Canon SX120 IS vs Pentax XG-1

The following is a thorough assessment of the Canon SX120 IS vs Pentax XG-1, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Canon and Pentax. There exists a sizable gap between the image resolutions of the SX120 IS (10MP) and XG-1 (16MP) and the SX120 IS (1/2.5") and XG-1 (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor sizing.

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The SX120 IS was manufactured 5 years before the XG-1 which is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Canon SX120 IS being a Compact camera and the Pentax XG-1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a concise overview of how the SX120 IS matches up versus the XG-1 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon PowerShot SX120 IS & Pentax XG-1. The entire galleries are viewable at Canon SX120 IS Gallery & Pentax XG-1 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to travel with your camera frequently, you need to consider its weight and size. The Canon SX120 IS has exterior measurements of 111mm x 71mm x 45mm (4.4" x 2.8" x 1.8") and a weight of 285 grams (0.63 lbs) whilst the Pentax XG-1 has specifications of 119mm x 89mm x 98mm (4.7" x 3.5" x 3.9") with a weight of 567 grams (1.25 lbs).

Check the Canon SX120 IS vs Pentax XG-1 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you use at that time. Below is the front view over all size comparison of the SX120 IS and the XG-1.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SX120 IS and XG-1 is 87 and 66 respectively.

Quite often, it is very hard to see the difference between sensor dimensions only by going over specifications. The image underneath might provide you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the SX120 IS and XG-1.

Plainly, each of the cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The SX120 IS featuring a tinier sensor will make achieving shallow DOF trickier and the Pentax XG-1 will offer you greater detail due to its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images much more aggressively. The more aged SX120 IS is going to be behind in sensor innovation.