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	19.6	10.9	409	41
11.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
12.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
13.		Nikon W300	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.5	12.0	938	50
14.		Panasonic FZ150	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.4	10.9	132	40
15.		Panasonic TS7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
16.		Ricoh WG-60	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.6	12.2	1072	51
17.		Sony RX0 II	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	4K/30p	22.1	12.4	555	65
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 are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the W150 provides a faster frame rate than the SX50. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/30p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the SX50 has an electronic viewfinder (202k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the W150 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon SX50 and Nikon W150 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 SX50	202	n	3.0 / 461	swivel	n	1/2000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
2.		Nikon W150	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/2000s	4.7/s	Y	n
3.		Canon G1 X	optical	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/4000s	1.9/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G15	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.1/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon S120	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	Y	1/2000s	12.1/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX10	202	n	2.5 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.7/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX20	202	n	2.5 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.7/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX30	202	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.6/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX40	202	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	10.3/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
12.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Nikon W300	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Panasonic FZ150	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Panasonic TS7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Ricoh WG-60	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony RX0 II	none	n	1.5 / 230	tilting	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the W150 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

Both the SX50 and the W150 have zoom lenses built in. The SX50 has a 24-1200mm f/3.4-6.5 optic and the W150 offers a 30-90mm f/3.3-5.9 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Canon provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the Nikon. The W150 offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the SX50 and the W150 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 SX50 HS and Nikon Coolpix W150 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 SX50	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Nikon W150	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon G1 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon G15	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Canon S120	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Canon SX10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon SX20	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon SX30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon SX40	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Nikon W300	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic FZ150	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Panasonic TS7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Ricoh WG-60	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony RX0 II	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the SX50 has a hotshoe, while the W150 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

Both the SX50 and the W150 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX50 was replaced by the Canon SX60, while the W150 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the SX50 and W150 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX50 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon W150 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon SX50 and the Nikon W150? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Canon PowerShot SX50 HS:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (461k vs 230k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• 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.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (315 versus 220) on a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2012).

Advantages of the Nikon Coolpix W150:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/30p versus 1080/24p).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (4.7 vs 2.2 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/3.3 vs f/3.4).
• More compact: Is smaller (110x67mm vs 123x87mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 418g or 70 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 10m).
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (63 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 6 years and 7 months of technical progress since the SX50 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the W150 emerges as the winner of the match-up (14 : 12 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 SX50 and the Nikon W150 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best Travel-Zoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the SX50 or the W150 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 hands-on reviews by experts 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 SX50	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 429	ebay.com
2.		Nikon W150	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Apr 2019	US$ 159	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X	5/5	+	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	US$ 799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G15	4/5	+	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
5.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
6.		Canon S120	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	US$ 449	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX10	..	+ +	..	..	..	4/5	Sep 2008	US$ 399	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX20	..	+ +	..	73/100	..	4/5	Aug 2009	US$ 399	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX30	3/5	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Sep 2010	US$ 429	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX40	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2011	US$ 429	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
12.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	US$ 999	amazon.com
13.		Nikon W300	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	US$ 389	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ150	3/5	+ +	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 499	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic TS7	..	+	..	..	..	3.5/5	May 2018	US$ 449	ebay.com
16.		Ricoh WG-60	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	US$ 279	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX0 II	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	US$ 699	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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