Canon SX70 HS vs Sony RX10 III Comparison

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Canon SX70 HS

20 MP | 1/2.3 BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Sony RX10 III

20 MP | 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Canon SX70 HS vs Sony RX10 III Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Bridge cameras from Canon and Sony. Canon SX70 HS was introduced to market in September 2018 and Sony RX10 III was launched in March 2016. As you can see, RX10 III is 2 years older than SX70 HS. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Both cameras have 20.0MP sensors but Canon SX70 HS's sensor is 1/2.3" sized whereas Sony RX10 III has a 1" sensor. This will be an interesting match up as even though these two cameras doesn't have the exact same body type, they are both ranked amongst Top 10 cameras in their classes. Canon SX70 HS is ranked #6 out of 244 Small Sensor Superzoom cameras with an overall score of 61 whereas Sony RX10 III is ranked #6 out of 10 Large Sensor Superzoom cameras with an overall score of 71.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Canon SX70 HS and Sony RX10 III before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon SX70 HS Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2018-09-20

20MP - 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 3200

21-1365 mm F3.4-6.5 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fully Articulated Screen

2360k dot Electronic viewfinder

10.0 fps continuous shooting

4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

608g. 127 x 91 x 117 mm

Sony RX10 III Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2016-03-29

20MP - 1" BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 12800 ( expands to 64-25600)

24-600 mm F2.4-4.0 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Tilting Screen

2359k dot Electronic viewfinder

14.0 fps continuous shooting

4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution

960fps High-Speed Video

Built-in Wireless

1051g. 133 x 94 x 127 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 II Compare

Sony RX10 III was replaced by Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV vs Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon SX70 HS and Sony RX10 III compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SX70 HS over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III

Weight	608 g vs 1051 g	443 g lighter
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide	21mm vs 24mm	3 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	1365mm vs 600mm	765 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	65x vs 25x	more flexible focal coverage
Viewfinder Resolution	2360k dot vs 2359k dot	0% higher resolution
Bluetooth	Yes vs No	Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
UHS Card Support	UHS-I vs none	Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds
Webcam Function	Yes vs No	Use your camera as a Webcam

Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III over Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
Max ISO	12.800 vs 3.200	300% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	25 vs 9	16 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution	1.229k dots vs 922k dots	33% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting	14.0fps vs 10.0fps	4 fps faster
Battery Life	420 shots vs 325 shots	95 more frames with a single charge
Headphone Port	Yes vs No	better video control
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs No	shoot at tough conditions
Max Aperture - Wide	2.40 vs 3.40	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	4.00 vs 6.50	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	10.8m vs 5.0m	5.8m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	5.82µm² vs 1.39µm²	318% larger pixel area
Top LCD	Yes vs No	Help viewing and changing settings easily
NFC Connection	Yes vs No	Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices

Common Strengths of Canon PowerShot SX70 HS and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III

Wireless Connection	Yes vs Yes	Better connectivity
Image Stabilization	Optical vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Adjustable LCD Screen	Fully Articulated vs Tilting	Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Viewfinder	Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic)	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Max Resolution	20 MP vs 20 MP	Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Resolution	922k dots vs 1.229k dots	High resolution screens
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure	Yes vs Yes	better exposure control
Microphone Port	Yes vs Yes	High quality audio recording option
Focal Length - Wide	21mm vs 24mm	Very good wide angle coverage
Focal Length - Tele	1365mm vs 600mm	Very good Telezoom
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Smartphone Remote	Yes vs Yes	Remote control your camera with a smartphone

Common Weaknesses of Canon PowerShot SX70 HS and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III

Canon SX70 HS vs Sony RX10 III: 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 SX70 HS and Sony RX10 III side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon SX70 HS has external dimensions of 127 x 91 x 117 mm (5 x 3.58 x 4.61″) and weighs 608 g (1.34 lb / 21.45 oz) (including batteries). Sony RX10 III has external dimensions of 133 x 94 x 127 mm (5.24 x 3.7 x 5″) and weighs 1051 g (2.32 lb / 37.07 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon SX70 HS and Sony RX10 III. Canon SX70 HS is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 6mm narrower, 3mm shorter and 10mm thinner than Sony RX10 III.

Comparison image of Canon SX70 HS and Sony RX10 III Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Canon SX70 HS and Sony RX10 III.

Comparison image of Canon SX70 HS and Sony RX10 III Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Canon SX70 HS and Sony RX10 III.

Top View Comparison image of Canon SX70 HS and Sony RX10 III Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon SX70 HS is significantly lighter (443g ) than the Sony RX10 III which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

SX70 HS

RX10 III

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

SX70 HS

RX10 III

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather sealed body of RX10 III, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to SX70 HS.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon SX70 HS and Sony RX10 III's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Sony RX10 III features a Tilting only screen which is mostly only good for shooting from waist or over the head levels. On the other hand, Canon SX70 HS sports a Fully Articulated screen which is more flexible and useful especially for taking Selfie shots and video.

Canon SX70 HS vs Sony RX10 III: Sensor Comparison

Both Canon SX70 HS and Sony RX10 III have 20.0 MP resolution sensors but Canon SX70 HS's sensor is 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) and Sony RX10 III's sensor is 1" (13.2 x 8.8 mm ).

Since Sony RX10 III's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Canon SX70 HS.

Below you can see the SX70 HS and RX10 III sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon SX70 HS and Sony RX10 III Cameras

As seen above, Sony RX10 III has a 4.1x Larger sensor area than Canon SX70 HS. 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 SX70 HS vs Sony RX10 III Lens Specs Comparison

Canon SX70 HS features a 21-1365 mm F3.4-6.5 65x zoom lens whereas Sony RX10 III features a 24-600 mm F2.4-4.0 25x zoom lens.

Canon SX70 HS has 3mm wider coverage than the Sony RX10 III. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.40, Sony RX10 III is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Canon SX70 HS has 765mm longer reach than the Sony RX10 III. However, with a max aperture of f4.00, Sony RX10 III is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

SX70 HS

RX10 III

Widest - Samsung WB2200F

Average

Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

SX70 HS

RX10 III

Longest - Nikon P1000

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

SX70 HS

RX10 III

Fastest - Olympus 1

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

SX70 HS

RX10 III

Fastest - Sony RX10 III

Average

What types of Photography are Canon SX70 HS and Sony RX10 III Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Canon SX70 HS and Sony RX10 III 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 SX70 HS for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX10 III for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No External Flash Shoe
Read the details

Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Canon SX70 HS for Street Photography

GOOD

Sony RX10 III for Street Photography

GOOD

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
21 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.40
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Canon SX70 HS for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX10 III for Sports Photography

GOOD

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Wireless Connection
1365 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 14.0fps
Environmental Sealings
25 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
600 mm Tele Lens
Fast Lens at Tele: f4.00
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Read the details

Canon SX70 HS for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony RX10 III for Daily Photography

GOOD

RAW shooting capability
65.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3 sensor
608g
Body Thickness 117mm
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
Environmental Sealings
25.0X Optical Zoom
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
1051g
Body Thickness 127mm
Read the details

Canon SX70 HS for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX10 III for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
21 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Environmental Sealings
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Read the details

Canon SX70 HS vs Sony RX10 III: 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 SX70 HS and Sony RX10 III, 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 SX70 HS and Sony RX10 III scores compare:

Canon SX70 HS

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #16 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #286 out of 1214 in all Cameras

Sony RX10 III

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #6 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #136 out of 1214 in all Cameras

Sony RX10 III is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon SX70 HS in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Canon SX70 HS. Otherwise, Sony RX10 III is the better camera overall.

Sony RX10 III vs Canon SX70 HS Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Canon PowerShot SX70 HS	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III
Brand	Canon	Sony
Announced	2018-09-20	2016-03-29
Body Type	SLR-like (bridge)	SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/2.3"	1"
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	13.2 x 8.8 mm
Area	28.07mm²	116.16mm²
Megapixels	20 megapixels	20 megapixels
Max Resolution	5184 x 3888	5472 x 3648
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	12,800 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	25600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	125 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	64 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	25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	21-1365 mm (65x)	24-600 mm (25x)
Max Aperture	F3.4-6.5	F2.4-4.0
Macro Focus Range	0cm	3cm
Screen
Type	Fully Articulated	Tilting
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	922k dots	1,229k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	2,360k dots	2,359k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a	0.7x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/2000s
Max Electronic Shutter	n/a	1/32000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	5.00 m (at Auto ISO)	10.80 m (at Auto ISO)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	10.0 fps	14.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160	3840 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264	MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	608g	1051g
Dimensions	127 x 91 x 117mm	133 x 94 x 127mm
Battery Life	325 shots	420 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested	70
DxO Color Depth	not tested	23.1
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested	12.6
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested	472
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