Canon PowerShot SX10 IS Digital Camera | Canon SX10 IS Reviews

SuperZoom, MegaZoom, UltraZoom? Whatever you want to call it, rest assured, after using an incredible Image-Stabilized, 20X Optical Zoom lens, you'll wonder how you ever got by with a measly 3X, 7X, or even 12X camera! Whether your interested in shooting sporting events, concerts and plays, or Mother Nature, you'll be amazed at the reach of this SuperShooter. And unlike the competition, the SX10IS boasts a versatile swing-out, rotating 2.5" LCD that will have you shooting over and around obstacles (like that tall guy who always seems to end up in front of you). Add to that, Canon's spectacular movie mode - now with even better compression for smaller file sizes - and you have a superb camcorder as well! And don't forget the full 10-Megapixel sensor for sharp, large prints. The SX10IS uses convenient AA batteries (common Ni-MH rechargeables are recommended) instead of those expensive, hard-to-find powerpacks. While there's no such thing as the perfect camera, for enthusiasts and casual users alike, industry leader Canon has produced the finest all-purpose, point and shoot camera on the market today.

Stay close to the action with a 20x Optical Zoom, wide-angle lens and Optical Image Stabilizer. Improved speed and quiet zooming means you never have to miss a shot.

Powerful 10.0 Megapixel resolution for greater printing and editing.

Large 2.5-inch Vari-angle LCD for flexible viewing at nearly every angle, plus a viewfinder for more shooting options.

New DIGIC 4 Image Processor improves Face Detection, adds Servo AF, Face Detection Self-Timer and Intelligent Contrast Correction for greater flexibility.

MovieSnap mode lets you capture high-resolution still images while shooting a movie. Improved movie format for longer movie lengths.

A wide range of shooting modes to capture anything.

Print/Share Button for easy direct printing and downloading, plus ID Photo Print and Movie Print with select PIXMA Photo Printers and SELPHY Compact Photo Printers.

The latest addition to the "S" series line of ultra-zoom models from Canon, the SX10 IS is an extremely versatile 10-megapixel camera. This model is referred to by many as the "S6 IS", as it is the successor to the very popular S5 IS from 2007. Many of the powerful features found on the S5 IS have been carried over to this new camera, including the 2.5-inch Vari-angle LCD, Stereo microphones, VGA sized movie mode at 30fps, shutter speed range from 1/3200 - 15 seconds, sensitivity settings from 80 - 1600, manual pop-up flash unit, Hot shoe for external speedlites, USB 2.0 connectivity, AA power source, etc. The SX10 is improved with a new wide view 20x optical zoom lens and Canon's DIGIC 4 image processing system as well as an updated control layout.

Like past "S" models, the SX10 is what I would consider an enthusiast digicam, which offers a great deal of exposure control and loads of high-end features. While this camera has the ability to be used as a photographic tool, the SX10 is still tame enough to allow the least experienced user in your household or office to capture great photos. With full Auto, Program AE, Shutter priority, Aperture priority, Manual, and 16 pre-programmed SCeNe modes, the SX10 is designed to be great all-around camera that anyone can use.

By far the most prevalent feature on this camera is the awesome 28 - 560mm (equivalent) 20x optical zoom lens. With a nice wide field of view, you can shoot confidently indoors as well as capture nice vast landscapes. The 560mm telephoto end still offers in your face magnification, and thankfully the SX10 offers Canon's effective OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) system. While the zoom is not continuous, I counted about 33 steps between wide angle and full telephoto, which should be sufficient for all of your framing needs. Not only does this lens offer a great deal of versatility when composing your shots, but it's also fast with a maximum aperture range of 2.8 at full wide angle. This coupled with the effective IS system will further enhance your ability to capture sharp images in marginal lighting conditions without using the flash. I found this lens complements the SX10's 10-megapixel image sensor, capturing sharp photos throughout the zoom and aperture ranges.

The SX10 employs two viewfinders for you to choose from for composing and reviewing your stored images: a 2.5-inch "Vari-angle" LCD monitor or a high-resolution electronic viewfinder (EVF) with diopter adjustment. The LCD and EVF are equally-functional, you can browse the menus, change exposure settings, compose and review your captured files on either one. The viewfinders provide a wealth of exposure information, including the ability to display a live histogram, grid lines, and a 3:2 aspect guide. I favored the 2.5-inch vari-angle LCD for camera setup, image review and overhead or waist-level shooting, and the EVF for eye-level shooting; switching between the two requires two depressions of the DISP button or opening/closing the LCD. The fact that you can rotate the LCD up to 270° means you'll be able to accurately frame subjects that would normally be impossible with a camera that features a fixed LCD. I also liked the fact that you can flip the LCD around for self-portraits, or to hide the screen and keep it safe. Both displays were a pleasure to use indoors and out. In marginal lighting, they "gain-up" well, helping you see your subject for framing; this is something that was Very difficult in the 35mm film days. When using the camera outdoors, I found the LCD was usable in bright conditions, thanks mostly in part to the anti-reflective coating.

The ergonomics of this model are quite good. While I would not label this a "compact" camera, it is a bit smaller than an entry-level dSLR, with almost as much functionality. I found the large hand grip offers a nice secure feel in your hand, and all of the various controls are laid out in a comfortable manner. I especially like the unique placement of the Play, Exposure value, and AF point Selection buttons. They are built into the top right corner on the back, in a curve like configuration, right next to where your right thumb rests. Like we have seen with past "S" series models, Canon has integrated the SX10's still image and video capabilities well. Unlike other digicams, the SX10 has separate shutter buttons for stills and movies; movies can be taken at anytime, no matter what exposure mode you are in. Not only that, but stills can be captured during movie recording, even when the Mode dial is set to the Movie position.

The SX10 is robust for a camera in this category. From power-on until the first shot was captured measured just 1.6 seconds. Shutter lag, the elapsed time between depressing the shutter and capturing an image, was almost instantaneous when pre-focused, and only 1-2/10 of a second including autofocus. In Single shot mode, I was able to capture 10-megapixel Superfine images at the rate of one every 1.8 seconds without flash, and between 2.6 to 3.5 seconds with the flash, depending on subject distance and battery life.

If single shot mode isn't fast enough for you, there are also two continuous or burst shooting modes to choose from; Continuous and Continuous Shooting AF. In the standard Continuous mode, I was able to capture 10 images in just 6.2 seconds (approx. 1.6fps), surpassing Canon's claims of 1.4fps. The viewfinders briefly displayed the last captured image between shots, making it difficult to follow a moving subject. In Continuous Shooting AF mode, the camera re-acquires focus for each shot, and was a bit slower at about 1fps. Our tests were done using a SanDisk Extreme III 1GB SD card, Program exposure mode, large superfine quality, review on, flash off, ISO auto, and all other settings at default (unless otherwise noted).

When it comes to image quality, the SX10 IS delivers. Our outdoor test images show that this camera can capture sharp images that show very little edge softness, thanks in part to the accurate AF system and high-quality Canon zoom lens. The auto white balance setting is very accurate, even when shooting in mixed lighting conditions. Auto exposure is also handled very well, producing pleasing exposures in various lighting conditions. I found that color saturation was very pleasing. The My Colors function allows you to be very creative with your photos, whether adding a Sepia or B&W effect, or custom building your own with adjustments for sharpness, contrast, saturation, skin tone and color (RGB).

The SX10 offers a flash hot shoe that allows the use of Canon EX Speedlites. This greatly adds to the versatility of this model.

You can capture video with stereo sound, at 640x480 or 320x240 with a fixed frame rate of 30fps for both settings. While many digicams prevent zooming during movie recording, the SX10 allows you so zoom in and out while shooting. In-camera editing of movies is provided in playback mode, allowing you to cut from the beginning and/or the end, and saving the edited clip as a new file or overwriting the original. The maximum length of capture in any quality setting is limited to 4GB or 1 hour, whichever comes first. Our indoor movie sample looks great, showing minimal compression noise for an indoor sample, and the AF system did well when zooming in on my subject. The IS system also helped reduce the amount of camera shake when using the camera's telephoto capabilities.

Canon has continued the use of AA type batteries to power their "S" series. These cells can be purchased just about anywhere, adding to the overall versatility of this camera. I was impressed by the SX10's battery life, especially when considering that you are always powering either the EVF or LCD. While I did not capture anywhere near the amount of images that Canon claims is possible, I did take over 105 still images and several short video clips as well as concluded all of our other tests with power to spare. As usual, we recommend that you acquire at least two sets of high-capacity NiMH rechargeable batteries, this way you can be charged and ready at all times.

Bottom line - we have continually been impressed by Canon with their popular "S" series line of super-zoom models, and the SX10 is no exception. This versatile digicam offers excellent image quality capabilities and speedy performance, along with a vast array of features that will help you capture better photos. With very few annoyances, I feel the Canon PowerShot SX10 IS is a worthy competitor in the super-zoom/prosumer category, and is sure to please those who are in the market for an affordable alternative to a dSLR system. At the time of this review, the SX10 offered an exceptional value.

Lens. Sporting the longest lens Canon has ever mounted on a digital camera, the SX10's 20x zoom covers an equivalent range of 28mm to 560mm. That spans from a good usable wide-angle to a very long telephoto setting, covering just about every situation you're bound to encounter. At the long end, the optical image stabilization is not only nice, but essential. The SX10's lens also gathers a lot of light, starting as it does at f/2.8 and going to f/5.7. We rate the lens as very good, with allowances for some of the shortcomings expected from an extreme zoom, as outlined below.

Sharpness: The Canon SX10's lens is sharp in the center at wide and telephoto, and remains surprisingly sharp out to the far corners, rare for a lens of this type, with only a very limited amount of softening that does not show up in all but the largest prints.

Distortion: At wide-angle, the Canon SX10's 28mm setting shows moderate barrel distortion, but it's not out of the ordinary for this type of lens, and is not a detriment to most photos. Pincushion at Telephoto is present, but minimal.

Chromatic aberration: The only real shortcoming of the SX10's 20x zoom is the high and bright chromatic aberration that appears at both wide angle and telephoto, and extends fairly far into the frame. It's noticable in printed images at 8x10 sizes and up. Again, this is very common among extreme zoom lenses, and can be removed after capture with aftermarket image software.

Macro: The Canon SX10's Macro mode is dramatic, capable of focusing from the surface of the lens. There is considerable distortion at this distance, however, so prepare to crop from the center and provide light from the sides rather than from the flash.
Image Quality.

Color: Both onscreen and printed, the Canon SX10's color is pleasingly oversaturated, as Canon's consumer cameras are wont to be. It's not over the top, though, and the color remains well-saturated across the ISO range.

Noise and Detail: Noise suppression is at work in the SX10's images even at ISO 80, which can tend to blur some detail. As mentioned below, though, image quality is still pretty high overall, allowing prints up of to 13x19 inches at the lowest ISO settings.

Incandescent light: Auto white balance handles the indoor scene quite well, producing a slightly warm, but well-balanced image. Noise suppression goes to work a little harder under incandescent light, but printed images still look about as good at the same printed sizes we've listed below under Print Quality. Canon does a good job limiting chroma noise, better than in past models.

Flash: Flash coverage is uneven at wide angle, and even at telephoto. Manufacturer's specs call for good wide-angle illumination when set to Auto ISO at 17 feet, which we found to be true at ISO 200, but the camera also made it out to 16 feet at ISO 100. And though the manufacturer spec called for good telephoto performance at only 9.2 feet at ISO 200, we found the SX10 easily capable of 12 feet at ISO 100.

Printed: Printed results from the Canon SX10 are quite good, easily handling enlargement up to 13x19 inches at the lowest ISO settings, with ISO 400 looking better at 11x14 inches with sharp detail. ISO 800 images look better at 8x10, and ISO 1,600 shots look good at 5x7, though with some mottled color noise in the shadows. ISO 3,200 shots were still too soft to be acceptable at 4x6 inches.
Performance.

Shutter lag: Full autofocus wide angle takes about 0.60 second to focus and capture an image, and telephoto is faster at 0.54 second. Those are good times for a long zoom digital camera. Prefocus shutter lag is quite fast at 0.079. Flash shutter lag takes a little longer, at 0.78 seconds.
Cycle time: Single shot cycle times allow capture of one frame every two seconds, but if you switch to continuous mode, you can capture about 1.4 frames per second in Large/Fine JPEG mode.
Flash Recycle: It takes about 8 seconds to recycle the flash after a full-power shot, which is a little slower than average.

Summary. This series of long zoom PowerShots has a faithful band of happy users, and it looks like it's safe for that trend to continue. Though the lens focal length has nearly doubled to 20x, optical quality remains solid, with unusually sharp corners and minimal barrel distortion. About the only notable problem is the bright chromatic aberration, but that accompanies most extreme long zooms like this. Image quality is outstanding, with excellent noise control even in incandescent light at ISO 800, likely thanks to the DIGIC 4 processor. The built-in Flash has good power for a long zoom digital camera, and the Canon SX10 has a flash hot shoe to allow use of Canon's excellent external flashes, like the new 430EX II. Printed results really tell the Canon SX10's story, with the camera's output capable of making high quality 13x19-inch prints with ease, and even ISO 1,600 shots make a decent 5x7. A relatively fast shutter lag result rounds out the story, and if you learn to prefocus, you can get a shutter lag of 0.08 second! Overall, you can't go wrong with the Canon PowerShot SX10 IS, a great long zoom digital camera that's also capable of capturing video with stereo sound whenever the need strikes. It's a superb image-maker, and an easy Dave's Pick.