Both Fujifilm X-S1 and Canon SX50 HS have 12.0 MP resolution sensors but Fujifilm X-S1's sensor is 2/3-inch (8.8 x 6.6 mm ) and Canon SX50 HS's sensor is 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ).
Since Fujifilm X-S1'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 SX50 HS.
Below you can see the X-S1 and SX50 HS sensor size comparison.
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Fujifilm X-S1 and Canon SX50 HS Cameras
As seen above, Fujifilm X-S1 has a 2.1x Larger sensor area than Canon SX50 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.
DxOMark Sensor Scores
Both Fujifilm X-S1 and Canon SX50 HS sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, X-S1 has scored 49, 2 points higher than SX50 HS.
Model
Overall
Color Depth
Dynamic Range
Low-light ISO
Fujifilm X-S1
49
20.4 bits
11.2 Evs
216 ISO
Canon SX50 HS
47
20.3 bits
11.2 Evs
179 ISO
Sensor size sets the circle of confusion, so it drives how much depth of field each
of these bodies gives you at a given aperture. You can calculate it exactly for the
Fujifilm X-S1
or the
Canon SX50 HS ,
including hyperfocal distance.
One thing to watch when comparing these two: they have different sensor sizes
(2/3-inch versus 1/2.3-inch),
so compare them at the same framing rather than the same focal length.
Put the same focal length on the smaller sensor and it will show less depth of
field, not more, because it also crops tighter. The calculator shows the
full frame equivalent focal length for each body so you can match the framing.
