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Canon SX50 HS vs Pentax X-5

Portability
65
Imaging
36
Features
55
Overall
43
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS front
 
Pentax X-5 front
Portability
65
Imaging
40
Features
50
Overall
44

Canon SX50 HS vs Pentax X-5 Key Specs

Canon SX50 HS
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.8" Fully Articulated Display
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-1200mm (F3.4-6.5) lens
  • 595g - 123 x 87 x 106mm
  • Launched January 2013
  • Superseded the Canon SX40 HS
  • Replacement is Canon SX60 HS
Pentax X-5
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 22-580mm (F3.1-5.9) lens
  • 595g - 119 x 86 x 107mm
  • Revealed August 2012
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Canon SX50 HS vs Pentax X-5 Overview

Lets take a more detailed look at the Canon SX50 HS vs Pentax X-5, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by competitors Canon and Pentax. There exists a substantial gap among the resolutions of the SX50 HS (12MP) and X-5 (16MP) but they feature the same exact sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The SX50 HS was manufactured 5 months later than the X-5 which means that they are both of a similar age. Both the cameras offer the identical body type (SLR-like (bridge)).

Before getting through a detailed comparison, below is a brief introduction of how the SX50 HS scores versus the X-5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Canon SX50 HS over the Pentax X-5

 SX50 HS X-5 
Screen typeFully ArticulatedTiltingFully Articulating screen
Screen resolution461k460kClearer screen (+1k dot)
Selfie screen Easy selfies

Reasons to pick Pentax X-5 over the Canon SX50 HS

 X-5 SX50 HS 
Screen sizing3"2.8"Bigger screen (+0.2")

Common features in the Canon SX50 HS and Pentax X-5

 SX50 HS X-5 
RevealedJanuary 2013August 2012Same age
Manual focus More precise focusing
Touch friendly screen Lack of Touch friendly screen

Canon SX50 HS vs Pentax X-5 Physical Comparison

In case you're going to lug around your camera often, you're going to have to think about its weight and proportions. The Canon SX50 HS comes with external dimensions of 123mm x 87mm x 106mm (4.8" x 3.4" x 4.2") along with a weight of 595 grams (1.31 lbs) whilst the Pentax X-5 has measurements of 119mm x 86mm x 107mm (4.7" x 3.4" x 4.2") with a weight of 595 grams (1.31 lbs).

Check out the Canon SX50 HS vs Pentax X-5 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are working with at the time. Following is the front view overall size comparison of the SX50 HS against the X-5.

Canon SX50 HS vs Pentax X-5 size comparison

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SX50 HS and X-5 is 65 and 65 respectively.

Canon SX50 HS vs Pentax X-5 top view buttons comparison

Canon SX50 HS vs Pentax X-5 Sensor Comparison

Normally, its tough to picture the contrast in sensor measurements just by going through a spec sheet. The visual underneath should offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the SX50 HS and X-5.

As you can see, both the cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing albeit different megapixels. You can count on the Pentax X-5 to provide more detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will help you crop photographs far more aggressively.

Canon SX50 HS vs Pentax X-5 sensor size comparison

Canon SX50 HS vs Pentax X-5 Screen and ViewFinder

Canon SX50 HS vs Pentax X-5 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Canon SX50 HS Portrait photography advice
Pentax X-5 Portrait photography advice
48
you can focus manually
above average flash sync (1/2,000s)
offers face detection focusing
supports RAW formats
sensor resolution not great (12MP)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
44
has manual focus
good MP (16 megapixels)
includes face detection focusing
no external flash support
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support
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Street Comparison

Canon SX50 HS Street photography advice
Pentax X-5 Street photography advice
57
screen articulates
image stabilization (Optical)
supports RAW formats
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
heavier than others (595 grams)
50
screen tilts up and down
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support
more heavy than average (595g)
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Sports Comparison

Canon SX50 HS Sports photography features
Pentax X-5 Sports photography features
39
long zoom range (24-1200mm 50.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
offers tracking autofocus
slow frames per second (2.0 fps)
sensor resolution not great (12MP)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
has no phase detect AF
53
long zoom range (22-580mm 26.4 x zoom)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
good MP (16 megapixels)
includes tracking autofocus
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Canon SX50 HS
Travel photography with Pentax X-5
53
built-in flash
screen is selfie friendly
reasonably wide (24mm)
long reach (1200mm)
doesn't have Time Lapse mode
heavier than others (595 grams)
sensor resolution not great (12MP)
sluggish max aperture (f3.4)
54
good MP (16 megapixels)
built-in flash
decently wide (22mm)
great zoom (580mm)
does not have Timelapse function
more heavy than average (595 grams)
display isn't selfie friendly
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.1)
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Landscape Comparison

Canon SX50 HS Landscape photography features
Pentax X-5 Landscape photography features
45
you can focus manually
reasonably wide (24mm)
screen size is decent (2.8 inches)
image stabilization (Optical)
supports RAW formats
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f3.4)
sensor resolution not great (12 megapixels)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
doesn't have Time Lapse mode
47
has manual focus
decently wide (22mm)
screen is a good size (3 inches)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
good MP (16 megapixels)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.1)
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support
does not have Timelapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Canon SX50 HS as a Vlogging camera
Pentax X-5 as a Vlogging camera
58
reasonably wide (24mm)
screen is selfie friendly
image stabilization (Optical)
offers face detection focusing
video res high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
sluggish max aperture (f3.4)
doesn't have external mic socket
heavier than others (595g)
27
decently wide (22mm)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
includes face detection focusing
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.1)
display isn't selfie friendly
does not have external microphone jack
more heavy than average (595 grams)
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Canon SX50 HS vs Pentax X-5 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Canon SX50 HS and Pentax X-5
 Canon PowerShot SX50 HSPentax X-5
General Information
Manufacturer Canon Pentax
Model Canon PowerShot SX50 HS Pentax X-5
Category Small Sensor Superzoom Small Sensor Superzoom
Launched 2013-01-15 2012-08-22
Body design SLR-like (bridge) SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor Information
Powered by Digic 5 -
Sensor type BSI-CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor surface area 28.1mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixel 16 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3 and 16:9
Highest Possible resolution 4000 x 3000 4608 x 3456
Maximum native ISO 6400 6400
Min native ISO 80 100
RAW files
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
AF continuous
AF single
Tracking AF
AF selectice
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Number of focus points 9 9
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 24-1200mm (50.0x) 22-580mm (26.4x)
Maximum aperture f/3.4-6.5 f/3.1-5.9
Macro focus distance 0cm 1cm
Crop factor 5.8 5.9
Screen
Display type Fully Articulated Tilting
Display sizing 2.8" 3"
Resolution of display 461k dot 460k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder resolution 202k dot 230k dot
Viewfinder coverage 100 percent -
Features
Min shutter speed 15s 4s
Max shutter speed 1/2000s 1/1500s
Continuous shutter speed 2.0 frames/s 10.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Change WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 5.50 m 9.10 m
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Second Curtain -
External flash
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Max flash sync 1/2000s -
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (24 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video data format H.264 Motion JPEG
Microphone input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless None Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 595 grams (1.31 lb) 595 grams (1.31 lb)
Dimensions 123 x 87 x 106mm (4.8" x 3.4" x 4.2") 119 x 86 x 107mm (4.7" x 3.4" x 4.2")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score 47 not tested
DXO Color Depth score 20.3 not tested
DXO Dynamic range score 11.2 not tested
DXO Low light score 179 not tested
Other
Battery life 315 pictures 330 pictures
Form of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model NB-10L 4 x AA
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Storage media SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage slots One One
Retail pricing $429 $230