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Canon SX30 IS vs Canon S100 Comparison

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Canon SX30 IS

14 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

Canon SX30 IS
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Canon S100

12 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) CMOS Sensor

Canon S100
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Canon SX30 IS vs Canon S100 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Canon cameras cameras with different body types: Canon SX30 IS, which was introduced in September 2010 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 14.0MP 1/2.3" sensor whereas Canon S100, which was introduced in December 2011 is a Small Sensor Compact camera with a 12.0MP 1/1.7" sensor. There is 15 months difference between SX30 IS and S100 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger S100, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon SX30 IS and Canon S100 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon SX30 IS Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2010-09-14
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • 24-840 mm F2.7-5.8 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 2.7" Fully Articulated Screen
  • Electronic viewfinder
  • 1 fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 601g. 123 x 92 x 108 mm
  • Replaced Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Compare

Canon S100 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-12-22
  • 12MP - 1/1.7" CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • 24-120 mm F2.0-5.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 2 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 240 fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in GPS
  • 198g. 99 x 60 x 28 mm
  • Replaced Canon PowerShot S95 Compare

Canon SX30 IS was replaced by Canon PowerShot SX40 HS. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon PowerShot SX40 HS vs Canon PowerShot SX30 IS
Canon PowerShot SX40 HS vs Canon PowerShot S100

Canon S100 was replaced by Canon PowerShot S110. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon PowerShot S110 vs Canon PowerShot S100
Canon PowerShot S110 vs Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon SX30 IS and Canon S100 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SX30 IS over Canon PowerShot S100
LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
Max Sensor Resolution
14 MP vs 12 MP 16% more pixels
Max Mech. Shutter
1/3200s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Focal Length - Tele
840mm vs 120mm 720 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
35× vs 5× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele
5.80 vs 5.90 faster lens at tele
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies


Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot S100 over Canon PowerShot SX30 IS
GPS
BuiltIn vs None track your location
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max ISO
6.400 vs 1.600 300% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.7" 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
461k dots vs 230k dots 100% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
2.0fps vs 1.0fps 1 fps faster
Weight
198 g vs 601 g 403 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide
2.00 vs 2.70 faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage
7.0m vs 6.8m 0.2m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
3.46µm2 vs 2.01µm2 72% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Strengths of Canon PowerShot SX30 IS and Canon PowerShot S100
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Manual Focusing
Yes vs Yes both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure
Yes vs Yes better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide
24mm vs 24mm Very good wide angle coverage
Common Weaknesses of Canon PowerShot SX30 IS and Canon PowerShot S100
LCD Screen Resolution
230k dots vs 461k dots Low resolution screens
Continuous Shooting
1.0fps vs 2.0fps Slow shooting speeds
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele
5.80 vs 5.90 Slow lenses at tele
Canon SX30 IS vs Canon S100: 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 SX30 IS and Canon S100 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon SX30 IS has external dimensions of 123 x 92 x 108 mm (4.84 x 3.62 x 4.25″) and weighs 601 g (1.32 lb / 21.20 oz) (including batteries). Canon S100 has external dimensions of 99 x 60 x 28 mm (3.9 x 2.36 x 1.1″) and weighs 198 g (0.44 lb / 6.98 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon SX30 IS and Canon S100. Canon S100 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 24mm narrower, 32mm shorter and 80mm thinner than Canon SX30 IS.

Canon SX30 IS vs Canon S100 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Canon SX30 IS and Canon S100 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon S100 is significantly lighter (403g ) than the Canon SX30 IS which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

SX30 IS
S100
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

SX30 IS
S100
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Canon PowerShot SX30 IS nor Canon PowerShot S100 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 Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon S100's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Canon SX30 IS's 2.7" screen.

On the other hand, Canon SX30 IS sports a Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over the head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. On the other hand, Canon S100 has a fixed type screen which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to SX30 IS.
Canon SX30 IS vs Canon S100: Sensor Comparison

Canon SX30 IS has a 14.0MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Digic 4 processor. On the other hand, Canon S100 has a 12.0MP 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic 5 processor.

Below you can see the SX30 IS and S100 sensor size comparison.

Canon SX30 IS vs Canon S100 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon SX30 IS and Canon S100 Cameras


As seen above, Canon S100 has a 1.5x Larger sensor area than Canon SX30 IS. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Canon SX30 IS vs Canon S100 Lens Specs Comparison

Canon SX30 IS features a 24-840 mm F2.7-5.8 35× zoom lens whereas Canon S100 features a 24-120 mm F2.0-5.9 5× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 24mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.00, Canon S100 is faster than Canon SX30 IS at this focal length. On the tele end, Canon SX30 IS has 720mm longer reach than the Canon S100. At f5.80, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

SX30 IS
S100
Widest - Samsung WB2200F
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

SX30 IS
S100
Longest - Nikon P1000
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

SX30 IS
S100
Fastest - Olympus 1
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

SX30 IS
S100
Fastest - Sony RX10 III
Average
What types of Photography are Canon SX30 IS and Canon S100 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon SX30 IS and Canon S100 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 SX30 IS for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Canon S100 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Street Photography

GOOD

Canon S100 for Street Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.70
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Canon S100 for Sports Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
840 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/3200s
No RAW shooting capability
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.80
Read the details
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
120 mm Tele Lens
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Canon S100 for Daily Photography

GOOD
35.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
601g
Body Thickness 108mm
Read the details
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
198g
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon S100 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
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
Built-in GPS
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS vs Canon S100: 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 SX30 IS and Canon S100, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 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 SX30 IS and Canon S100 scores compare:

Canon SX30 IS
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #69 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #626 out of 1220 in all Cameras
Canon S100
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #54 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #472 out of 1220 in all Cameras

Canon S100 scores higher than the Canon SX30 IS thanks to its better general imaging quality, compact size and higher value for the money. On the other hand, Canon SX30 IS has some extra features which may become a game changer if you have some specific requirements.
We recommend you to read our detailed Pro's and Con's section and see if any Pro of Canon SX30 IS is a must-have for you. If not, choose the Canon S100.

Canon SX30 IS
Canon SX30 IS
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Canon S100
Canon S100
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Canon S100 vs Canon SX30 IS Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Canon PowerShot S100
Brand Canon Canon
Announced 2010-09-14 2011-12-22
Body Type SLR-like (bridge) Compact
Sensor
Type CCD CMOS
Size 1/2.3" 1/1.7"
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 7.44 x 5.58 mm
Area 28.07mm2 41.52mm2
Megapixels 14 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4320 x 3240 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 ISO 6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 ISO 80 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 24-840 mm (35×) 24-120 mm (5×)
Max Aperture F2.7-5.8 F2.0-5.9
Macro Focus Range 0cm 3cm
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Fixed type
Size 2.7" 3"
Resolution 230k dots 461k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/3200s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.80 m 7.00 m
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/2000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps 2.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720 1920 x 1080
Video Formats Motion JPEG H.264, Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Eye-Fi Connected Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 601g 198g
Dimensions 123 x 92 x 108mm 99 x 60 x 28mm
Battery Life n/a 200 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None BuiltIn
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 50
DxO Color Depth not tested 20.7
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 11.6
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 153
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