Reasons to choose PowerShot A1200
Released in 2011, PowerShot A1200 has about 28 mm² of sensor area, 12.1 MP effective resolution, and a 185 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Canon PowerShot A1200
vs Canon PowerShot S90
VS
Sensor area
28 mm²
PowerShot A120042 mm²
PowerShot S90- Area ratio
- 1.49:1
- Absolute difference
- 14 mm²
- Relative difference
- 49.2%
The PowerShot S90 has the larger sensor area. More area usually means greater light-gathering potential, though real image quality still depends on sensor architecture and generation.
These cameras were released 2 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.
Key specification differences
PowerShot A1200MetricPowerShot S90
12.1 MPEffective pixels10 MP
6.16 × 4.62Sensor7.53 × 5.64
1.53 µmPixel pitch2.06 µm
2.35 µm²Pixel area4.25 µm²
42.52 MP/cm²Pixel density23.55 MP/cm²
5.62Crop factor4.6
—Maximum video640 × 480
185 gWeight195 g
SDHC, SDXC, Secure DigitalStorageSD, SDHC, MMC, MMCplus, HC MMCplus card
2 x AA batteriesBatteryLithium-Ion NB-6L rechargeable battery Li-ion battery
Amber marks the value that is generally preferable in this comparison context. It is not an overall camera score.
How to choose between these cameras
The PowerShot S90 has the larger sensor area. The PowerShot A1200 has the lighter body. The PowerShot A1200 has the higher effective resolution. The PowerShot A1200 is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose PowerShot S90
Released in 2009, PowerShot S90 has about 42 mm² of sensor area, 10 MP effective resolution, and a 195 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.