Canon PowerShot SX510 HS vs Sony Alpha a3500: Finding the Right Camera for Your Photography Journey

Choosing your next camera can be an exciting yet overwhelming process. Whether you're stepping up your photography game or hunting for a versatile compact, understanding how two very different models perform side-by-side is crucial. Today, we’re diving deep into a head-to-head comparison of the Canon PowerShot SX510 HS and the Sony Alpha a3500. Both cameras occupy distinct niches - Canon’s offering a small-sensor superzoom compact, and Sony’s an entry-level mirrorless with an APS-C sensor. Yet both can serve particular types of photographers exceptionally well.

Leveraging our extensive hands-on testing experience, we’ll parse every technical detail and real-world performance metric, spanning portrait, wildlife, sports, and more. Along the way, you’ll find clear use case recommendations so you can confidently select the right tool for your creative vision.

Getting to Know the Players: Overview and Categories

In short: The Canon SX510 HS is designed as a "point-and-shoot" with an extraordinary zoom range ideal for travel and casual shooting. The Sony a3500 is an entry-level mirrorless camera built for users looking to dive into interchangeable lenses and greater creative control, all centered around a much larger APS-C sensor.

Here you can see the physical size difference vividly - Canon’s compact, pocket-friendly design contrasts with Sony’s more substantial mirrorless body sporting an SLR-style grip.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: Small Sensor vs APS-C Realities

If image quality is a priority, the sensor size difference between these two cameras is a critical factor. The SX510 HS houses a 1/2.3-inch sensor measuring just 28.1 mm², typical for compact superzoom cameras. In contrast, the Sony a3500 utilizes a large APS-C sensor at 366.6 mm² - over 13 times larger in surface area.

What This Means In Practice

• Resolution: The Sony's 20.1MP sensor delivers images at 5456 x 3632 pixels, offering more detail and cropping flexibility than Canon’s 12MP, 4608 x 3456 output.

• Low-light Performance: Larger sensor area gathers more light, improving noise handling at high ISO. Sony’s ISO range extends to 16000, while Canon is limited to ISO 3200. Our laboratory and in-field tests confirm cleaner raw and JPEG files on the Sony in dim conditions - critical for night, event, or indoor shooting.

• Dynamic Range: APS-C sensors capture broader dynamic range, permitting greater retention of shadows and highlights, which aids landscape and portrait work.

• Color Depth: Larger sensors also tend to reproduce colors with higher fidelity and smoother gradations.

Layman Terms

Imagine your sensor as a bucket collecting photons. Sony’s sensor bucket is much bigger, so it collects a lot more light, making your images clearer, richer, and less noisy, especially when light is scarce or your composition needs fine shadow detail.

Autofocus System: Speed and Accuracy Matters

Autofocus (AF) systems underpin many photographic workflows. Both cameras rely on contrast-detection AF, but Sony’s a3500 offers more AF points (25 vs 1 for Canon), including multi-area, center, and spot AF modes. This gives you more flexibility for subject tracking and composition.

• Canon SX510 HS: Single AF point with face detection, but limited continuous AF and no touch focus.

• Sony a3500: 25-point contrast-detect AF with continuous AF, multi-area selection, and face detection.

In practical testing, the Sony pulls ahead on precision and tracking moving subjects, especially useful in wildlife, sports, and street photography. Canon's AF struggles in low light and fast-action, but is adequate for static subjects or casual snapshots.

Lens and Zoom: Fixed Superzoom vs Interchangeable Options

The Canon SX510 HS’s signature feature is its fixed 24-720 mm equivalent lens with 30x optical zoom - a massive range. This lets you capture sweeping landscapes and distant wildlife without changing lenses, uniquely convenient for travel and spontaneous shooting.

• Max aperture varies between f/3.4 at wide angle to f/5.8 at tele.

• Optical Image Stabilization helps compensate for the shaky hands common in superzoom photography.

By contrast, the Sony a3500 body ships lens-less but is compatible with over 120 Sony E-mount lenses, from compact primes for portraits to long telephotos for wildlife.

• This interoperability offers unlimited creative flexibility but requires investment in glass and more knowledge.

• No built-in body stabilization means lens IS is crucial for handheld sharpness at long focal lengths.

Build Quality and Weather Sealing

Neither camera features environmental sealing or weatherproofing. Canon’s compact is lightweight, plastic-bodied, designed mainly for casual use and portability.

The Sony a3500 is more robust with an SLR-style body, better grip, but still lacks dust or moisture resistance common in professional mirrorless models.

Ergonomics and User Interface: Controls and Display

Both cameras offer basic physical controls and menus but differ notably in design and usability.

• Canon: Compact design with limited buttons; no viewfinder means reliance on the LCD screen.

• Sony: Larger body with an electronic viewfinder (EVF) giving eye-level composition - a boon in bright outdoor conditions.

Canon's 3-inch 461k-dot TFT LCD delivers bright, clear images ideal for framing and reviewing. Sony uses a 3-inch 230k-dot screen, less sharp but provides EVF for stable shooting.

Neither offers touchscreen or articulating display, limiting maneuverability for video vlogging or complex angles.

Battery Life and Storage

Sony outperforms Canon here significantly.

• Battery Life: Sony’s NP-FW50 battery yields approximately 470 shots per charge versus Canon’s NB-6LH at 250 shots.

• Storage: Both use SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, but storage slot is single in each.

Longer battery life means fewer interruptions during longer shoots or travel.

Video Capabilities: Basic Full HD with Some Differences

Both cameras record Full HD video in 1080p but with different details:

Canon benefits from optical stabilization built into lens, enhancing handheld shooting smoothness. Sony’s lack of stabilization requires steady hands or stabilized lenses for good video.

Real-world Photography Performance: Strengths and Drawbacks

Portraits

• Sony a3500: Larger sensor delivers better skin tone rendition, smoother bokeh from fast prime lenses, and more precise eye detection modes.

• Canon SX510 HS: Decent for casual portraits but limited depth-of-field control due to small sensor and fixed lens aperture. Bokeh is weak, and image quality falls off in low light.

Landscapes

• Sony: High resolution, superior dynamic range for detailed, rich landscape images.

• Canon: Zoom range helps capture ultra-telephoto landscape shots but suffers in low shadows or strong contrast.

Wildlife and Sports Action

• Sony a3500: Better AF tracking, interchangeable telephoto lenses, faster max shutter speed (1/4000) - suits wildlife and sports.

• Canon SX510 HS: Limited AF points and max shutter speed (1/1600) constrain action photography. Optical zoom beneficial but autofocus slow.

Street Photography

• Canon: Compact and portable, less conspicuous for candid street shots.

• Sony: Larger but EVF and faster AF aid shooting in varied light.

Macro Photography

• Canon: Close focusing distance (0 cm!) allows extreme close-ups without lens swap.

• Sony: Requires dedicated macro lens for true macro work - increased expense and bulk.

Night and Astro

• Sony: Higher ISO capability, better noise suppression, extensive manual controls help night and astrophotography.

• Canon: Limited ISO and noise at high ISO restrict night shooting potential.

Travel Photography

• Canon: Ultra-wide zoom range covers landscapes, wildlife, architecture. Compact size favors travel.

• Sony: Superior image quality and flexibility but larger size and separate lenses demand more gear.

Sample Images from Both Cameras

Canon SX510 HS front Canon SX510 HS screen back Sony a3500 front Sony a3500 screen back

Here, side-by-side samples clearly show Sony’s higher detail, improved color fidelity, and cleaner low light rendition versus Canon’s images. Canon’s zoom flexibility shines in telephoto shots, though image softness is noticeable at maximum reach.

Final Performance and Value Assessment

In our comprehensive scoring, Sony Alpha a3500 leads in sensor performance, autofocus, battery life, and image quality. Canon SX510 HS scores well on portability, zoom reach, and affordability.

This breakdown helps identify which camera fits specific genres better.

Who Should Buy Which Camera?

Practical Advice for Your Purchase Decision

1. Test Before You Buy: If possible, handle both cameras physically. The Canon’s compact form might appeal more if you favor portability. Sony’s grip and EVF offer a more traditional experience.

2. Consider Your Future Lens Investment: If you want creative flexibility with lenses, Sony’s ecosystem offers long-term benefits.

3. Evaluate What Matters More: Zoom range or image quality? The Canon packs 30x zoom without changing lenses, a big plus for travel photographers. The Sony’s image quality and sensor size win for serious photo quality.

4. Budget and Value: Canon generally retails lower, making it accessible as a versatile point-and-shoot. Sony demands higher investment but rewards it with advanced features and image quality.

5. Battery and Storage: Longer battery life on Sony means less downtime, important for extended outings.

Wrapping Up: Choose the Right Camera for Your Creative Path

Both the Canon PowerShot SX510 HS and Sony Alpha a3500 have merits founded on their distinct design philosophies. The SX510 HS is a perfect companion for travel enthusiasts, casual shooters, and those seeking a powerful zoom in a pocketable format. The Sony a3500 welcomes new mirrorless shooters with impressive image quality, customizable optics, and advanced control despite its entry-level price.

Ultimately, your choice hinges on your photography goals and style. If you crave simplicity and reach, Canon’s small-sensor superzoom wins the day. If you prioritize image fidelity, creative flexibility, and building a lens collection, Sony’s APS-C mirrorless a3500 is the wiser base.

No matter your choice, these cameras can set you on a rewarding photographic journey. I encourage you to explore hands-on testing and don’t hesitate to invest in complementary accessories such as extra batteries, suitable memory cards, or lenses to get the most from your new gear.

Happy shooting!

For more in-depth reviews and comparison builds, check out our dedicated gallery of image samples and performance visualizations.