Canon S95 vs Sony HX30V

The following is a extended assessment of the Canon S95 versus Sony HX30V, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Canon and Sony. There exists a considerable gap among the image resolutions of the S95 (10MP) and HX30V (18MP) and the S95 (1/1.7") and HX30V (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The S95 was announced 15 months before the HX30V which makes them a generation away from one another. Each of these cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before getting right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a short highlight of how the S95 matches up versus the HX30V with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot S95 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V. The whole galleries are available at Canon S95 Gallery & Sony HX30V Gallery.

For those who are intending to travel with your camera frequently, you need to take into account its weight and volume. The Canon S95 provides physical measurements of 100mm x 58mm x 30mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 1.2") accompanied by a weight of 195 grams (0.43 lbs) and the Sony HX30V has sizing of 107mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4") along with a weight of 254 grams (0.56 lbs).

Check the Canon S95 versus Sony HX30V in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are working with during that time. Following is a front view measurement comparison of the S95 against the HX30V.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the S95 and HX30V is 93 and 90 respectively.

Sometimes, it is difficult to visualise the gap in sensor dimensions purely by checking out a spec sheet. The picture underneath may provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the S95 and HX30V.

Clearly, the two cameras have different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The S95 with its bigger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF easier and the Sony HX30V will produce more detail with its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more aged S95 will be behind in sensor innovation.