Canon SX400 IS vs Sony HX99

Let's look a bit more in depth at the Canon SX400 IS and Sony HX99, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by companies Canon and Sony. The image resolution of the SX400 IS (16MP) and the HX99 (18MP) is relatively comparable but the SX400 IS (1/2.3") and HX99 (1/2.3-inch) boast different sensor measurements.

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The SX400 IS was unveiled 5 years earlier than the HX99 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before getting into a detailed comparison, here is a brief view of how the SX400 IS matches up against the HX99 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Canon PowerShot SX400 IS & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99. The full galleries are provided at Canon SX400 IS Gallery & Sony HX99 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to lug around your camera regularly, you're going to have to factor its weight and dimensions. The Canon SX400 IS enjoys exterior measurements of 104mm x 69mm x 80mm (4.1" x 2.7" x 3.1") with a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) while the Sony HX99 has dimensions of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") and a weight of 242 grams (0.53 lbs).

Examine the Canon SX400 IS and Sony HX99 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are working with at that moment. Below is a front view size comparison of the SX400 IS and the HX99.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the SX400 IS and HX99 is 81 and 91 respectively.

In many cases, its tough to imagine the difference in sensor measurements just by going through specifications. The graphic underneath may give you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the SX400 IS and HX99.

To sum up, both of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The SX400 IS using its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field easier and the Sony HX99 will produce more detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The older SX400 IS will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.