Canon R100 vs SX40

The Canon EOS R100 and the Canon PowerShot SX40 HS are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in May 2023 and September 2011. The R100 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the SX40 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (R100) and a 1/2.3-inch (SX40) sensor. The R100 has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the SX40 provides 12 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon R100		Canon SX40
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
		24-840mm f/2.7-5.8
24 MP – APS-C sensor		12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4k/24p Video		1080/24p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-3,200
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (202k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		2.7" LCD – 230k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
6.5 shutter flaps per second		10.3 shutter flaps per second
400 shots per battery charge		380 shots per battery charge
116 x 86 x 69 mm, 356 g		123 x 92 x 108 mm, 600 g

Check R100 price at
amazon.com
Check SX40 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R100 and the Canon PowerShot SX40 HS? 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

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon R100 and the Canon SX40. 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 SX40 is notably larger (13 percent) than the Canon R100. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the R100 nor the SX40 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the SX40 has a lens built in, whereas the R100 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

Concerning battery life, the R100 gets 400 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the SX40 can take 380 images on a single charge of its Canon NB-10L power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R100	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	356 g	400	n	May 2023	US$ 479	amazon.com
2.		Canon SX40	123 mm	92 mm	108 mm	600 g	380	n	Sep 2011	US$ 429	ebay.com
3.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
4.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
5.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	US$ 549	ebay.com
6.		Canon R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	US$ 979	amazon.com
7.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	US$ 679	amazon.com
8.		Canon R50 V	119 mm	74 mm	45 mm	370 g	390	n	Mar 2025	US$ 649	amazon.com
9.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX20	123 mm	88 mm	87 mm	600 g	..	n	Aug 2009	US$ 399	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX30	123 mm	92 mm	108 mm	601 g	370	n	Sep 2010	US$ 429	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX50	123 mm	87 mm	106 mm	595 g	315	n	Sep 2012	US$ 429	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	US$ 399	ebay.com
14.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
15.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
16.		Panasonic FZ100	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	540 g	410	n	Jul 2010	US$ 499	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic FZ150	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	528 g	410	n	Aug 2011	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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 SX40 was launched at a lower price than the R100, despite having a lens built in. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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 size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon R100 features an APS-C sensor and the Canon SX40 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the SX40 is 92 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 5.6. The sensor in the R100 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the SX40 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 24MP, the R100 offers a higher resolution than the SX40 (12MP), but the R100 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 1.53μm for the SX40) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the R100 is a much more recent model (by 11 years and 8 months) than the SX40, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Canon R100 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the R100 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon SX40 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 R100 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS R100 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon PowerShot SX40 HS are ISO 100 to ISO 3200 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the R100 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the SX40 uses a BSI-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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 R100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/24p	24.1	13.9	2197	84
2.		Canon SX40	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	19.6	10.9	409	41
3.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
4.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
5.		Canon M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	24.0	13.5	1836	82
6.		Canon R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
7.		Canon R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
8.		Canon R50 V	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	24.1	14.1	2383	85
9.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
10.		Canon SX20	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	19.2	10.5	225	37
11.		Canon SX30	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	720/30p	19.4	10.7	320	39
12.		Canon SX50	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	20.3	11.2	179	47
13.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
14.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
15.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
16.		Panasonic FZ100	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	1080/60i	19.4	10.7	306	39
17.		Panasonic FZ150	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.4	10.9	132	40
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the R100 provides a higher video resolution than the SX40. It can shoot video footage at 4k/24p, while the SX40 is limited to 1080/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the R100 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the SX40 (2360k vs 202k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon R100 and Canon SX40 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 R100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.5/s	Y	n
2.		Canon SX40	202	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	10.3/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
5.		Canon M200	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
6.		Canon R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon R50 V	none	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	n	n
9.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon SX20	202	n	2.5 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.7/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon SX30	202	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.6/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX50	202	n	3.0 / 461	swivel	n	1/2000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
13.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
14.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
16.		Panasonic FZ100	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Panasonic FZ150	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the R100 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon R100 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the R100 and the SX40 write their files to SDXC cards. The R100 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the SX40 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 EOS R100 and Canon PowerShot SX40 HS 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 R100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon SX40	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon M200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon R50 V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX20	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon SX30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon SX50	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
15.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Panasonic FZ100	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Panasonic FZ150	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the R100 has a microphone port, which is missing on the SX40. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

The R100 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the SX40 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the SX40 was succeeded by the Canon SX50. Further information on the features and operation of the R100 and SX40 can be found, respectively, in the Canon R100 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SX40 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon R100 better than the Canon SX40 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS R100:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 12MP) with a 44% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging 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 video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4k/24p vs 1080/24p).
• 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.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2360k vs 202k dots).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 230k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/3200s) to freeze action.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• More compact: Is smaller (116x86mm vs 123x92mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 11 years and 8 months of technical progress since the SX40 launch.

Advantages of the Canon PowerShot SX40 HS:

• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10.3 vs 6.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the R100 necessitates an extra lens.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2011).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the R100 is the clear winner of the match-up (20 : 6 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 wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 R100 and the Canon SX40 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the R100 or the SX40. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

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 R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	US$ 479	amazon.com
2.		Canon SX40	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2011	US$ 429	ebay.com
3.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
4.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
5.		Canon M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	US$ 549	ebay.com
6.		Canon R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	US$ 979	amazon.com
7.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	US$ 679	amazon.com
8.		Canon R50 V	..	..	..	84/100	..	..	Mar 2025	US$ 649	amazon.com
9.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX20	..	+ +	..	73/100	..	4/5	Aug 2009	US$ 399	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX30	3/5	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Sep 2010	US$ 429	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX50	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 429	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	US$ 399	ebay.com
14.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
15.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
16.		Panasonic FZ100	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2010	US$ 499	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic FZ150	3/5	+ +	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes 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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