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Canon SX540 HS vs Sony RX10

Portability
69
Imaging
46
Features
44
Overall
45
Canon PowerShot SX540 HS front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 front
Portability
58
Imaging
51
Features
76
Overall
61

Canon SX540 HS vs Sony RX10 Key Specs

Canon SX540 HS
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-1200mm (F3.4-6.5) lens
  • 442g - 120 x 82 x 92mm
  • Announced January 2016
Sony RX10
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - 1" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 125 - 12800 (Expand to 25600)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-200mm (F2.8) lens
  • 813g - 129 x 88 x 102mm
  • Launched March 2014
  • Successor is Sony RX10 II
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Canon SX540 HS vs Sony RX10 Overview

Below is a comprehensive review of the Canon SX540 HS and Sony RX10, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom by companies Canon and Sony. The sensor resolution of the SX540 HS (20MP) and the RX10 (20MP) is very close but the SX540 HS (1/2.3") and RX10 (1") feature different sensor measurements.

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The SX540 HS was unveiled 22 months later than the RX10 making the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both of these cameras come with the identical body type (SLR-like (bridge)).

Before diving through a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick summary of how the SX540 HS grades against the RX10 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Canon SX540 HS over the Sony RX10

 SX540 HS RX10 
LaunchedJanuary 2016March 2014More recent by 22 months

Reasons to pick Sony RX10 over the Canon SX540 HS

 RX10 SX540 HS 
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display
Display resolution1290k461kCrisper display (+829k dot)

Common features in the Canon SX540 HS and Sony RX10

 SX540 HS RX10 
Manual focus More precise focus
Display dimension3"3"Identical display measurements
Selfie screen Neither features selfie screen
Touch friendly display Neither features Touch friendly display

Canon SX540 HS vs Sony RX10 Physical Comparison

When you are intending to lug around your camera often, you are going to need to consider its weight and volume. The Canon SX540 HS enjoys outside dimensions of 120mm x 82mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.2" x 3.6") with a weight of 442 grams (0.97 lbs) and the Sony RX10 has sizing of 129mm x 88mm x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0") and a weight of 813 grams (1.79 lbs).

Take a look at the Canon SX540 HS and Sony RX10 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are working with at that time. The following is the front view measurement comparison of the SX540 HS vs the RX10.

Canon SX540 HS vs Sony RX10 size comparison

Using size and weight, the portability score of the SX540 HS and RX10 is 69 and 58 respectively.

Canon SX540 HS vs Sony RX10 top view buttons comparison

Canon SX540 HS vs Sony RX10 Sensor Comparison

In many cases, it's tough to imagine the difference in sensor measurements only by viewing a spec sheet. The photograph below might provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the SX540 HS and RX10.

Clearly, both cameras have got the exact same MP but different sensor measurements. The SX540 HS has got the smaller sensor which is going to make obtaining shallower DOF trickier. The newer SX540 HS provides an edge in sensor tech.

Canon SX540 HS vs Sony RX10 sensor size comparison

Canon SX540 HS vs Sony RX10 Screen and ViewFinder

Canon SX540 HS vs Sony RX10 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Canon SX540 HS Portrait photography info
Sony RX10 Portrait photography info
47
focusing manually
megapixel count decent (20MP)
comes with face detect autofocus
cannot use external flash
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
70
has manual focus
good MP (20MP)
sensor size is good (1")
provides face detection focus
exports RAW files
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Canon SX540 HS
Street photography with Sony RX10
48
has image stabilization (Optical)
fixed screen
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
72
has a tilting screen
image stabilization (Optical)
sensor size is good (1")
exports RAW files
environment sealing
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Sports Comparison

Canon SX540 HS Sports photography features
Sony RX10 Sports photography features
44
amazing zoom range (24-1200mm 50.0 x zoom)
has image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count decent (20MP)
max fps low (5.9 frames/s)
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
bad battery (205 shots)
lacks phase detect autofocus
67
image stabilization (Optical)
good MP (20MP)
sensor size is good (1")
environment sealing
better than average battery power (420 CIPA)
no phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Canon SX540 HS Travel photography info
Sony RX10 Travel photography info
56
megapixel count decent (20MP)
has built in flash
pretty wide (24mm)
great reach (1200mm)
lack of Timelapse mode
bad battery (205 CIPA)
doesn't have selfie friendly screen
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.4)
58
better than average battery power (420 CIPA)
environment sealing
good MP (20MP)
flash built-in
fairly wide (24mm)
missing Timelapse mode
display isn't selfie friendly
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
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Landscape Comparison

Canon SX540 HS Landscape photography info
Sony RX10 Landscape photography info
48
focusing manually
pretty wide (24mm)
screen is a decent size (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count decent (20 megapixels)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.4)
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
bad battery (205 shots)
lack of Timelapse mode
63
has manual focus
fairly wide (24mm)
good sized screen (3")
image stabilization (Optical)
good MP (20MP)
sensor size is good (1")
exports RAW files
environment sealing
better than average battery power (420 CIPA)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
missing Timelapse mode
Photography Glossary

Vlogging Comparison

Canon SX540 HS Vlogging factors
Sony RX10 Vlogging factors
29
pretty wide (24mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
comes with face detect autofocus
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.4)
doesn't have selfie friendly screen
lack of microphone port
30
fairly wide (24mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
provides face detection focus
high video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
comes with external microphone support
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
display isn't selfie friendly
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Canon SX540 HS vs Sony RX10 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Canon SX540 HS and Sony RX10
 Canon PowerShot SX540 HSSony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10
General Information
Company Canon Sony
Model Canon PowerShot SX540 HS Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10
Category Small Sensor Superzoom Large Sensor Superzoom
Announced 2016-01-05 2014-03-20
Physical type SLR-like (bridge) SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor Information
Chip DIGIC 6 Bionz X
Sensor type BSI-CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1"
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 13.2 x 8.8mm
Sensor surface area 28.1mm² 116.2mm²
Sensor resolution 20 megapixels 20 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution 5184 x 3888 5472 x 3648
Max native ISO 3200 12800
Max boosted ISO - 25600
Minimum native ISO 80 125
RAW support
Minimum boosted ISO - 80
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Number of focus points - 25
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 24-1200mm (50.0x) 24-200mm (8.3x)
Maximal aperture f/3.4-6.5 f/2.8
Macro focus range 0cm -
Focal length multiplier 5.8 2.7
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Tilting
Display sizing 3" 3"
Resolution of display 461k dots 1,290k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Display tech - WhiteMagic
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Electronic
Viewfinder resolution - 1,440k dots
Viewfinder coverage - 100 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.7x
Features
Lowest shutter speed 15 seconds 30 seconds
Highest shutter speed 1/2000 seconds 1/3200 seconds
Continuous shooting rate 5.9 frames per sec 10.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range 5.50 m (at Auto ISO) 10.20 m
Flash settings Auto, on, off, slow synchro Auto, fill-flash, slow sync, rear sync, off
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60p, 30p), 1280 x 720 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p) 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 24p) ,1440 x 1080 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p)
Max video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video file format MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 442g (0.97 lbs) 813g (1.79 lbs)
Dimensions 120 x 82 x 92mm (4.7" x 3.2" x 3.6") 129 x 88 x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested 69
DXO Color Depth score not tested 22.9
DXO Dynamic range score not tested 12.6
DXO Low light score not tested 474
Other
Battery life 205 pictures 420 pictures
Style of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model NB-6LH NP-FW50
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 secs, custom) Yes (2 or 10 sec, continuous)
Time lapse recording
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo
Card slots Single Single
Retail cost $399 $698