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Canon SX1 IS vs Sony RX10 II

Portability
64
Imaging
33
Features
53
Overall
41
Canon PowerShot SX1 IS front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 II front
Portability
58
Imaging
52
Features
77
Overall
62

Canon SX1 IS vs Sony RX10 II Key Specs

Canon SX1 IS
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.8" Fully Articulated Screen
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 28-560mm (F2.8-5.7) lens
  • 615g - 128 x 88 x 88mm
  • Launched March 2009
Sony RX10 II
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - 1" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 125 - 12800 (Boost to 25600)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3840 x 2160 video
  • 24-200mm (F2.8) lens
  • 813g - 129 x 88 x 102mm
  • Announced June 2015
  • Replaced the Sony RX10
  • Successor is Sony RX10 III
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Canon SX1 IS vs Sony RX10 II Overview

Lets look more closely at the Canon SX1 IS vs Sony RX10 II, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Canon and Sony. There is a noticeable difference between the sensor resolutions of the SX1 IS (10MP) and RX10 II (20MP) and the SX1 IS (1/2.3") and RX10 II (1") boast different sensor sizes.

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The SX1 IS was unveiled 7 years earlier than the RX10 II and that is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras have the same body design (SLR-like (bridge)).

Before we go right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the SX1 IS scores versus the RX10 II with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Canon SX1 IS over the Sony RX10 II

 SX1 IS RX10 II 
Display typeFully ArticulatedTiltingFully Articulating display
Selfie screen Take selfies

Reasons to pick Sony RX10 II over the Canon SX1 IS

 RX10 II SX1 IS 
AnnouncedJune 2015March 2009Fresher by 75 months
Display dimensions3"2.8"Larger display (+0.2")
Display resolution1229k230kClearer display (+999k dot)

Common features in the Canon SX1 IS and Sony RX10 II

 SX1 IS RX10 II 
Manual focus Dial precise focus
Touch display Neither contains Touch display

Canon SX1 IS vs Sony RX10 II Physical Comparison

In case you're looking to carry your camera often, you will have to think about its weight and measurements. The Canon SX1 IS has got physical measurements of 128mm x 88mm x 88mm (5.0" x 3.5" x 3.5") along with a weight of 615 grams (1.36 lbs) while the Sony RX10 II has proportions of 129mm x 88mm x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0") accompanied by a weight of 813 grams (1.79 lbs).

Check out the Canon SX1 IS vs Sony RX10 II in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have during that time. Below is a front view scale comparison of the SX1 IS versus the RX10 II.

Canon SX1 IS vs Sony RX10 II size comparison

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the SX1 IS and RX10 II is 64 and 58 respectively.

Canon SX1 IS vs Sony RX10 II top view buttons comparison

Canon SX1 IS vs Sony RX10 II Sensor Comparison

Generally, its difficult to visualize the contrast between sensor sizing simply by looking at technical specs. The graphic underneath will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the SX1 IS and RX10 II.

As you can tell, both of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SX1 IS with its tinier sensor is going to make achieving bokeh more challenging and the Sony RX10 II will give more detail having an extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop images a bit more aggressively. The older SX1 IS is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.

Canon SX1 IS vs Sony RX10 II sensor size comparison

Canon SX1 IS vs Sony RX10 II Screen and ViewFinder

Canon SX1 IS vs Sony RX10 II Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Canon SX1 IS
Portrait photography with Sony RX10 II
46
focusing manually
flash sync speed is above average (1/500 seconds)
features face detect focus
saves RAW formats
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
71
focusing manually
MP count decent (20MP)
good sensor size (1")
provides face detection focus
delivers RAW formats
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Street Comparison

Canon SX1 IS as a Street photography camera
Sony RX10 II as a Street photography camera
56
screen can move to multiple angles
image stabilization (Optical)
saves RAW formats
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
more heavy than average (615g)
72
screen tilts up and down
has image stabilization (Optical)
good sensor size (1")
delivers RAW formats
weather sealing
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Canon SX1 IS
Sports photography with Sony RX10 II
33
amazing zoom range (28-560mm 20.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
painfully slow continuous shooting (4.0 frames per second)
sensor resolution low (10MP)
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect auto focus
68
silent shutter (1/32,000s)
has image stabilization (Optical)
MP count decent (20 megapixels)
good sensor size (1")
provides tracking autofocus
weather sealing
lacks phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Canon SX1 IS Travel photography details
Sony RX10 II Travel photography details
52
built-in flash
screen is selfie friendly
quite wide (28mm)
very long reach (560mm)
no Timelapse mode
more heavy than average (615g)
sensor resolution low (10MP)
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.8)
56
weather sealing
MP count decent (20MP)
built-in flash
rather wide (24mm)
no Timelapse recording
screen is not selfie friendly
slow max aperture (f2.8)
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Landscape Comparison

Canon SX1 IS Landscape photography features
Sony RX10 II Landscape photography features
44
focusing manually
quite wide (28mm)
screen is a good size (2.8 inches)
image stabilization (Optical)
saves RAW formats
can't switch lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.8)
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
no Timelapse mode
62
focusing manually
rather wide (24mm)
pretty good screen size (3")
has image stabilization (Optical)
MP count decent (20MP)
good sensor size (1")
delivers RAW formats
weather sealing
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f2.8)
no Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Canon SX1 IS Vlogging factors
Sony RX10 II Vlogging factors
57
quite wide (28mm)
screen is selfie friendly
image stabilization (Optical)
features face detect focus
good video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.8)
no microphone port
more heavy than average (615 grams)
31
rather wide (24mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
provides face detection focus
high res video (3840 x 2160 pxls)
comes with external microphone port
slow max aperture (f2.8)
screen is not selfie friendly
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Canon SX1 IS vs Sony RX10 II Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Canon SX1 IS and Sony RX10 II
 Canon PowerShot SX1 ISSony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 II
General Information
Make Canon Sony
Model type Canon PowerShot SX1 IS Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 II
Category Small Sensor Superzoom Large Sensor Superzoom
Launched 2009-03-27 2015-06-10
Body design SLR-like (bridge) SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor Information
Chip - Bionz X
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1"
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 13.2 x 8.8mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 116.2mm²
Sensor resolution 10 megapixel 20 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Max resolution 3648 x 2736 5472 x 3648
Max native ISO 1600 12800
Max enhanced ISO - 25600
Minimum native ISO 80 125
RAW files
Minimum enhanced ISO - 64
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch to focus
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Total focus points 9 25
Lens
Lens mount type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens zoom range 28-560mm (20.0x) 24-200mm (8.3x)
Max aperture f/2.8-5.7 f/2.8
Macro focusing distance 0cm 3cm
Crop factor 5.8 2.7
Screen
Range of screen Fully Articulated Tilting
Screen diagonal 2.8 inches 3 inches
Resolution of screen 230 thousand dot 1,229 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder resolution - 2,359 thousand dot
Viewfinder coverage - 100%
Viewfinder magnification - 0.7x
Features
Minimum shutter speed 15 seconds 30 seconds
Fastest shutter speed 1/3200 seconds 1/2000 seconds
Fastest silent shutter speed - 1/32000 seconds
Continuous shutter speed 4.0fps 14.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance 5.20 m 10.20 m
Flash options Auto, Fill-in, Red-Eye reduction, Slow Sync, Off Auto, fill-flash, slow sync, rear sync, off
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Fastest flash sync 1/500 seconds -
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (60, 30 fps) 3840 x 2160 (30p, 25p, 24p), 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 24p) ,1440 x 1080 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p)
Max video resolution 1920x1080 3840x2160
Video format MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
Microphone jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless None Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 615 grams (1.36 pounds) 813 grams (1.79 pounds)
Physical dimensions 128 x 88 x 88mm (5.0" x 3.5" x 3.5") 129 x 88 x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating not tested 70
DXO Color Depth rating not tested 23.0
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested 12.6
DXO Low light rating not tested 531
Other
Battery life - 400 images
Battery form - Battery Pack
Battery ID - NP-FW50
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec or custom) Yes (2 or 10 sec, continuous)
Time lapse recording
Storage media SD/SDHC/MMC card SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots One One
Pricing at release $600 $998