Canon SX30IS or Sony HX100V

by Abdul
(Islamabad)

I am stuck trying to decide the Canon SX30IS and the Sony DSC-HX100V. Please give me your suggestion as to which you would recommend for me, including your reasons.

Answer:

Either one of these cameras would make a great choice but my vote would be for the Sony DSC-HX100V.

The biggest positive I see for the Cannon over the Sony is the slightly longer focal range of the 35X zoom which gives you a 24mm to 840mm (35mm equivalent focal range). On that point alone the Canon certainly has the edge over the Sony HX100V with its 30X zoom with a 27mm to 810mm (35mm equivalent focal range). But when you consider some of the other important specifications the Sony edges the Canon out.

Here are a few areas where the Sony DSC-HX100V outshines the Canon SX30IS.

1. ISO Range—The Canon tops out at a true 1600 ISO (can be boosted to 6400 but only at the limited resolution of 2 megapixels). The Sony offers a true 3,200 ISO.

2. Shutter Speed Range—The Canon shutter speed range is from 15 to 1/3200. The Sony has a larger range of 30 to 1/4000.

3. LCD Resolution—The Canon has a 2.7” LCD with 230K resolution while the Sony has a 3” LCD with 4 times the resolution of 921K.

4. Burst Speed—The Canon SX30IS has an anemic burst rate of 1.3 frames per second while the Sony can capture up to 10 frames per second.

5. Video Recording—The Canon is limited to 720p HD Video while the Sony captures 1080p HD Video.

Both cameras are very good bridge or super-zoom cameras and both have received excellent reviews. However when comparing specifications head to head the Sony seems to win with the one notable exception of the focal range.

The Canon and its 14.1 megapixel sensor should be expected to produce slightly less noise at higher ISO speeds than Sony’s 16.2 megapixel sensor but both cameras are capable of producing acceptable higher ISO images, although the Canon's ISO range is more limited.

Both are great cameras but Popular Photography Magazine has just listed the Sony as “One of the best deals of the year” in its September issue. They say that their “tests found imaging performance near the DSLR level.” That is high praise indeed for the Sony DSC-HX100V.

When it is all said and done my vote goes to the Sony DSC-HX100V.

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