Canon SX520 HS

Canon SX520 HS is Canon's Small Sensor Superzoom camera first revealed on July of 2014. The camera comes with a 16MP, BSI-CMOS 1/2.3" size sensor with a maximum resolution of 4608 x 3456.

Canon released this camera as a way to improve the older Canon SX510 HS (Read Full Comparison) and afterwards launched the fresher Canon SX530 HS (Read Full Comparison) to improve this camera.

The SX520 HS is positioned #108 out of 244 in Small Sensor Superzoom cameras and all-around #644 out of 1465 for cameras in our database. Remember to test our Smart camera filter to get camera rankings based on your personal factors.

Below is a chart of multiple criteria used in the scoring system.

The Canon SX520 HS comes with a history of related cameras. Here, you can look at all older and the latest models along with key specs.

You can view the SX520 HS from several angles in the gallery below.

Here is a collection of positives and negatives of the Canon SX520 HS based on factors that are generally viewed as important in a camera.

The Canon SX520 HS houses the Digic 4+ chip. The size of the sensor on the Canon SX520 HS is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the capability to resolve 4608 x 3456 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera includes Image Stabilization (Optical). Sensor stabilization is more effective than digital stabilization since the latter can easily lead to cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor boasts 16MP and gives a native ISO range of 100 to 3200. Sadly, RAW format is not saved therefore you have less room to maneuver in post.

The graphic below shows the SX520 HS's sensor size when compared to other common sizes. The SX520 HS sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.8 and is outlined in green.

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

Canon SX520 HS is 0.97 lb (441 gr or 15.56 oz) and features exterior dimensions of 120mm x 82mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.2" x 3.6"). The weight of normal Small Sensor Superzoom camera is 387 gr and the Canon SX520 HS is weightier than various competitors.

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Below is a pic of the Canon SX520 HS beside a soft drink so you're able to have a feel for its size.

The top view below will show you the button layout on the SX520 HS.

The SX520 HS houses a built in lens with a focal range of 24-1008mm making it a 42.0 x zoom which is perfect and will let you zoom right in.

At it's widest 24mm, it offers an aperture of f3.4 and that is pretty sluggish and not very good in low light events and you will probably find it difficult to capture a shallow depth of field. You will probably also have to increase your ISO setting which results in noisy files. With the long end, 1008mm is phenomenal zoom and comes with f6.0 making it pretty sluggish and you may have to apply slow shutter speeds.

The SX520 HS has the following connectivity:

• USB Yes
• HDMI Yes

Cameras which include NFC or Bluetooth support are able to be controlled wirelessly through smartphones. You are able to send pictures and sometimes adjust camera settings without connecting physically with the camera.

Some apps also allow a Liveview and click the shutter when you aren't close to the camera. If the camera has a HDMI out, it can easily be hooked up to an external screen. A good number of cameras will allow you to charge the battery with the USB socket.

The maximum video quality on the Canon SX520 HS is 1920 x 1080 and it can save in MPEG-4 and H.264 format. 1080p quality can provide a good balance between quality and file size but FULL HD will not leave you with much room to crop. The body doesn't feature a mic or headphone socket which means that you get zero control over your sound. It is probably a better idea to look into an alternative camera if you want decent sound in your video clips.

There is no weather proofing on the Canon SX520 HS so you have to be cautious in rainy and dusty conditions.

The Canon SX520 HS comes with a 3" fixed display with a resolution of 461k dots.

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

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The ViewFinder specs regarding Canon SX520 HS are as follows:

• ViewFinder None

Viewfinders are quite handy during bright outdoor conditions which might make the camera display washed out and difficult to view.

Canon SX520 HS continuous shooting speed is 2.0 frames per second. The max shutter speed is 1/2000 seconds.

Canon SX520 HS includes just in-built flash with missing external flash ability.

Canon SX520 HS includes only Contrast Based AF and lacks Phase Detect AF. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot faster and accurate than Contrast Based autofocusing. The camera comes with Face detect which makes it valuable for people photography.

The AF system comes with 9 focus points to pick from. It also boasts Tracking AF for subjects on the move. Canon SX520 HS boasts manual focusing if required during low light conditions or you need to have more accurate control on focusing.

The battery (NB-6LH) on the Canon SX520 HS is designed to last for 210 shutters based on the CIPA standards which is lower than its competition. The general Small Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 316. Fujifilm HS35EXR comes with the highest possible (600) battery life within this kind of cameras.

Underneath is a collection of Small Sensor Superzoom cameras with the best battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth

Fujifilm HS35EXR
SX520 HS vs Fujifilm HS35EXR600 yesnono

Nikon B500
SX520 HS vs B500600 nonoyes

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Nikon L840
SX520 HS vs L840590 noyesno

Panasonic FZ200
SX520 HS vs FZ200540 yesnono

Leica V-Lux 4
SX520 HS vs V-Lux 4540 yesnono

The following diagram shows a analysis of the Canon SX520 HS for specific categories of photography. To see more, have a look at the specific section below.

The Canon SX520 HS gets a points total of 44 which is subpar, and means the camera is not really good for portrait photos. Shooting portraits leans greatly towards sensor dimensions, support for RAW photos in addition to the potential to use off-camera flash.

Getting a modest score of 46, the Canon SX520 HS is relatively appropriate to use in street photography. A good street photography camera has a good balance of image quality plus portability.

A subpar sports photography points tally of 45 suggests the Canon SX520 HS is not really good for taking photos of sports. A camera needs to have great tracking plus continuous shooting for sports photography.

Size is extremely crucial when choosing a travel camera. On the whole, the Canon SX520 HS gets a average 55 as a travel camera which is relatively suitable to take with you on your vacations.

For anyone who is looking to choose a camera for landscape pictures, the most vital aspect is going to be image quality. The Canon SX520 HS at it's subpar rating of 45 as a landscape camera is not really good among it's rivals.

A camera for vlogging ought to have a moving display, mic port and if possible image stabilization. Considering all things, the Canon SX520 HS is not really good as a vlog camera as it receives a subpar rating of 29.

If you are interested in replacements to the SX520 HS, here is a list of the highest rated cameras which fall into the family of Small Sensor Superzoom.

The line chart here offers you an overview of the SX520 HS versus it's highest rated competitors suggested earlier.

There are a bunch of cameras you might consider as alternatives. To browse through a extensive comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.