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Olympus SH-50 vs Canon SX40 HS Comparison

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Olympus SH-50

16 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Olympus SH-50
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Canon SX40 HS

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Canon SX40 HS
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Olympus SH-50 vs Canon SX40 HS Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing SH-50 and SX40 HS, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Olympus and Canon. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Olympus SH-50 has a 16.0 MP and Canon SX40 HS has a 12.0 MP resolution. Olympus SH-50 was introduced to market in January 2013 and Canon SX40 HS was launched in September 2011. There is 16 months difference between SH-50 and SX40 HS so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger SH-50, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Olympus SH-50 and Canon SX40 HS before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Olympus SH-50 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-01-08
  • 16MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 6400
  • 25-600 mm F3.0-6.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 12 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 269g. 112 x 63 x 42 mm

Canon SX40 HS Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-09-15
  • 12MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • 24-840 mm F2.7-5.8 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 2.7" Fully Articulated Screen
  • Electronic viewfinder
  • 10 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 240fps High-Speed Video
  • 600g. 123 x 92 x 108 mm
  • Replaced Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Compare

Canon SX40 HS was replaced by Canon PowerShot SX50 HS. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS vs Canon PowerShot SX40 HS
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS vs Olympus SH-50

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Olympus SH-50 and Canon SX40 HS compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Olympus SH-50 over Canon PowerShot SX40 HS
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs Eye-Fi Connected Better connectivity
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Max Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 12 MP 33% more pixels
Max ISO
6.400 vs 3.200 100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.7" 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
460k dots vs 230k dots 100% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
12.0fps vs 10.0fps 2 fps faster
Weight
269 g vs 600 g 331 g lighter


Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SX40 HS over Olympus SH-50
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 Mech. Shutter
1/3200s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Focal Length - Wide
24mm vs 25mm 1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
840mm vs 600mm 240 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
35× vs 24× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
2.70 vs 3.00 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
5.80 vs 6.90 faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage
7.0m vs 4.0m 3m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
2.34µm2 vs 1.76µm2 32% larger pixel area
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies

Common Strengths of Olympus SH-50 and Canon PowerShot SX40 HS
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Continuous Shooting
12.0fps vs 10.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Manual Focusing
Yes vs Yes both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure
Yes vs Yes better exposure control
Focal Length - Tele
600mm vs 840mm Very good Telezoom
Common Weaknesses of Olympus SH-50 and Canon PowerShot SX40 HS
RAW Support
No vs No Lower image quality
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.7" Small display
LCD Screen Resolution
460k dots vs 230k dots Low resolution screens
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele
6.90 vs 5.80 Slow lenses at tele
New4
Olympus SH-50 vs Canon SX40 HS: 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 Olympus SH-50 and Canon SX40 HS side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Olympus SH-50 has external dimensions of 112 x 63 x 42 mm (4.41 x 2.48 x 1.65″) and weighs 269 g (0.59 lb / 9.49 oz) (including batteries). Canon SX40 HS has external dimensions of 123 x 92 x 108 mm (4.84 x 3.62 x 4.25″) and weighs 600 g (1.32 lb / 21.16 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Olympus SH-50 and Canon SX40 HS. Olympus SH-50 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 11mm narrower, 29mm shorter and 66mm thinner than Canon SX40 HS.

Olympus SH-50 vs Canon SX40 HS Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Olympus SH-50 and Canon SX40 HS Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Olympus SH-50 and Canon SX40 HS.

Olympus SH-50 vs Canon SX40 HS Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Olympus SH-50 and Canon SX40 HS Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Olympus SH-50 and Canon SX40 HS.
Olympus SH-50 vs Canon SX40 HS Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Olympus SH-50 and Canon SX40 HS Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus SH-50 is significantly lighter (331g ) than the Canon SX40 HS which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

SH-50
SX40 HS
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

SH-50
SX40 HS
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Olympus SH-50 nor Canon PowerShot SX40 HS 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 Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing
Top Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Olympus SH-50's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Canon SX40 HS's 2.7" screen.

On the other hand, Canon SX40 HS 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, Olympus SH-50 has a fixed type screen which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to SX40 HS.
Olympus SH-50 vs Canon SX40 HS: Sensor Comparison

Olympus SH-50 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features TruePic VI processor. On the other hand, Canon SX40 HS has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the SH-50 and SX40 HS sensor size comparison.

Olympus SH-50 vs Canon SX40 HS Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Olympus SH-50 and Canon SX40 HS Cameras


Olympus SH-50 and Canon SX40 HS have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Canon SX40 HS has 32% larger pixel area (2.34µm2 vs 1.76µm2) compared to Olympus SH-50, it has larger pixel area to collect light hence potential to have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Olympus SH-50 vs Canon SX40 HS Lens Specs Comparison

Olympus SH-50 features a 25-600 mm F3.0-6.9 24× zoom lens whereas Canon SX40 HS features a 24-840 mm F2.7-5.8 35× zoom lens.

Canon SX40 HS has 1mm wider coverage than the Olympus SH-50. At f2.70, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Canon SX40 HS has 240mm longer reach than the Olympus SH-50. At f5.80, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

SH-50
SX40 HS
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

SH-50
SX40 HS
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

SH-50
SX40 HS
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

SH-50
SX40 HS
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Olympus SH-50 and Canon SX40 HS Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Olympus SH-50 and Canon SX40 HS 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.

Olympus SH-50 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Canon SX40 HS for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
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

Olympus SH-50 for Street Photography

GOOD

Canon SX40 HS for Street Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
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

Olympus SH-50 for Sports Photography

POOR

Canon SX40 HS for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 12.0fps
Wireless Connection
600 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.90
Read the details
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
840 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/3200s
No RAW shooting capability
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.80
Read the details

Olympus SH-50 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Canon SX40 HS for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Compact Body
269g
24.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Body Thickness 42mm
Read the details
35.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
600g
Body Thickness 108mm
Read the details

Olympus SH-50 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon SX40 HS for Landscape Photography

POOR
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
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
24 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

Olympus SH-50 vs Canon SX40 HS: 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 Olympus SH-50 and Canon SX40 HS, 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 Olympus SH-50 and Canon SX40 HS scores compare:

Olympus SH-50
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #99 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #569 out of 1223 in all Cameras
Canon SX40 HS
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #46 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #529 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Canon SX40 HS has a higher Overall Score than the Olympus SH-50 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Olympus SH-50
Olympus SH-50
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Canon SX40 HS
Canon SX40 HS
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Canon SX40 HS vs Olympus SH-50 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Olympus SH-50 Canon PowerShot SX40 HS
Brand Olympus Canon
Announced 2013-01-08 2011-09-15
Body Type Compact SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS BSI-CMOS
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 16 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4608 x 3456 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 125 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 n/a 9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 25-600 mm (24×) 24-840 mm (35×)
Max Aperture F3.0-6.9 F2.7-5.8
Macro Focus Range 5cm 0cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fully Articulated
Size 3" 2.7"
Resolution 460k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/3200s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 4.00 m 7.00 m
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/2000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 12.0 fps 10.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 269g 600g
Dimensions 112 x 63 x 42mm 123 x 92 x 108mm
Battery Life n/a 380 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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