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Canon SX400 IS

 
Canon PowerShot SX400 IS front
 
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 1600
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 24-720mm (F3.4-5.8) lens
  • 313g - 104 x 69 x 80mm
  • Introduced July 2014
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
81
Imaging
40
Features
31
Overall
36

Canon SX400 IS summary

Canon SX400 IS is Canon's Small Sensor Superzoom camera originally released on July of 2014. It has got a 16 MegaPixel, CCD 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a max resolution of 4608 x 3456.

The SX400 IS is scored #192 out of 244 in Small Sensor Superzoom cameras and over-all #869 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our collection. You should look at our Advanced camera search to get camera results based on your personal factors.

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Below is a chart of specific factors used in the rating system.

Canon SX400 IS family

The Canon SX400 IS comes with a history of related digital cameras. Here, you can discover all earlier and most recent models alongside key specifications.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Canon-PowerShot-SX70-HS front thumbnailCanon SX70 HS
SX400 IS vs SX70 HS
21-1365mm
F3.4-6.5
20MP1/2.3"2018
Canon-PowerShot-SX740-HS front thumbnailCanon SX740 HS
SX400 IS vs SX740 HS
24-960mm
F3.3-6.9
21MP1/2.3"2018
Photography Glossary
Canon-PowerShot-SX730-HS front thumbnailCanon SX730 HS
SX400 IS vs SX730 HS
24-960mm
F3.3-6.9
20.3MP1/2.3"2017
Canon-PowerShot-SX620-HS front thumbnailCanon SX620 HS
SX400 IS vs SX620 HS
25-625mm
F3.2-6.6
20MP1/2.3"2016
Canon-PowerShot-SX720-HS front thumbnailCanon SX720 HS
SX400 IS vs SX720 HS
24-960mm
F3.3-6.9
20.3MP1/2.3"2016
Canon-PowerShot-SX420-IS front thumbnailCanon SX420 IS
SX400 IS vs SX420 IS
24-1008mm
F3.5-6.6
20MP1/2.3"2016
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Canon-PowerShot-SX540-HS front thumbnailCanon SX540 HS
SX400 IS vs SX540 HS
24-1200mm
F3.4-6.5
20MP1/2.3"2016
Canon-PowerShot-SX410-IS front thumbnailCanon SX410 IS
SX400 IS vs SX410 IS
24-960mm
F3.5-5.6
20MP1/2.3"2015
Canon-PowerShot-SX710-HS front thumbnailCanon SX710 HS
SX400 IS vs SX710 HS
25-750mm
F3.2-6.9
20MP1/2.3"2015
Canon-PowerShot-SX610-HS front thumbnailCanon SX610 HS
SX400 IS vs SX610 HS
25-450mm
F3.8-6.9
20MP1/2.3"2015
Canon-PowerShot-SX530-HS front thumbnailCanon SX530 HS
SX400 IS vs SX530 HS
24-1200mm
F3.4-6.5
16MP1/2.3"2015
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Canon-PowerShot-SX60-HS front thumbnailCanon SX60 HS
SX400 IS vs SX60 HS
21-1365mm
F3.4-6.5
16MP1/2.3"2014
Canon-PowerShot-SX400-IS front thumbnailCanon SX400 IS24-720mm
F3.4-5.8
16MP1/2.3"2014
Canon-PowerShot-SX520-HS front thumbnailCanon SX520 HS
SX400 IS vs SX520 HS
24-1008mm
F3.4-6.0
16MP1/2.3"2014
Canon-PowerShot-SX700-HS front thumbnailCanon SX700 HS
SX400 IS vs SX700 HS
25-750mm
F3.2-6.9
16MP1/2.3"2014
Canon-PowerShot-SX600-HS front thumbnailCanon SX600 HS
SX400 IS vs SX600 HS
25-450mm
F3.8-6.9
16MP1/2.3"2014
Canon-PowerShot-SX170-IS front thumbnailCanon SX170 IS
SX400 IS vs SX170 IS
28-448mm
F3.5-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2013
Canon-PowerShot-SX510-HS front thumbnailCanon SX510 HS
SX400 IS vs SX510 HS
24-720mm
F3.4-5.8
12MP1/2.3"2013
Canon-PowerShot-SX160-IS front thumbnailCanon SX160 IS
SX400 IS vs SX160 IS
28-448mm
F3.5-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2013
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Canon-PowerShot-SX270-HS front thumbnailCanon SX270 HS
SX400 IS vs SX270 HS
25-500mm
F3.5-6.8
12MP1/2.3"2013
Canon-PowerShot-SX280-HS front thumbnailCanon SX280 HS
SX400 IS vs SX280 HS
25-500mm
F3.5-6.8
12MP1/2.3"2013
Canon-PowerShot-SX50-HS front thumbnailCanon SX50 HS
SX400 IS vs SX50 HS
24-1200mm
F3.4-6.5
12MP1/2.3"2013
Canon-PowerShot-SX500-IS front thumbnailCanon SX500 IS
SX400 IS vs SX500 IS
24-720mm
F3.4-5.8
16MP1/2.3"2012
Canon-PowerShot-SX260-HS front thumbnailCanon SX260 HS
SX400 IS vs SX260 HS
25-500mm
F3.5-6.8
12MP1/2.3"2012
Canon-PowerShot-SX150-IS front thumbnailCanon SX150 IS
SX400 IS vs SX150 IS
28-336mm
F3.4-5.6
14MP1/2.3"2012
Canon-PowerShot-SX240-HS front thumbnailCanon SX240 HS
SX400 IS vs SX240 HS
25-500mm
F3.5-6.8
12MP1/2.3"2012
Canon-PowerShot-SX40-HS front thumbnailCanon SX40 HS
SX400 IS vs SX40 HS
24-840mm
F2.7-5.8
12MP1/2.3"2011
Canon-PowerShot-SX230-HS front thumbnailCanon SX230 HS
SX400 IS vs SX230 HS
28-392mm
F3.1-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2011
Canon-PowerShot-SD4500-IS front thumbnailCanon SD4500 IS
SX400 IS vs SD4500 IS
36-360mm
F3.4-5.6
10MP1/2.3"2011
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Canon-SX220-HS front thumbnailCanon SX220 HS
SX400 IS vs SX220 HS
28-392mm
F3.1-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2011
Canon-PowerShot-SX30-IS front thumbnailCanon SX30 IS
SX400 IS vs SX30 IS
24-840mm
F2.7-5.8
14MP1/2.3"2010
Canon-PowerShot-SX130-IS front thumbnailCanon SX130 IS
SX400 IS vs SX130 IS
28-336mm
F3.4-5.6
12MP1/2.3"2010
Canon-PowerShot-SD4000-IS front thumbnailCanon SD4000 IS
SX400 IS vs SD4000 IS
28-105mm
F2.0-5.3
10MP1/2.3"2010
Canon-PowerShot-SX20-IS front thumbnailCanon SX20 IS
SX400 IS vs SX20 IS
28-560mm
F2.8-5.7
12MP1/2.3"2010
Canon-PowerShot-SX210-IS front thumbnailCanon SX210 IS
SX400 IS vs SX210 IS
28-392mm
F3.1-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2010
Canon-PowerShot-SD3500-IS front thumbnailCanon SD3500 IS
SX400 IS vs SD3500 IS
24-120mm
F2.8-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2010
Canon-PowerShot-SD1300-IS front thumbnailCanon SD1300 IS
SX400 IS vs SD1300 IS
28-112mm
F2.8-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2010
Canon-PowerShot-SD980-IS front thumbnailCanon SD980 IS
SX400 IS vs SD980 IS
24-120mm
F2.8-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2009
Canon-PowerShot-SX200-IS front thumbnailCanon SX200 IS
SX400 IS vs SX200 IS
28-336mm
F3.4-5.3
12MP1/2.3"2009
Canon-PowerShot-SX1-IS front thumbnailCanon SX1 IS
SX400 IS vs SX1 IS
28-560mm
F2.8-5.7
10MP1/2.3"2009
Canon-PowerShot-SD970-IS front thumbnailCanon SD970 IS
SX400 IS vs SD970 IS
37-185mm
F3.2-5.7
12MP1/2.3"2009
Canon-PowerShot-SD960-IS front thumbnailCanon SD960 IS
SX400 IS vs SD960 IS
28-112mm
F2.8-5.8
12MP1/2.3"2009
Canon-PowerShot-SD1200-IS front thumbnailCanon SD1200 IS
SX400 IS vs SD1200 IS
35-105mm
F2.8-4.9
10MP1/2.3"2009
Canon-PowerShot-SX10-IS front thumbnailCanon SX10 IS
SX400 IS vs SX10 IS
28-560mm
F2.8-5.7
10MP1/2.3"2009

Canon SX400 IS Pros and Cons

Below is a shortlist of advantages and drawbacks of the Canon SX400 IS based on aspects which are normally considered useful in a camera.

amazing zoom range (24-720mm 30.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
flash built-in
good MP (16 megapixels)
great minimum ISO (100)
long zoom (720mm)
offers face detection focus
offers tracking autofocus
relatively wide (24mm)
screen size is good (3 inches)
continuous shooting slow (1.0 fps)
does not posses selfie friendly display
external flash not possible
fixed screen
lack of aperture priority mode
lack of external microphone support
lack of HDMI out
lack of headphone support
lack of phase detect auto focus
lack of RAW format
lack of Timelapse function
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
low battery pack (190 CIPA)
no manual exposure
no manual focus
no shutter priority mode
pixelated screen (230 k dots)
slow at full zoom (f5.8)
slow max aperture (f3.4)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
video quality not great (1280 x 720 pxls)
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Canon SX400 IS Sensor specifications

The Canon SX400 IS is powered by the Digic 4+ processor. The specification of the sensor on the Canon SX400 IS is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the ability to capture 4608 x 3456 pixels at aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera includes Image Stabilization (Optical). Sensor stabilization is preferable than digital stabilization since the latter may cause cropping.

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The CCD sensor boasts 16 megapixels and provides a native ISO range of 100 to 1600. Unfortunately, RAW format is not supported so the user has less margin for error.

The image underneath displays the SX400 IS's sensor dimensions compared to other common sizes. The SX400 IS sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.8 and is outlined in green.

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To get an understanding of specific aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Canon SX400 IS dimensions

Canon SX400 IS is 0.69 lb (313 grams or 11.04 oz) and the sizing of the camera is 104mm x 69mm x 80mm (4.1" x 2.7" x 3.1"). The weight of typical Small Sensor Superzoom camera is 387 grams and the Canon SX400 IS is less heavy when compared with other rivals.

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Underneath is a image of the Canon SX400 IS alongside a soda to help you have a sense of its scale.

Canon PowerShot SX400 IS dimensions scale

The top view under will show the button layout on the SX400 IS.

Canon PowerShot SX400 IS topview buttons dials

Canon SX400 IS Lens specifications

The SX400 IS has a fixed lens providing a focal range of 24-720mm making it a 30.0 x zoom which is perfect and would let you zoom all the way in.

At the widest 24mm, it offers an aperture of f3.4 and that's somewhat slow and not the best in low light conditions and you will find it difficult to capture good bokeh. You could also need to boost the ISO leading to noisy pictures. With the tele end, 720mm is superb zoom and comes at f5.8 which is very slow and you will need to apply slow shutter speeds.

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Canon SX400 IS Connectivity

The SX400 IS has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes

Digital cameras which have NFC and Bluetooth support can easily be used wirelessly via smartphones. You can send pictures and oftentimes alter camera settings without the hassle of connecting straight to the camera.

Certain applications even enable a Liveview and hit the shutter if you are not near the camera. If the camera comes with a HDMI out, it could be connected to an external monitor. Almost all cameras enable you to recharge the battery pack through the USB socket.

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Canon SX400 IS Video specifications

The max video resolution on the Canon SX400 IS is 1280 x 720 and it can capture in MPEG-4 and H.264 format. 720p is awful by today's requirements. You should really shoot for a minimum 1080p resolution for video recording. The camera does not have a mic and headphone jack so you get no control over your audio. It is perhaps best to look at another model should you want decent audio in your video clips.

Photography Glossary

Canon SX400 IS Weather Sealing

There is no environment sealing for the Canon SX400 IS so you need to be careful in wet and dusty situations.

Canon SX400 IS Display and Viewfinder

The Canon SX400 IS has got a 3" fixed display screen boasting a resolution of 230k dots.

Please note that the display offers no touch support.

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The View Finder specifications regarding Canon SX400 IS are below:

  • ViewFinder None

In those sunny outdoor situations which make the camera displays washed out and tricky to view, viewfinders will be very helpful.

Canon SX400 IS Shutter specifications

Canon SX400 IS has the ability to shoot continuously at 1.0 fps. The maximum shutter speed is 1/1600 seconds.

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Canon SX400 IS Flash and Hot shoe specifications

Canon SX400 IS includes only built-in flash without external flash support.

Canon SX400 IS Autofocusing specifications

Canon SX400 IS includes just Contrast Detect Autofocus and is missing Phase Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot quicker and accurate when compared with Contrast Detect focusing. The camera has got Face detect which is helpful for taking photos of people.

It has got 9 focus points to pick from. It also has Tracking Autofocus for moving subjects. Canon SX400 IS has no manual focus. Manual focus mode can be useful for low light scenarios or you need to have more exact control on focus.

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Canon SX400 IS Battery life

The battery pack (NB-11LH) for the Canon SX400 IS is made to last for 190 pictures based on the CIPA requirements making it lower compared to its competitors. The usual Small Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 316. Fujifilm HS35EXR has the maximum (600) battery life for this range of cameras.

Underneath is a number of Small Sensor Superzoom cameras having the strongest battery life:

Canon SX400 IS for varying types of photography

The following graph displays a outline of the Canon SX400 IS for varying types of photography. To check out more, visit the specific paragraph underneath.

Canon SX400 IS Portrait photography factors

The Canon SX400 IS receives a points total of 35 which is really bad, and means the camera is not appropriate to use for portrait images. Shooting portraits favors greatly towards sensor specs, support for RAW files plus the potential to use off-camera lighting.

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MP count decent (16MP)
features face detect focusing
no manual focus
manual exposure not available
no external flash support
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
has no RAW support

Canon SX400 IS Street photography features

Getting a reasonable points tally of 52, the Canon SX400 IS is relatively acceptable for street photography. A very good street photography camera has a fine balance of picture quality plus portability.

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has image stabilization (Optical)
fixed screen
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
no RAW files

Sports photography with Canon SX400 IS

A really bad sports photography points total of 42 means the Canon SX400 IS is not appropriate for taking photos of sports. A camera really should have excellent tracking and fast continuous shooting for sports photography.

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amazing zoom range (24-720mm 30.0 x zoom)
has image stabilization (Optical)
good MP (16 megapixels)
provides tracking focus
max frames per second low (1.0 frames per second)
lack of shutter priority mode
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
bad battery pack (190 per charge)
lack of phase detect AF

Canon SX400 IS Travel photography details

Size is very important when choosing a camera for travel. Overall, the Canon SX400 IS gets a moderate 60 as a travelling camera which is fairly suitable to purchase for your journeys.

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MP count decent (16 megapixels)
flash built-in
rather wide (24mm)
great zoom (720mm)
no Timelapse mode
terrible battery pack (190 per charge)
screen isn't selfie friendly
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.4)

Canon SX400 IS Landscape photography factors

If you're looking to buy a camera for landscape photographs, the most essential aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Canon SX400 IS at it's really bad rating of 40 for a landscape camera is not appropriate within the current market.

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decently wide (24mm)
pretty good screen size (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
no manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.4)
no manual exposure
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
no RAW format
low battery life (190 CIPA)
doesn't have Time Lapse mode

Canon SX400 IS as a Vlogging camera

A camera for vlogging really should come with a articulating screen, microphone port and preferably image stabilization. Taking all things into account, the Canon SX400 IS is not appropriate as a vlog camera as it comes to a really bad score of 28.

Photography Glossary
relatively wide (24mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
supports face detect focusing
slow maximum aperture (f3.4)
display isn't selfie friendly
video res low (1280 x 720 pixels)
missing microphone jack

Canon SX400 IS Alternatives

If you are shopping for replacements to the SX400 IS, here is a list of the top rated cameras which fall under the category of Small Sensor Superzoom.

The diagram listed below offers you an overview of the SX400 IS vs it's top ranking rivals listed previously.

Here are a few more cameras you might consider as alternatives. To see a full comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Brand
Canon
Model
Canon PowerShot SX400 IS
Class
Small Sensor Superzoom
Introduced
2014-07-29
Physical type
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CCD
Powered by
Digic 4+
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor measurements
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
16 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Max resolution
4608 x 3456
RAW files
Max native ISO
1600
Min native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
Continuous AF
AF single
Tracking AF
Selective AF
AF center weighted
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Number of focus points
9
Lens
Lens mounting type
fixed lens
Lens focal range
24-720mm (30.0x)
Highest aperture
f/3.4-5.8
Macro focus distance
0cm
Crop factor
5.8
Screen
Type of display
Fixed Type
Display diagonal
3 inches
Resolution of display
230k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
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
1/1600 secs
Continuous shutter rate
1.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Set WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range
5.00 m
Flash modes
Auto, on, off, slow synchro
Hot shoe
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1280 x 720 (25 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Max video resolution
1280x720
Video data format
MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
313 gr (0.69 pounds)
Physical dimensions
104 x 69 x 80mm (4.1" x 2.7" x 3.1")
Other
Battery life
190 pictures
Battery style
Battery Pack
Battery model
NB-11LH
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom)
Time lapse recording
Storage type
SD/SDHC/SDXC
Card slots
1
Pricing at release
$229