Canon sx200 Digital Camera

[Charlton]

Creating gorgeous images is more fun than ever with the sleek, impressively equipped PowerShot SX200 IS, elegantly designed in three new colors. Sporting a 12.1 MP sensor, image-stabilized lens with 12x Optical zoom (28 - 336mm equiv). Experience the unprecedented image quality and point-and-shoot convenience of Smart AUTO, along with enhanced operability and an intuitive new menu. HD shooting at 1280 x 720 pixels with HDMI output lets you see all the beauty of your HD images and movies on your HDTV.Enhanced Face Detection with Face Select & Track, Face Self-Timer, Auto Red-Eye Correction and HD video recording.

Designed with travel in mind

With a classic aluminium design available in black, blue or red the PowerShot SX200 IS packs a lot into a compact body, making it the perfect camera for the keen traveller. A powerful 12x zoom lens, beginning at a wide 28mm, tackles landscape shots or distant subjects with equal effectiveness. Canon’s 4-stop optical Image Stabilizer technology combats the blur caused by camera shake – even at the telephoto end of the zoom range and in low-light situations.

Small on size, big on quality

Incredible 12.1 Megapixel resolution is captured by the camera’s sensor, offering the freedom to crop or enlarge images to perfection with no loss in detail. Canon’s DIGIC 4 processor uses improved algorithms and calculation accuracy, allowing the PowerShot SX200 IS to deliver ultra-fast operation, and rich, low-noise images with outstanding clarity and colour reproduction.

Intelligent features for maximum creativity

For maximum results with minimum effort, the PowerShot SX200 IS incorporates a new Smart Auto mode and enhanced Easy mode. Both of these modes use Canon’s Scene Detection Technology to analyse the shooting scene in detail – checking subject brightness, contrast, distance and overall hue – then select optimum settings accordingly. Photographers wanting total control over their shots can switch to a full Manual control mode.

[Charlton]

Features of Canon sx200

• Compact unit with 12x optical zoom and wide-angle focal length 28 mm
• Optical Image Stabilizer - Gain 4 speed
• 12.1 million pixels Sensor
• DIGIC 4 for a high speed, superb image quality and management of technology "smart"
• Mode "self smart" technology with scene detection
• Anti-blur Solution: Image Stabilizer technology, motion detection and auto-type Servo AF
• Photo of people facilitated by the AF / expo / expo flash / white balance detection of faces, the selection and monitoring of a face, the self-timer with face detection and automatic correction of red eyes
• 3-inch LCD (7.6 cm) high resolution
• High Definition Video Recording (720p) and HDMI connection
• Numerous shooting modes including manual control and easy way
• New user interface incorporating tips and tricks
• Design classic, available in black, blue or red

Specification of Canon sx200

1. Sensor
   • 1/2.3" Type CCD
   • 12.1 million effective pixels
   
   
2. Image sizes
   • 4000 x 3000
   • 3264 x 2448
   • 2592 x 1944
   • 1600 x 1200
   • 640 x 480
   • 320 x 140
   • 4000 x 2248
   
   
3. Movie clips
   • 1280 x 720 @ 30fps [HD]
   • 640 x 480 @ 30fps [L]
   • 320 x 240 @ 30fps [M]
   
   
4. Maximum clip length
   • Upto 4GB or 1/2 hour [HD]
   • Upto 4GB or 1 hour [L or M]
   
   
5. File formats
   • JPEG (Exif v2.2)
   • DPOF 1.1
   • MOV [H.264 + Linear PCM (Monaural)
   • WAVE (Sound Files)
   
   
6. Lens
   • 28 - 336mm (35mm equiv)
   • 12x optical zoom
   • F3.4-5.3
   
   
7. Image stabilization : Yes (Lens-Shift)
   
   
8. Digital zoom : up to 4x
   
   
9. Focus : TTL
   
   
10. AF area modes
    • Face Detection AiAF / 9 point
    • 1-point AF (center or Face Select and Track)
    
    
11. AF lock : Yes (On/Off Selectable)
    
    
12. AF assist lamp : Yes
    
    
13. Focus distance : Closest focus distance 0 cm
    
    
14. Metering
    • Evaluative (linked to Face Detection AF frame)
    • Center-weighted average
    • Spot (center or linked to Face Detection)
    
    
15. ISO sensitivity
    • Auto
    • ISO 80
    • ISO 100
    • ISO 200
    • ISO 400
    • ISO 800
    • ISO 1600
    
16. AE lock : Yes (on/off selectable)
    
    
17. Exposure compensation : +/- 2EV in 1/3 stop increments
    
    
18. Shutter speed : 15-1/3200 sec
    
    
19. Modes
    • Auto
    • Program AE
    • Shutter priority AE
    • Aperture priority AE
    • Manual
    • Easy
    • Portrait
    • Landscape
    • Night Snapshot

[Charlton]

Controls of Canon sx200

In terms of on-screen controls, Canon still offers a superimposed Function menu for quick access to various settings, but has revamped the design over other models in the range. Controls are logically arranged, with a mode dial, zoom toggle, and shutter release up top, and the standard array of Canon physical controls out back. Pressing the FUNC / SET button once again presents a vertical list of options running down the left hand side of the screen, but the list now scrolls up and down, and the available options for each setting pop-out to the right in another vertically scrolling list.All in all, it's a comfortable camera in real-world shooting situations – though a slightly heavy lens makes camera balance a little tricky when shooting with one hand, especially at or near full telephoto.

Perhaps the most important difference though is each setting now briefly shows a short message in the remaining area of the screen helpfully describing what it'll do, although you can turn this off altogether if preferred.Long-time Canon fans will note that the SX200's quick-access interface has a slightly different look than Canon sidebar menus of the past. Well, sure, that much is obvious, but perhaps giving an example like "For Shooting under Tungsten Lighting, such as indoor lamps" might be more useful. Likewise, choosing ISO 1600 will simply say "Set to ISO 1600" when it could elaborate and suggest it could be good for low light. All of this friendly advice may quickly wear on advanced users, but it's also easy to disable the "Hints & Tips" function in the camera's setup menu.

Menu & Modes of Canon Sx200

The various menus and other options are using to navigate four-way rocker surrounded by one of Canon's thumb wheels, giving you a choice of operation. The wheel is a nice addition, but like the SX10 IS, it's completely smooth to turn and lacking the stepped feedback of the wheels on Canon's G10, IXUS 870IS / SD880 IS and its DSLRs. Basic shooting modes include a redesigned auto-exposure mode, in the form of Canon's aptly named Smart Auto system. Fast and responsive, Smart Auto has the added benefit of using a series of icons to communicate which preset it's using, making it easy to override its choice via the camera's program or scene modes if you're unhappy.

During playback, the DISP button cycles between a clean view and ones with basic or detailed shooting information, the latter including a brightness histogram. The list is basic for the most part, covering all of the typical situational options a snap shooter might need. If the photo was taken with Face Detection, then the enlargement will show the primary subject's face, allowing you to quickly check their expression and confirm the focus. The SX200 also features a full complement of manual exposure modes, including both aperture and shutter priority options and a full manual setting. The SX200's manual mode is predictably clunky, with a button press required to switch from aperture to shutter speed settings and back again, but the priority modes are relatively easy to use. Spinning the scroll wheel changes your aperture or shutter setting, though I dislike the fact that there's no "live" metering: you have to half-press the shutter release to check your exposure.

[Charlton]

Image Quality of Canon sx200

When reviewing images of the same subject taken with a matching field-of-view, those on the Panasonic's screen definitely look more detailed, although the difference is not as great as the 920k / 640x480 pixel display found on many DSLRs these days. Like clockwork, the SX200 reels in vibrant, borderline-over saturated images that generally looks great with minimal post-processing. Of course screen resolution won't affect the recorded image quality, but a more detailed screen is a nice luxury to have on a digital camera, and a key specification where the SX200 IS falls behind the TZ7 / ZS3.

The SX200's default multi-area metering did an acceptable job, but it felt like we still saw more than our share of clipped highlights with this model: admittedly, we put the SX200 in some fairly trying outdoor shooting situations, but I spent a lot of time riding the exposure compensation to keep highlights under control. Indeed, the live histogram proved to be a shot-saver more than once with this camera, and even then the final results weren't always spot on. In use the SX200 IS's screen is certainly bright with a wide viewing angle, but under direct sunlight the image became more washed-out than the Panasonic, and any fingerprints were also more visible.

The headline feature of the PowerShot SX200 IS is of course it's 12x optical zoom range, that's equivalent to 28-336mm. During some casual indoor shooting with the SX200, it did strike me that Canon might have really upped this model's appeal among serious shooters with the addition of a hot shoe. Panasonic's TZ7 / ZS3 also shares a 12x range, but starts a little wider at an equivalent of 25mm and ends a little shorter at 300mm. The focal ratio of the TZ7 / ZS3 is fractionally brighter at f3.3-4.9, compared to the f3.4-5.3 of the Canon, but not enough to make any significant difference in practice. Of course, with +/-2 EV of manual flash exposure compensation available via the sidebar menu, you can also take control yourself as you see fit.

[Charlton]

Conclusion for Canon sx200

The important thing to remember though is delivering both are amazingly flexible coverage considering their size, taking you from decent wide-angle to Telephoto serious. But in spite of several upgrades over the SX110, the sum of these parts doesn't always seem to add a lot to the overall experience. On the one hand, several key improvements – from HD video shooting to a wide-angle lens to a li-ion battery given Canon an SX-series contender that's capable of challenging Panasonic on turf long dominated by its Lumix TZ/ZS models.


Positive Points

• Slimmest PowerShot SX yet
• Speedy, reliable performance
• Smooth interface and great auto modes
• Excellent zoom range
• 720p video capture

Negative Points

• Several mildly irritating optical concerns
• Noisy images above ISO 400
• Manual controls could be easier to use
• Pop-up flash is flimsy