Canon SX400 IS vs Sony WX70: A Compact Camera Face-Off for the Everyday Photographer

In the realm of entry-level compact cameras - specifically those with small sensors and fixed zoom lenses - finding the perfect match can be surprisingly nuanced. Today, we’re diving deep into a head-to-head comparison of two such contenders that might have caught your eye in the bargain bin or on clearance racks: the Canon PowerShot SX400 IS and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX70.

Though these cameras hail from slightly different generations (the SX400 IS announced mid-2014 and the WX70 back in early 2012), they both fit the bill for compact, travel-friendly shooters aiming to capture everyday moments without the fiddly complexity (or heft) of interchangeable lens systems.

I’ve spent considerable time with both models, pushing their buttons, zooming through landscapes, and even sneaking in a few street shots. What follows is an honest, hands-on comparison that cuts through specs sheets and marketing fluff to answer the question: Which of these compacts deserves your pocket?

Getting to Know the Players: Canon SX400 IS vs Sony WX70

Before dissecting details, here’s the quick and dirty on what you’re working with:

• Canon SX400 IS

  • Sensor: 1/2.3” CCD, 16 MP
  • Zoom: 30x (24-720 mm equivalent)
  • Screen: 3” fixed, 230k dots
  • Video: 720p at 25fps
  • Weight: 313g
  • Battery life: 190 shots
  • Price new (at release): ~ $229

• Sony WX70

  • Sensor: 1/2.3” BSI-CMOS, 16 MP
  • Zoom: 5x (25-125 mm equivalent)
  • Screen: 3” fixed touch, 922k dots
  • Video: Full HD 1080p at 60fps
  • Weight: 114g
  • Battery life: 240 shots
  • Price new (at release): ~ $242

On paper, it’s clear that Canon bets on brute zoom range and optical stabilization, while Sony favors image technology, higher-resolution screens, and better video specs - all packed into a slim and noticeably lighter body.

Let’s start our comparison from the ground up, beginning with the ergonomics and physical design - because the best camera in the world isn’t worth much if it doesn’t feel right in your hands.

Size and Handling: Bulk vs. Portability

If you’re the type who burdens your pockets with just the necessities, Canon’s SX400 IS might feel like a chunky guest at an all-you-can-fit appetizer party. Measuring roughly 104 x 69 x 80 mm and weighing 313 grams, it’s certainly heftier and chunkier than the Sony WX70, slim and svelte at 92 x 52 x 19 mm and a mere 114 grams. I mean, the Canon doubles the Sony in weight and thickness.

What does that mean in practice? The SX400 IS feels more solid, offering a reassuring grip with raised contours and a slight bulge optimized for your right hand. For users with larger digits or those who constantly wrestle with hold stability, this bulk is a blessing. The camera doesn’t flinch in your palm, letting you focus on your shot.

The WX70, on the other hand, is the quintessential slimline pocket camera: light enough to forget you’re carrying it and unobtrusive enough for candid street photography where a big camera screams “professional tourist.” However, that thinness can affect grip comfort and stability, especially when shooting at full zoom or in low light.

One caveat is that the WX70's ultra-thin body results in some physical compromises - buttons are smaller and placed tightly, which took me a bit to get used to. The Canon’s bulk facilitates larger, better-spaced controls.

For travelers, the WX70’s portability can be a game changer, though those prioritizing steadiness and ergonomics might prefer the heftier Canon.

Control Layout and Usability: Intuitive or Intimidating?

The Canon SX400 IS sticks to a straightforward approach with a top-plate dial, a zoom rocker around the shutter release, and dedicated buttons for video and playback. The control layout offers tactile satisfaction - buttons are clicky but solid, allowing operation without looking (always a plus when your eye is glued to the action).

Conversely, the Sony WX70 leans into minimalism with flat, membrane-style buttons that sometimes begged for a firmer press. However, it does make up for this with a modern touch interface: its touchscreen LCD allows menu navigation and focus point selection directly on-screen, a convenience that the Canon sorely lacks.

From a usability perspective, if you enjoy tactile feedback and quicker button access, the Canon’s layout edges out. But if you prefer swipe-and-tap simplicity - even on a compact without dials - Sony’s touchscreen is far more versatile.

Neither camera offers manual focus controls or advanced exposure modes (no shutter or aperture priority), which fits their intended user base but limits creative control - more on that later.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Both the Canon SX400 IS and Sony WX70 employ 1/2.3" sensors sized at roughly 6.17 x 4.55 mm, a standard for compact cameras. However, the type of sensor technology differs significantly:

• Canon uses a CCD sensor, a tried and tested technology known historically for pleasant color rendition but typically higher noise levels at elevated ISOs.
• Sony’s sensor is a BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated CMOS) design - more modern, enabling better light capture efficiency and improved low-light performance.

In practical shooting, this means:

• Canon SX400 IS produces images with good color fidelity at base ISO (100-200) but becomes noisy and fuzzy by ISO 400 and unusable past 800. The CCD sensor’s limitations in low light are evident, something I personally found frustrating during indoor and night shoots.
• Sony WX70 handles noise much better thanks to BSI-CMOS, delivering more usable shots at ISO 800 and even at ISO 1600, where Canon’s images start degrading severely. The Sony’s sensor also supports a maximum native ISO of 12800 (though practically, you wouldn’t want to push it that far), whereas Canon caps at 1600.

Both cameras crop to a max resolution of 16 megapixels, outputting 4608x3456 images - sufficient for casual prints and social sharing, but not ideal for large enlargements or high-end cropping.

I observed that Sony’s images tend to have slightly crisper detail and punchier contrast, likely helped by better in-camera processing thanks to the BIONZ engine, compared to Canon’s dated DIGIC 4+.

While neither camera supports RAW capture (a disappointment for enthusiasts wanting post-processing control), their JPEG output differs sufficiently: Sony’s files are cleaner with more latitude for editing.

Image stabilization is optical on both - Canon’s “IS” and Sony’s “Optical SteadyShot” - effectively counteracting hand shake in daylight but limited at long zooms or slow shutter speeds.

For landscape and daylight shooting, your choice depends largely on your tolerance for noise: Sony’s WX70 will edge out for cleaner images and higher ISO flexibility.

Screen and Viewfinder: Seeing is Believing

With no electronic or optical viewfinders on either model (a common trade-off in slim small-sensor cameras), your shooting experience is anchored on their LCD screens.

Canon SX400 IS sports a fixed 3-inch LCD with just 230k dots. This low resolution translates into a less detailed and sometimes grainy preview, especially in bright sunlight when reflections become an issue. I found myself frequently squinting or second-guessing exposure and focus due to this limitation.

In contrast, Sony’s WX70 features a 3-inch XtraFine TFT touchscreen with 922k dots - that’s four times the pixel density of Canon’s display, resulting in a gorgeous, sharp preview. This makes framing and reviewing images much more pleasant and accurate.

Additionally, Sony’s touchscreen allows focus point selection and menu navigation by touch - something Canon’s interface notably lacks.

If you’re serious about composing precise shots or want a camera with an interface that feels modern and less button-dependent, Sony takes this round hands down.

Lens and Zoom Range: Superzoom Showdown

Here’s where things get spicy.

• Canon SX400 IS boasts a gigantic 30x zoom covering 24-720 mm equivalent focal lengths. That’s an enormous reach covering anything from wide-angle landscapes to distant subjects like wildlife or details on urban landmarks.
• Sony WX70 offers a much more modest 5x zoom ranging from 25-125 mm - suitable for everyday scenes and close-ups but nothing approaching superzoom territory.

In my shooting experience, the Canon’s zoom versatility made it a dependable all-in-one tool for travel photographers wanting to skip swapping lenses. But there’s a catch: zooming to 720mm comes at the cost of sharpness and substantial image degradation, particularly in lower light or when hand-holding without a tripod.

The Sony’s shorter zoom, while less flexible, delivers consistently sharper results through its range, benefiting from a lens optimized for clarity and brightness (thanks to a wider aperture, f/2.6 at the wide end versus Canon’s f/3.4). This lens brightness helps in low light and gives some creative bokeh potential, albeit limited by sensor size.

So, zoom fanatics and wildlife shooters might lean towards Canon’s monstrous zoom. Those prioritizing image quality and lens speed would appreciate Sony’s more balanced, albeit less far-reaching, optics.

Autofocus Performance: Hunting for Sharpness

Both cameras rely on contrast-detect autofocus, typical for compacts in their era.

The Canon SX400 IS has 9 focus points and offers face detection and basic continuous AF during live view, but it can be a bit slow and uncertain in tricky light - especially at full zoom where focus hunting becomes noticeable. Its AF tracking is rudimentary and often loses fast-moving subjects.

The Sony WX70 doesn’t publish the number of focus points but provides face detection and eye AF (though no animal detection). Its AF performance is generally faster and more reliable in daylight thanks to the more modern processor and sensor combo. However, it lacks continuous AF during still shooting and may lag in very low light.

For fast-paced subjects - say, kids or pets running around the park - neither camera is ideal, but Sony’s autofocus felt a tad snappier in my tests. The Canon’s slower AF could frustrate if you’re keen on nailing sharp wildlife or sports action.

Burst Shooting and Video: Capturing Motion

Burst mode performance is another domain where the cameras diverge:

• Canon SX400 IS offers a sluggish 1 fps continuous shooting, effectively limiting it to casual snapping.
• Sony WX70 impresses with a much faster 10 fps burst at full resolution but with the caveat that it uses single AF per shot (no continuous AF during burst).

If you want to document fleeting moments or quick sequences - bursts of kids playing or a sports highlight - Sony’s superior frame rate is a massive plus.

Video-wise, the Sony WX70 again pulls ahead, offering up to 1920x1080p at 60fps (Full HD) in AVCHD or MPEG-4 formats, with smooth motion capture and decent stabilization. Canon’s SX400 IS maxes out at 720p at 25fps, which by modern standards feels dated and less usable for casual video recording.

Neither camera offers microphone or headphone ports, meaning audio quality is basic, but Sony’s HD video specs make it far the better choice for multimedia users.

Battery Life and Storage: Staying Powered and Saving Shots

Battery life is respectable on both, though:

• Canon SX400 IS rated at roughly 190 shots per charge (CIPA standard). In use, this felt realistic, but the power-hungry LCD and extended zoom meant carrying spare batteries for longer days.
• Sony WX70 rated higher at 240 shots per charge and, supported by lighter electronics and more efficient sensor/processors, it tends to stretch out more during a day's shooting.

On storage, both support SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, Sony also adds compatibility with Memory Stick Duo formats (typical Sony dual boot). Options are flexible but neither supports dual card slots.

Connectivity and Extras: Missing Modern Bells and Whistles

Neither camera shines for connectivity - no Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or NFC on either. No GPS either, which could disappoint travelers wanting geotagging.

Ports are minimal: the Sony features an HDMI out (nice for viewing on TVs), whereas Canon lacks this. Both have USB 2.0 for data transfer but no remote control ports or flash sync.

This modest connectivity profile matches their "entry-level" market position.

Durability and Build: Not Weather-Resistant Warriors

Both cameras are straightforward compacts with no environmental sealing - no dustproof, waterproof, or shockproof certifications. So, caution in adverse weather or rugged environments is advised.

Putting It All Together: Performance Ratings and Specialty Genres

Evaluating across core camera metrics: image quality, autofocus, burst speed, video capabilities, battery life, ergonomics, and lens flexibility - the scores tell a nuanced story.

While neither camera excels overall compared to modern compacts, the Sony WX70 scores higher in image quality, video, and burst mode, balanced against better battery and a touchscreen interface.

The Canon SX400 IS dominates long zoom range and ergonomics, offering more reach and a more comfortable hand grip but lags in speed, video, and display resolution.

Performance by Photography Genre

Let’s get practical and see which camera suits particular photographic disciplines:

• Portraits: Both lack manual aperture control and RAW, limiting creative control. Sony’s better screen and autofocus tracking edges out Canon for casual portraits.
• Landscape: Canon’s long zoom enables framing distant landmarks; however, Sony’s cleaner images and finer detail at base ISO are preferable. Lack of RAW in both is a downside.
• Wildlife: Canon’s extended zoom advantage is compelling, but autofocus sluggishness and low burst rate restricts success. Sony’s faster shooting helps but zoom is limited.
• Sports: Neither ideal, but Sony’s 10fps burst and better AF responsiveness give it an edge for slow recreational sports.
• Street: Sony’s smaller size, lighter weight, and touchscreen win for discretion and agility.
• Macro: Sony focuses down to 5cm vs. Canon’s nominal “0cm” macro claims. Sony is better suited for close-ups.
• Night/Astro: Sony’s BSI sensor and high ISO capability make handheld night shots more feasible.
• Video: No contest - Sony’s Full HD 60fps vs Canon’s 720p 25fps.
• Travel: Sony trades zoom for portability; Canon’s bigger body and zoom lend versatility but at a cost.
• Professional use: Neither is a true pro tool due to lack of RAW, control, and ruggedness.

Real-World Shooting Takeaways

I recall bringing both cameras to a weekend trip:

• The Canon SX400 IS was a champ for capturing the cityscape from a distance, locking down faraway architectural details without swapping gear. But its bulk made me reluctant to grab it mid-walk, and images required careful lighting conditions.
• The Sony WX70 accompanied me on street walks and cafe visits, where its discreet, lightweight form factor and responsive screen felt intuitive. Video snippets looked surprisingly good and smooth, perfect for casual sharing.

Both have their niches, but in daily use, Sony’s flexibility and modern features made it my default carry, while Canon was the “special occasion” telephoto backup.

Pricing and Value: What’s Your Budget Telling You?

At release, both sat close in price - roughly $230-$240 - but Sony’s WX70 offered more advanced technology in areas that often annoy casual photographers: video, screen, and burst. The Canon’s zoom power is a niche feature in this class, valuable if you need that reach.

Today, these cameras mostly show up used or as budget options, so factor in condition and availability.

Wrapping It Up: Which Should You Choose?

If you’ve stuck with me this far, here’s the bottom line:

Both cameras serve specific niches well, but with current market expectations, the Sony WX70 offers a more balanced and enjoyable overall experience for most users - especially if you value video and everyday ease.

The Canon SX400 IS’s massive zoom is compelling, but the trade-offs in screen quality, sluggish burst, and outdated sensor keep it in specialty territory.

Final Thoughts and Alternatives

Neither camera will wow seasoned pros or enthusiasts craving manual control or RAW output, but they make decent budget-friendly options for beginners or secondary travel cameras.

If you’re seriously considering small sensor compacts today, alternatives like Canon’s SX620 HS or Sony’s WX500 provide better sensors, RAW shooting, Wi-Fi connectivity, and improved autofocus - albeit at higher prices.

Still, revisiting the SX400 IS and WX70 can teach us a lot about trade-offs between zoom reach, image quality, and usability, reminding us that not all compacts are created equal.

Sample Images: Visual Evidence Speaks Louder

To conclude, take a look at some real-world sample shots from both cameras (including indoor, outdoor, zoom extremes, and low light) so you see their strengths and limitations side by side.

Canon SX400 IS front Canon SX400 IS screen back Sony WX70 front Sony WX70 screen back

Ultimately, your choice hinges on what matters more: friendly handling and zoom power (Canon) or modern image processing, video quality, and a slick interface (Sony). Both carve out distinct roles in compact camera history, and I hope this comprehensive comparison helps you decide which aligns best with your photographic adventures.

Happy shooting!