Canon SX70 HS Review

Main Features

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

Built-in Wireless

608g. 127 x 91 x 117 mm

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Canon SX70 HS Overview

First introduced in September 2018 , Canon PowerShot SX70 HS is a 20.0MP Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor.

Canon SX70 HS Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Video
Other Features
Lens
Photography Type Scores
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

Canon SX70 HS has an Overall Score of 61/100 and ranked #15 out of 113 in DSLR-Like cameras (Top 10 Bridge), and ranked #283 out of 1212 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Canon SX70 HS Type Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

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Canon SX70 HS Compared to other Bridge Cameras

Now let's get in to more details of our Canon SX70 HS review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Built-in Wireless (Wi-fi)

Bluetooth Connectivity

Image Stabilization

Articulating Screen

4K (UHD) Video

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder

RAW Shooting

Face Detection Focusing

20.0MP - High Resolution Sensor

922k dots LCD Resolution

10.0fps Shooting w/ Mechanical Shutter

Long Battery Life (325 shots)

Manual Focusing

Manual Exposure

External Microphone Port

Timelapse Recording

21mm Wide Angle Lens

1365mm Good Tele Lens

65.0X Optical Zoom

2360kdot Viewfinder Resolution

AE Bracketing

Selfie Friendly LCD Screen

Remote control with a smartphone

High Video bit rate of 120mbps

4K Timelapse

UHS-I Memory Card Support

Webcam Functionality

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CONs

No External Flash Shoe

No Touch Screen

Max Sensitivity only ISO 3.200

Only 9 Focus Points

Heavy Body: 608

No Environmental Sealing

Slow Lens at Wide: f3.40

Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50

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Canon SX70 HS Sensor and Photography Features

Canon SX70 HS has a 20.0MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Digic 8 processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 5184 x 3888 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. SX70 HS has a native ISO range of 100 - 3200 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Canon SX70 HS 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 SX70 HS vs Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 or take a look at Highest resolution Bridge cameras list.

Let's look at how the size of the Canon SX70 HS's 1/2.3" sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Canon SX70 HS Physical Specs

Canon SX70 HS weighs 608 g (1.34 lb / 21.45 oz) and has external dimensions of 127 x 91 x 117 mm (5 x 3.58 x 4.61″). Considering that the average weight of DSLR-Like type cameras is 591g, its weight is about average in its class. With a thickness of 117mm, it also has an average thickness.

Weight Comparison

DSLR-Like Cameras

Canon SX70 HS

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR-Like Cameras

Canon SX70 HS

Min

Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Canon SX70 HS with the dimensions:

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Canon SX70 HS with its main competitors:

Canon SX70 HS Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs SX70 HS	Thickness	vs SX70 HS
Panasonic FZ80 Compare	616g	8g heavier	119mm	2mm thicker
Nikon P1000 Compare	1415g	807g heavier	181mm	64mm thicker
Nikon P900 Compare	899g	291g heavier	137mm	20mm thicker
Canon SX60 HS Compare	650g	42g heavier	114mm	3mm thinner
Nikon P950 Compare	1005g	397g heavier	150mm	33mm thicker
Panasonic FZ300 Compare	691g	83g heavier	117mm	equal thickness
Sony HX400V Compare	660g	52g heavier	103mm	14mm thinner
Canon SX540 HS Compare	442g	166g lighter	92mm	25mm thinner

Weather Sealing

Canon SX70 HS 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 Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

Canon SX70 HS Lens

Canon SX70 HS features a 21-1365 mm F3.4-6.5 65x zoom lens. This camera offers exceptional wide angle capacity thanks to 21mm focal length on the wide end and remarkable super telephoto reach at 1365mm.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

SX70 HS

Widest - Samsung WB2200F

Average

Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

SX70 HS

Longest - Nikon P1000

Average

With a max aperture of f3.40 at 21mm, we can not consider this lens fast on wide end, and it is slow at the tele end with its max aperture of f6.50.

Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

SX70 HS

Fastest - Sony RX10 III

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

SX70 HS

Fastest - Olympus 1

Average

SX70 HS is also equipped with Optical image stabilization system which is very handy especially at lower shutter speeds. Canon SX70 HS's lens also has a Manual Focus Mode.

Canon SX70 HS LCD and Viewfinder

Canon SX70 HS has a Fully Articulated 3" LCD screen with a resolution of 922k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

For those of you who loves shooting selfies, self or group photos, Canon SX70 HS will make your life easier with its Selfie friendly screen. Another group of users who will take advantage of SX70 HS's LCD screen is Vloggers.

SX70 HS has a built-in Electronic viewfinder. The viewfinder has a resolution of 2,360kdots and coverage of 100%. 100% coverage ensures that what you see in the viewfinder while shooting matches exactly what you will get later in your image, helping accurate framing your shots and minimizes the need for cropping images later.

Canon SX70 HS Connectivity, Storage and Battery

Canon SX70 HS features built-in wireless (Wi-Fi) connectivity ( 802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth) which lets you transfer your photos directly to compatible devices without any physical connection.Canon SX70 HS's Bluetooth connectivity feature comes handy for connecting other devices that supports it. One other feature that we like is the ability to use our smartphone as a remote to control our SX70 HS. You can change camera settings, release shutter, view LCD screen and tranfer files using remote control app.

You can connect SX70 HS to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Battery

Canon SX70 HS is powered by a proprietary battery which provides a shooting life of 325 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of DSLR-Like type cameras is 353 shots, its battery life is about average in its class but it would still be wise to invest in some spare batteries for long photo trips.

Battery Life Comparison in Small Sensor Superzoom Cameras

Canon SX70 HS

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 SX70 HS vs Fujifilm HS35EXR or take a look at Longest Battery Life Bridge cameras list.

Canon SX70 HS Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Panasonic FZ80 Compare	3840 x 2160	330shots	Yes	No	No
Nikon P1000 Compare	3840 x 2160	250shots	Yes	Yes	No
Nikon P900 Compare	1920 x 1080	360shots	Yes	Yes	Yes
Canon SX60 HS Compare	1920 x 1080	340shots	Yes	No	Yes
Nikon P950 Compare	3840 x 2160	290shots	Yes	Yes	No
Panasonic FZ300 Compare	3840 x 2160	380shots	Yes	No	No
Sony HX400V Compare	1920 x 1080	300shots	Yes	No	Yes
Canon SX540 HS Compare	1920 x 1080	205shots	Yes	No	Yes

Canon SX70 HS Video Features

With Canon SX70 HS, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 3840 x 2160 at 30p fps with bit rates up to 120 mbps and save in MPEG-4 and H.264 formats. This means that Canon SX70 HS provides 4K (Ultra-HD) video. Except some exotic 6K and 8K video recording cameras, 4K is the new standard in consumer video world.
It is also a big step up from its predecessor which has a max video resolution of only. If you are thinking of upgrading your and shoot a lot of video, this is a big factor to consider in favor of SX70 HS.

SX70 HS has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker. Canon SX70 HS also has a port for an external microphone so you can record high quality sound with the help of an external microphone.

Canon SX70 HS Other Features

Max Shutter speed

Canon SX70 HS can shoot continuously at max speed of 10.0 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/2000 sec.

Flash

Unfortunately SX70 HS doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

Focusing

Canon SX70 HS features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 9 points to choose from.

Canon SX70 HS also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

What type of Photography is Canon SX70 HS Good for?

In this section, we review and score Canon SX70 HS in 5 different photography areas.

Canon SX70 HS for Portrait Photography

Canon SX70 HS has a score of 48 for Portrait Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Bridge Cameras for Portrait Photography list.

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 of how we scored Canon SX70 HS for Portrait Photography

Canon SX70 HS for Street Photography

Canon SX70 HS has a score of 81 for Street Photography which makes it an EXCELLENT candidate for this type of photography.

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen

Image Stabilization
21 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
RAW shooting capability
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3 sensor

Read the details of how we scored Canon SX70 HS for Street Photography

Canon SX70 HS for Sports Photography

Canon SX70 HS has a score of 55 for Sports Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Sports is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Bridge Cameras for Sports Photography list.

Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Wireless Connection
Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Image Stabilization
1365 mm Tele Lens

RAW shooting capability
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
No External Flash Shoe
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50

Read the details of how we scored Canon SX70 HS for Sports Photography

Canon SX70 HS for Daily Photography

Canon SX70 HS 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 Bridge Cameras for Daily Photography list.

65.0X Optical Zoom
RAW shooting capability
Medium size Body

608g
Body Thickness 117mm
Small 1/2.3 sensor

Read the details of how we scored Canon SX70 HS for Daily Photography

Canon SX70 HS for Landscape Photography

Canon SX70 HS has a score of 40 for Landscape Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Bridge Cameras for Landscape Photography list.

Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
21 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
RAW shooting capability

Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Canon SX70 HS for Landscape Photography

Canon SX70 HS Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Canon SX70 HS compares with other DSLR-Like cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of SX70 HS and the top 10 contenders in the same range. Hover your mouse on the bubbles to see the details of the cameras.

Read a more detailed analysis of Canon SX70 HS alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Canon SX70 HS

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Canon SX70 HS amongst Camera Decision readers.

Panasonic FZ80

Compare

Nikon P1000

Compare

Nikon P900

Compare

Canon SX60 HS

Compare

Nikon P950

Compare

Panasonic FZ300

Compare

Sony HX400V

Compare

Canon SX540 HS

Compare

Canon SX70 HS Alternatives in Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Canon SX70 HS with Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked cameras in Canon SX70 HS's price range.

Frequently Asked Questions about Canon SX70 HS

Does the Canon SX70 HS have Image Stabilization?
Does the Canon SX70 HS have RAW support?
Does the Canon SX70 HS have Weather Sealing?
Does the Canon SX70 HS have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Canon SX70 HS?
What is the Sensor Size of Canon SX70 HS?
is the Canon SX70 HS a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Canon SX70 HS have Touch Screen?
Does the Canon SX70 HS have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Canon SX70 HS?

Canon PowerShot SX70 HS Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Canon
Model	Canon PowerShot SX70 HS
Announced	2018-09-20
Body Type	SLR-like (bridge)
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens
Number of Lenses
Lens Focal Range	21-1365 mm (65x)
Max Aperture	F3.4-6.5
Macro Focus Range	0cm
Screen
Screen Type	Fully Articulated
Screen Size	3"
Screen Resolution	922k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	2,360k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	15s
Max Mechanical Shutter Speed	1/2000s
Continuous Shooting	10.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	5.00 m (at Auto ISO)
Flash Modes	Auto, on, slow sync, off
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	BSI-CMOS
Sensor Size	1/2.3"
Sensor Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Sensor Area	28.07mm²
Sensor Resolution	20 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	5184 x 3888
Max Native ISO	3,200
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	9
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 120 Mbps, MOV, H.264, AAC
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	608g
Physical Dimensions	127 x 91 x 117mm
Battery Life	325 shots
Battery Type	Built-in
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 or 10 secs, custom)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I supported)
Storage Slots	1