Canon PowerShot SX240 HS vs Samsung CL80: A Hands-On Comparison for Modern Photography Enthusiasts

Stepping into the compact camera world often means navigating a maze of choices, each promising something unique. Today, we pit two distinct compacts against each other - Canon’s PowerShot SX240 HS, a small sensor superzoom touted for its impressive reach, and Samsung’s CL80, a sleek ultracompact designed with portability and touchscreen ease in mind.

Having rigorously tested and compared thousands of cameras over 15 years, I’m eager to dive into how these two models truly stack up - through a professional lens and real-world shooting. Whether you’re a casual enthusiast, hobbyist, or professional looking for a backup camera, this comparison will guide you with detailed insights and honest evaluations.

First Impressions: Build, Size, and Handling

Before turning either camera on, the tactile feel and ergonomics are the first realm where usability is defined.

Size and Ergonomics

Here is the straightforward size comparison between the two models:

• Canon SX240 HS: This camera is a compact but solidly built device measuring 106 x 61 x 33 mm and weighing 224 g with batteries and card. It sits comfortably in hand, thanks to a slightly chunkier grip and reassuring heft that aids steady shooting.

• Samsung CL80: True to its “ultracompact” label, the CL80 is slimmer and lighter at 104 x 58 x 20 mm and 160 g. Its flat design, along with a touchscreen-dominated back, makes it very pocketable but less confident in grip.

My take: For those who prioritize portability, the CL80 wins with its slim profile. But I found the SX240 HS’s ergonomics superior for extended shooting, as the grip and button layout prevent hand fatigue - a small yet significant factor when spending hours behind the lens.

Design and Control Layout

Looking closer at control placement and operational usability:

• Canon SX240 HS: Traditional physical buttons and a mode dial give quick access to manual exposure controls, white balance, and shooting modes. The lack of an electronic viewfinder forces reliance on the rear screen, but it’s well-positioned for quick framing.

• Samsung CL80: The back is dominated by a capacitive 3.7-inch touchscreen with minimal physical buttons. Physical controls are nearly absent, streamlining the interface for users comfortable with touch navigation but frustrating for those desiring tactile feedback.

My hands-on observation: While the touchscreen enables intuitive operation, especially for newcomers, the lack of dedicated physical controls on the CL80 slows down action for fast-paced shooting scenarios like street or wildlife photography. Canon’s SX240 HS, with its mode dial and buttons, offers immediate adjustment - an advantage for enthusiasts and pros who want speed and precision.

Under the Hood: Sensor, Image Quality & Processing

The foundation of any camera’s performance lies in its sensor and image processor.

Sensor Specifications and Image Output

Both cameras use a 1/2.3-inch sensor size - a standard for compact cameras - with slight differences:

How this translates in practice:

• The Canon’s BSI-CMOS sensor offers better light-gathering efficiency and noise control compared to traditional CCDs. This sensor-technological edge generally translates to cleaner images and better low-light performance.

• Samsung’s CL80 sensor resolution is slightly higher (14 MP), but in my lab tests, the noise at higher ISOs was more pronounced, and images lacked the Canon's tonal subtlety.

• Both cameras apply an anti-aliasing filter, slightly softening images to avoid moiré but potentially reducing overall sharpness.

Image Processing and Color Fidelity

The Canon’s DIGIC 5 processor powers noise reduction, color science, and speed. I found the Canon to deliver more pleasing color balance with natural, vibrant skin tones in portrait situations and faithful landscape hues. Meanwhile, Samsung’s processor produced cooler tones, sometimes requiring more post-processing correction.

In practice: For portraits and everyday shooting, the Canon SX240 HS’s color reproduction and noise control create more trustworthy JPEGs straight out of the camera - a real benefit for travellers and casual shooters.

Live View and Viewing Experience

How we compose photos, especially without a viewfinder, determines much of the user-friendliness.

• Canon SX240 HS: Offers a fixed 3-inch PureColor II TFT LCD with 461k-dot resolution, sufficient brightness, and clarity in daylight.

• Samsung CL80: Features a larger 3.7-inch touchscreen but with a lower 230k-dot resolution, revealing coarser image preview and less detail when checking focus.

User perspective: The bigger screen on the CL80 is welcomed for menu navigation and reviewing photos. Yet in bright outdoor environments, the Canon’s sharper, brighter screen remains easier to see. Also, the touchscreen, while handy, occasionally missed precise touch-focus targets under stress - a minor annoyance.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed Performance

A camera’s autofocus system and shooting rates make or break its utility in dynamic situations.

Performance notes from field tests:

• The Canon SX240 HS has reasonably quick and consistent autofocus with nine selectable points and face detection. In daylight, it locked subject sharpness reliably, even tracking moderately moving objects.

• The Samsung CL80’s AF relies heavily on touch-screen focusing and lacks continuous tracking, making it less suited for action shots or wildlife photography.

• Continuous burst shooting is limited on both cameras, but Canon's 2 fps gives better chances of capturing fleeting moments than Samsung’s minimal burst capability.

Bottom line: The Canon SX240 HS is the more capable tool for subjects that move or when precise AF control matters.

Lens and Zoom Capabilities: Reach vs Versatility

Compact cameras are often chosen for zoom flexibility, so here’s how the optics compare:

The Canon SX240 HS’s 20x zoom far outmatches Samsung’s 7x zoom, making it ideal for wildlife, travel, and sports where reach is critical. The downside is the slower aperture at telephoto, which can hinder fast shutter speeds in dim light.

Samsung’s CL80 offers a shorter focal length but slightly faster aperture at the long end, favoring brighter, sharper telephotos within its zoom range.

From personal experience shooting birds and distant landscapes, the Canon felt more flexible and satisfying for framing tight shots without cropping in post.

Photography Discipline-by-Discipline Suitability

No two cameras serve all photography styles equally. Here’s my evaluation across a broad spectrum:

Portrait Photography

• Canon SX240 HS: The 20x zoom lets you isolate subjects nicely with soft background blur, though the small sensor limits natural bokeh quality. Face detection autofocus is reliable, delivering skin tones with warmth and accuracy.

• Samsung CL80: Lacks face detection, relying on center-spot AF and touchscreen focus. Skin tones need more tweaking post-capture, partially due to cooler color bias.

Winner: Canon for portraits, especially for casual or travel portraiture.

Landscape Photography

• Canon SX240 HS: Offers solid dynamic range for a sensor this size; manual exposure is accessible for HDR attempts. Optical image stabilization helps handheld shots moderate shutter speeds.

• Samsung CL80: Higher megapixels offer more resolution but at cost of noisier images in shadows. Wide-angle starts at 31 mm equivalent, less expansive than Canon’s 25 mm.

Winner: Tie, but Canon edges ahead for dynamic range and slightly wider field of view.

Wildlife Photography

• Canon SX240 HS: Burst mode, 20x zoom, and decent AF tracking are sufficient for casual wildlife shoots.

• Samsung CL80: Limited zoom and AF options restrict usability for wildlife, best reserved for static subjects.

Winner: Canon, hands down.

Sports Photography

• Canon SX240 HS: Limited burst speed constrains pro-level sports capture but fine for amateur action shots in good light.

• Samsung CL80: Not suited due to slow AF and limited zoom.

Winner: Canon.

Street Photography

• Canon SX240 HS: Bulkier body and zoom lens may draw attention, less discreet.

• Samsung CL80: Compact design and touchscreen ease make it a great pocket shooter for candid moments.

Winner: Samsung for street; discretion and quick touch operation are assets.

Macro Photography

• Both support 5 cm focusing, but neither excels due to small sensor limits on background separation.

Tie.

Night and Astro Photography

• Canon’s BSI-CMOS sensor and higher ISO capabilities deliver better low-light shots with less noise.

• Samsung’s CCD sensor and limited ISO control make it less flexible in dim settings.

Winner: Canon.

Video Capabilities

The Canon produces higher quality Full HD video and more modern compression, yielding better footage in all-around conditions. Samsung’s 720p and MJPEG compressions are more limited and file sizes larger.

Winner: Canon for video.

Travel Photography

Integrated across many of the above factors, the best travel camera balances zoom, image quality, battery life, and portability.

For travel enthusiasts valuing all-in-one versatility, the Canon packs more punch. For those prioritizing pocketable convenience and touchscreen friendliness, Samsung is a neat choice.

Professional Work

Neither camera supports RAW shooting or professional workflow features such as tethering or external microphone input - making them ill-suited as primary pro cameras. They may serve as backup or casual devices.

Build Quality and Durability

Neither camera offers weather sealing or rugged construction; their compact bodies excel in portability but require careful handling in adverse conditions.

Connectivity and Storage

Both depend on physical USB 2.0 connections for data transfer and have HDMI for playback on large screens. Wireless features (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC) are absent - a notable downside for modern workflows.

Storage type:

• Canon: SD/SDHC/SDXC cards.

• Samsung: MicroSD and internal memory.

Battery Life and Practical Usability

The Canon SX240 HS uses a rechargeable NB-6L lithium-ion battery rated for about 230 shots per charge - modest but workable. The Samsung’s battery life figures are unlisted, but I found it ran shorter in real use - likely due to bigger screen power demands.

Price and Value Summary

The Canon SX240 HS has been superseded by newer models but remains available at budget-friendly prices, often significantly cheaper than Samsung’s CL80 in resale markets.

Samsung’s CL80 debuted as a mid-tier ultracompact with touchscreen focus, appealing to casual users who prize convenience over manual controls or advanced features.

Hands-On Score Summary

To provide an at-a-glance assessment, here are my synthesized ratings based on practical testing:

Which Camera Excels in Each Photography Genre?

Here is a genre-specific summary to highlight niche strengths:

Real-World Sample Shots Comparison

Let’s put theory to practice with sample images (cropped for detail) taken under the same conditions - daylight portraits, landscapes, and telephoto shots.

Canon SX240 HS screen back Samsung CL80 front Samsung CL80 screen back

Upon close inspection, the Canon images show cleaner details, better color fidelity in skin tones, and superior dynamic range. Samsung’s images appear cooler with slightly higher noise at telephoto zoom.

Final Recommendations: Who Should Buy Which?

Buy the Canon PowerShot SX240 HS if:

• You want a versatile superzoom camera with manual control.
• You care about image quality, especially for portraits and wildlife.
• You need better low-light performance.
• You prefer physical buttons and an intuitive control layout.
• Video shooting at Full HD resolution is a priority.
• You appreciate balanced battery life and established lens quality.

Choose the Samsung CL80 if:

• You value pocketability and an ultracompact design above all.
• You like touchscreen interfaces and simplified shooting.
• Your photography is mostly casual and indoors or street scenes.
• You prioritize a large preview screen for easy framing and reviewing.
• You are less concerned about manual controls or extreme zoom coverage.

Closing Thoughts

In the arena of compact cameras, both the Canon SX240 HS and Samsung CL80 offer distinct appeals. My 15+ years of extensive camera testing tell me that the CanonSX240 HS stands out for enthusiasts who seek flexibility, solid image quality, and shooting control in a compact body. Meanwhile, the Samsung CL80 leverages its slim form factor and touchscreen to attract casual shooters who prize ease and portability.

Neither camera suits professional demands entirely, especially in the absence of RAW support or tethering, but both fulfill niches admirably. As always, real-world performance and personal shooting style should guide your choice - be sure you’re buying the best fit for your photographic goals.

Happy shooting!

If you found this comparison helpful, make sure to review sample photos and test the cameras personally whenever possible before deciding. Your satisfaction is the ultimate metric.