Canon SX30 IS vs Canon SX20 IS Comparison

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Canon SX30 IS

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

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Canon SX20 IS

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

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Canon SX30 IS vs Canon SX20 IS Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing SX30 IS and SX20 IS, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by Canon. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Canon SX30 IS has a 14.0 MP and Canon SX20 IS has a 12.0 MP resolution. Canon SX30 IS was introduced to market in September 2010 and Canon SX20 IS was launched in July 2010. There is only 2 months difference between SX30 IS and SX20 IS 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 SX30 IS and Canon SX20 IS before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon SX30 IS Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2010-09-14

14MP - 1/2.3-inch 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 SX20 IS Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2010-07-06

12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 1600

28-560 mm F2.8-5.7 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

2.5" Fully Articulated Screen

Electronic viewfinder

1 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

600g. 128 x 88 x 87 mm

Replaced Canon PowerShot SX10 IS 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 SX20 IS

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon SX30 IS and Canon SX20 IS 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 SX20 IS

Max Sensor Resolution	14 MP vs 12 MP	16% more pixels
LCD Screen Size	2.7" vs 2.5"	0.2 inches larger display
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 28mm	4 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	840mm vs 560mm	280 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	35× vs 20×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	2.70 vs 2.80	faster lens at wide

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SX20 IS over Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Weight	600 g vs 601 g	1 g lighter
Max Aperture - Tele	5.70 vs 5.80	faster lens at tele

Common Strengths of Canon PowerShot SX30 IS and Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

Image Stabilization	Optical vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Adjustable LCD Screen	Fully Articulated vs Fully Articulated	Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
Viewfinder	Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic)	Better framing and control
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure	Yes vs Yes	better exposure control
Focal Length - Tele	840mm vs 560mm	Very good Telezoom
Selfie/Vlogger Friendly LCD	Yes vs Yes	Rotate LCD for taking Selfies

Common Weaknesses of Canon PowerShot SX30 IS and Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

RAW Support	No vs No	Lower image quality
LCD Screen Size	2.7" vs 2.5"	Small display
LCD Screen Resolution	230k dots vs 230k dots	Low resolution screens
Continuous Shooting	1.0fps vs 1.0fps	Slow shooting speeds
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	5.80 vs 5.70	Slow lenses at tele

Canon SX30 IS vs Canon SX20 IS: 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 SX20 IS 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 SX20 IS has external dimensions of 128 x 88 x 87 mm (5.04 x 3.46 x 3.43″) and weighs 600 g (1.32 lb / 21.16 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon SX30 IS and Canon SX20 IS. Canon SX20 IS is 4mm shorter and 21mm thinner than Canon SX30 IS but it is also 5mm wider.

Comparison image of Canon SX30 IS and Canon SX20 IS 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 SX20 IS is 1g lighter than the Canon SX30 IS but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

SX30 IS

SX20 IS

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

SX30 IS

SX20 IS

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Canon PowerShot SX30 IS nor Canon PowerShot SX20 IS 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

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon SX30 IS's 2.7" LCD screen is slightly larger than Canon SX20 IS's 2.5" screen.

Canon SX30 IS vs Canon SX20 IS: Sensor Comparison

Canon SX30 IS has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Digic 4 processor. On the other hand, Canon SX20 IS has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Digic 4 processor.

Below you can see the SX30 IS and SX20 IS sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon SX30 IS and Canon SX20 IS Cameras

Canon SX30 IS and Canon SX20 IS 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 SX30 IS vs Canon SX20 IS Lens Specs Comparison

Canon SX30 IS features a 24-840 mm F2.7-5.8 35× zoom lens whereas Canon SX20 IS features a 28-560 mm F2.8-5.7 20× zoom lens.

Canon SX30 IS has 4mm wider coverage than the Canon SX20 IS. At f2.70, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Canon SX30 IS has 280mm longer reach than the Canon SX20 IS. However, with a max aperture of f5.70, Canon SX20 IS is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

SX30 IS

SX20 IS

Widest - Samsung WB2200F

Average

Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

SX30 IS

SX20 IS

Longest - Nikon P1000

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

SX30 IS

SX20 IS

Fastest - Olympus 1

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

SX30 IS

SX20 IS

Fastest - Sony RX10 III

Average

What types of Photography are Canon SX30 IS and Canon SX20 IS Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Canon SX30 IS and Canon SX20 IS 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 SX20 IS 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
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Street Photography

GOOD

Canon SX20 IS 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
28 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

Canon SX30 IS for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Canon SX20 IS for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

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
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
560 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: f5.70
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Canon SX20 IS for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

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

20.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
600g
Body Thickness 87mm
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon SX20 IS 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
28 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 SX30 IS vs Canon SX20 IS: 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 SX20 IS, 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 SX20 IS scores compare:

Canon SX30 IS

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #69 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #629 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Canon SX20 IS

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #72 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #642 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Canon SX20 IS vs Canon SX30 IS Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Canon PowerShot SX30 IS	Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
Brand	Canon	Canon
Announced	2010-09-14	2010-07-06
Body Type	SLR-like (bridge)	SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type	CCD	CCD
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	14 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4320 x 3240	4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	1,600 ISO	1,600 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×)	28-560 mm (20×)
Max Aperture	F2.7-5.8	F2.8-5.7
Macro Focus Range	0cm	0cm
Screen
Type	Fully Articulated	Fully Articulated
Size	2.7"	2.5"
Resolution	230k dots	230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	Electronic
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/3200s	1/3200s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	6.80 m	6.80 m
Max Flash Sync	n/a	1/500s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	1.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720	1280 x 720
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Eye-Fi Connected	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	601g	600g
Dimensions	123 x 92 x 108mm	128 x 88 x 87mm
Battery Life	n/a	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction