Canon SX230 HS vs Canon SX240 HS Comparison

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Canon SX230 HS

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Canon SX240 HS

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Canon SX230 HS vs Canon SX240 HS Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing SX230 HS and SX240 HS, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by Canon. Canon SX230 HS was introduced to market in July 2011 and Canon SX240 HS was launched in February 2012. There is only 7 months difference between SX230 HS and SX240 HS so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon SX230 HS and Canon SX240 HS before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon SX230 HS Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-07-19

12MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 3200

28-392 mm F3.1-5.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

3.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

240fps High-Speed Video

Built-in GPS

223g. 106 x 62 x 33 mm

Replaced Canon PowerShot SX210 IS Compare

Canon SX240 HS Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-02-07

12MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 3200

25-500 mm F3.5-6.8 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

2.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

240fps High-Speed Video

224g. 106 x 61 x 33 mm

Replaced Canon PowerShot SX230 HS Compare

Canon SX240 HS was replaced by Canon PowerShot SX260 HS. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS vs Canon PowerShot SX240 HS
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS vs Canon PowerShot SX230 HS

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon SX230 HS and Canon SX240 HS compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SX230 HS over Canon PowerShot SX240 HS

GPS	BuiltIn vs None	track your location
Continuous Shooting	3.0fps vs 2.0fps	1 fps faster
Weight	223 g vs 224 g	1 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide	3.10 vs 3.50	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	5.90 vs 6.80	faster lens at tele

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SX240 HS over Canon PowerShot SX230 HS

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
Battery Life	230 shots vs 210 shots	20 more frames with a single charge
Focal Length - Wide	25mm vs 28mm	3 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	500mm vs 392mm	108 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	20× vs 14×	more flexible focal coverage

Common Strengths of Canon PowerShot SX230 HS and Canon PowerShot SX240 HS

Image Stabilization	Optical vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure	Yes vs Yes	better exposure control
Focal Length - Tele	392mm vs 500mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Canon PowerShot SX230 HS and Canon PowerShot SX240 HS

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
Viewfinder	None vs None	No eye-level shooting option
RAW Support	No vs No	Lower image quality
LCD Screen Resolution	461k dots vs 461k dots	Low resolution screens
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	5.90 vs 6.80	Slow lenses at tele

Canon SX230 HS vs Canon SX240 HS: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Canon SX230 HS and Canon SX240 HS side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon SX230 HS has external dimensions of 106 x 62 x 33 mm (4.17 x 2.44 x 1.3″) and weighs 223 g (0.49 lb / 7.87 oz) (including batteries). Canon SX240 HS has external dimensions of 106 x 61 x 33 mm (4.17 x 2.4 x 1.3″) and weighs 224 g (0.49 lb / 7.90 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon SX230 HS and Canon SX240 HS.

Comparison image of Canon SX230 HS and Canon SX240 HS Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Canon SX230 HS and Canon SX240 HS.

Top View Comparison image of Canon SX230 HS and Canon SX240 HS Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon SX230 HS is 1g lighter than the Canon SX240 HS but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

SX230 HS

SX240 HS

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

SX230 HS

SX240 HS

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Canon PowerShot SX230 HS nor Canon PowerShot SX240 HS provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon SX230 HS and Canon SX240 HS's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Canon SX230 HS vs Canon SX240 HS: Sensor Comparison

Both Canon SX230 HS and Canon SX240 HS have 1/2.3-inch sized 12.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

Below you can see the SX230 HS and SX240 HS sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon SX230 HS and Canon SX240 HS Cameras

Canon SX230 HS and Canon SX240 HS have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Canon SX230 HS vs Canon SX240 HS Lens Specs Comparison

Canon SX230 HS features a 28-392 mm F3.1-5.9 14× zoom lens whereas Canon SX240 HS features a 25-500 mm F3.5-6.8 20× zoom lens.

Canon SX240 HS has 3mm wider coverage than the Canon SX230 HS. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.10, Canon SX230 HS is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Canon SX240 HS has 108mm longer telezoom reach than the Canon SX230 HS. However, with a max aperture of f5.90, Canon SX230 HS is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

SX230 HS

SX240 HS

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

SX230 HS

SX240 HS

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

SX230 HS

SX240 HS

Fastest - Fujifilm XQ2

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

SX230 HS

SX240 HS

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Canon SX230 HS and Canon SX240 HS Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Canon SX230 HS and Canon SX240 HS for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Canon SX230 HS for Portrait Photography

POOR

Canon SX240 HS for Portrait Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Canon SX230 HS for Street Photography

GOOD

Canon SX240 HS for Street Photography

GOOD

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Canon SX230 HS for Sports Photography

POOR

Canon SX240 HS for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
392 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/3200s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 210 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
500 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/3200s
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 230 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.80
Read the details

Canon SX230 HS for Daily Photography

GOOD

Canon SX240 HS for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
223g
14.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Compact Body
224g
20.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Canon SX230 HS for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon SX240 HS for Landscape Photography

POOR

Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Built-in GPS
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Canon SX230 HS vs Canon SX240 HS: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Canon SX230 HS and Canon SX240 HS, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Canon SX230 HS and Canon SX240 HS scores compare:

Canon SX230 HS

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #142 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #661 out of 1233 in all Cameras

Canon SX240 HS

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #111 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #598 out of 1233 in all Cameras

Canon SX240 HS has a higher Overall Score than the Canon SX230 HS and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Canon SX230 HS

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Canon SX240 HS

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Canon SX240 HS vs Canon SX230 HS Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Canon PowerShot SX230 HS	Canon PowerShot SX240 HS
Brand	Canon	Canon
Announced	2011-07-19	2012-02-07
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	28.07mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	12 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	9	9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28-392 mm (14×)	25-500 mm (20×)
Max Aperture	F3.1-5.9	F3.5-6.8
Macro Focus Range	5cm	5cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	461k dots	461k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/3200s	1/3200s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	3.50 m	3.50 m
Max Flash Sync	n/a	s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	3.0 fps	2.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	H.264	H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Eye-Fi Connected	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	223g	224g
Dimensions	106 x 62 x 33mm	106 x 61 x 33mm
Battery Life	210 shots	230 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	Built-in	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction