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Pentax VS20 vs Canon SX40 HS Comparison

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Pentax VS20

16 MP | 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CCD Sensor

Pentax VS20
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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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Pentax VS20 vs Canon SX40 HS Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing VS20 and SX40 HS, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Pentax and Canon. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Pentax VS20 has a 16.0 MP and Canon SX40 HS has a 12.0 MP resolution. Pentax VS20 was introduced to market in January 2012 and Canon SX40 HS was launched in September 2011. There is only 4 months difference between VS20 and SX40 HS 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 Pentax VS20 and Canon SX40 HS before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Pentax VS20 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-01-25
  • 16MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • 28-560 mm F3.1-4.8 Zoom Lens
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1 fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 235g. 111 x 61 x 38 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 Pentax Optio VS20

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Pentax VS20 and Canon SX40 HS compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Pentax Optio VS20 over Canon PowerShot SX40 HS
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
Weight
235 g vs 600 g 365 g lighter
Max Aperture - Tele
4.80 vs 5.80 faster lens at tele


Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SX40 HS over Pentax Optio VS20
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
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Number of Focus Points
9 vs 3 6 more focus points
Max Mech. Shutter
1/3200s vs 1/2500s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 1.0fps 9 fps faster
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
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 3.10 faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage
7.0m vs 2.8m 4.2m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
2.34µm2 vs 1.74µm2 34% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies

Common Strengths of Pentax Optio VS20 and Canon PowerShot SX40 HS
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Manual Focusing
Yes vs Yes both have manual focusing modes
Focal Length - Tele
560mm vs 840mm Very good Telezoom
Common Weaknesses of Pentax Optio VS20 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
Pentax VS20 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 Pentax VS20 and Canon SX40 HS side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Pentax VS20 has external dimensions of 111 x 61 x 38 mm (4.37 x 2.4 x 1.5″) and weighs 235 g (0.52 lb / 8.29 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 Pentax VS20 and Canon SX40 HS. Pentax VS20 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 12mm narrower, 31mm shorter and 70mm thinner than Canon SX40 HS.

Pentax VS20 vs Canon SX40 HS Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Pentax VS20 and Canon SX40 HS Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Pentax VS20 and Canon SX40 HS.

Pentax VS20 vs Canon SX40 HS Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Pentax VS20 and Canon SX40 HS Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Pentax VS20 and Canon SX40 HS.
Pentax VS20 vs Canon SX40 HS Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Pentax VS20 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. Pentax VS20 is significantly lighter (365g ) than the Canon SX40 HS which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

VS20
SX40 HS
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

VS20
SX40 HS
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Pentax Optio VS20 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

Pentax VS20'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, Pentax VS20 has a fixed type screen which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to SX40 HS.
Pentax VS20 vs Canon SX40 HS: Sensor Comparison

Pentax VS20 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor . 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 VS20 and SX40 HS sensor size comparison.

Pentax VS20 vs Canon SX40 HS Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Pentax VS20 and Canon SX40 HS Cameras


Pentax VS20 and Canon SX40 HS have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Pentax VS20 vs Canon SX40 HS Lens Specs Comparison

Pentax VS20 features a 28-560 mm F3.1-4.8 20× zoom lens whereas Canon SX40 HS features a 24-840 mm F2.7-5.8 35× zoom lens.

Canon SX40 HS has 4mm wider coverage than the Pentax VS20. At f2.70, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Canon SX40 HS has 280mm longer telezoom reach than the Pentax VS20. However, with a max aperture of f4.80, Pentax VS20 is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

VS20
SX40 HS
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

VS20
SX40 HS
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

VS20
SX40 HS
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

VS20
SX40 HS
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Pentax VS20 and Canon SX40 HS Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Pentax VS20 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.

Pentax VS20 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Canon SX40 HS for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
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

Pentax VS20 for Street Photography

GOOD

Canon SX40 HS for Street Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 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

Pentax VS20 for Sports Photography

POOR

Canon SX40 HS for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
560 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2500s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
3 Focus Points
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

Pentax VS20 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Canon SX40 HS for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Compact Body
235g
20.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
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

Pentax VS20 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon SX40 HS for Landscape Photography

POOR
Manual Focus Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
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

Pentax VS20 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 Pentax VS20 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 Pentax VS20 and Canon SX40 HS scores compare:

Pentax VS20
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #283 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #904 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 Pentax VS20 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Pentax VS20
Pentax VS20
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Canon SX40 HS
Canon SX40 HS
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Canon SX40 HS vs Pentax VS20 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Pentax Optio VS20 Canon PowerShot SX40 HS
Brand Pentax Canon
Announced 2012-01-25 2011-09-15
Body Type Compact SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type CCD BSI-CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch 1/2.3-inch
Dimensions 6.08 x 4.56 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 27.72mm2 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 100 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 3 9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 28-560 mm (20×) 24-840 mm (35×)
Max Aperture F3.1-4.8 F2.7-5.8
Macro Focus Range 3cm 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 1/2500s 1/3200s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 2.80 m 7.00 m
Max Flash Sync s 1/2000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps 10.0 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 Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 235g 600g
Dimensions 111 x 61 x 38mm 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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