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Canon SX30 IS vs Nikon D610 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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Nikon D610

24 MP | Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon D610
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Canon SX30 IS vs Nikon D610 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two 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 Nikon D610, which was introduced in October 2013 is a Advanced DSLR camera with a 24.0MP Full frame sensor. As you can see, SX30 IS is 3 years older than D610. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Comparing a DSLR camera to a Fixed Lens camera is not an easy task but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon SX30 IS and Nikon D610 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

Nikon D610 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-10-08
  • 24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400 ( expands to 25600)
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3.2" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 6 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 850g. 141 x 113 x 82 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Nikon D600 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 Nikon D610

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon SX30 IS and Nikon D610 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SX30 IS over Nikon D610
Image Stabilization
Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Weight
601 g vs 850 g 249 g lighter
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies


Reasons to choose Nikon D610 over Canon PowerShot SX30 IS
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 14 MP 71% more pixels
Max ISO
6.400 vs 1.600 300% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
39 vs 9 30 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
3.2" vs 2.7" 0.5 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
921k dots vs 230k dots 300% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/3200s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
6.0fps vs 1.0fps 5 fps faster
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs No better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Flash Coverage
12.0m vs 6.8m 5.2m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
35.66µm2 vs 2.01µm2 1674% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
Top LCD
Yes vs No Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
Autofocus at f/8 aperture
7 points vs none Autofocus with teleconverters

Common Strengths of Canon PowerShot SX30 IS and Nikon D610
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 (Optical) Better framing and control
LCD Screen Size
2.7" vs 3.2" Large display
Common Weaknesses of Canon PowerShot SX30 IS and Nikon D610
Canon SX30 IS vs Nikon D610: 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 Nikon D610 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). Nikon D610 has external dimensions of 141 x 113 x 82 mm (5.55 x 4.45 x 3.23″) and weighs 850 g (1.87 lb / 29.98 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon SX30 IS and Nikon D610. Canon SX30 IS is 18mm narrower and 21mm shorter than Nikon D610 but it is also 26mm thicker. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Canon SX30 IS has a built-in lens but Nikon D610 doesn't. Once you put a lens on D610, its thickness will increase significantly.

Canon SX30 IS vs Nikon D610 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Canon SX30 IS and Nikon D610 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 SX30 IS is significantly lighter (249g ) than the Nikon D610 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on D610, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather sealed body of D610, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to SX30 IS.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon D610's 3.2" 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, Nikon D610 has a fixed type screen which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to SX30 IS.
Canon SX30 IS vs Nikon D610: 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, Nikon D610 has a 24.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 3 processor.

Nikon D610's sensor provides 10MP more than Canon SX30 IS's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the SX30 IS and D610 sensor size comparison.

Canon SX30 IS vs Nikon D610 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon SX30 IS and Nikon D610 Cameras


As seen above, Nikon D610 has a 30.7x 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.

What types of Photography are Canon SX30 IS and Nikon D610 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon SX30 IS and Nikon D610 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

Nikon D610 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
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
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Street Photography

GOOD

Nikon D610 for Street Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
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
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D610 for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
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
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
9 Cross Type Focus sensors
39 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 900 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 6.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D610 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
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
850g
Body Thickness 82mm
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon D610 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
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
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS vs Nikon D610: 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 Nikon D610, 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 Nikon D610 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
Nikon D610
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #20 out of 94 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #73 out of 1220 in all Cameras

Nikon D610 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon SX30 IS in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Canon SX30 IS. Otherwise, Nikon D610 is the better camera overall.

Canon SX30 IS
Canon SX30 IS
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Nikon D610
Nikon D610
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Nikon D610 vs Canon SX30 IS Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Nikon D610
Brand Canon Nikon
Announced 2010-09-14 2013-10-08
Body Type SLR-like (bridge) Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type CCD CMOS
Size 1/2.3" Full frame
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 35.9 x 24 mm
Area 28.07mm2 861.60mm2
Megapixels 14 megapixels 24 megapixels
Max Resolution 4320 x 3240 6016 x 4016
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 ISO 6,400 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 25600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 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 39
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens Nikon F
Lens Focal Range 24-840 mm (35×) no lens
Max Aperture F2.7-5.8 no lens
Macro Focus Range 0cm no lens
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Fixed type
Size 2.7" 3.2"
Resolution 230k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.7x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/3200s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.80 m 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/200s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps 6.0 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 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Eye-Fi Connected Optional
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 601g 850g
Dimensions 123 x 92 x 108mm 141 x 113 x 82mm
Battery Life n/a 900 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 94
DxO Color Depth not tested 25.1
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 14.4
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 2925
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