Canon SX60 HS vs Sony W620: An Experienced Photographer’s Tale of Two Small-Sensor Cameras

When it comes to choosing a camera, especially within the budget-friendly and small-sensor category, the options can feel overwhelming. Today, I’m rolling up my sleeves to dissect two quite different contenders from previous generations - the Canon PowerShot SX60 HS (announced 2014) and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W620 (announced 2012). Both coax decent images out of a modest 1/2.3-inch sensor, but their philosophies couldn’t be more different: the Canon leans heavily into versatility and manual control with its feature-packed superzoom bridge design, whereas the Sony embraces compactness and simplicity with a tiny travel-friendly body.

Having extensively tested thousands of cameras in real-world conditions over the years, I’ll walk you through how these two machines stack up across genres and use cases like portrait, wildlife, and even astro photography, digging into that nitty-gritty tech that truly matters. And yes, the verdicts may challenge your expectations, so stick around!

When Size (and Feel) Really Matters: Ergonomics and Handling

Before a camera ever fires a shutter, it must feel right in your hands - a factor often underestimated by spec sheet skimmers. The Canon SX60 HS boasts an SLR-like bridge form factor with a substantial 650g body, measuring roughly 128mm wide and 114mm deep. In contrast, the Sony DSC-W620 is a pocketable compact marvel at a featherweight 116g and slinky slenderness of 20mm thickness.

This size and weight gulf directly impacts comfort and stability. The Canon’s pronounced grip and thoughtfully laid-out controls deliver serious shooting confidence. Its fully articulated 3-inch LCD and crisp electronic viewfinder help frame shots in diverse lighting, vastly superior to Sony’s fixed 2.7-inch screen with a far less dense 230k-dot resolution - which can feel cramped and less clear.

The Canon’s sturdy build (though not weather-sealed) and well-marked buttons contrast Sony’s minimal, streamlined interface that omits critical manual exposure options, fitting only beginners or those who crave effortless point-and-shoot simplicity.

Checking out the top decks confirms this:

Canon gifts you dedicated dials and thumb controllers to tweak settings on the fly - a boon when chasing action or adjusting exposure in uneven light. Sony, in its quest for minimalism, whittled away such niceties, settling for a power button, zoom toggle, shutter release, and a menu button.

Bottom line: If you prefer immediate control and a feel of seriousness in your gear, Canon’s bridge-style SX60 HS handily outclasses Sony’s ultra-compact W620.

Peering Through the Sensor Lens: Image Quality and Sensor Technologies

Both cameras rely on a 1/2.3-inch sensor measuring 6.17 x 4.55mm, a tiny chip size commonly found in budget-oriented models. However, size alone doesn’t tell the whole story.

The Canon SX60 HS impresses with a 16-megapixel BSI-CMOS sensor. Backside illumination (BSI) reduces noise by allowing more efficient light capture, critical on such a small surface. This, combined with Canon’s DIGIC 6 image processor, produces images with respectable color fidelity and dynamic range - approximately 10.1 EV per DxOMark - a reasonable figure for the class.

Conversely, the Sony W620 carries a 14-megapixel CCD sensor paired with an older BIONZ processor. While CCDs traditionally excel at colors and sharpness, Sony’s implementation here struggles in low light and with dynamic range, rated poorer than Canon’s by lens and sensor experts.

Color depth differences also reveal the Canon’s more nuanced gradations, particularly noticeable when shooting portraits or landscapes demanding subtle tonal transitions.

Screens and Viewfinders: How Do You Frame Your World?

Cranking the dial to live view or hip shooting means trusting your LCD or viewfinder. Canon’s SX60 HS offers a bright, fully articulating 3-inch display with 922,000 dots (a hefty improvement in clarity). This flexibility caters superbly to awkward angles and low/high framing. Add to that a matching 922k-dot electronic viewfinder covering 100% of the scene, and you have the makings of a reliable composition partner.

Sony’s DSC-W620, alas, lacks an electronic viewfinder altogether. Its fixed 2.7-inch Clear Photo TFT LCD at a mere 230k dots is a step back in sharpness and doesn’t rotate - making awkward angles and bright outdoors shooting a bit taxing.

For enthusiasts messily juggling light or engaging with macro or wildlife subjects, such screen flexibility can be a deal breaker.

Autofocus and Burst Shooting: Who’s Faster on Their Feet?

Now this is where the cameras diverge sharply, especially for action or wildlife shooters.

The Canon SX60 HS provides tap-to-focus live view with nine focus points (no cross-type info available), combined with contrast-detection AF. It supports continuous autofocus and tracking modes - meaning it’ll attempt to follow moving subjects reasonably well. Its burst shooting clocks in at 6.4 frames per second, fast enough for light sports or wildlife sequences.

Sony’s W620 is far more pedestrian - a single autofocus mode with unspecified points, contrast detection only. No continuous AF or tracking, and a miserly 1 fps burst. Essentially, this camera is built for still subjects and casual snaps, not chasing soccer players or birds mid-flight.

Lens Versatility vs Compact Convenience: The Zoom Debate

One of Canon’s headline-grabbing specs is its mega zoom: a monstrous 21-1365mm equivalent (65x optical zoom) with f/3.4-6.5 aperture range. This beast of a lens opens incredible creative possibilities - from wide-angle landscapes to distant wildlife and even moon shots. The optical image stabilization is critical here, compensating for shake, especially at long reach.

Sony’s W620 offers a much humbler 28-140mm (5x zoom), still useful for day-to-day use, portraits, and modest landscapes, but nowhere near the reach of the Canon. It also lacks optical image stabilization - making handheld telephoto shots more hit-or-miss.

If you dream of birdwatching or scouting sports events but want one camera only, Canon’s zoom prowess is a compelling reason to favor it.

Diving Into Real-World Uses: Photography Disciplines Explored

Let’s explore how these cameras perform under the hood - or the lens - in key photography disciplines.

Portrait Photography: Colors and Skin

Canon’s 16MP sensor paired with DIGIC 6 handles skin tones quite faithfully, especially in good light. The 65x zoom lets you achieve tight headshots from afar, maintaining natural bokeh thanks to the lens aperture and sensor combination. Additionally, Canon’s face detection AF works reliably to keep eyes sharp.

Sony’s W620 struggles a bit, given its older sensor and limited aperture, resulting in flatter colors and less pleasing focus fall-off in portraits. The lack of manual focus options and slower AF can frustrate attempts at fine-tuned portraits.

Landscape Photography: Detail and Dynamic Range

The Canon’s dynamic range (about 10 stops) allows for decent highlight and shadow preservation on bright skies or shaded forests. The vast focal range enables wide sweeping shots and close-up nature details in one package. Though it’s not weather-sealed, the build quality is sturdy enough for casual outdoor ventures.

Sony’s W620, while portable and easy, delivers lower dynamic range and lower resolution images, making large prints or aggressive editing less feasible. Its more modest zoom limits framing options in sweeping landscapes.

Wildlife and Sports: Speed and Reach

Thanks to its fast continuous shooting and sophisticated focusing modes, the Canon handles wildlife and sports scenarios - like birds in flight or fast-moving runners - with reasonable success under good lighting conditions. The massive zoom is a boon for discreet, distant shooting.

Sony’s W620 cannot keep pace here; the fixed lens, slow burst, and basic autofocus make it inadequate for action photography.

Street Photography: Discretion and Quick Shooting

Shooting street photography often benefits from quick, quiet cameras, preferably lightweight and pocketable.

Here, the Sony W620 shines with a compact form factor and silent operation. Its small size invites less attention, a prized feature for candid street snaps.

The Canon’s bulkier profile and louder zoom motor reduce subtlety, making it less ideal for blending into street scenes.

Macro Photography: Close Focus and Detail

Canon SX60 HS claims a 0 cm macro focus range - meaning you can get very close to subjects, great for flowers or insects.

Sony’s minimum 5 cm macro distance limits close-up creativity somewhat.

Canon also offers image stabilization, assisting with handholding at close distances.

Night and Astro Photography: Low Light Performance

Small sensor cameras typically falter in low light, but Canon’s BSI CMOS and DIGIC 6 enable decent ISO 100–6400 range with usable noise levels up to ISO 6400 (though grain gets visible).

Sony’s CCD sensor with maximum ISO 3200 suffers from noisier images in dim scenarios.

Neither supports extended exposures or specialized astro modes, limiting star photography potential.

Video Capabilities: Moving Pictures in Focus

Video shooters should note the Canon SX60 HS records Full HD 1080p at 60 or 30 fps with H.264 compression - delivering smooth, detailed footage. Moreover, it has a microphone port, enabling external audio input for richer sound capture.

Sony’s W620 is restricted to 720p video at 30 fps and uses Motion JPEG codec - less efficient and lower in quality. It lacks a mic input, limiting audio quality.

Neither camera offers 4K video or advanced stabilization like in-body IBIS, but Canon’s optical IS somewhat smoothes handheld footage.

Battery Life and Storage: Staying in the Game

Canon’s NB-10L battery offers about 340 shots per charge - respectable for a bridge camera, meaning you won’t run dry on a day trip.

Sony’s smaller NP-BN battery fares less well with about 220 shots before replenishment.

Both models use a single card slot supporting SD/SDHC/SDXC, but Sony notably supports a wider array of media including Memory Stick Duo formats - an odd relic of Sony’s protracted proprietary format era but possibly confusing for contemporary users.

Connectivity and Extras: Modern Conveniences?

Canon’s SX60 HS packs built-in Wi-Fi and NFC for shutter release and image transfer, HDMI output, and USB 2.0 for tethering or downloading. It smartly includes an external flash hot shoe and a self-timer mode.

Sony’s W620 falls short in wireless options - no Bluetooth, no NFC (though it supports Eye-Fi cards for wireless transfer, which is more of a workaround than a proper solution). It lacks HDMI and has no external flash option.

Who’s Winning? Performance Scores and Genre Ratings

To put the differences in perspective, scientists-in-cameras (DxOMark) rates the Canon SX60 HS with an overall score of 39. Sony’s W620 has not been officially tested by DxOMark but judging by specs and real-world testing, it lags notably behind.

Breaking this down by photography type:

Canon leads in image quality, versatility, and speed across virtually all disciplines - except for niche street photography where Sony’s small size takes a slight edge.

Real-World Sample Gallery: What Do Photos Say?

Comparing actual captures makes the difference tangible.

Canon SX60 HS front Canon SX60 HS screen back Sony W620 front Sony W620 screen back

Canon’s photos show richer detail, better dynamic range, and more accurate colors, especially in challenging light. Sony’s tend toward softness and less punch but compensate with decent exposure under easy conditions.

Expert Takeaways: Who Should Choose What?

The Canon PowerShot SX60 HS emerges as an impressive superzoom bridge camera, catering to advanced enthusiasts craving manual control, reach, and handling versatility in one package. It suits wildlife photographers, sports casuals, and travelers wanting an all-in-one camera with decent video capture.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W620 is a no-frills compact designed for casual shooters who prioritize portability, ease-of-use, and budget. It works fine for vacation snapshots, family photos, or street photography where discretion trumps ultimate image quality or flexibility.

Conclusion: Your Next Step in Camera Buying

If you’re looking for a serious yet accessible camera with excellent zoom, advanced autofocus, and good multimedia options - despite its bulk - the Canon SX60 HS will reward you with capability and image quality that punch well above its price.

On the other hand, if simplicity, lightness, and pocketability are paramount - and you don’t mind trading off speed, manual control, and low-light performance - the Sony W620 remains a reasonable, inexpensive choice.

Both represent solid engineering for their time, and while newer models may leap forward in specs today, understanding their strengths and compromises through this comparison equips you to make smarter decisions - whether upgrading or building a complementary camera kit.

Photography is a journey of both art and gear. Sometimes, it’s about pushing the boundaries with a beastly zoom lens. Other times, it’s carrying a nimble companion to capture fleeting moments on the street. Knowing your style and priorities is as vital as the numbers on a spec sheet. So, what will your next story be? The distant eagle in flight, the gentle smile across a bustling plaza, or the quiet twinkle of the Milky Way? Whichever it is, now you know which of these small-sensor cameras might help you capture it best.

Happy shooting!