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Canon SX20 IS vs Sony A6400

Portability
65
Imaging
35
Features
40
Overall
37
Canon PowerShot SX20 IS front
 
Sony Alpha a6400 front
Portability
83
Imaging
68
Features
88
Overall
76

Canon SX20 IS vs Sony A6400 Key Specs

Canon SX20 IS
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.5" Fully Articulated Display
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 28-560mm (F2.8-5.7) lens
  • 600g - 128 x 88 x 87mm
  • Announced July 2010
  • Succeeded the Canon SX10 IS
  • Replacement is Canon SX30 IS
Sony A6400
(Full Review)
  • 24MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 100 - 32000 (Bump to 102400)
  • 3840 x 2160 video
  • Sony E Mount
  • 403g - 120 x 67 x 50mm
  • Launched January 2019
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Canon SX20 IS vs Sony A6400 Overview

Let's look a bit more closely at the Canon SX20 IS vs Sony A6400, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Advanced Mirrorless by manufacturers Canon and Sony. There exists a crucial gap between the resolutions of the SX20 IS (12MP) and A6400 (24MP) and the SX20 IS (1/2.3") and A6400 (APS-C) have different sensor size.

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The SX20 IS was announced 9 years prior to the A6400 which is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Canon SX20 IS being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony A6400 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going right into a full comparison, here is a short overview of how the SX20 IS matches up versus the A6400 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

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Reasons to pick Canon SX20 IS over the Sony A6400

 SX20 IS A6400 
Screen typeFully ArticulatedTiltingFully Articulating screen

Reasons to pick Sony A6400 over the Canon SX20 IS

 A6400 SX20 IS 
LaunchedJanuary 2019July 2010Newer by 103 months
Screen size3"2.5"Bigger screen (+0.5")
Screen resolution922k230kClearer screen (+692k dot)
Touch screen Quickly navigate

Common features in the Canon SX20 IS and Sony A6400

 SX20 IS A6400 
Manually focus Dial exact focus
Selfie screen Both good for selfies

Canon SX20 IS vs Sony A6400 Physical Comparison

If you are looking to travel with your camera, you have to consider its weight and volume. The Canon SX20 IS features external dimensions of 128mm x 88mm x 87mm (5.0" x 3.5" x 3.4") having a weight of 600 grams (1.32 lbs) whilst the Sony A6400 has sizing of 120mm x 67mm x 50mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 2.0") with a weight of 403 grams (0.89 lbs).

Contrast the Canon SX20 IS vs Sony A6400 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use at that moment. Underneath is a front view measurement comparison of the SX20 IS and the A6400.

Canon SX20 IS vs Sony A6400 size comparison

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SX20 IS and A6400 is 65 and 83 respectively.

Canon SX20 IS vs Sony A6400 top view buttons comparison

Canon SX20 IS vs Sony A6400 Sensor Comparison

More often than not, it is very hard to imagine the contrast between sensor dimensions simply by reading technical specs. The image here might provide you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the SX20 IS and A6400.

As you have seen, both of these cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The SX20 IS using its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF trickier and the Sony A6400 will offer greater detail with its extra 12 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop shots way more aggressively. The more aged SX20 IS is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.

Canon SX20 IS vs Sony A6400 sensor size comparison

Canon SX20 IS vs Sony A6400 Screen and ViewFinder

Canon SX20 IS vs Sony A6400 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Canon SX20 IS Portrait photography information
Sony A6400 Portrait photography information
37
focusing manually
flash sync speed is above average (1/500 seconds)
sensor resolution low (12MP)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
80
focusing manually
good resolution (24MP)
good sensor size (APS-C)
features face detection focus
saves RAW files
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Street Comparison

Canon SX20 IS Street photography information
Sony A6400 Street photography information
49
screen can move to multiple angles
image stabilization (Optical)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
heavier than others (600 grams)
81
screen tilts up and down
good sensor size (APS-C)
saves RAW files
provides touch to focus
weather sealing
very good high ISO (32,000)
no image stabilization
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Sports Comparison

Canon SX20 IS Sports photography factors
Sony A6400 Sports photography factors
34
long zoom range (28-560mm 20.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
max frames per second low (1.0 frames/s)
sensor resolution low (12 megapixels)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect autofocus
75
good resolution (24 megapixels)
good sensor size (APS-C)
features tracking autofocus
weather sealing
comes with phase detect auto focus
no image stabilization
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Travel Comparison

Canon SX20 IS as a Travel photography camera
Sony A6400 as a Travel photography camera
53
built-in flash
selfie friendly screen
quite wide (28mm)
long zoom (560mm)
lack of Time Lapse function
heavier than others (600g)
sensor resolution low (12 megapixels)
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.8)
86
weather sealing
connects via bluetooth
provides touch to focus
good resolution (24 megapixels)
flash built-in
display is selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Canon SX20 IS as a Landscape photography camera
Sony A6400 as a Landscape photography camera
35
focusing manually
quite wide (28mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.8)
screen is small (2.5 inches)
sensor resolution low (12MP)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
lack of Time Lapse function
79
focusing manually
interchangeable lenses (Sony E mount)
nice screen size (3 inch)
good resolution (24 megapixels)
good sensor size (APS-C)
very good high ISO (32,000)
saves RAW files
weather sealing
no image stabilization
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Vlogging Comparison

Canon SX20 IS Vlogging information
Sony A6400 Vlogging information
50
quite wide (28mm)
selfie friendly screen
image stabilization (Optical)
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.8)
video resolution low (1280 x 720 resolution)
lack of mic support
heavier than others (600 grams)
80
display is selfie friendly
touch screen
features face detection focus
high quality video (3840 x 2160 pixels)
does have external microphone port
no image stabilization
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Canon SX20 IS vs Sony A6400 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Canon SX20 IS and Sony A6400
 Canon PowerShot SX20 ISSony Alpha a6400
General Information
Manufacturer Canon Sony
Model Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Sony Alpha a6400
Class Small Sensor Superzoom Advanced Mirrorless
Announced 2010-07-06 2019-01-15
Body design SLR-like (bridge) Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Chip Digic 4 Bionz X
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" APS-C
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 23.5 x 15.6mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 366.6mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixel 24 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 and 16:9 1:1, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution 4000 x 3000 6000 x 4000
Maximum native ISO 1600 32000
Maximum boosted ISO - 102400
Minimum native ISO 80 100
RAW data
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch to focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Number of focus points 9 425
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens Sony E
Lens focal range 28-560mm (20.0x) -
Maximum aperture f/2.8-5.7 -
Macro focus distance 0cm -
Amount of lenses - 121
Crop factor 5.8 1.5
Screen
Range of display Fully Articulated Tilting
Display size 2.5 inch 3 inch
Display resolution 230 thousand dot 922 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
Slowest shutter speed 15s 30s
Maximum shutter speed 1/3200s 1/4000s
Continuous shooting speed 1.0fps 11.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range 6.80 m 6.00 m (at ISO 100)
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Fill-in Off, auto, on, slow sync, rear sync, redeye reduction, wireless, hi-speed sync
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Maximum flash sync 1/500s -
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps) 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps) 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
Maximum video resolution 1280x720 3840x2160
Video data format H.264 MPEG-4, H.264, 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 proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 600 grams (1.32 pounds) 403 grams (0.89 pounds)
Physical dimensions 128 x 88 x 87mm (5.0" x 3.5" x 3.4") 120 x 67 x 50mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 2.0")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested 83
DXO Color Depth score not tested 24.0
DXO Dynamic range score not tested 13.6
DXO Low light score not tested 1431
Other
Battery life - 410 photographs
Battery form - Battery Pack
Battery model 4 x AA NP-FW50
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom) Yes
Time lapse feature
Storage media SD / SDHC / MMC / MMC Plus / HC MMC Plus SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick DUO (UHS-I compliant)
Storage slots Single Single
Cost at launch $500 $898