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Canon SX160 IS Review

  • Overview
  • Alternatives
  • Canon SX160 IS

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    Main Features

    • 16MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
    • ISO 100 - 1600
    • 28-448 mm F3.5-5.9 Zoom Lens
    • Optical Image Stabilization
    • 3" Fixed Type Screen
    • 1 fps continuous shooting
    • HD - 1280 x 720 video
    • 291g. 111 x 73 x 44 mm
    • Replaced Canon SX150 IS
    • Replaced by Canon SX170 IS
    CHECK PRICE
    CHECK PRICE

    Canon SX160 IS Overview

    First introduced in June 2013 , Canon PowerShot SX160 IS is a 16.0MP Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor, built-in Image Stabilization and 28-448 mm F3.5-5.9 lens. Canon replaced the older Canon SX150 IS with this model and later SX160 IS was replaced with Canon SX170 IS. Follow the links to compare these cameras in detail:
    Compare Canon PowerShot SX160 IS vs Canon SX150 IS
    Compare Canon PowerShot SX160 IS vs Canon SX170 IS

    Canon SX160 IS Review - Click for Table of Contents

    1. Overview
    2. Pros and Cons
    3. Sensor and Photography Features
    4. Physical Specs
    5. LCD and Viewfinder
    6. Connectivity, Storage and Battery
    7. Video
    8. Other Features
    9. Lens
    10. Photography Type Scores
    11. Alternatives
    12. Popular Comparisons
    13. Frequently Asked Questions
    14. Detailed Specifications

    Canon SX160 IS has an Overall Score of 40/100 and ranked #204 out of 629 in Compact cameras (Top 10 Compact), and ranked #748 out of 1223 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

    Main Scores
    Imaging
    Features
    Value for Money
    Portability
    Overall Score
    Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras.



    Canon SX160 IS Physical Specs
    Canon SX160 IS weighs 291 g (0.64 lb / 10.26 oz) and has external dimensions of 111 x 73 x 44 mm (4.37 x 2.87 x 1.73″). Considering that the average weight of Compact type cameras is 188g, Canon SX160 IS is a significantly heavy camera for its class. With a thickness of 44mm, it is not small either, 15mm thicker than the average of its class.
    Weight Comparison

    Compact Cameras

    Canon SX160 IS
    Min
    Average
    Max
    Thickness Comparison

    Compact Cameras

    Canon SX160 IS
    Min
    Average
    Max

    Here is the front and top view image of Canon SX160 IS with the dimensions:

    Canon SX160 IS Body Size Dimensions
    Front and Top View External Dimensions and Size of Canon SX160 IS Camera Body

    In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Canon SX160 IS, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.


    Canon SX160 IS Body Size Compared to a Credit card and a Battery
    Physical size of the Canon SX160 IS Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

    Now let's compare Canon SX160 IS size with the camera that it replaced: Canon SX150 IS. Canon SX160 IS is 2mm narrower and 2mm thinner than Canon SX160 IS but they have the same height of 73mm.


    Canon SX160 IS vs Canon SX150 IS Camera Size Comparison - Front View
    Comparison image of Canon SX160 IS and Canon SX150 IS Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

    Below you can find the comparison of the weight and thickness of Canon SX160 IS with its main competitors:

    Canon SX160 IS Size Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Weight vs SX160 IS Thickness vs SX160 IS
    Canon PowerShot SX160 IS Camera Canon SX170 IS
    Compare
    251g 40g lighter 44mm equal thickness
    Canon PowerShot SX160 IS Camera Canon SX150 IS
    Compare
    306g 15g heavier 46mm 2mm thicker
    Canon PowerShot SX160 IS Camera Nikon L610
    Compare
    240g 51g lighter 34mm 10mm thinner
    Canon PowerShot SX160 IS Camera Canon SX130 IS
    Compare
    308g 17g heavier 46mm 2mm thicker
    Canon PowerShot SX160 IS Camera Canon SX210 IS
    Compare
    220g 71g lighter 38mm 6mm thinner
    Canon PowerShot SX160 IS Camera Canon ELPH 190 IS
    Compare
    138g 153g lighter 24mm 20mm thinner
    Canon PowerShot SX160 IS Camera Canon SX510 HS
    Compare
    349g 58g heavier 80mm 36mm thicker
    Canon PowerShot SX160 IS Camera Canon Elph 115 IS
    Compare
    135g 156g lighter 20mm 24mm thinner

    Weather Sealing

    Canon SX160 IS doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

    Canon SX160 IS Sensor and Photography Features

    Canon SX160 IS has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Digic 4 processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4608 x 3456 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. SX160 IS has a native ISO range of 100 - 1600 but unfortunately, Canon SX160 IS doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a Compact camera with a RAW support, consider Nikon Coolpix P7000 or Olympus XZ-1 in the same price range.

    Canon SX160 IS is not the highest resolution Small Sensor camera. Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 with its 21.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Canon SX160 IS vs Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

    Let's look at how the size of the Canon SX160 IS's 1/2.3-inch sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

    Canon SX160 IS Sensor Size Comparison
    Comparison image of Canon SX160 IS Sensor Size with other standard sensors

    Canon SX160 IS Lens

    Canon SX160 IS features a 28-448 mm F3.5-5.9 16× zoom lens. Lens has a good wide angle capability starting at 28mm and remarkable super telephoto reach at 448mm.

    Wide Coverage

    Compact Cameras

    SX160 IS
    Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
    Average
    Telezoom

    Compact Cameras

    SX160 IS
    Longest - Canon SX520 HS
    Average

    With a max aperture of f3.50 at 28mm, we can not consider this lens fast on wide end, and it is slow at the tele end with its max aperture of f5.90.

    Max Aperture at Wide

    Compact Cameras

    SX160 IS
    Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
    Average
    Max Aperture at Tele

    Compact Cameras

    SX160 IS
    Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
    Average

    SX160 IS is also equipped with Optical image stabilization system which is very handy especially at lower shutter speeds. Canon SX160 IS's lens also has a Manual Focus Mode.



    Canon SX160 IS LCD

    Canon SX160 IS has a Fixed Type 3" LCD screen with a resolution of 230k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.



    Canon SX160 IS back view and LCD

    SX160 IS doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Compact camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Nikon Coolpix P7000 (Compare) or Olympus SP-565UZ (Compare).
    If the price is not an issue, take a look at our Top Rated Cameras with Viewfinders.

    Canon SX160 IS Connectivity, Storage and Battery

    Canon SX160 IS has a USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port to connect your camera to other devices.

    Battery

    Canon SX160 IS is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 380 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Compact type cameras is 255 shots, Canon SX160 IS has a good battery life for its class.

    Battery Life Comparison in Small Sensor Superzoom Cameras

    Canon SX160 IS
    Min
    Average
    Max

    Fujifilm HS35EXR with its 600shots is the model with longest battery life among Small Sensor Superzoom cameras. Check the comparison of Canon SX160 IS vs Fujifilm HS35EXR or take a look at Longest Battery Life Compact cameras list.

    Canon SX160 IS Features Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Max Video Battery Life Wi-fi Bluetooth NFC
    Canon PowerShot SX160 IS Camera Canon SX170 IS
    Compare
    1280 x 720 300shots No No No
    Canon PowerShot SX160 IS Camera Canon SX150 IS
    Compare
    1280 x 720 130shots No No No
    Canon PowerShot SX160 IS Camera Nikon L610
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 120shots No No No
    Canon PowerShot SX160 IS Camera Canon SX130 IS
    Compare
    1280 x 720 shots No No No
    Canon PowerShot SX160 IS Camera Canon SX210 IS
    Compare
    1280 x 720 shots No No No
    Canon PowerShot SX160 IS Camera Canon ELPH 190 IS
    Compare
    1280 x 720 190shots Yes No Yes
    Canon PowerShot SX160 IS Camera Canon SX510 HS
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 250shots Yes No No
    Canon PowerShot SX160 IS Camera Canon Elph 115 IS
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 170shots No No No

    Canon SX160 IS Video Features

    With Canon SX160 IS, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1280 x 720 at 30,25 fps and save in and H.264 formats. 1280 x 720 is a low video resolution by todays standards. If video quality is important for you, we recommend you to look at cameras with Full HD, even better 4K / Ultra-HD resolution .

    SX160 IS has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker.
    Canon SX160 IS doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Compact camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Nikon Coolpix P7000 or Samsung PL120 in a similar price range.

    Canon SX160 IS Other Features

    Max Shutter speed

    Canon SX160 IS can shoot continuously at max speed of 1 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/3200 sec.

    Flash

    Unfortunately SX160 IS doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

    Focusing

    Canon SX160 IS features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system.

    Canon SX160 IS also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

    Canon SX160 IS PROs and CONs Review

    Now let's get in to more details of our Canon SX160 IS review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

    PROs
    Image Stabilization
    Face Detection Focusing
    1/3200s High Shutter Speed
    Long Battery Life (380 shots)
    291g Light Body
    Manual Focusing
    Manual Exposure
    448mm Good Tele Lens
    16.0X Optical Zoom
    Report a correction

    Buy Canon SX160 IS from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO


    CONs
    No Wireless Connection
    No Articulating Screen
    No External Flash Shoe
    No Full HD Video
    No Touch Screen
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No RAW Shooting
    Max Sensitivity only ISO 1.600
    Only Unknown Focus Points
    Low Screen Resolution ( 230kdots )
    Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
    No Environmental Sealing
    Slow Lens at Wide: f3.50
    Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
    Report a correction
    What type of Photography is Canon SX160 IS Good for?
    In this section, we review and score Canon SX160 IS in 5 different photography areas.

    Canon SX160 IS for Portrait Photography

    Canon SX160 IS has a score of 33 for Portrait Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list and consider these alternatives over theSX160 IS.
    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 of how we scored Canon SX160 IS for Portrait Photography

    Canon SX160 IS for Street Photography

    Canon SX160 IS has a score of 67 for Street Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Street Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Compact Cameras for Street Photography list.
    Manual Focus Mode
    Live-view
    Face-Detection Focusing
    Image Stabilization
    28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
    Small Body
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No RAW shooting capability
    Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor

    Read the details of how we scored Canon SX160 IS for Street Photography

    Canon SX160 IS for Sports Photography

    Canon SX160 IS has a score of 21 for Sports Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Sports We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Sports Photography list and consider these alternatives over theSX160 IS.
    Manual Exposure Mode
    Manual Focus Mode
    Image Stabilization
    448 mm Tele Lens
    Average Max shutter speed: 1/3200s
    Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
    Environmental Sealings
    Unknown Focus Points
    Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No External Flash Shoe
    Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
    No RAW shooting capability

    Read the details of how we scored Canon SX160 IS for Sports Photography

    Canon SX160 IS for Daily Photography

    Canon SX160 IS has a score of 60 for Daily Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Daily Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.
    Compact Body
    291g
    16.0X Optical Zoom
    Body Thickness 44mm
    Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
    No RAW shooting capability

    Read the details of how we scored Canon SX160 IS for Daily Photography

    Canon SX160 IS for Landscape Photography

    Canon SX160 IS has a score of 26 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theSX160 IS.
    Manual Exposure Mode
    Manual Focus Mode
    28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
    Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
    No RAW shooting capability
    Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
    No Environmental Sealings

    Read the details of how we scored Canon SX160 IS for Landscape Photography
    Canon SX160 IS Alternatives
    In this section, we analyse how Canon SX160 IS compares with other Compact cameras within a similar price range.
    Read a more detailed analysis of Canon SX160 IS alternatives.

    Popular Comparisons of Canon SX160 IS

    Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Canon SX160 IS amongst Camera Decision readers.

    Canon SX170 IS
    Canon SX170 IS
    Compare
    Canon SX150 IS
    Canon SX150 IS
    Compare
    Nikon L610
    Nikon L610
    Compare
    Canon SX130 IS
    Canon SX130 IS
    Compare
    Canon SX210 IS
    Canon SX210 IS
    Compare
    Canon ELPH 190 IS
    Canon ELPH 190 IS
    Compare
    Canon SX510 HS
    Canon SX510 HS
    Compare
    Canon Elph 115 IS
    Canon Elph 115 IS
    Compare

    Canon SX160 IS Alternatives in Cameras

    It would also be interesting to compare Canon SX160 IS with Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked cameras in Canon SX160 IS's price range.

    Frequently Asked Questions about Canon SX160 IS
    Does the Canon SX160 IS have Image Stabilization?
    Does the Canon SX160 IS have RAW support?
    Does the Canon SX160 IS have Weather Sealing?
    Does the Canon SX160 IS have built-in GPS?
    What is the Max ISO of Canon SX160 IS?
    What is the Sensor Size of Canon SX160 IS?
    is the Canon SX160 IS a Full Frame (FF) camera?
    Does the Canon SX160 IS have Touch Screen?
    Does the Canon SX160 IS have built-in Wireless?
    What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Canon SX160 IS?
    What is the Weight of Canon SX160 IS?
    What are the Dimensions of Canon SX160 IS?
    Canon PowerShot SX160 IS Detailed Specifications

    General
    Brand Canon
    Model Canon PowerShot SX160 IS
    Announced 2013-06-21
    Body Type Compact
    Lens
    Manual Focus
    Lens Mount fixed lens
    Lens Focal Range 28-448 mm (16×)
    Max Aperture F3.5-5.9
    Macro Focus Range 1cm
    Screen
    Screen Type Fixed Type
    Screen Technology TFT Color LCD
    Screen Size 3"
    Screen Resolution 230k dots
    Live View
    Touch Screen
    Viewfinder
    Viewfinder None
    Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Coverage n/a
    Viewfinder Magnification n/a
    Photography Features
    Min Shutter Speed 15s
    Max Mechanical Shutter Speed 1/3200s
    Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps
    Shutter Priority
    Aperture Priority
    Manual Exposure Mode
    Exposure Compensation Yes
    Custom White Balance
    Image Stabilization
    Built-in Flash
    Flash Range 3.00 m
    Max Flash Sync 1/2000s
    Flash Modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync
    External Flash
    AE Bracketing
    WB Bracketing
    Exposure Modes
    Multi-Segment
    Average
    Spot
    Partial
    AF-Area
    Center Weighted
    DxO Sensor Scores
    DxO Overall Score not tested
    DxO Color Depth not tested
    DxO Dynamic Range not tested
    DxO Low Light ISO not tested
    Report a correction

    Sensor
    Sensor Type CCD
    Sensor Size 1/2.3-inch
    Sensor Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm
    Sensor Area 28.07mm2
    Sensor Resolution 16 megapixels
    Max Image Resolution 4608 x 3456
    Max Native ISO 1,600
    Min Native ISO 100
    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 Unknown
    Number of Cross Focus Points 0
    Video Features
    Video Resolutions 1280 x 720 (30, 25 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
    Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720
    Video Formats H.264
    Microphone Port
    Headphone Port
    Connectivity
    Wireless Connectivity Eye-Fi Connected
    HDMI
    USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
    Physical
    Environmental Sealing
    Water Proof
    Dust Proof
    Shock Proof
    Crush Proof
    Freeze Proof
    Weight 291g
    Physical Dimensions 111 x 73 x 44mm
    Battery Life 380 shots
    Battery Type AA
    Battery Model 2 x AA
    Other Features
    Self Timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom)
    Timelapse Recording
    GPS None
    Storage Type SD/SDHC/SDXC
    Storage Slots 1


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