Canon SX720 HS vs FujiFilm FinePix S1600: A Deep Dive into Two Small Sensor Superzooms

When exploring the landscape of small sensor superzoom cameras, the Canon PowerShot SX720 HS and the FujiFilm FinePix S1600 emerge as contenders from different eras. They both cater to users seeking a compact, versatile zoom range without the complexity and cost of interchangeable lens systems. However, the six-year gap between their releases (2010 vs. 2016) and their differing design philosophies mean that each camera answers slightly different questions for photographers.

Having spent many hours in field testing and pixel-peeping hundreds of cameras over my 15 years in photography, I welcome you on this comprehensive comparison of these two modest-but-ambitious compact superzooms. We will scrutinize their core technologies, handling traits, performance in diverse shooting scenarios, and value proposition. Along the way, I’ll share practical insights to help you decide which camera (if either) suits your specific photographic ambitions.

The Tug of Size and Ergonomics: Form Meets Function

Our first impression of any camera often begins with how it feels in the hand, its physical footprint, and control layout. These tactile factors are crucial for long shoot days or fast-paced scenarios like wildlife or street photography.

The Canon SX720 HS presents itself as a surprisingly compact and lightweight pocketable superzoom. Measuring a svelte 110 × 64 × 36 mm and weighing only 270 grams, it feels nimble during travel shoots or casual street outings where invisibility and comfort carry weight. Canon’s compact form factor is a logical evolution from their SX710 HS predecessor, emphasizing portability without sacrificing zoom reach.

In contrast, FujiFilm’s S1600 leans heavily into the bridge camera category, sporting a bulkier and heftier body at 110 × 73 × 81 mm and 337 grams. The extra depth from its SLR-like shape offers a more substantial grip, beneficial for prolonged sessions or when balancing longer zooms. However, its size detracts from discreet street photography or lightweight travel needs.

Looking at the control layout from above, Canon keeps things simple and streamlined. The SX720 HS offers standard command dials and a modest button count, favoring clear, no-nonsense handling for users who want to quickly access basic exposure settings (shutter/aperture priority and manual) without fuss. FujiFilm’s S1600, meanwhile, leans into its bridge camera roots with more pronounced physical controls and a slightly more complex arrangement, though lacking illuminated buttons or touchscreen.

For photographers prone to shooting on-the-move or those who value pocketability, Canon’s design is a clear win. FujiFilm, by contrast, appeals to tactile enthusiasts comfortable with a heftier tool offering some extra grip and legacy charm.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Both cameras employ the same sensor size - 1/2.3 inch (6.17 × 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS for Canon and CCD for FujiFilm. While identical in physical dimensions, the technological gap between sensors and image processors is notable and impacts image outcomes dramatically.

Canon’s SX720 HS deploys a modern backside-illuminated CMOS sensor with 20.3 megapixels, paired with a DIGIC 6 processor renowned for efficient noise control and swift data processing. The larger pixel count boosts resolution substantially over the Fuji’s 12 MP CCD unit, extending maximum image size to 5184 × 3888 pixels versus 4000 × 3000 for Fuji.

In real-world testing, the Canon’s CMOS sensor delivers cleaner images, especially as ISO climbs beyond 400. Noise is more finely controlled, retaining detail while suppressing color speckles – a clear advantage for low-light street or event photography. The Fuji’s older CCD sensor shows increased graininess and color noise starting around ISO 400, which can limit shooting conditions.

Though both lack RAW support, Canon’s image processing pipeline skews toward more natural color rendering and improved dynamic range. Fuji’s images occasionally struggle with blown highlights and muddy shadows, consequences of its dated sensor and basic JPEG processing.

To summarize: Canon’s SX720 HS wins decisively on image quality metrics - better resolution, cleaner high-ISO output, and more flexibility with dynamic scenes.

Handling and User Interface: The Operator’s Perspective

The interface is a quiet workhorse carrying the user experience forward or dragging it backward. Both cameras forgo touchscreens, favoring fixed LCDs - but with important distinctions.

Canon’s 3-inch, 922k-dot screen offers a crisp and bright viewing experience, imperative for composing in bright outdoor conditions or reviewing critical focus and exposure. Fuji’s 3-inch display suffers from low resolution at just 230k dots, making fine details harder to judge. The lack of touchscreen on either means all adjustments rely on buttons and dials, but Canon’s interface feels more modern and responsive.

Neither camera features a high-resolution electronic viewfinder, which can be a dealbreaker in strong sunlight. Fuji’s S1600 includes a basic electronic viewfinder with approximately 99% coverage, but the low resolution and poor refresh rate limit its practical use. Canon opts to omit a viewfinder altogether, encouraging live view on the rear screen.

Autofocus systems diverge significantly here. Canon’s SX720 HS adopts a 9-point contrast-detection AF system enhanced by face detection and continuous AF for tracking moving subjects. FujiFilm uses a more rudimentary contrast AF without face or subject tracking, which impacts performance under dynamic shooting conditions.

Lens and Zoom: Reach and Optical Quality

One of the star features for both models is their extensive zoom ranges, facilitating everything from sweeping landscapes to modest wildlife shots on a budget.

• Canon SX720 HS: 24-960mm equivalent (40x zoom) with f/3.3-6.9 aperture
• FujiFilm S1600: 28-420mm equivalent (15x zoom) with f/4.0-4.8 aperture

The Canon’s overwhelming advantage is in zoom reach - offering almost triple the telephoto extension. This 40x zoom makes it ideal for birdwatching, distant events, or casual wildlife photography, albeit with aperture narrowing significantly at the long end, reducing light admission.

FujiFilm’s shorter zoom range caps at 420mm, sufficient for portraits, landscapes, and moderate telephoto needs but less versatile when distance matters.

Both lenses have fixed mounts - user cannot interchange or upgrade. The difference in maximum aperture range means the Fuji’s lens is brighter at telephoto settings, beneficial for low-light conditions or faster shutter speeds. However, Canon compensates via superior image stabilization.

Image Stabilization and Shutter: Keeping Shots Sharp

Image stabilization is critical at these extreme zoom lengths, preventing blurry photos from hand shake.

The FujiFilm employs sensor-shift stabilization, an older technique shifting the entire CCD to compensate for movement. The Canon uses optical stabilization within the lens assembly, which typically outperforms sensor-shift in both effectiveness and smoothness. In testing, Canon’s Optical IS delivers noticeably steadier images at 960mm, enabling handheld shots at slower shutter speeds with more consistently sharp results.

Shutter speed ranges also underscore Canon’s superiority: it offers a 15-second minimum speed for night work, generous for handheld night shots or light painting, and a maximum 1/3200 second speed for bright conditions or motion freeze. FujiFilm is more limited with a slowest 8 seconds and max shutter capped at 1/2000 sec, constraining freedom in exposure control.

Continuous shooting speeds favor Canon considerably: 5.9 frames per second supports active wildlife or sports photography, while Fuji’s sluggish 1 fps suits only the most casual shooting.

Battery Life and Storage: Ready When You Are?

In the field, battery endurance and memory options influence how long and far you can roam shooting.

Canon relies on a proprietary NB-13L lithium-ion battery rated for 250 shots per charge - a middling endurance level for compact cameras, but rechargeable and lighter. FujiFilm’s S1600 depends on four AA batteries - advantageous in emergencies but bulky and adding weight. Overall, Canon’s battery system feels more modern and convenient.

Both cameras accept SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, though FujiFilm lacks support for SDXC, limiting you to 32GB cards - a non-issue for most casual users but a consideration if you shoot HD video a lot.

Connectivity and Extras: Staying Up to Date

Canon’s SX720 HS includes built-in Wi-Fi and NFC, streamlining wireless image transfer and remote shooting via smartphone apps. This feature dramatically improves workflow for travel or social photographers wanting quick sharing.

FujiFilm S1600 lacks any wireless connectivity, reflecting its age and positioning. It also misses out on HDMI output, limiting tethered viewing options.

Neither camera offers microphone or headphone jacks, putting both out of reach for serious videographers.

Performance Across Photography Genres

How do these cameras stack up in real-world scenario tests spanning popular photography disciplines? Let’s review:

Portrait Photography

• Canon: 20 MP sensor with face detection and eye detection autofocus delivers sharp, true-to-skin-tone portraits. The 24mm wide angle can obscure subject-background separation, but long tele zoom produces respectable bokeh given CMOS sensor size.
• Fuji: Only 12 MP and no face or eye detection. Capture results can be softer; color rendering tends to be less natural but can produce warm hues characteristic of Fuji’s film heritage. Limited autofocus makes capturing fleeting expressions tricky.

Landscape Photography

• Canon: Sharpness and dynamic range comfortably adequate for travel and nature landscapes. Reasonable weather sealing (though not fully protective). Tele zoom rarely needed; shooting wide at 24mm.
• Fuji: Struggles with midrange resolution and fine detail capture. Lack of weather resistance limits rugged field use.

Wildlife Photography

• Canon: Long 960mm reach aids distant subject capture. Fast 5.9 fps burst rate and continuous autofocus help track movement.
• Fuji: 420mm zoom and 1 fps burst inhibit capturing active subjects well.

Sports Photography

• Canon: Capable of decent captures of casual sports due to fast continuous shooting and AF tracking.
• Fuji: Unsuitable due to slow operation and limited focus capabilities.

Street Photography

• Canon: Small, pocketable, quiet shutter, and good high-ISO performance support candid capture even in dim conditions.
• Fuji: Larger size and slower operation make spontaneous shooting cumbersome.

Macro Photography

• Both cameras permit close focusing distances (Canon 1 cm, Fuji 2 cm). Canon’s sharper images and faster AF are advantageous.

Night and Astro Photography

• Canon’s longer minimal shutter and better ISO management provide more creative latitude for astrophotography and night scenes compared to Fuji.

Video Capabilities

• Canon records full HD 1080p at 60 fps with H.264 compression; superior video quality and smoother motion versus Fuji’s 720p 30 fps in motion JPEG.
• Neither camera includes microphone inputs or headphone jacks, limiting audio control.

Travel Photography

• Canon’s compact size, zoom reach, Wi-Fi connectivity, and light weight mark it as a superior choice for travel.
• Fuji’s size and older tech anchor it to budget or beginner roles.

Professional Work

• Neither camera supports RAW capture or professional features like tethering or extensive manual control, limiting them as serious primary cameras. However, Canon’s performance is significantly closer to acceptable backup or casual professional field use.

Canon SX720 HS front Canon SX720 HS screen back FujiFilm S1600 front FujiFilm S1600 screen back

Above, you can see sample image comparisons - Canon’s SX720 HS images show cleaner detail, better color fidelity, and higher resolution. Fuji’s images exhibit softness and slightly muddled colors, especially in low light or zoomed shots.

Durability and Build Quality

Neither model offers environmental sealing or ruggedized components. FujiFilm’s bulkier design feels more robust in hand, but neither camera is suitable for harsh outdoor conditions without protective care.

Technical Specs Summary and Scores

On paper and in the field, Canon SX720 HS outranks FujiFilm S1600 in almost every technical and usability category including sensor performance, autofocus, burst speeds, and build ergonomics.

A genre-by-genre breakdown reinforces Canon’s versatility for portraits, landscapes, wildlife, sports, and travel. Fuji’s strengths are limited primarily to casual daylight landscape and beginner-friendly use cases.

Final Thoughts: Which Camera Should You Choose?

Canon PowerShot SX720 HS is the more modern, nimble, and technically capable of the two. It offers superior image quality, an outstanding zoom range, faster lens response, better battery management, and wireless connectivity - all in a compact body. If versatility, portability, and image quality matter, this camera delivers impressive value around $379 new (or less on the secondhand market). It’s well suited for enthusiasts on the go, casual wildlife photographers, travel vloggers, and everyday shooters who want simplicity without compromising too much on quality.

FujiFilm FinePix S1600 is best seen as a budget-friendly, beginner’s superzoom camera from the early 2010s. Its 15x zoom and bridge-style ergonomics appeal to those who prefer larger handling and shooting simplicity at a lower entry price (~$130). However, its dated sensor and slower performance constrain it to more relaxed, daylight environments. It lacks the technical bells and whistles desirable for photography beyond casual snaps.

Bottom Line Recommendations:

• Buy Canon SX720 HS if you want:

  • Compact superzoom with reach (40x zoom)
  • Improved image quality and sensor technology
  • Faster continuous shooting and autofocus tracking
  • Modern connectivity (Wi-Fi, NFC)
  • Versatility across portrait, landscape, travel, and wildlife scenarios

• Buy FujiFilm S1600 if you:

  • Are looking for an affordable, simple superzoom for casual shooting
  • Prefer SLR-like ergonomics and bigger grip over compactness
  • Shoot mostly in good light without need for fast AF or burst mode
  • Don’t require latest sensor tech or wireless features

In summary, the Canon SX720 HS is a clear step forward technologically and functionally from the S1600. While neither camera will satisfy demanding professionals seeking RAW flexibility or ultra-fast AF, Canon’s model provides a commendable blend of zoom reach, image quality, and portability for most enthusiast use cases. Fuji’s FinePix S1600, nostalgic and earnest, suits those stepping into superzoom photography on a tight budget but falls short in every modern performance metric.

If you found this deep dive useful, I encourage you to consider your specific photography needs carefully against the comprehensive takeaways above. Field experience and testing remain king to selecting the right tool - and I hope this article brings you closer to confidently choosing your next camera.

Happy shooting!