Canon SX1 IS vs Sony HX7V

Its time to examine more closely at the Canon SX1 IS and Sony HX7V, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Canon and Sony. There is a crucial difference between the image resolutions of the SX1 IS (10MP) and HX7V (16MP) but they possess the same exact sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The SX1 IS was unveiled 3 years prior to the HX7V which is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Canon SX1 IS being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony HX7V being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight into a detailed comparison, below is a simple summary of how the SX1 IS grades against the HX7V with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Canon PowerShot SX1 IS and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V. The full galleries are available at Canon SX1 IS Gallery and Sony HX7V Gallery.

When you are intending to carry around your camera often, you'll need to think about its weight and volume. The Canon SX1 IS has outside dimensions of 128mm x 88mm x 88mm (5.0" x 3.5" x 3.5") with a weight of 615 grams (1.36 lbs) and the Sony HX7V has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 208 grams (0.46 lbs).

See the Canon SX1 IS and Sony HX7V in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are using at that time. Following is the front view measurements comparison of the SX1 IS versus the HX7V.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the SX1 IS and HX7V is 64 and 92 respectively.

In many cases, it's hard to see the difference between sensor sizes simply by looking at technical specs. The image underneath might provide you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the SX1 IS and HX7V.

As you can tell, both cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but not the same megapixels. You should expect to see the Sony HX7V to resolve more detail having an extra 6MP. Greater resolution will let you crop pics a little more aggressively. The more aged SX1 IS is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.