Canon PowerShot SX420 IS vs Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

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      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Canon PowerShot SX420 IS and the Canon PowerShot SX400 IS, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS was introduced in January 2016 and Canon PowerShot SX400 IS was introduced in July 2014. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS Highlights

      • 20 MP 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
      • 100 - 1,600 Native ISO
      • 3.0" 230k dot Fixed Screen
      • 0.5 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1280 x 720 Video Shooting
      • Built-in Flash
      • Built-In Wi-Fi

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS Highlights

      • 16 MP 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
      • 100 - 1,600 Native ISO
      • 9 Focus Points
      • Image Stabilization
      • 3.0" 230k dot Fixed Screen
      • 0.8 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1280 x 720 Video Shooting
      • Built-in Flash

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Canon PowerShot SX420 IS and Canon PowerShot SX400 IS.

      PROS

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      •   Cheap
      •   Video Capture
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Light - 325 g (0.72 lb / 11.46 oz)
      •   Orientation Sensor
      •   Cheap
      •   Video Capture
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   Light - 313 g (0.69 lb / 11.04 oz)
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      •   Small Sensor
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 0.5 fps
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 195 shots
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/1600 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 0.8 fps
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 190 shots


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      •   Sensor Resolution - 20 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Sensor Resolution - 16 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"

      Advantage of Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Canon PowerShot SX420 IS over Canon PowerShot SX400 IS.

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS vs Canon PowerShot SX400 IS
      Higher Sensor Resolution 20 Megapixel vs 16 Megapixel
      Max Image Resolution 5152 x 3864 vs 4608 x 3456
      Selective Autofocus vs
      Reachs More Telephoto 1008 mm vs 720 mm
      Greater Optical Zoom 42x vs 30x
      Higher Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) 1/4000 sec vs 1/1600 sec
      Built-in Microphone Stereo vs Mono
      Built-In Wi-Fi vs
      Longer Battery Life 195 shots vs 190 shots

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Canon PowerShot SX420 IS.

      Advantage of Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Canon PowerShot SX400 IS over Canon PowerShot SX420 IS.

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS vs Canon PowerShot SX400 IS
      Cheaper $299 vs $249.99
      Tracking Autofocus vs
      Maximum Aperture at Wide End f/3.5 vs f/3.4
      Maximum Aperture at Tele End f/6.6 vs f/5.8
      Image Stabilization vs
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 0.5 fps vs 0.8 fps
      Lighter 325 g (0.72 lb / 11.46 oz) vs 313 g (0.69 lb / 11.04 oz)

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Canon PowerShot SX400 IS.

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Canon PowerShot SX420 IS Canon PowerShot SX400 IS
        Cheap$299$249.99
        Video Capture
        High Native ISO1,6001,600
        Face Detection
        Live View Autofocus
        Built-in Flash
        Light325 g (0.72 lb / 11.46 oz)313 g (0.69 lb / 11.04 oz)
        Orientation Sensor
      WEAKNESSES Canon PowerShot SX420 IS Canon PowerShot SX400 IS
        Small Sensor1/2.3-inch1/2.3-inch
        Timelapse Recording
        Screen TypeFixedFixed
        Low Resolution Screen230k dot230k dot
        No Viewfinder
        Low Max Continuous Shooting0.5 fps0.8 fps
        No External Flash Connectivity
        Low Video Resolution1280 x 7201280 x 720
        No HDMI Output
        No Microphone Input
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS
        No Built-In Bluetooth
        No Environmental Sealing
        Short Battery Life195 shots190 shots

      Screen

      Screen

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS and Canon PowerShot SX400 IS have 3.0" Fixed screens with 230k dot resolution.

      Sensor

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS features a 20 megapixel 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor with dimensions of 6.17 x 4.55 mm and a total area of 28.1 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 1,600. Canon PowerShot SX400 IS features a 16 megapixel 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor with dimensions of 6.17 x 4.55 mm and a total area of 20.7 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 1,600.

      Photography Features

      Cameras are equipped with DIGIC 4+ processor.

      Image Stabilization on Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS has an image stabilization.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      Built-in Wi-Fi on Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS has a built-in Wi-Fi which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.


      NFC on Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS has Near Field Communication (NFC) technology which simplifies the process of pairing it with other NFC-enabled devices like smartphones or tablets. It allows to quickly transfer photos and videos or remotely control the camera from compatible device. NFC can also be used for authentication and security purposes. It can verify your identity before accessing certain features or transferring sensitive data. It can be used with NFC-enabled accessories as well, such as lenses, flashes and GPS devices.


      USB Inputs

      Both models have USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) inputs for data transfer.


      Battery

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS and Canon PowerShot SX400 IS come with NB-11LH battery pack with battery life of 195 shots on Canon PowerShot SX420 IS and with battery life of 190 shots on Canon PowerShot SX400 IS.


      External Storage Slots

      Cameras have a single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Shutter speed can go up to 1/4000 sec on Canon PowerShot SX420 IS, and up to 1/1600 sec on Canon PowerShot SX400 IS. Canon PowerShot SX420 IS can shoot continuously up to 0.5 fps. Canon PowerShot SX400 IS can shoot continuously up to 0.8 fps.


      Flash

      Cameras have built-in flash with maximum range of 5.00 m...

      Physical Parameters

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS body has dimensions of 104 x 69 x 85 mm (4.09 x 2.72 x 3.35") and Canon PowerShot SX400 IS body has dimensions of 104 x 69 x 80 mm (4.09 x 2.72 x 3.15"). Canon PowerShot SX420 IS weighs 325 g (0.72 lb / 11.46 oz) and Canon PowerShot SX400 IS weighs 313 g (0.69 lb / 11.04 oz).

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      104 mm

      69 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      104 mm

      69 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      85 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      80 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      Size comparisons of Canon PowerShot SX420 IS and Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS and Canon PowerShot SX400 IS for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      POOR
      50
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      POOR
      48
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      AVERAGE
      66
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 0.5 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 195 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      71
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 0.8 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 190 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      AVERAGE
      66
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 0.5 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 195 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 0.8 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 190 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      AVERAGE
      68
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      71
      •   Small Sensor
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      GOOD
      79
      •   Small Sensor
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 325 g (0.72 lb / 11.46 oz)
      GOOD
      81
      •   Small Sensor
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 313 g (0.69 lb / 11.04 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      GOOD
      82
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 325 g (0.72 lb / 11.46 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 195 shots
      GOOD
      84
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 313 g (0.69 lb / 11.04 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 190 shots

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Canon PowerShot SX420 IS and Canon PowerShot SX400 IS and give both of them the score of 51 out of 100. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      OVERALL
      51
      OVERALL
      51

      Sensor

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      POOR
      47
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Sensor Resolution - 20 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      POOR
      46
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Sensor Resolution - 16 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO

      Photo

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      BAD
      38
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 0.5 fps
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      AVERAGE
      59
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/1600 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 0.8 fps
      •   No External Flash Connectivity

      Video

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      BAD
      7
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720
      POOR
      43
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720

      Focusing

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      GOOD
      78
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      GOOD
      71
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      POOR
      52
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      POOR
      52
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder

      Connectivity

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      GOOD
      70
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      BAD
      36
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Canon PowerShot SX420 IS

      Canon PowerShot SX400 IS

      POOR
      43
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 325 g (0.72 lb / 11.46 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 195 shots
      POOR
      43
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 313 g (0.69 lb / 11.04 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 190 shots


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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