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Canon SX40 HS vs Sony WX500

Portability
64
Imaging
35
Features
50
Overall
41
Canon PowerShot SX40 HS front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX500 front
Portability
91
Imaging
43
Features
56
Overall
48

Canon SX40 HS vs Sony WX500 Key Specs

Canon SX40 HS
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fully Articulated Screen
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-840mm (F2.7-5.8) lens
  • 600g - 123 x 92 x 108mm
  • Announced September 2011
  • Old Model is Canon SX30 IS
  • Updated by Canon SX50 HS
Sony WX500
(Full Review)
  • 18MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 80 - 12800
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-720mm (F3.5-6.4) lens
  • 236g - 102 x 58 x 36mm
  • Released April 2015
  • Replaced the Sony WX350
Photography Glossary

Canon SX40 HS vs Sony WX500 Overview

Let's look a little more closely at the Canon SX40 HS versus Sony WX500, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by brands Canon and Sony. There exists a sizable gap between the image resolutions of the SX40 HS (12MP) and WX500 (18MP) but they come with the same exact sensor size (1/2.3").

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The SX40 HS was launched 4 years prior to the WX500 and that is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Canon SX40 HS being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony WX500 being a Compact camera.

Before going in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a concise summary of how the SX40 HS grades vs the WX500 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Canon SX40 HS over the Sony WX500

 SX40 HS WX500 
Manual focus More exact focusing
Display typeFully ArticulatedTiltingFully Articulating display
Selfie screen Easy selfies

Reasons to pick Sony WX500 over the Canon SX40 HS

 WX500 SX40 HS 
ReleasedApril 2015September 2011More recent by 43 months
Display sizing3"2.7"Larger display (+0.3")
Display resolution921k230kSharper display (+691k dot)

Common features in the Canon SX40 HS and Sony WX500

 SX40 HS WX500 
Touch display No Touch display

Canon SX40 HS vs Sony WX500 Physical Comparison

When you are looking to lug around your camera frequently, you're going to have to factor its weight and volume. The Canon SX40 HS has got outer measurements of 123mm x 92mm x 108mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 4.3") with a weight of 600 grams (1.32 lbs) whilst the Sony WX500 has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") and a weight of 236 grams (0.52 lbs).

Check out the Canon SX40 HS versus Sony WX500 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have attached during that time. Underneath is the front view size comparison of the SX40 HS compared to the WX500.

Canon SX40 HS vs Sony WX500 size comparison

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SX40 HS and WX500 is 64 and 91 respectively.

Canon SX40 HS vs Sony WX500 top view buttons comparison

Canon SX40 HS vs Sony WX500 Sensor Comparison

Typically, it can be tough to envision the gap between sensor measurements purely by reading through specifications. The visual underneath should give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the SX40 HS and WX500.

To sum up, each of the cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but not the same MP. You can anticipate the Sony WX500 to give extra detail utilizing its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop photos far more aggressively. The older SX40 HS is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.

Canon SX40 HS vs Sony WX500 sensor size comparison

Canon SX40 HS vs Sony WX500 Screen and ViewFinder

Canon SX40 HS vs Sony WX500 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Canon SX40 HS Portrait photography information
Sony WX500 Portrait photography information
41
you can focus manually
high flash sync speed (1/2,000s)
includes face detection autofocus
low resolution sensor (12MP)
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
39
decent MP (18 megapixels)
supports face detection focusing
lack of manual focus
no external flash support
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Canon SX40 HS
Street photography with Sony WX500
49
screen can move to multiple angles
built in image stabilization (Optical)
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
more heavy than others (600 grams)
69
screen tilts up and down
built in image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than average in class (236g)
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
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Sports Comparison

Canon SX40 HS Sports photography information
Sony WX500 Sports photography information
42
amazing zoom range (24-840mm 35.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
great battery power (380 per charge)
low resolution sensor (12 megapixels)
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect autofocus
57
great zoom range (24-720mm 30.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent MP (18MP)
supports tracking autofocus
good battery power (360 per charge)
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Canon SX40 HS
Travel photography with Sony WX500
54
great battery power (380 shots)
built-in flash
selfie friendly display
rather wide (24mm)
very long zoom (840mm)
doesn't have Timelapse function
more heavy than others (600 grams)
low resolution sensor (12MP)
slow maximum aperture (f2.7)
71
good battery power (360 shots)
lighter than average in class (236 grams)
decent MP (18 megapixels)
built-in flash
reasonably wide (24mm)
very long zoom (720mm)
doesn't have Timelapse mode
screen isn't selfie friendly
slow max aperture (f3.5)
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Landscape Comparison

Canon SX40 HS as a Landscape photography camera
Sony WX500 as a Landscape photography camera
38
you can focus manually
rather wide (24mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
great battery power (380 CIPA)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f2.7)
screen is small (2.7")
low resolution sensor (12 megapixels)
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
doesn't have Timelapse function
49
reasonably wide (24mm)
decent sized screen (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent MP (18 megapixels)
good battery power (360 shots)
lack of manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f3.5)
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
doesn't have Timelapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Canon SX40 HS Vlogging factors
Sony WX500 Vlogging factors
57
rather wide (24mm)
selfie friendly display
built in image stabilization (Optical)
includes face detection autofocus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
slow maximum aperture (f2.7)
doesn't have external microphone jack
more heavy than others (600g)
35
reasonably wide (24mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
supports face detection focusing
high video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lighter than average in class (236g)
slow max aperture (f3.5)
screen isn't selfie friendly
doesn't have external microphone jack
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Canon SX40 HS vs Sony WX500 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Canon SX40 HS and Sony WX500
 Canon PowerShot SX40 HSSony Cyber-shot DSC-WX500
General Information
Brand Name Canon Sony
Model Canon PowerShot SX40 HS Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX500
Class Small Sensor Superzoom Small Sensor Superzoom
Announced 2011-09-15 2015-04-14
Body design SLR-like (bridge) Compact
Sensor Information
Powered by - Bionz X
Sensor type BSI-CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area 28.1mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixel 18 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution 4000 x 3000 4896 x 3672
Maximum native ISO 3200 12800
Lowest native ISO 100 80
RAW support
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
AF continuous
AF single
AF tracking
AF selectice
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Number of focus points 9 -
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 24-840mm (35.0x) 24-720mm (30.0x)
Max aperture f/2.7-5.8 f/3.5-6.4
Macro focus distance 0cm 5cm
Focal length multiplier 5.8 5.8
Screen
Screen type Fully Articulated Tilting
Screen size 2.7 inch 3 inch
Resolution of screen 230k dot 921k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Screen tech PureColor II VA TFT LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Electronic None
Features
Lowest shutter speed 15s 30s
Highest shutter speed 1/3200s 1/2000s
Continuous shooting speed 10.0fps 10.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 7.00 m 5.40 m (with Auto ISO)
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Fill-in Auto, flash on, slow sync, flash off, rear sync
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
WB bracketing
Highest flash sync 1/2000s -
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (24fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps) 640 x 480 (30, 120 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 240 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 30p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (30p)
Maximum video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video data format MPEG-4, H.264 AVCHD, XAVC S
Microphone input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 600 gr (1.32 lb) 236 gr (0.52 lb)
Dimensions 123 x 92 x 108mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 4.3") 102 x 58 x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery life 380 photographs 360 photographs
Type of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model NB-10L NP-BX1
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom) Yes
Time lapse shooting
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo
Storage slots 1 1
Pricing at launch $330 $348