Canon SX240 HS vs Canon SX420 IS

Here, we will be reviewing the Canon SX240 HS and Canon SX420 IS, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras and both are offered by Canon. There exists a huge gap among the resolutions of the SX240 HS (12MP) and SX420 IS (20MP) but both cameras provide the identical sensor measurements (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SX240 HS was brought out 4 years earlier than the SX420 IS and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Canon SX240 HS being a Compact camera and the Canon SX420 IS being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a simple summary of how the SX240 HS matches up against the SX420 IS in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot SX240 HS and Canon PowerShot SX420 IS. The entire galleries are available at Canon SX240 HS Gallery and Canon SX420 IS Gallery.

In case you're going to lug around your camera regularly, you will need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Canon SX240 HS features exterior measurements of 106mm x 61mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 224 grams (0.49 lbs) while the Canon SX420 IS has dimensions of 104mm x 69mm x 85mm (4.1" x 2.7" x 3.3") having a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs).

Check the Canon SX240 HS and Canon SX420 IS in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have chosen during that time. The following is a front view scale comparison of the SX240 HS versus the SX420 IS.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SX240 HS and SX420 IS is 91 and 80 respectively.

More often than not, it can be difficult to imagine the gap in sensor measurements just by going through a spec sheet. The visual here should provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the SX240 HS and SX420 IS.

Clearly, both of the cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit different MP. You should expect the Canon SX420 IS to provide more detail having its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop pictures way more aggressively. The older SX240 HS will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.