Canon SX20 vs T5i

The Canon PowerShot SX20 IS and the Canon EOS Rebel T5i (labelled Canon 700D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2009 and March 2013. The SX20 is a fixed lens compact, while the T5i is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (SX20) and an APS-C (T5i) sensor. The SX20 has a resolution of 12 megapixels, whereas the T5i provides 17.9 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon SX20		Canon T5i
Fixed lens compact camera		Digital single lens reflex
28-560mm f/2.8-5.7		Canon EF mount lenses
12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
720/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)
Electronic viewfinder (202k dots)		Optical viewfinder
2.5" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
0.7 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
123 x 88 x 87 mm, 600 g		133 x 100 x 79 mm, 580 g

Check SX20 offers at
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Check T5i offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS and the Canon EOS Rebel T5i? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon SX20 and the Canon T5i is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon T5i is notably larger (23 percent) than the Canon SX20. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX20 nor the T5i are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the SX20 has a lens built in, whereas the T5i is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the T5i and their specifications in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon SX20	123 mm	88 mm	87 mm	600 g	..	n	Aug 2009	US$ 399	ebay.com
2.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	US$ 649	ebay.com
3.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX1	128 mm	88 mm	88 mm	615 g	..	n	Sep 2008	US$ 599	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX10	123 mm	88 mm	87 mm	600 g	..	n	Sep 2008	US$ 399	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX30	123 mm	92 mm	108 mm	601 g	370	n	Sep 2010	US$ 429	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX40	123 mm	92 mm	108 mm	600 g	380	n	Sep 2011	US$ 429	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX50	123 mm	87 mm	106 mm	595 g	315	n	Sep 2012	US$ 429	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	US$ 399	ebay.com
11.		Canon T4i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
12.		Canon T6	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	US$ 449	ebay.com
13.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	US$ 749	ebay.com
14.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
15.		Canon XS	126 mm	98 mm	65 mm	502 g	500	n	Jun 2008	US$ 449	ebay.com
16.		Leica V-LUX 2	124 mm	80 mm	95 mm	520 g	410	n	Sep 2010	US$ 849	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic FZ100	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	540 g	410	n	Jul 2010	US$ 499	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The SX20 was launched at a lower price than the T5i, despite having a lens built in. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon SX20 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Canon T5i an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the T5i is 1086 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 1.6. The sensor in the SX20 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the T5i offers a 3:2 aspect.

Technology-wise, the T5i uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 5) than the SX20 (DIGIC 4), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 17.9MP, the T5i offers a higher resolution than the SX20 (12MP), but the T5i nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.31μm versus 1.53μm for the SX20) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the T5i is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 7 months) than the SX20, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the SX20 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Canon T5i implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the T5i for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon SX20 are 20 x 15 inches or 50.8 x 38.1 cm for good quality, 16 x 12 inches or 40.6 x 30.5 cm for very good quality, and 13.3 x 10 inches or 33.9 x 25.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The T5i has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon PowerShot SX20 IS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS Rebel T5i are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

In terms of underlying technology, the SX20 is build around a CCD sensor, while the T5i uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon SX20	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	19.2	10.5	225	37
2.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
3.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
4.		Canon SX1	1/2.3	10.0	3648	2736	1080/30p	19.0	10.3	144	35
5.		Canon SX10	1/2.3	10.0	3648	2736	480/30p	19.0	10.3	144	35
6.		Canon SX30	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	720/30p	19.4	10.7	320	39
7.		Canon SX40	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	19.6	10.9	409	41
8.		Canon SX50	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	20.3	11.2	179	47
9.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
10.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
11.		Canon T4i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
12.		Canon T6	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
13.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
14.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
15.		Canon XS	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.0	10.9	719	62
16.		Leica V-LUX 2	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	1080/60i	19.4	10.7	321	39
17.		Panasonic FZ100	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	1080/60i	19.4	10.7	306	39
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the T5i provides a better video resolution than the SX20. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/30p, while the SX20 is limited to 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the SX20 has an electronic viewfinder (202k dots), while the T5i has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon SX20 and Canon T5i in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon SX20	202	n	2.5 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.7/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
4.		Canon SX1	202	n	2.8 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	4.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX10	202	n	2.5 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.7/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX30	202	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.6/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX40	202	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	10.3/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX50	202	n	3.0 / 461	swivel	n	1/2000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon T4i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon T6	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon XS	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
16.		Leica V-LUX 2	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Panasonic FZ100	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The T5i has a touchscreen, while the SX20 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The SX20 writes its imaging data to SDHC cards, while the T5i uses SDXC cards. The T5i supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the SX20 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS and Canon EOS Rebel T5i and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon SX20	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon SX1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon SX10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon SX30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon SX40	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon SX50	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Canon T4i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon T6	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Canon XS	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Leica V-LUX 2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Panasonic FZ100	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the T5i has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The SX20 does not feature such a mic input.

Both the SX20 and the T5i have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX20 was replaced by the Canon SX30, while the T5i was followed by the Canon T6i. Further information on the features and operation of the SX20 and T5i can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX20 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon T5i Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon SX20 better than the Canon T5i or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with a built-in lens, while the T5i requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (123x88mm vs 133x100mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2009).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS Rebel T5i:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (17.9 vs 12MP), which boosts linear resolution by 25%.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 5 vs DIGIC 4).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/30p vs 720/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 230k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/3200s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 0.7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Makes it possible to change lenses and thus to use specialty optics.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 7 months of technical progress since the SX20 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the T5i is the clear winner of the contest (20 : 7 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon SX20 and the Canon T5i place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the SX20 and the T5i in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon SX20	..	+ +	..	73/100	..	4/5	Aug 2009	US$ 399	ebay.com
2.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	US$ 649	ebay.com
3.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX1	..	+ +	..	+	..	3.5/5	Sep 2008	US$ 599	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX10	..	+ +	..	..	..	4/5	Sep 2008	US$ 399	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX30	3/5	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Sep 2010	US$ 429	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX40	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2011	US$ 429	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX50	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 429	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	US$ 399	ebay.com
11.		Canon T4i	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
12.		Canon T6	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	US$ 449	ebay.com
13.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 749	ebay.com
14.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
15.		Canon XS	..	82/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2008	US$ 449	ebay.com
16.		Leica V-LUX 2	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2010	US$ 849	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic FZ100	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2010	US$ 499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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