Canon SX40 HS

Canon SX40 HS is Canon's Small Sensor Superzoom camera initially introduced on September of 2011. It features a 12 MegaPixel, BSI-CMOS 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a peak resolution of 4000 x 3000.

Canon released this camera to upgrade the older Canon SX30 IS (Read Full Comparison) and then launched the fresher Canon SX50 HS (Read Full Comparison) to upgrade this camera.

The SX40 HS is positioned #118 out of 244 in Small Sensor Superzoom cameras and all around #663 out of 1465 for cameras in our database. You can look at our Smart camera search to see camera rankings based on your custom requirements.

Below is a diagram of specific criteria used in the scoring system.

The Canon SX40 HS comes with a history of related cameras. Underneath, you can look at all older and latest models alongside important specifications.

You can see the SX40 HS from different angles in the gallery below.

Below is a list of benefits and drawbacks of the Canon SX40 HS based on aspects that are normally seen as necessary in a camera.

The sensor specification on the Canon SX40 HS is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor is able to resolve 4000 x 3000 pixels at aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera has got Image Stabilization (Optical). Optical stabilization is superior than digital stabilization since the latter can easily produce cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor boasts 12MP and includes a native ISO range of 100 to 3200. Sadly, RAW files are not supported which means that you have less room to maneuver in post.

The picture below illustrates the SX40 HS's sensor dimensions in comparison to other common sizes. The SX40 HS sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.8 and is pointed out in green.

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To get an idea of different aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.

Canon SX40 HS weighs about 1.32 pounds (600 gr / 21.16 oz) and features exterior measurements of 123mm x 92mm x 108mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 4.3"). The weight of general Small Sensor Superzoom camera is 387 gr and the Canon SX40 HS is heavier when compared with its competitors.

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Below is a visual of the Canon SX40 HS with a softdrink so you can have a feel for its scale.

The top view below will show you the button design on the SX40 HS.

The SX40 HS houses a built-in lens providing a focal range of 24-840mm making it a 35.0 x zoom which is significant and is going to make it easier to zoom right in.

At the widest 24mm, it provides an aperture of f2.7 and that's rather slow and not great in low light conditions and you might find it difficult to capture good bokeh. You will likely also have to increase the ISO setting which causes noisy photographs. With the tele end, 840mm is phenomenal zoom and comes with f5.8 making it quite sluggish and you may need to go with slow shutter speeds.

The SX40 HS has the following connectivity:

• USB Yes
• Wireless Yes
• HDMI Yes

Cameras that include NFC and / or Bluetooth connectivity can be used wirelessly by smartphones. You are able to copy pictures and sometimes change camera settings without the hassle of connecting straight to the camera.

Many applications even allow a Liveview and press the shutter if you aren't close to the camera. If the camera contains a HDMI out, it can be connected to an external display. Almost all cameras will allow you to charge the battery with the USB socket.

The highest video resolution on the Canon SX40 HS is 1920 x 1080 and it can capture in MPEG-4 and H.264 format. 1080p resolution provides a good balance in quality and file sizes but FULL HD will not leave you with much room to downsample. The camera doesn't include a mic and / or headphone socket which means you have got no control over your sound. It is probably a better idea to order an alternative camera should you want decent sound in your video clips.

There is no weather proofing in the Canon SX40 HS so you need to be cautious in rainy and dusty situations.

The Canon SX40 HS features a 2.7 inch fully articulated display screen boasting a resolution of 230 thousand dots.

The display is selfie friendly to shoot self portraits and group photos if required. Sadly the display screen is not a touch screen.

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The View Finder specifications regarding Canon SX40 HS are as follows:

• ViewFinder Electronic

In those bright outdoor situations which make the camera screens washed out and hard to view, viewfinders will be rather useful.

Canon SX40 HS continuous shooting speed is 10.0 frames/s. The maximum shutter speed is 1/3200 seconds.

Canon SX40 HS has got both inbuilt flash and external flash ability. The maximum flash sync speed is 1/2000 seconds.

Canon SX40 HS has got just Contrast Based AF and lacks Phase Detect AF. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot quicker & exact when compared with Contrast Based autofocusing. The camera features Face detect which makes it valuable for taking photos of people.

The AF system features 9 focus points to pick from. Canon SX40 HS has manual focusing in case it is required in low light scenarios or you want to have more accurate focusing control.

The battery power (NB-10L) in the Canon SX40 HS is designed to last for 380 pictures according to the CIPA specifications making it above average ın comparison with its category. The typical Small Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 316. Fujifilm HS35EXR has the highest (600) battery life in this group of cameras.

Here is a number of Small Sensor Superzoom cameras with the best battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth

Fujifilm HS35EXR
SX40 HS vs Fujifilm HS35EXR600 yesnono

Nikon B500
SX40 HS vs B500600 nonoyes

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Nikon L840
SX40 HS vs L840590 noyesno

Panasonic FZ200
SX40 HS vs FZ200540 yesnono

Leica V-Lux 4
SX40 HS vs V-Lux 4540 yesnono

The following graph indicates a overview of the Canon SX40 HS for varying types of photography. To check out more, go to the specific paragraph below.

The Canon SX40 HS receives a points tally of 41 which is subpar, and means the camera is not really acceptable to use for portrait photography. Shooting portraits leans greatly towards sensor specs, RAW support along with the ability to work with external flash.

With a moderate points tally of 49, the Canon SX40 HS is somewhat appropriate for street photography. A very good street photography camera comes with a fine balance of picture quality and portability.

A subpar sports photography score of 43 means the Canon SX40 HS is not really acceptable for photographing sports. A camera needs fantastic autofocus plus fast shutter speeds for sports photography.

Size is extremely critical when buying a camera for travel. Overall, the Canon SX40 HS gets a moderate 55 as a travelling camera which is relatively adequate to take with you on your holidays.

When you are planning to buy a camera for landscape photos, the biggest aspect is going to be image quality. The Canon SX40 HS at it's subpar grade of 38 for a landscape camera is not really acceptable in the current market.

A vlogging camera ought to posses a moving screen, microphone input and ideally IBIS. Considering all the details, the Canon SX40 HS is relatively appropriate for vlogging as it delivers a reasonable rating of 57.

If you are in the market for alternatives to the SX40 HS, below is a range of the highest rated cameras which fall within the category of Small Sensor Superzoom.

The chart below shows you an overview of the SX40 HS compared to it's top rated rivals listed previously.

Following are several cameras you might check out as alternative options. To read a comprehensive comparison, simply click the "compare" link.