Canon SX260 HS
- 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 3" Fixed Screen
- ISO 100 - 3200
- Optical Image Stabilization
- 1920 x 1080 video
- 25-500mm (F3.5-6.8) lens
- 231g - 106 x 61 x 33mm
- Launched June 2012
- Superseded the Canon SX240 HS
- Replacement is Canon SX270 HS
- Read full specs
- Alternatives
- Size Comparison
- FAQ
91 Imaging
36 Features
44 Overall
39
Canon SX260 HS summary
Canon SX260 HS is Canon's Small Sensor Superzoom digital camera initially introduced on June of 2012. The camera uses a 12MP, BSI-CMOS 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a full resolution of 4000 x 3000.
Canon launched this model to replace the older Canon SX240 HS (Read Full Comparison) & afterwards launched the updated Canon SX270 HS (Read Full Comparison) to update this model.
The SX260 HS comes in at #140 out of 244 in Small Sensor Superzoom cameras & overall #724 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our list. Please try our Smart camera search to get camera listings based on your customized criteria.
The following is a diagram of specific factors used in the rating system.
Canon SX260 HS history
The Canon SX260 HS has a history of related digital cameras. Down below, you can check out all earlier and most recent models as well as key specs.
F3.5-6.812MP1/2.3"2012
Canon SX260 HS Gallery
You can see the SX260 HS from several angles in the gallery here.
Canon SX260 HS Pros and Cons
Below is a shortlist of pros and cons of the Canon SX260 HS based on factors which are often regarded as crucial in a digital camera.
Canon SX260 HS Sensor info
The Canon SX260 HS features the Digic 5 chip. The sensor specification on the Canon SX260 HS is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor can capture 4000 x 3000 pixels at aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera comes with Image Stabilization (Optical). Optical stabilization is superior than digital stabilization since the latter might lead to cropping.
Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modesThe BSI-CMOS sensor has 12MP and supports a standard ISO range of 100 to 3200. Unfortunately, RAW format is not supported which means that you have less margin for error.
The image underneath displays the SX260 HS's sensor dimensions when compared to other popular sizes. The SX260 HS sensor has a crop factor of 5.8 and is showcased in green.
President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or banTo get a sense of specific aspect ratios, you can refer to the graphic below.
Canon SX260 HS dimensions
Canon SX260 HS weighs in at 0.51 lbs (231 gr or 8.15 ounces) & has external proportions of 106mm x 61mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.3"). The weight of average Small Sensor Superzoom camera is 387 gr and the Canon SX260 HS is less heavy when compared with its competitors.
Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firmsDown below is a image of the Canon SX260 HS with a softdrink to help you to get a feel for its scale.
The top view just below will illustrate the button arrangement on the SX260 HS.
Canon SX260 HS Lens info
The SX260 HS offers an inbuilt lens providing a focal range of 25-500mm giving it a 20.0 x zoom which is ideal and does allow you to zoom all the way in.
At the widest 25mm, it comes with an aperture of f3.5 and that's somewhat slow and not good for low light events and you will probably find it hard to get a shallow depth of field. You could also need to up the ISO which causes noisy shots. With the tele end, 500mm is terrific zoom and comes at f6.8 making it quite sluggish and you would need to choose slower shutter speeds.
Canon SX260 HS Connectivity
The SX260 HS has the following connectivity:
- USB Yes
- HDMI Yes
- GPS Yes
Digital cameras that contain NFC and / or Bluetooth support can easily be controlled wirelessly with smartphones. You are able to send files and sometimes change camera settings without connecting physically to the camera.
Many applications even give a Liveview and release the shutter if you are not close to the camera. If the camera includes a HDMI port, it could be hooked up to an external monitor. Almost all cameras enable you to charge the battery pack through the USB port.
Canon SX260 HS Video info
The highest possible video quality on the Canon SX260 HS is 1920 x 1080 and you can capture in H.264 file format. 1080p quality gives a great balance for video quality vs file sizes but 1080p won't give you any room to crop. The camera does not offer a microphone and / or headphone socket which means you have got no control over the audio. It is probably best to shop for an alternative model if you need good audio for your videos.
Canon SX260 HS Weather Sealing
There is no environment proofing in the Canon SX260 HS so you need to be careful in wet and dusty conditions.
Canon SX260 HS Screen and Viewfinder
The Canon SX260 HS houses a 3" fixed screen boasting a resolution of 461k dots.
Unfortunately the screen isn't a touch screen.
Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next monthThe ViewFinder specs for Canon SX260 HS are the following:
- ViewFinder None
Viewfinders can be really helpful for sunny outdoor conditions which may make the camera screen washed out and hard to see.
Canon SX260 HS Shutter info
Canon SX260 HS continuous shooting rate is 2.0 fps. The maximum shutter speed is 1/3200s.
Canon SX260 HS Flash and Hot shoe info
Canon SX260 HS comes with both inbuilt flash along with external flash support.
Canon SX260 HS Autofocusing info
Canon SX260 HS comes with just Contrast Detect Auto Focus & is missing Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot snappier and precise when compared with Contrast Detect autofocusing. The camera boasts Face detection which can be helpful for taking portraits of people.
It boasts 9 focus points to pick from. It also boasts Tracking Auto Focus for objects that move. Canon SX260 HS has manual focus if needed for low light conditions or you need to have more exact focus control.
Canon SX260 HS Battery life
The battery life (NB-6L) in the Canon SX260 HS is fashioned to last for 230 photographs with respect to the CIPA specifications making it lesser compared to it's rivals. The average Small Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 316. Fujifilm HS35EXR comes with the best (600) battery life for this group of cameras.
Following is a number of Small Sensor Superzoom cameras which have the highest battery life:
Canon SX260 HS for varying categories of photography
The following diagram displays a outline of the Canon SX260 HS for varying categories of photography. To check out more, go to the specific paragraph underneath.
Canon SX260 HS Portrait photography features
The Canon SX260 HS gets a rating of 37 which is bad, meaning that it is simply not appropriate for portraits. Taking portrait images favors heavily to sensor size, support for RAW files plus the flexibility to use off-camera lighting.
Canon SX260 HS Street photography factors
Getting a very good points tally of 61, the Canon SX260 HS is a very decent option for street photography. A decent street photography camera offers a perfect balance of picture quality plus portability.
Canon SX260 HS Sports photography factors
A bad sports photography points total of 36 means the Canon SX260 HS is simply not appropriate for taking pictures of sports. A camera really should have very good tracking and fast shutter speeds for sports photography.
Canon SX260 HS Travel photography details
Size is very crucial in choosing a camera for travel. In general, the Canon SX260 HS gets a nice 61 for a travelling camera which makes it a respectable choice to buy for your trips.
Canon SX260 HS Landscape photography information
For anyone who is planning to buy a digital camera for landscape pictures, the most critical factor is going to be image quality. The Canon SX260 HS with it's bad score of 41 as a landscape camera is simply not appropriate amongst its competition.
Canon SX260 HS Vlogging information
A camera for vlogging should really have a articulating display, microphone port and ideally IBIS. Considering all things, the Canon SX260 HS is simply not appropriate for vlogging as it receives a bad score of 34.
Canon SX260 HS Alternatives
If you are searching for alternatives to the SX260 HS, here is a range of the highest placed cameras that fall into the family of Small Sensor Superzoom.
The chart followed below will give you an overview of the SX260 HS vs it's top scored rivals suggested earlier.
There are more cameras you may have a look at as alternate options. To go through a full comparison, just click on the "compare" link.