Canon SX130 IS vs Canon SX540 HS

Following is a extended comparison of the Canon SX130 IS versus Canon SX540 HS, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras and both are offered by Canon. There is a large difference among the sensor resolutions of the SX130 IS (12MP) and SX540 HS (20MP) but both cameras provide the identical sensor measurements (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SX130 IS was brought out 6 years before the SX540 HS which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Canon SX130 IS being a Compact camera and the Canon SX540 HS being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going into a thorough comparison, here is a brief summary of how the SX130 IS scores against the SX540 HS in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Canon PowerShot SX130 IS & Canon PowerShot SX540 HS. The entire galleries are provided at Canon SX130 IS Gallery & Canon SX540 HS Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry around your camera often, you'll need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Canon SX130 IS comes with outside measurements of 113mm x 73mm x 46mm (4.4" x 2.9" x 1.8") with a weight of 308 grams (0.68 lbs) whilst the Canon SX540 HS has measurements of 120mm x 82mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.2" x 3.6") along with a weight of 442 grams (0.97 lbs).

Compare the Canon SX130 IS versus Canon SX540 HS in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the SX130 IS vs the SX540 HS.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the SX130 IS and SX540 HS is 85 and 69 respectively.

Usually, it's hard to visualise the gap in sensor sizes merely by researching a spec sheet. The pic here should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the SX130 IS and SX540 HS.

As you can see, both of those cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit not the same MP. You can count on the Canon SX540 HS to provide you with greater detail having its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures way more aggressively. The more aged SX130 IS will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.