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Canon SX740 HS

 
Canon PowerShot SX740 HS front
 
  • 21MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3840 x 2160 video
  • 24-960mm (F3.3-6.9) lens
  • 299g - 110 x 64 x 40mm
  • Announced July 2018
  • Replaced the Canon SX730 HS
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
88
Imaging
48
Features
63
Overall
54

Canon SX740 HS summary

Canon SX740 HS is Canon's Small Sensor Superzoom camera first launched on July of 2018. It features a 21 MegaPixel, BSI-CMOS 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a full resolution of 5184 x 3888.

Canon released this camera in order to replace the previous Canon SX730 HS (Read Full Comparison)

The SX740 HS places at #4 out of 244 in Small Sensor Superzoom cameras & over-all #375 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. Please try our Smart camera finder to see camera rankings based on your customized factors.

Photography Glossary

The following is a diagram of various factors used in the rating system.

Canon SX740 HS family

The Canon SX740 HS is part of a family of digital cameras. You can read the complete range below.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Canon-PowerShot-SX70-HS front thumbnailCanon SX70 HS
SX740 HS vs SX70 HS
21-1365mm
F3.4-6.5
20MP1/2.3"2018
Canon-PowerShot-SX740-HS front thumbnailCanon SX740 HS24-960mm
F3.3-6.9
21MP1/2.3"2018
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Canon-PowerShot-SX730-HS front thumbnailCanon SX730 HS
SX740 HS vs SX730 HS
24-960mm
F3.3-6.9
20.3MP1/2.3"2017
Canon-PowerShot-SX620-HS front thumbnailCanon SX620 HS
SX740 HS vs SX620 HS
25-625mm
F3.2-6.6
20MP1/2.3"2016
Canon-PowerShot-SX720-HS front thumbnailCanon SX720 HS
SX740 HS vs SX720 HS
24-960mm
F3.3-6.9
20.3MP1/2.3"2016
Canon-PowerShot-SX540-HS front thumbnailCanon SX540 HS
SX740 HS vs SX540 HS
24-1200mm
F3.4-6.5
20MP1/2.3"2016
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Canon-PowerShot-SX420-IS front thumbnailCanon SX420 IS
SX740 HS vs SX420 IS
24-1008mm
F3.5-6.6
20MP1/2.3"2016
Canon-PowerShot-SX410-IS front thumbnailCanon SX410 IS
SX740 HS vs SX410 IS
24-960mm
F3.5-5.6
20MP1/2.3"2015
Canon-PowerShot-SX610-HS front thumbnailCanon SX610 HS
SX740 HS vs SX610 HS
25-450mm
F3.8-6.9
20MP1/2.3"2015
Canon-PowerShot-SX710-HS front thumbnailCanon SX710 HS
SX740 HS vs SX710 HS
25-750mm
F3.2-6.9
20MP1/2.3"2015
Canon-PowerShot-SX530-HS front thumbnailCanon SX530 HS
SX740 HS 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
SX740 HS vs SX60 HS
21-1365mm
F3.4-6.5
16MP1/2.3"2014
Canon-PowerShot-SX520-HS front thumbnailCanon SX520 HS
SX740 HS vs SX520 HS
24-1008mm
F3.4-6.0
16MP1/2.3"2014
Canon-PowerShot-SX400-IS front thumbnailCanon SX400 IS
SX740 HS vs SX400 IS
24-720mm
F3.4-5.8
16MP1/2.3"2014
Canon-PowerShot-SX700-HS front thumbnailCanon SX700 HS
SX740 HS vs SX700 HS
25-750mm
F3.2-6.9
16MP1/2.3"2014
Canon-PowerShot-SX600-HS front thumbnailCanon SX600 HS
SX740 HS vs SX600 HS
25-450mm
F3.8-6.9
16MP1/2.3"2014
Canon-PowerShot-SX170-IS front thumbnailCanon SX170 IS
SX740 HS vs SX170 IS
28-448mm
F3.5-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2013
Canon-PowerShot-SX510-HS front thumbnailCanon SX510 HS
SX740 HS vs SX510 HS
24-720mm
F3.4-5.8
12MP1/2.3"2013
Canon-PowerShot-SX160-IS front thumbnailCanon SX160 IS
SX740 HS vs SX160 IS
28-448mm
F3.5-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2013
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Canon-PowerShot-SX280-HS front thumbnailCanon SX280 HS
SX740 HS vs SX280 HS
25-500mm
F3.5-6.8
12MP1/2.3"2013
Canon-PowerShot-SX270-HS front thumbnailCanon SX270 HS
SX740 HS vs SX270 HS
25-500mm
F3.5-6.8
12MP1/2.3"2013
Canon-PowerShot-SX50-HS front thumbnailCanon SX50 HS
SX740 HS vs SX50 HS
24-1200mm
F3.4-6.5
12MP1/2.3"2013
Canon-PowerShot-SX500-IS front thumbnailCanon SX500 IS
SX740 HS vs SX500 IS
24-720mm
F3.4-5.8
16MP1/2.3"2012
Canon-PowerShot-SX260-HS front thumbnailCanon SX260 HS
SX740 HS vs SX260 HS
25-500mm
F3.5-6.8
12MP1/2.3"2012
Canon-PowerShot-SX150-IS front thumbnailCanon SX150 IS
SX740 HS vs SX150 IS
28-336mm
F3.4-5.6
14MP1/2.3"2012
Canon-PowerShot-SX240-HS front thumbnailCanon SX240 HS
SX740 HS vs SX240 HS
25-500mm
F3.5-6.8
12MP1/2.3"2012
Canon-PowerShot-SX40-HS front thumbnailCanon SX40 HS
SX740 HS vs SX40 HS
24-840mm
F2.7-5.8
12MP1/2.3"2011
Canon-PowerShot-SD4500-IS front thumbnailCanon SD4500 IS
SX740 HS vs SD4500 IS
36-360mm
F3.4-5.6
10MP1/2.3"2011
Canon-PowerShot-SX230-HS front thumbnailCanon SX230 HS
SX740 HS vs SX230 HS
28-392mm
F3.1-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2011
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Canon-SX220-HS front thumbnailCanon SX220 HS
SX740 HS vs SX220 HS
28-392mm
F3.1-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2011
Canon-PowerShot-SX30-IS front thumbnailCanon SX30 IS
SX740 HS vs SX30 IS
24-840mm
F2.7-5.8
14MP1/2.3"2010
Canon-PowerShot-SX130-IS front thumbnailCanon SX130 IS
SX740 HS vs SX130 IS
28-336mm
F3.4-5.6
12MP1/2.3"2010
Canon-PowerShot-SD4000-IS front thumbnailCanon SD4000 IS
SX740 HS vs SD4000 IS
28-105mm
F2.0-5.3
10MP1/2.3"2010
Canon-PowerShot-SX20-IS front thumbnailCanon SX20 IS
SX740 HS vs SX20 IS
28-560mm
F2.8-5.7
12MP1/2.3"2010
Canon-PowerShot-SX210-IS front thumbnailCanon SX210 IS
SX740 HS vs SX210 IS
28-392mm
F3.1-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2010
Canon-PowerShot-SD3500-IS front thumbnailCanon SD3500 IS
SX740 HS vs SD3500 IS
24-120mm
F2.8-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2010
Canon-PowerShot-SD1300-IS front thumbnailCanon SD1300 IS
SX740 HS vs SD1300 IS
28-112mm
F2.8-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2010
Canon-PowerShot-SD980-IS front thumbnailCanon SD980 IS
SX740 HS vs SD980 IS
24-120mm
F2.8-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2009
Canon-PowerShot-SX200-IS front thumbnailCanon SX200 IS
SX740 HS vs SX200 IS
28-336mm
F3.4-5.3
12MP1/2.3"2009
Canon-PowerShot-SX1-IS front thumbnailCanon SX1 IS
SX740 HS vs SX1 IS
28-560mm
F2.8-5.7
10MP1/2.3"2009
Canon-PowerShot-SD970-IS front thumbnailCanon SD970 IS
SX740 HS vs SD970 IS
37-185mm
F3.2-5.7
12MP1/2.3"2009
Canon-PowerShot-SD960-IS front thumbnailCanon SD960 IS
SX740 HS vs SD960 IS
28-112mm
F2.8-5.8
12MP1/2.3"2009
Canon-PowerShot-SD1200-IS front thumbnailCanon SD1200 IS
SX740 HS vs SD1200 IS
35-105mm
F2.8-4.9
10MP1/2.3"2009
Canon-PowerShot-SX10-IS front thumbnailCanon SX10 IS
SX740 HS vs SX10 IS
28-560mm
F2.8-5.7
10MP1/2.3"2009

Canon SX740 HS Pros and Cons

Below is a checklist of benefits and drawbacks of the Canon SX740 HS based on features that are normally regarded as important in a camera.

above average minimum ISO (100)
built-in flash
comes with face detection focusing
comes with tracking autofocus
has bluetooth
has HDMI socket
has image stabilization (Optical)
incredible zoom range (24-960mm 40.0 x zoom)
lighter than competition (299 grams)
manual focus
megapixel count good (21 megapixels)
NFC connection
nice clear screen (922 k dots)
quite wide (24mm)
screen size is good (3 inches)
screen tilts up and down
selfie friendly display
very long reach (960mm)
video resolution high (3840 x 2160 resolution)
cannot use external flash
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
missing external microphone socket
missing headphone socket
no phase detect AF
no RAW format
not so great battery life (265 per charge)
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
slow at tele end (f6.9)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
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Canon SX740 HS Sensor specifications

The Canon SX740 HS houses the DIGIC 8 processor. The sensor spec in the Canon SX740 HS is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor is able to capture 5184 x 3888 pixels and aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera has Image Stabilization (Optical). Optical stabilization is more effective than digital stabilization as the latter can cause cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor has 21 megapixels and includes a native ISO range of 100 - 3200. Sadly, RAW photos are not supported therefore you have less margin for error.

The picture below shows the SX740 HS's sensor dimensions in comparison to other common sizes. The SX740 HS sensor has a crop factor of 5.8 and is pointed out in green.

Canon PowerShot SX740 HS sensor size Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone

To get a sense of specific aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Canon SX740 HS dimensions

Canon SX740 HS is 0.66 lb (299 gr or 10.55 oz) & the volume of the camera is 110mm x 64mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.6"). The weight of average Small Sensor Superzoom camera is 387 gr so the Canon SX740 HS is less heavy in comparison with other rivals.

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The following is a visual of the Canon SX740 HS next to a soda so you can get a feel for its scale.

Canon PowerShot SX740 HS dimensions scale

The top view directly below will show you the button layout on the SX740 HS.

Canon PowerShot SX740 HS topview buttons dials

Canon SX740 HS Lens specifications

The SX740 HS offers a built-in lens and it has a focal range of 24-960mm making it a 40.0 x zoom which is very good and does allow you to zoom right in.

At the widest 24mm, the lens has an aperture of f3.3 and that's quite slow and not very good for low light conditions and you will likely find it hard to get good bokeh. You will probably also need to increase the ISO resulting in noisy files. With the tele end, 960mm is superb zoom and comes at f6.9 making it very sluggish and you might need to utilize slow shutter speeds.

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Canon SX740 HS Connectivity

The SX740 HS has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • Bluetooth Yes
  • NFC Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras that come with NFC and Bluetooth compatibility can easily be used wirelessly with smartphones. You will be able to transfer pictures and in some cases adjust settings with no need to connect directly to the camera.

A few applications even stream a Liveview and release the shutter whenever you are not close to the camera. If the camera includes a HDMI port, it could be connected to an external display. Most cameras will allow you to charge the battery pack through the USB socket.

Photography Glossary

Canon SX740 HS Video specifications

The highest possible video resolution in the Canon SX740 HS is 3840 x 2160 and you can shoot in MPEG-4 and H.264 format. 2160p can provide a outstanding resolution for video. You can crop to 1080p in order to get clearer video. Beware of the large file sizes and make sure you have got good SD cards that have fast write speed. The camera does not offer a microphone and headphone jack which means that you have got little control over the sound. It is probably a better idea to buy a different camera if you want decent sound for your video clips.

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Canon SX740 HS Weather Sealing

Canon SX740 HS does not include environment proofing so rainy conditions could ruin the camera.

Canon SX740 HS Display and Viewfinder

The Canon SX740 HS features a 3" tilting display screen supporting a resolution of 922k dots.

The display is selfie friendly to take self portraits and even group photos when needed. Sadly the display screen is not a touch screen.

Canon PowerShot SX740 HS screen and viewfinder Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The View Finder specs for Canon SX740 HS are below:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders are very handy during bright outdoor situations which can easily make the camera display washed out and very difficult to see.

Canon SX740 HS Shutter specifications

Canon SX740 HS continuous shooting speed is 10.0 frames per second. The maximum shutter speed is 1/3200 seconds.

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Canon SX740 HS Flash and Hot shoe specifications

Canon SX740 HS has only inbuilt flash without external flash support.

Canon SX740 HS Autofocusing specifications

Canon SX740 HS has just Contrast Based Auto Focus & doesn't have Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot faster and precise in comparison with Contrast Based autofocusing. The camera features Face detect which makes it handy for portrait photography.

It also has Tracking Auto Focus for objects that move. Canon SX740 HS has got manual focusing if required during low light scenarios or you require more accurate focusing control.

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Canon SX740 HS Battery life

The battery life in the Canon SX740 HS is designed to last for 265 photos with respect to the CIPA requirements making it less compared with it's competitors. The average Small Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 316. Fujifilm HS35EXR has the best (600) battery life within this class of cameras.

Here is a listing of Small Sensor Superzoom cameras that have the highest battery life:

Canon SX740 HS for various styles of photography

The following diagram shows a summary of the Canon SX740 HS for various styles of photography. To look at more, scroll to the specific paragraph below.

Canon SX740 HS Portrait photography details

The Canon SX740 HS has a rating of 48 which is average, meaning that it is reasonably suitable to use for portrait photos. Taking portraits leans heavily to sensor dimension, RAW support in addition to the ability to work with external flash.

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you can focus manually
good megapixels (21 megapixels)
features face detect autofocus
can't use external flash
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support

Canon SX740 HS Street photography info

Coming in at a above average rating of 69, the Canon SX740 HS is a fine option for street photography. A decent street photography camera comes with a perfect balance of picture quality and portability.

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has a tilting screen
image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than average in class (299g)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
does not have RAW files

Canon SX740 HS Sports photography highlights

A reasonable sports photography score of 52 indicates the Canon SX740 HS is reasonably suited for taking photos of sports. A camera really should have very good tracking and fast continuous shooting for sports photography.

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long zoom range (24-960mm 40.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
sensor resolution is decent (21 megapixels)
includes tracking focus
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
bad battery life (265 per charge)
has no phase detect auto focus

Canon SX740 HS Travel photography details

Portability is pretty critical when selecting a camera for travel. In general, the Canon SX740 HS gets a nice 75 as a travelling camera which is a very decent pick to take with you on your holidays.

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lighter than average (299g)
connects via bluetooth
decent MP (21 megapixels)
flash built-in
selfie friendly screen
rather wide (24mm)
long zoom (960mm)
terrible battery life (265 per charge)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)

Landscape photography with Canon SX740 HS

For anybody who is planning to buy a digital camera for landscape photos, the most vital factor will no doubt be image quality. The Canon SX740 HS with it's moderate rating of 53 for a landscape camera is relatively suited amongst its competitors.

Photography Glossary
focusing manually
rather wide (24mm)
pretty good screen size (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count decent (21MP)
can't switch lenses (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
terrible battery (265 shots)

Canon SX740 HS as a Vlogging camera

A camera for vlogging should really posses a articulating display, microphone input and preferably image stabilization. Taking everything in to account, the Canon SX740 HS is a very decent fit as a vlog camera as it delivers a nice score of 74.

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fairly wide (24mm)
selfie friendly display
built in image stabilization (Optical)
includes face detection autofocus
video res high (3840 x 2160 resolution)
lighter than competition in class (299 grams)
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
no external mic support

Canon SX740 HS Alternatives

If you want replacements to the SX740 HS, below is a number of the highest ranked cameras that fall within the class of Small Sensor Superzoom.

The line graph underneath shows you a bird's eye view of the SX740 HS vs it's top rated rivals shown previously.

Following are additional cameras you may consider as alternative options. To read through a thorough comparison, just click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Company
Canon
Model type
Canon PowerShot SX740 HS
Class
Small Sensor Superzoom
Announced
2018-07-31
Physical type
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
BSI-CMOS
Chip
DIGIC 8
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor measurements
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
21 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Max resolution
5184 x 3888
RAW pictures
Max native ISO
3200
Lowest native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Autofocus single
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Lens
Lens mount type
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
24-960mm (40.0x)
Highest aperture
f/3.3-6.9
Macro focusing range
1cm
Crop factor
5.8
Screen
Display type
Tilting
Display size
3 inches
Display resolution
922k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
None
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating
not tested
DXO Color Depth rating
not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating
not tested
DXO Low light rating
not tested
Features
Minimum shutter speed
15s
Fastest shutter speed
1/3200s
Continuous shutter rate
10.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation
Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance
5.00 m
Flash options
Auto, on, slow synchro, off
External flash
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions
3840 x 2160 @ 30p, MP4, H.264, AAC
Max video resolution
3840x2160
Video data format
MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
299 grams (0.66 lb)
Physical dimensions
110 x 64 x 40mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.6")
Other
Battery life
265 photos
Type of battery
Battery Pack
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 secs, custom self-timer)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage
SD/SDHC/SDXC card (UHS-I compatible)
Card slots
Single
Retail pricing
$400