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Canon ELPH 520 HS

 
Canon ELPH 520 HS front
 
  • 10MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 28-336mm (F3.4-5.6) lens
  • 155g - 87 x 54 x 19mm
  • Released January 2012
  • Also referred to as IXUS 500 HS
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
96
Imaging
34
Features
33
Overall
33

Canon ELPH 520 HS summary

Canon ELPH 520 HS is Canon's Ultracompact camera initially introduced on January of 2012. The camera has got a 10MP, BSI-CMOS 1/2.3" size sensor with a max resolution of 3648 x 2736. It is known as "IXUS 500 HS" in certain regions.

The ELPH 520 HS is ranked #56 out of 151 in Ultracompact cameras & over-all #988 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our list. You should check our Advanced camera finder to find camera ratings based on your customized factors.

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Below is a diagram of multiple factors used in the rating system.

Canon ELPH 520 HS family

The Canon ELPH 520 HS has a history of related digital cameras. Down below, you can find all earlier and new models as well as important specifications.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Canon-PowerShot-ELPH-360-HS front thumbnailCanon ELPH 360 HS
ELPH 520 HS vs ELPH 360 HS
25-300mm
F3.6-7.0
20MP1/2.3"2016
Canon-PowerShot-ELPH-190-IS front thumbnailCanon ELPH 190 IS
ELPH 520 HS vs ELPH 190 IS
24-240mm
F3.0-6.9
20MP1/2.3"2016
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Canon-PowerShot-ELPH-180 front thumbnailCanon ELPH 180
ELPH 520 HS vs ELPH 180
28-224mm
F3.2-6.9
20MP1/2.3"2016
Canon-PowerShot-ELPH-350-HS front thumbnailCanon ELPH 350 HS
ELPH 520 HS vs ELPH 350 HS
25-300mm
F3.6-7.0
20MP1/2.3"2015
Canon-PowerShot-ELPH-140-IS front thumbnailCanon ELPH 140 IS
ELPH 520 HS vs ELPH 140 IS
28-224mm
F3.2-6.9
16MP1/2.3"2014
Canon-PowerShot-ELPH-150-IS front thumbnailCanon ELPH 150 IS
ELPH 520 HS vs ELPH 150 IS
24-240mm
F3.0-6.9
20MP1/2.3"2014
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Canon-PowerShot-ELPH-135 front thumbnailCanon ELPH 135
ELPH 520 HS vs ELPH 135
28-224mm
F3.2-6.9
16MP1/2.3"2014
Canon-PowerShot-ELPH-340-HS front thumbnailCanon ELPH 340 HS
ELPH 520 HS vs ELPH 340 HS
25-300mm
F3.6-7.0
16MP1/2.3"2014
Canon-Elph-115-IS front thumbnailCanon Elph 115 IS
ELPH 520 HS vs Elph 115 IS
24-120mm
F2.7-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2013
Canon-ELPH-130 front thumbnailCanon ELPH 130
ELPH 520 HS vs ELPH 130
28-224mm
F3.2-6.9
16MP1/2.3"2013
Canon-ELPH-520-HS front thumbnailCanon ELPH 520 HS28-336mm
F3.4-5.6
10MP1/2.3"2012
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Canon-ELPH-310-HS front thumbnailCanon ELPH 310 HS
ELPH 520 HS vs ELPH 310 HS
28-224mm
F3.0-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2011
Canon-ELPH-300-HS front thumbnailCanon ELPH 300 HS
ELPH 520 HS vs ELPH 300 HS
24-120mm
F2.7-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2011
Canon-ELPH-100-HS front thumbnailCanon ELPH 100 HS
ELPH 520 HS vs ELPH 100 HS
28-112mm
F2.8-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2011

Canon ELPH 520 HS Pros and Cons

Here is a collection of good and bad points of the Canon ELPH 520 HS based on features which are generally considered necessary in a camera.

built in zoom lens (28-336mm 12.0 x zoom)
decently wide (28mm)
flash built-in
good minimum ISO (100)
has HDMI support
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
image stabilization (Optical)
long zoom (336mm)
offers face detect focus
offers tracking focus
screen is a good size (3 inches)
does not feature selfie friendly display
does not have headphone jack
does not have mic jack
does not have Time Lapse recording
has no phase detect auto focus
has no RAW files
heavier than competition (155g)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
low MP (10MP)
manual exposure not available
max zoom aperture not good (f5.6)
no aperture priority mode
no external flash support
no manual focus
no shutter priority
not so great battery pack (190 CIPA)
painfully slow continuous shooting (3.0 fps)
screen has low resolution (461 thousand dot)
screen is fixed
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.4)
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Canon ELPH 520 HS Sensor specs

The Canon ELPH 520 HS features the DIGIC 5 chip. The sensor specification on the Canon ELPH 520 HS is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the capability to capture 3648 x 2736 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera comes with Image Stabilization (Optical). In body stabilization is preferable than digital stabilization since the latter can produce cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor has 10MP and provides a native ISO range of 100 to 3200. Unfortunately, RAW photos are not saved therefore the user has less margin for error.

The picture underneath illustrates the ELPH 520 HS's sensor size in comparison to other common sizes. The ELPH 520 HS sensor has a crop factor of 5.8 and is presented in green.

Canon ELPH 520 HS sensor size Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firms

To get an understanding of various aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Canon ELPH 520 HS dimensions

Canon ELPH 520 HS is 0.34 pounds (155 grams / 5.47 oz) & the overall size of the camera is 87mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.4" x 2.1" x 0.7"). The weight of typical Ultracompact camera is 121 grams and the Canon ELPH 520 HS is more heavy than various competitors.

Photography Glossary

Underneath is a shot of the Canon ELPH 520 HS besides a soft drink so you're able to get a sense of its size.

Canon ELPH 520 HS dimensions scale

The top view under will provide the button design on the ELPH 520 HS.

Canon ELPH 520 HS topview buttons dials

Canon ELPH 520 HS Lens details

The ELPH 520 HS is equipped with a built in lens with a focal range of 28-336mm making it a 12.0 x zoom which won't be huge however it could be handy in certain circumstances.

At it's widest 28mm, it comes with an aperture of f3.4 making it very sluggish and not very good for low light conditions and you will likely find it difficult to get a shallow depth of field. You might also need to raise your ISO causing noisy pictures. On the long end, 336mm is terrific zoom and comes with f5.6 which is pretty slow and you might have to utilize slow shutter speeds.

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Canon ELPH 520 HS Connectivity

The ELPH 520 HS has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras that feature NFC or Bluetooth connectivity can easily be controlled wirelessly via smartphones. You can easily transfer photos and oftentimes alter settings without the hassle of connecting straight with the camera.

Some apps also provide a Liveview and hit the shutter if you are not near the camera. If the camera has a HDMI port, it could be connected to an external display. A good number of cameras enable you to recharge the battery pack with the USB socket.

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Canon ELPH 520 HS Video details

The max video quality on the Canon ELPH 520 HS is 1920 x 1080 and you can save in H.264 format. 1080p quality will provide a decent balance between quality and file size but 1080p is not going to leave you with any room to crop. The body does not have a microphone or headphone jack which means that you have got zero control over the audio. It is perhaps best to look at an alternative model in case you want decent audio for your video clips.

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Canon ELPH 520 HS Weather Sealing

Canon ELPH 520 HS does not have environment sealing so rainy conditions could ruin the camera.

Canon ELPH 520 HS Display and Viewfinder

The Canon ELPH 520 HS has got a 3 inch fixed display with a resolution of 461 thousand dots.

Please be aware that the display screen has no touch support.

Canon ELPH 520 HS screen and viewfinder President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or ban

The ViewFinder specifications for Canon ELPH 520 HS are as follows:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders are quite useful during sunny outdoor conditions which can easily make the camera display washed out and difficult to see.

Canon ELPH 520 HS Shutter details

Canon ELPH 520 HS continuous shooting rate is 3.0 fps. The max shutter speed is 1/4000 seconds.

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Canon ELPH 520 HS Flash and Hot shoe details

Canon ELPH 520 HS comes with just built-in flash with missing external flash support.

Canon ELPH 520 HS Autofocus details

Canon ELPH 520 HS comes with only Contrast Detect Autofocus & is missing Phase Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot more quicker & exact than Contrast Detect focusing. The camera has got Face detect making it helpful for people photography.

The AF system has got 9 focus points to pick from. It also boasts Tracking Autofocus for things that move. Canon ELPH 520 HS lacks manual focus. Manual focus ability can be good during low light scenarios or you require more accurate focusing control.

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Canon ELPH 520 HS Battery life

The battery pack (NB-9L) for the Canon ELPH 520 HS is built to last for 190 pictures with respect to the CIPA requirements which is less than it's competitors. The usual Ultracompact camera battery life is 214. Nikon L32 comes with the maximum (320) battery life within this type of cameras.

Following is a collection of Ultracompact cameras that have the strongest battery life:

Canon ELPH 520 HS for specific kinds of photography

The following diagram gives a outline of the Canon ELPH 520 HS for specific kinds of photography. To see more, check out the specific section underneath.

Portrait photography with Canon ELPH 520 HS

The Canon ELPH 520 HS gets a rating of 26 which is bad, and means the camera is just not good for portrait images. Shooting portraits favors greatly towards sensor resolution, RAW support plus the option to utilize external lighting.

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offers face detect focus
lack of manual focus
no manual exposure
no external flash support
low megapixels (10 megapixels)
small sensor (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format

Canon ELPH 520 HS Street photography info

Coming in at a reasonable points tally of 55, the Canon ELPH 520 HS is reasonably suitable to buy for street photography. A very good street photography camera features a fine balance of picture quality and portability.

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has image stabilization (Optical)
no moving screen
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW support
more heavy than competition (155 grams)

Canon ELPH 520 HS Sports photography factors

A bad sports photography points tally of 29 indicates the Canon ELPH 520 HS is just not good for taking pictures of sports. A camera needs good focusing and continuous shooting for sports photography.

Photography Glossary
built in image stabilization (Optical)
features tracking focus
low frames per second (3.0 fps)
lack of shutter priority mode
MP count low (10 megapixels)
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
not so great battery power (190 shots)
has no phase detect AF

Travel photography with Canon ELPH 520 HS

Weight is very critical when buying a travel camera. In general, the Canon ELPH 520 HS gets a modest 58 as a travelling camera which is relatively appropriate for your journeys.

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flash built-in
really wide (28mm)
great reach (336mm)
does not have Timelapse recording
not so great battery life (190 per charge)
more heavy than competition in class (155g)
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
screen is not selfie friendly
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.4)

Landscape photography with Canon ELPH 520 HS

For those who are looking to pick a digital camera for landscape photographs, the most significant factor is going to be image quality. The Canon ELPH 520 HS with it's bad grade of 35 for a landscape camera is just not good amongst its competition.

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pretty wide (28mm)
screen size is decent (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Optical)
manual focus not available
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f3.4)
lack of manual mode
low megapixels (10 megapixels)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support
not so great battery life (190 shots)
does not have Timelapse mode

Canon ELPH 520 HS as a Vlogging camera

A camera for vlogging should come with a articulating display screen, mic port and if possible image stabilization. Considering all the details, the Canon ELPH 520 HS is just not good as a vlog camera as it comes to a bad score of 32.

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fairly wide (28mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
supports face detect focusing
high quality video (1920 x 1080 resolution)
slow max aperture (f3.4)
does not have selfie friendly display
does not have microphone jack
more heavy than competition (155g)

Canon ELPH 520 HS Alternatives

If you are shopping for replacements to the ELPH 520 HS, here is a list of the top placed cameras that fall under the family of Ultracompact.

The chart below will give you a summary of the ELPH 520 HS compared to it's highest scoring rivals mentioned previously.

Here are a handful of other cameras you may regard as alternate options. To check out a extensive comparison, click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Make
Canon
Model
Canon ELPH 520 HS
Otherwise known as
IXUS 500 HS
Type
Ultracompact
Released
2012-01-09
Body design
Ultracompact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
BSI-CMOS
Processor Chip
DIGIC 5
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
10 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Peak resolution
3648 x 2736
RAW support
Highest native ISO
3200
Lowest native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
Continuous AF
Single AF
AF tracking
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Number of focus points
9
Lens
Lens mounting type
fixed lens
Lens focal range
28-336mm (12.0x)
Maximal aperture
f/3.4-5.6
Macro focus distance
1cm
Focal length multiplier
5.8
Screen
Display type
Fixed Type
Display sizing
3 inches
Display resolution
461 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Display technology
PureColor II G TFT LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
None
DXO scores
DXO Overall score
not tested
DXO Color Depth score
not tested
DXO Dynamic range score
not tested
DXO Low light score
not tested
Features
Min shutter speed
15 secs
Max shutter speed
1/4000 secs
Continuous shutter speed
3.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Set WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range
2.50 m
Flash settings
Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (24 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps) 640 x 480 (30, 120 fps), 320 x 240 (240 fps)
Highest video resolution
1920x1080
Video format
H.264
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
155 gr (0.34 lbs)
Physical dimensions
87 x 54 x 19mm (3.4" x 2.1" x 0.7")
Other
Battery life
190 pictures
Form of battery
Battery Pack
Battery model
NB-9L
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom)
Time lapse shooting
Storage media
microSD/microSDHC/microSDXC
Storage slots
1
Retail cost
$279