Reasons to choose PowerShot S120
Released in 2013, PowerShot S120 has about 42 mm² of sensor area, 12.1 MP effective resolution, and a 217 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Canon PowerShot S120
vs Canon PowerShot SX160 IS
VS
Sensor area
42 mm²
PowerShot S12028 mm²
PowerShot SX160 IS- Area ratio
- 1.49:1
- Absolute difference
- 14 mm²
- Relative difference
- 49.2%
The PowerShot S120 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 1 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.
Key specification differences
PowerShot S120MetricPowerShot SX160 IS
12.1 MPEffective pixels16 MP
7.53 × 5.64Sensor6.16 × 4.62
1.87 µmPixel pitch1.33 µm
3.51 µm²Pixel area1.78 µm²
28.49 MP/cm²Pixel density56.22 MP/cm²
4.6Crop factor5.62
—Maximum video—
217 gWeight291 g
SD/SDHC/SDXCStorageSD/SDHC/SDXC
Lithium-Ion NB-6LH rechargeable battery Li-ion batteryBattery2 x AA batteries
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 S120 has the larger sensor area. The PowerShot S120 has the lighter body. The PowerShot SX160 IS has the higher effective resolution. The PowerShot S120 is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose PowerShot SX160 IS
Released in 2012, PowerShot SX160 IS has about 28 mm² of sensor area, 16 MP effective resolution, and a 291 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.