Reasons to choose PowerShot ELPH 500 HS
Released in 2011, PowerShot ELPH 500 HS 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 ELPH 500 HS
vs Canon PowerShot SX120 IS
VS
Sensor area
28 mm²
PowerShot ELPH 500 HS25 mm²
PowerShot SX120 IS- Area ratio
- 1.15:1
- Absolute difference
- 4 mm²
- Relative difference
- 14.6%
The PowerShot ELPH 500 HS 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 ELPH 500 HSMetricPowerShot SX120 IS
12.1 MPEffective pixels10 MP
6.16 × 4.62Sensor5.75 × 4.32
1.53 µmPixel pitch1.58 µm
2.35 µm²Pixel area2.48 µm²
42.52 MP/cm²Pixel density40.26 MP/cm²
5.62Crop factor6.02
—Maximum video—
185 gWeight245 g
SDHC, SDXC, Secure DigitalStorageSDHC, Secure Digital
Lithium-Ion NB-6L rechargeable battery Li-ion batteryBattery2 x AA batteries (NiMH recommended)
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 ELPH 500 HS has the larger sensor area. The PowerShot ELPH 500 HS has the lighter body. The PowerShot ELPH 500 HS has the higher effective resolution. The PowerShot ELPH 500 HS is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose PowerShot SX120 IS
Released in 2009, PowerShot SX120 IS has about 25 mm² of sensor area, 10 MP effective resolution, and a 245 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.