Review of Canon PowerShot SX1IS 10 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 20x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.8-inch LCD

Quick summary:

1. I really like this camera, especially being able to take HD video and optically zoom while recording.I also really like taking 4 fps of continuous shooting.

2. You really need to read (at least skim) through the instructions.Some of the ease of use benefits of a point-and-shoot were compromised to give you some of the versatility of a digital SLR.I'm not too crazy about the "Control Dial" to select menu options.Over all, the software seems a bit less intuitive than other Powershots I've used in the past.

3. Using Quicktime on Windows to view the HD video might result in jerky motion.HD video is smooth in Quicktime on a Mac.This is a Quicktime/Windows issue, not a camera problem.

4. The camera is solidly built, but it's a bit heavy.It's not ergonomically designed for extended video recording.

5. Consider reading and viewing a video demo by a professional at www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Canon_PowerShot_SX1_IS/

Long version:

I was very eagerly anticipating this camera.The key feature in the Canon SX1IS is the CMOS sensor used in the SLR product lines.I got really excited about a single camera with HD video, 20x optical zoom, 4 frames per second of continuous shooting, articulated screen, and standard AA batteries.I've owned several Canon Powershot models, and I've been very satisfied with them.I'm also an experienced 35mm SLR person.I thought that the SX1IS was going to be my perfect camera... or actually the perfect gift for my wife.

I am an amateur photographer whose primary subjects are my children playing sports.Since I work a lot, my wife actually ends up taking a majority of the photos.I was planning to get a digital SLR for her when I came upon the specs for the SX1IS.It seems as if Canon product managers have listened to everything I wanted in a digital camera.The biggest deals for me were

1. HD video with optical zoom enabled while you're filming
2. 4 frames per second of continuous shooting
3. 20x optical zoom
4. Ease of use of a point-and-shoot

Here are my series of reactions:

1. After the first set of photos and videos, I couldn't help but feel as if Canon has under-delivered on the promise of a nearly perfect camera for amateurs or perhaps my camera was defective.This was my review of the first batch of photos and videos:(please read on to the next section since my initial disappointment resulted more from ignorance and unfair expectations)

a. I wasn't getting anywhere near 4 frames per second.

b. In the AUTO mode, the photos seem to come out at a lower quality than my much cheaper Powershot A710 in AUTO mode.By lower quality, I mean that the color, contrast, and details appear not as good.

c. It is very cool to be able to zoom in and out while you are taking video, but the HD video footages came out jerky enough to be really annoying.

2. This didn't seem right, so I actually read the instructions and spent a few minutes googling for info.It quickly became clear that you really have to read the manual to use this camera effectively.The manual is not written especially well, but it contains the info you need.(FYI, I've NEVER read instructions on any of my other digital point-and-shoot cameras before, and I have been very happy with the thousands of photos I've taken.)

a. Getting 4 frames per second:I learned that you cannot shoot 4 frames per second in AUTO mode or SPORTS mode.SPORTS mode can only take continuous AutoFocus photos which is about 1 frame per second.Most of the other modes support fast 4 frames per second continuous shooting.In the 4 fps continuous shooting, only the first shoot will be in focus, the others will be out of focus if the subject moves towards or away from your camera.

b. Comparing photos from SX1IS with A710:I realized that I was taking photos at high zoom that the Powershot A710 was not even able to get, so this was not a fair comparison.For apples-to-apples outdoor photos, SX1IS does take superior photos, but indoor photos does seem grainier at similar zoom levels.However, the difference is really minor, and there are many many adjustments on the SX1IS that can more than compensate.

c. Jerky HD video playback:This is a really a problem with Quicktime on my Windows Vista (on 2.5GHz Quadcore CPU with 4GB of RAM & ATI Radeon 512MB graphics card, so not a hardware issue).I saw similar jerky playback with Quicktime on Windows XP.However, the videos play smooth and perfectly in Quicktime on a Mac OS X.By reading this review, I hope you don't get upset when your first HD video looks really bad because of the jerky motion.I'm sure that this is a temporary problem: either Apple will improve Quicktime playback on Windows, a better MOV player will be available, or software will be available to convert the MOV to another format that works better on Windows.

d. Further note:To make changes to a bunch of settings via the menu options, you have to use this ring on the function button (called the "Control Dial").It's the knurled outermost concentric ring surrounding the FUNC. SET button.You rotate this to select the menu options you want.Well, maybe I'll get used to it, but right now, this ring sucks.It's easy to miss the your menu item because you rotate this ring with just enough force, but if you press a bit too much, you end up with different options.This will probably suck to another plateau when I'm in bright sunlight looking through the viewfinder.

Here are 3 other things you might want to consider before purchasing this camera:

1. The camera feels very solid, but this also means that it is a bit heavy.

2. The form factor is for taking photographs, so if you plan to use this primarily for the HD video, your hands/arms will tire out.It is a bit awkward to keep the camera steady for extended video.HD camcorder will probably be better for you if your primary motivation is to take HD videos.

3. See a professional review with a video demo at www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Canon_PowerShot_SX1_IS/

I'm now having a great time taking lots of photos and videos with this camera.The 20x zoom, HD video, and 4 fps is worth the cost premium.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Canon PowerShot SX1IS 10 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 20x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.8-inch LCD

Product Description:
CMOS image sensor with 10-megapixel effective recording * 20X optical zoom * optical image stabilizer * 4X digital zoom/80X total zoom * 2-13/16" fold-out swiveling LCD screen * full 1080p movie mode (1920 x 1080 at 30 frames per second) with stereo sound * 16:9 widescreen photo mode (3840 x 2160) * image file formats: JPEG, RAW, RAW+JPEG *

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Review of Canon PowerShot SX20IS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 20x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch Articulating LCD

Let me start off by saying that I'm not a professional photographer.My decision to purchase the SX20 IS was based on a desire to get an excellent still shot camera, with high capacity zoom, that also had HD Video (720p) capabilities.So, I began my research and spent many hours scouring the web to make an informed decision.I had narrowed my choice to the Canon SX20 IS and the Panasonic DMC-FZ35.

Here are some of the key specs of each camera:

Optical Zoom (Canon: 20, Pana: 18)
Still image files (Canon: Not Raw, Pana: Raw)
Articulating LCD (Canon: Yes, Pana: No)
720p HD video per 2 GB (Canon: 10 min 33 sec, Pana: 15 min)
Video file format (Canon: .mov, Pana: AVCHD Lite)
Battery Type: (Canon: 4 AA, Pana: Li-ion rechargeable)
Stereo Audio (Both)
SD Card Storage (Both)

[...].

In the end I decided to go with Canon for a few key reasons:

#1. The articulating LCD (pull out, tilt/move) was a key factor, as I wanted to be able to shoot from many different angles.It came in handy very soon--the second time I used the camera--I was able to whip out the LCD and get some decent shots at a football game when I had to raise the camera high over my head to shoot over the folks standing in front of me.

#2. The ability to easily share video files.The .mov file format is a more widely accepted format, which can easily be shared (without processing/conversion).The files are accepted on sites such as You Tube. The files can be played with Quicktime and other media players (e.g. VLC).Although the Panasonic camera uses a format which is more compressed and allows more data to be stored on an SD card, the file format is not as wide spread and not as easy to share with others, without converting the file.

#3. Consumer Reports rankings for last year's model: Canon #1, Pana #5 (SX10 IS & Pana DMC-FZ28). I suspect the SX20 IS will follow the same trend this year when Consumer Reports releases their test results for 2009.

#4. Canon takes AA batteries.This makes the camera slightly heavier, but you'll always be able to get economical batteries in a pinch, without the need for buying a proprietary lithium ion battery.May I recommend Sanyo Eneloop rechargeable batteries. I bought some new on Amazon. They are excellent. I haven't charged them yet and I've taken 120 pictures and 40 minutes plus of 720p video. I've also played back the pictures and movies on my TV/Projector and transferred all files to my computer, using the same batteries, without charging them.And they are "..still going..."

Here are some sample pictures taken with the SX20 IS.Keep in mind that Flickr doesn't display the full, original picture which was taken in maximum resolution (in auto mode). [...].

I've taken some great up-close family shots and macro shots.They look great and are very detailed. I took some night/action pics (with the flash) and adjusted the shutter speed and ISO settings and the pictures looked great, given the conditions.

[...].

I apologize for the camera jitter in advance as I didn't have a tri-pod and I was in a tight area in the Stadium when I took the shots.

I must admit that I am thoroughly impressed with the video quality/resolution.I shot sample video from my 1 year old camcorder (Panasonic SDR-H40, a standard definition hard drive camcorder) and shot the same footage with the SX20 IS. The difference in quality was amazing.Not only was the Canon much sharper, but the richness and vibrance of the colors was so much better. I sold my SDR-H40 on Ebay within two days.I now will have only one camera to shoot stills and 720p HD video--the Canon SX20 IS. The videos from the SX20 IS looked awesome--on both my 32 inch 720p LCD and my 100+ inch screen via a 720p DLP projector. I connected the camera with an HDMI cable and bam, I was ready to watch great video and view still shots "on the big screen."See the above referenced links for video footage yourself.If I were given the opportunity to watch a football game shot in standard definition by ESPN or an HD version of the same game, shot with the SX20 IS (on a tripod, without my hand jitter), I'd pick the latter in a heart beat.

No buyer's remorse here!If you are looking for an SLR type camera, that does awesome stills and great 720p HD video (both zoomable at 20x optical), you'd be hard pressed to get more bang for your buck then the SX20 IS on Amazon.

One minor issue I've noticed is that when zooming in/out while shooting video, you can here a slight "click" when you initiate the zoom and when you stop the zoom.There is NO noise heard while the lens is zooming/telescoping in/out; the "click" is only heard when the zoom is initiated and when the zoom is stopped.The "click" is not that noticeable. I had to shoot footage in silence, after the kids had gone to bed, in order to distinguish the "click."In most shooting environments I don't expect it to be much of an issue.

Best of luck with your purchase decision.

P.S.By the way, the owner manual states that you must use the Canon software to transfer images/movies from the camera to a PC, else movies will not transfer (frames will be dropped) correctly and images shot vertically may be transferred in the horizontal orientation. So, don't just do a copy/paste of the files them self from the SD card.Keep this in mind as you view sample video on the web.






Click Here to see more reviews about: Canon PowerShot SX20IS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 20x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch Articulating LCD

Product Description:
With a 20x wide-angle zoom, the 12.1-megapixel PowerShot SX20 IS offers intelligent, versatile shooting power. Switch to Smart Auto mode for effortlessly great results, or shoot stunning HD movies.

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