Canon PowerShot SX70 HS vs Pentax X90: Which Superzoom Bridge Camera Should You Choose?

When it comes to small sensor superzoom cameras, the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS and the Pentax X90 stand out as two interesting options at different points on the timeline and price spectrum. I’ve spent considerable time testing both, and in this detailed comparison, I’ll guide you through the nuances of these two bridge cameras - from image quality and autofocus performance to usability, video capabilities, and how they handle across a range of photography disciplines.

This isn’t a specs race or a shallow feature list rundown. Instead, I’ll dig deep into how these cameras perform in real-world shooting situations, where their technology shines or stumbles, and who should seriously consider adding either to their gear arsenal. If you’ve been eyeing a versatile zoom that doesn’t require changing lenses but want insight beyond the marketing hype, this article has you covered.

First Impressions: Size, Feel, and Ergonomics

Starting with physicality, these cameras both mimic the SLR-style body, but there’s a notable difference in size and weight that affects handling and portability. The Canon SX70 HS is bulkier and heavier at 608 grams and dimensions of 127×91×117 mm, while the Pentax X90 is lighter at 428 grams, measuring 111×85×110 mm.

Having shot extensively with both, the SX70 HS feels more substantial in hand. Its grip is more pronounced, and the layout of controls is designed with enthusiast photographers in mind. The additional heft can provide steadiness - essential for long telephoto shooting - but it also means you’re less likely to want to carry it everywhere.

The Pentax X90’s compactness makes it attractive for travel or street photography, where discretion and carry comfort matter. However, the lighter frame can also translate to more handling shake, especially at longer focal lengths if you don’t brace yourself well.

In terms of button placement and tactile feel, the SX70 holds an edge, which you can see more clearly in the top-down layout below.

Canon’s top plate shows a dedicated mode dial, well-placed shutter button with zoom toggle, and a customizable button, all reachable without shifting your grip. Pentax’s simpler control layout is certainly accessible but doesn’t offer the same level of instant manual control for exposure or autofocus adjustments on the fly.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Sharpness and Detail You Can Expect

Under the hood, both cameras employ 1/2.3” sensors - a common size for superzooms - but the Canon uses a newer BSI-CMOS sensor with 20 megapixels, whereas the Pentax carries a 12-megapixel CCD sensor. This difference goes beyond just resolution.

From my lab tests and field shooting, Canon’s CMOS sensor notably outperforms Pentax's CCD in dynamic range and high ISO performance. The SX70 HS produces cleaner images at ISO 800 and above, with less noise and better retention of shadow details, which is crucial when shooting landscapes or interiors where light varies.

Pentax’s sensor, while older, still delivers respectable image quality in ideal lighting conditions. However, it starts struggling with noise much earlier, limiting its utility in low-light or night photography.

In terms of color depth and sharpness, the Canon also benefits from its Digic 8 processor, enabling better image processing and noise reduction algorithms. The Pentax Prime processor, while reliable, cannot match this level of refinement.

The Canon supports RAW shooting, offering photographers maximum flexibility in post-processing, whereas the Pentax does not. This is a vital consideration if you’re serious about image editing or want to extract the best quality from your shots.

Overall, for image quality, the SX70 HS delivers more versatility and much better performance across varied light conditions.

Viewing and Composing Your Shots: LCD and Viewfinder Experience

Your eye on the camera during shooting is your window to the scene. Both cameras sport electronic viewfinders (EVF) and LCD screens but with very different specifications and usability.

Canon’s fully articulated 3.0-inch LCD boasts 922k dots resolution, truly useful for composing at odd angles or during video recording. The articulation adds a lot of flexibility, especially for macro shots, low or high perspectives, and selfies (thanks to its selfie-friendly feature).

In contrast, the Pentax X90’s fixed 2.7-inch screen is considerably lower resolution at 230k dots and lacks any articulation. This limits compositional freedom and makes live preview less detailed.

The electronic viewfinder on the Canon stands out with 2.36 million dots, offering a bright, detailed, lag-free preview that aids in quick focusing and framing, especially in bright outdoor conditions where LCDs can wash out.

Pentax’s EVF specs aren’t officially disclosed, but it’s noticeably less sharp and responsive in practice. It’s serviceable but leaves a bit to be desired during action or wildlife moments when precise framing matters.

Zoom Power and Optical Performance: Telephoto Reach and Lens Brightness

Both cameras tout impressive zoom ranges typical for bridge superzooms, but there are significant differences.

• Canon SX70 HS: 21-1365 mm equivalent (65x zoom), aperture range f/3.4-6.5
• Pentax X90: 26-676 mm equivalent (26x zoom), aperture range f/2.8-5.0

The Canon’s 65x zoom range is staggering, enabling you to get much closer to distant subjects such as wildlife or sports action without swapping lenses or carrying extra heavy glass. This makes it tremendously versatile and arguably the biggest selling point.

Pentax, meanwhile, impresses with a slightly faster lens aperture at the wide end (f/2.8 vs f/3.4), which benefits low-light scenarios and allows a bit more subject-background separation - a factor to consider for portraits or creative use.

I’ve tested both on wildlife shoots and found that Canon’s reach lets you fill the frame on distant birds without cropping. That said, at extreme zoom, image stabilization becomes crucial.

Image Stabilization and Autofocus: Catching Those Sharp Shots

The Canon boasts optical image stabilization, critically important for a 1365 mm equivalent reach. This 5-axis system minimizes hand shake, especially when shooting handheld at full zoom or slower shutter speeds.

Pentax incorporates sensor-shift stabilization, beneficial for slight hand tremors but slightly less effective than optical stabilization at extended focal lengths.

Autofocus on the Canon SX70 uses contrast detection with 9 selectable points and face detection, and it supports continuous AF and tracking. In real use, this translates to snappier focus acquisition and better subject tracking. I found it reliable for portraits, moving subjects, and everyday work.

Pentax’s 9-point contrast detection AF is more basic, slower to lock focus, and doesn’t include face detection. It also lacks continuous AF during burst shooting, making fast subjects more challenging.

When shooting sports or wildlife, the Canon’s 10 fps burst and more responsive AF make all the difference. Pentax does not offer a continuous shooting speed, which is a notable limitation for action shooters.

How These Cameras Handle Different Photography Genres

Let’s dive deeper into how these two compare across various photography disciplines based on my hands-on testing.

Portrait Photography

Portrait work demands excellent skin tone rendition, accurate eye detection, and pleasing background blur.

Canon’s SX70 HS has the advantage here with face detection autofocus and better color science out of the box. The longer zoom allows for tight headshots without distortion, even from a distance, which keeps subjects comfortable.

Pentax’s slightly faster wide aperture helps a bit with background separation, but the smaller sensor size overall limits true bokeh ability. Also, no face detection means more manual focus fiddling.

Landscape Photography

Landscape shooters prize dynamic range, resolution, and durability.

While both cameras have similar sensor sizes, Canon’s 20 MP provides more detail to crop or print large. Its superior dynamic range helps retain detail in both shadows and highlights, crucial for bright skies and dark foregrounds.

Neither camera offers weather sealing, so outdoor conditions require some care. Canon’s articulated screen is a bonus for awkward angles in the field.

Wildlife Photography

The Canon’s 65x zoom, fast continuous shooting, and superior autofocus make it clearly the better wildlife camera. Pentax’s reach and speed cannot compete at longer distances or for rapid-paced animals.

Sports Photography

Again, the Canon SX70’s 10 fps burst and better AF tracking step up to handle fast action much more capably than Pentax, which lacks continuous shooting entirely.

Street Photography

Pentax’s smaller form factor and lighter weight make it stealthier in urban settings, a boon if you want to be less conspicuous.

However, Canon’s superior image quality and zoom make it more versatile if you want to sneak close-ups or detailed shots from afar.

Macro Photography

Canon’s fully articulated screen and 0 cm macro focusing capability are handy for close-up work. Pentax’s minimum focus at 1 cm is competitive, but no articulated screen makes composition trickier.

Night / Astro Photography

Low-light performance is a major gap.

Canon’s BSI CMOS sensor and ISO range topping at 3200 (with a good noise profile) give it a clear advantage in astro and night photography. Pentax’s higher max ISO of 6400 sounds promising but in practice is very noisy due to the CCD sensor.

Video Capabilities

Canon SX70 HS substantially outperforms Pentax for video:

• Canon offers 4K UHD at 30p with 120 Mbps bitrates, microphone input, and optical stabilization for smooth footage.

• Pentax tops out at 720p and uses older Motion JPEG encoding, with no microphone port or modern video options.

For anyone serious about hybrid stills/video shooting, Canon is the only viable choice.

Travel Photography

If packing light and discretion are paramount, Pentax offers a lighter body. But for versatility and image capture flexibility, Canon’s zoom range and articulation make it more travel-friendly overall.

Professional Workflows

Canon supports RAW files and includes more refined exposure and white balance controls. Splitting hairs, its wireless connectivity (built-in WiFi and Bluetooth) enables faster workflow integrations.

Pentax’s lack of RAW and older connectivity options make it unsuitable for demanding professional workflows.

Build Quality, Battery, and Storage

Both lack environmental sealing, so keep them safe from rain and dust.

Canon’s battery lasts approximately 325 shots per charge, a decent but not extraordinary endurance. Pentax’s battery life isn’t officially stated, but from experience, older bridge cameras with AA or proprietary batteries typically fall short.

Both accept SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, but only Canon supports the faster UHS-I standard.

Wireless-wise, Canon’s built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are modern, enabling image transfer and remote control apps, whereas Pentax only offers Eye-Fi card compatibility, which is somewhat limited.

Price and Value: What You’re Getting for Your Money

At around $550, the Canon SX70 HS represents a more recent technology investment with significant versatility and future-proofing, especially in video and image quality.

The Pentax X90’s price of roughly $350 reflects its older tech and feature set. It might appeal to tight budgets or those who prefer a smaller, simpler zoom without advanced video or RAW requirements.

Performance and Ratings Summary

Let’s visualize performance based on my evaluation across key metrics.

The Canon clearly dominates in image quality, autofocus speed, continuous shooting, video, and usability. Pentax’s strengths are its lighter weight and better lens speed on the wide end.

Genre-Specific Scoring: Matching Cameras to Your Specialty

How do these cameras fare for your preferred style of photography?

• Wildlife & Sports: Canon SX70 HS is the undisputed leader
• Portrait & Landscape: Canon again preferred, but Pentax can still serve in optimal lighting
• Street & Travel: Pentax holds charm for compactness; Canon for versatility
• Macro: Canon’s articulation and macro focusing give it a slight edge
• Night/Astro: Only Canon is workable
• Video: Canon stands alone

Sample Images from Both Cameras in Various Conditions

To back up all these technical points, take a look at image samples captured side-by-side outdoors and indoors by these two cameras.

Canon SX70 HS front Canon SX70 HS screen back Pentax X90 front Pentax X90 screen back

You can see the Canon’s sharper detail, better edge rendition, and richer colors compared to the softer, lower-res images from the Pentax.

Final Thoughts: Which Bridge Camera Should You Buy?

So, which camera deserves a spot in your bag?

Canon PowerShot SX70 HS is my strong recommendation for most photography enthusiasts who want:

• The longest zoom reach for diverse shooting scenarios
• Superior image quality and RAW file capability
• Great video specs with 4K UHD recording and mic input
• Fast, reliable autofocus and burst shooting
• A fully articulated screen for flexible composition
• Modern connectivity for streamlined workflows

It’s a versatile powerhouse bridging stills and video with enough creative options to keep you exploring.

Pentax X90 might still appeal if you:

• Need a lighter, smaller bridge camera budget
• Prefer a slightly faster lens at the wide end for some low-light shots
• Don’t require advanced video or RAW format
• Value simpler operation and a compact size over features

But be aware of its dated sensor and video limitations.

Dear Canon, if you read this: please consider adding a touchscreen and faster USB standard to future models – the SX70 HS is already a big hit but could be even better.

If you want to explore some of these aspects hands-on, check out my video review linked above where I walk through shooting scenarios and image comparisons.

Thanks for joining me on this deep dive! Whether you choose Canon’s powerhouse or the Pentax for its simplicity, knowing the strengths and compromises will help you capture the best photos - and enjoy the process more.

Happy shooting!