Canon PowerShot SX70 HS vs Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

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      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS and the Canon PowerShot SX50 HS, 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 SX70 HS was introduced in September 2018 and Canon PowerShot SX50 HS was introduced in January 2013. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS Highlights

      • 20.3 MP 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 3,200 Native ISO
      • 9 Focus Points
      • 3.0" 922k dot Fully Articulated Screen
      • 2,360k dot Electronic Viewfinder
      • 10.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 3840 x 2160 Video Shooting
      • Built-in Flash
      • Built-In Wi-Fi

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS Highlights

      • 12.1 MP 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
      • 80 - 6,400 Native ISO
      • 9 Focus Points (9 Cross-type)
      • Image Stabilization
      • 2.80" 461k dot Fully Articulated Screen
      • 202k dot Electronic Viewfinder
      • 2.2 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1920 x 1080 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 SX70 HS and Canon PowerShot SX50 HS.

      PROS

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      •   Cheap
      •   Video Capture
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   High Resolution Viewfinder - 2,360k dot
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Orientation Sensor
      •   Cheap
      •   Video Capture
      •   80 Lowest Native ISO
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   High Flash Sync Speed - 1/2000 sec
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      •   Small Sensor
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/2000 sec
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 325 shots
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12.1 Megapixel
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 461k dot
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/2000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.2 fps
      •   Low DxO Overall Score - 47
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 315 shots


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

      AVERAGE

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      •   Sensor Resolution - 20.3 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Weight - 608 g (1.34 lb / 21.45 oz)
      •   Screen Size - 2.80"
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 202k dot
      •   Weight - 595 g (1.31 lb / 20.99 oz)

      Advantage of Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Canon PowerShot SX70 HS over Canon PowerShot SX50 HS.

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS vs Canon PowerShot SX50 HS
      Higher Sensor Resolution 20.3 Megapixel vs 12.1 Megapixel
      Max Image Resolution 5184 x 3888 vs 4000 x 3000
      Timelapse Recording vs
      Center Autofocus vs
      Reaches Wider Angle 21 mm vs 24 mm
      Reachs More Telephoto 1365 mm vs 1200 mm
      Greater Optical Zoom 65x vs 50x
      Larger Screen 3.0" vs 2.80"
      Higher Resolution Screen 922k dot vs 461k dot
      Higher Resolution Viewfinder 2,360k dot vs 202k dot
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 10.0 fps vs 2.2 fps
      Higher Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080
      Microphone Input vs
      Built-In Wi-Fi vs
      Longer Battery Life 325 shots vs 315 shots

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Canon PowerShot SX70 HS.

      Advantage of Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Canon PowerShot SX50 HS over Canon PowerShot SX70 HS.

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS vs Canon PowerShot SX50 HS
      Cheaper $549 vs $429
      Lower Native ISO 100 vs 80
      Higher Native ISO 3,200 vs 6,400
      Image Stabilization vs
      External Flash Connectivity vs
      Lighter 608 g (1.34 lb / 21.45 oz) vs 595 g (1.31 lb / 20.99 oz)

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Canon PowerShot SX50 HS.

      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 SX70 HS Canon PowerShot SX50 HS
        Cheap$549$429
        Video Capture
        High Native ISO3,2006,400
        Face Detection
        Live View Autofocus
        Screen TypeFully ArticulatedFully Articulated
        Built-in Flash
        HDMI Output Micro Mini
        Built-In Bluetooth
        Orientation Sensor
      WEAKNESSES Canon PowerShot SX70 HS Canon PowerShot SX50 HS
        Small Sensor1/2.3-inch1/2.3-inch
        Few Focus Points99
        Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain)1/2000 sec1/2000 sec
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS
        No Environmental Sealing
        Short Battery Life325 shots315 shots

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS has a 3.0" screen with 922k dot resolution and Canon PowerShot SX50 HS has a 2.80" screen with 461k dot resolution. Both have Fully Articulated screens. Fully articulated screen makes cameras selfie and vlogger friendly and generally very useful for video shooting.

      Image cannot be displayed Image cannot be displayed

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS and Canon PowerShot SX50 HS with Fully Articulated screen


      Viewfinder

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS has a built-in Electronic viewfinder with 2,360k dot resolution and Canon PowerShot SX50 HS has a built-in Electronic viewfinder with 202k dot resolution. They both have 100% coverage.

      Sensor

      BSI-CMOS Sensor

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS features a 20.3 megapixel 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS sensor with dimensions of 6.17 x 4.55 mm and a total area of 28.1 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 3,200. Canon PowerShot SX50 HS features a 12.1 megapixel 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS sensor with dimensions of 6.17 x 4.55 mm and a total area of 20.7 mm2. Its native ISO range is 80 - 6,400.

      The cameras have BSI-CMOS sensor, short for Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor sensor. In traditional CMOS sensors, the wiring and circuitry are located on the front side of the sensor, which can block some of the incoming light. BSI technology flips this design by placing the photosensitive elements (pixels) on the backside of the sensor, allowing more light to reach the pixels. This significantly enhances light sensitivity and improves low-light performance. BSI-CMOS sensors are particularly effective in low-light conditions, as they can capture more light, resulting in brighter and less noisy images. This makes them well-suited for indoor and night photography. BSI-CMOS sensors deliver a higher SNR and reduced cross-talk.

      Photography Features

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS is equipped with DIGIC 8 processor and can take pictures up to 5184 x 3888 resolution. Canon PowerShot SX50 HS is equipped with DIGIC 5 processor and can take pictures up to 4000 x 3000 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 4000 x 3000, 4000 x 2248, 4000 x 2664, 2992 x 2992, 2816 x 2112, 2816 x 1880, 2816 x 1584, 2112 x 2112, 1920 x 1080, 1600 x 1200, 1600 x 1064, 1200 x 1200, 640 x 480, 640 x 424, 640 x 360, 480 x 480 with 1:1, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios.

      Image Stabilization on Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS has an image stabilization.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      Built-in Wi-Fi on Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS 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.


      Bluetooth

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS and Canon PowerShot SX50 HS have built-in Bluetooth which lets you to connect the camera to a smartphone or a dedicated remote control device. This allows you to remotely trigger the camera, adjust settings and controls remotely through a paired mobile app. While Wi-Fi is generally faster for transferring larger files, Bluetooth can be used for small, selective transfers, it can provide real-time information about your camera's battery status, memory card capacity, and other key settings directly on your paired smartphone or smartwatch.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in Bluetooth.


      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) inputs for data transfer. Canon PowerShot SX70 HS has a Micro HDMI and Canon PowerShot SX50 HS has a Mini HDMI connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS comes with LP-E12 battery pack with battery life of 325 shots and Canon PowerShot SX50 HS comes with NB-10L battery pack with battery life of 315 shots.


      External Storage Slots

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I supported) card slot. Canon PowerShot SX50 HS has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Shutter speed can go up to 1/2000 sec on Canon PowerShot SX70 HS, and up to 1/2000 sec on Canon PowerShot SX50 HS. Canon PowerShot SX70 HS can shoot continuously up to 10.0 fps. Canon PowerShot SX50 HS can shoot continuously up to 2.2 fps.


      Flash

      Cameras have built-in flash with maximum range of 5.00 m at Auto ISO on Canon PowerShot SX70 HS and 5.50 m on Canon PowerShot SX50 HS. Canon PowerShot SX50 HS also accepts external flash which can be connected via Shoe Mount. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/2000 sec on Canon PowerShot SX50 HS.

      Physical Parameters

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS body has dimensions of 127 x 91 x 117 mm (5.0 x 3.58 x 4.61") and Canon PowerShot SX50 HS body has dimensions of 123 x 87 x 106 mm (4.84 x 3.43 x 4.17"). Canon PowerShot SX70 HS weighs 608 g (1.34 lb / 21.45 oz) and Canon PowerShot SX50 HS weighs 595 g (1.31 lb / 20.99 oz).

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      127 mm

      91 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      123 mm

      87 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      91 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      87 mm

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      Size comparisons of Canon PowerShot SX70 HS and Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS and Canon PowerShot SX50 HS 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 SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      POOR
      51
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      AVERAGE
      57
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 461k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      GOOD
      70
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   High Resolution Viewfinder - 2,360k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 325 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 461k dot
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 202k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.2 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 315 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      GOOD
      70
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   High Resolution Viewfinder - 2,360k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 325 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      67
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 461k dot
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 202k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.2 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 315 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      AVERAGE
      66
      •   Small Sensor
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      79
      •   Small Sensor
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 2.80"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 461k dot
      •   High Flash Sync Speed - 1/2000 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      GOOD
      78
      •   Small Sensor
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 608 g (1.34 lb / 21.45 oz)
      GOOD
      81
      •   Small Sensor
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 461k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 595 g (1.31 lb / 20.99 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      GOOD
      79
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 608 g (1.34 lb / 21.45 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 325 shots
      GOOD
      80
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 461k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 595 g (1.31 lb / 20.99 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 315 shots

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Canon PowerShot SX70 HS and Canon PowerShot SX50 HS and give them scores of 70 and 67 out of 100 recpectively. 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 SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      OVERALL
      70
      OVERALL
      67

      Sensor

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      AVERAGE
      66
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Sensor Resolution - 20.3 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      GOOD
      70
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12.1 Megapixel
      •   80 Lowest Native ISO
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   Low DxO Overall Score - 47

      Photo

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      AVERAGE
      60
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/2000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      GOOD
      72
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/2000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.2 fps
      •   High Flash Sync Speed - 1/2000 sec

      Video

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      POOR
      53
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   Webcam Functionality
      POOR
      46
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080

      Focusing

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      GOOD
      73
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      AVERAGE
      68
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      GOOD
      82
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   High Resolution Viewfinder - 2,360k dot
      GOOD
      76
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Screen Size - 2.80"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 461k dot
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 202k dot

      Connectivity

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      EXCELLENT
      92
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      GOOD
      71
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

      Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

      POOR
      41
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 608 g (1.34 lb / 21.45 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 325 shots
      POOR
      41
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 595 g (1.31 lb / 20.99 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 315 shots


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

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