When it comes to cameras, several technologies rule the roost. Of course, the exact technique that you will opt for will be dependent upon the shooting requirements that you may be looking ahead to. One such prominent category you would love is Superzoom cameras. If you are looking for the best Superzoom cameras from Canon, the two notable names that come to our mind are the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS vs SX540 HS. Let us compare the two cameras and choose the best one among them.
What are SuperZoom Cameras?
Well, there are situations where you would not or cannot go closer to an object, but looking for a close and personal shot. This is where an excellent zoom capacity would come handy. However, as we are aware of, too much zooming can result in pixelated images or a reduction in the quality of your pictures.
SuperZoom cameras are the kind that they offer you superior image quality that it provides you with a high zoom capability. You get an exceptional image quality even at high zoom levels. SuperZoom cameras are equipped to give you optical zoom levels as high as 83X! You will indeed the experience with the excellent zoom capabilities.
Canon PowerShot SX740 HS vs SX540 HS – A Complete Comparison
Let us compare the two competing devices one by one based on a few key features. This will help us understand the distinctions and similarities between the two siblings.
Physical Features
| Features/ Particulars | Canon Powershot SX740 HS
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Canon Powershot SX540 HS
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| Physical Dimensions | 110 x 64 x 40 | 120.0 x 81.7 x 91.9 |
| Weight | 300 grams | 442 grams |
Both the siblings are similar in terms of its physical dimensions. However, given the fact that the portability is also a major factor, the weight of SX540 HS can be a deciding factor in many cases.
Sensor Comparison
| Features/ Particulars | Canon Powershot SX740 HS
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Canon Powershot SX540 HS
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| Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor Size | 1/2.3” | 1/2.3” |
| Sensor Resolution | 20.3 MP | 20.3 MP |
The sensor specifications of both the cameras remain equivalent. But, if you still have to choose between the two options, the more recent option in the form of PowerShot SX740 HS should be an ideal alternative for you.
Lens Comparison
| Features/ Particulars | Canon Powershot SX740 HS
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Canon Powershot SX540 HS
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| Wide Coverage | 24 mm | 24 mm |
| Telezoom | 960 mm | 1200 mm |
| Max aperture at Tele-Zoom | F 6.5 | F 6.9 |
| Max Wide aperture | F 3.40 | F 3.30 |
The lens comparison indicates that both of the devices are almost identical in most aspects, but the SX540 HS comes with a slightly better performance in terms of its Tele-Zoom functionality.
Other Features
| Features/ Particulars | Canon Powershot SX740 HS
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Canon Powershot SX540 HS
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| Optical Zoom | 40 X | 50 X |
| Digital Zoom | Yes, available – 4X | Yes, available – 4X |
| ISO Sensitivity | 80 to 32000 | 80 to 32000 |
| Normal focal range | 50 cm | 5 CM |
| Macro Focal range | 1 cm | 1 cm |
| Focal length | 24 to 960 mm | 24 to 1200 mm |
| Max aperture | f3.4 – f6.9 | f3.3 – f5.9 |
| Max Shutter speed | 1/4000 sec | 1/2000 sec |
| Built-in Flash | Yes | Yes |
| Presets for white balance | 5 | 5 |
| Screen | 3”- 921,000 dots | 3”- 921,000 dots |
| Screen articulation | Yes | No |
| Max video resolution | 4K at 25p and 30p | 1920×1080 at 60p and 30p |
| Storage type | SD, SDHC and SDXC | SD, SDHC and SDXC |
| HDMI connectivity | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless Connectivity | Yes- Bluetooth and WiFi | Yes – Bluetooth and WiFi |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 265 shots per charge | 205 shots per charge |
Why do We Prefer Canon PowerShot SX740 HS?
The Canon PowerShot SX740 HS has the better camera functionality, higher sensitivity and a display that offers you an excellent resolution. The articulated screen is another added advantage that improves the seamless photography.
The 4K video recording should be one of the features that makes it an ideal option for you if you are into video recording more than images. The PowerShot SX740 comes with a low weight which makes it more compact and thus improves its portability by a few counts. One more factor that we thought would go in favor of the SX740 HS would be the excellent battery backup in comparison to the SX540 HS.
Why Would We Prefer Canon PowerShot SX540 HS?
Well, we did not find many features on the SX540 HS that would stand above the SX740 HS under ideal circumstances.
There are only a couple of reasons we could come across with Canon PowerShot SX540 HS that could beat the PowerShot SX740 HS. It offers you the NFC connectivity in addition to the other connectivity options. The SX740 has only 960 mm telephoto lens reach, while the Powershot SX540 HS gives you a range of 1200 mm.
Which among them should you go with?
Well, we do not think there is indeed any specific choice here. The Canon PowerShot SX740 scores over the PowerShot SX540 HS by many counts. There is practically only one choice you have between them. Moreover, the SX540 HS is almost two years old when compared to the SX740 HS. As we are well aware, the newer devices tend to come with added features and functionalities. From that point of view, we would consider that the Canon PowerShot SX740 would be a better choice compared to the SX540.
Having said that you should also understand that both the cameras come with almost similar features leaving aside the areas that they differ in. Image stabilization, built-in flash, WiFi connectivity, HDMI and manual focus are a few areas that these two share the same features. Ultimately, it is your exact requirement and the budget you have set aside that should play an important role in choosing the right camera. From that perspective, we would assume that the feature sets and the differences that we have listed in should go a long way aiding you to make the right choice.
Weight the requirements that you have set for while choosing the camera and make a learned choice.