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Kevin K. Fosler
Probably best in class, worthy upgrade,
I’ve owned each new version of this camera since the Powershot S2IS. For me this is a worthwhile upgrade over the prior version, the S5IS.
I’ll start by saying that I am not a digital camera “power user”. I just want good quality photos without a lot of hassle. This camera provides that, yet also provides a lot of room for growth with plenty of custom settings that I can use if I want to learn how to use them in the future (for example, aperture priority).
Pros:
– In initial testing, the face detection technology seems to work well. I can take a self portrait now and the lighting comes out very good. I think the technology has gone from buzzword marketing to true usefulness.
– One side benefit of the face detection technology is that it enables the camera to intelligently take red-eye out of pictures without using the red-eye reduction lamp.
– The flip-out and rotating viewfinder has always and continues to set this camera apart from its peers from other companies. It allows for less intrusive candid photos and has many other advantages.
– Thankfully, the SD card door is separate from the battery door as it was with the S3IS. Thank you Canon! There are times that I just want to take a few pictures, and now I don’t have to open the battery door to take the SD card out and put in my PC’s card reader.
– Low battery warning. I think this is the first version to have that and it’s very welcome.
– 28mm — I will never get another camera without wide angle built in. I have the Canon Elph 880IS too, which is a very powerful “pocketable” camera that complements this one well.
– Sharp 20x zoom. Pictures turn out very good even at high zooms. In an indoor-lit apartment, I can read fairly small print from a photo taken all the way across a room — it truly is amazing.
– The picture quality is better at higher ISO’s than previous models. Each model improves on this and this one definitely continues that. I haven’t tried out the “I-Contrast” setting (on vs. off) but I can say that in some outdoor pictures that I have taken detail is good in shadow areas.
– Finally, a standard lens-cap. It doesn’t have a tether, but you can buy a cap attachment from a camera store that sticks on the front of the cap. The one that I got has an elastic band that goes around the base of the lens. I also got a better lens cap which can now be done since it’s standard.
– Controls … I like the new placement of the controls such as dedicated on-off button and display button. I don’t think I will like the scroll wheel but time will tell. For those not familiar with this camera, there is a dedicated video button so that you can take video quickly without having to mess with the controls.
– Weight and shape. I liked the shape of the S5IS a little better. This one seems too “boxy” and the grip seems too abrupt. It’s bigger and heavier but not in a way that matters. It’s expected with the new lens.
The only thing I would have liked to see improved is the size of the rotating display. It’s usable, but the 3″ one on my pocket SD880IS is much better, and competing cameras offer a larger display. In order to get a larger display though the electronic viewfinder would probably have to be eliminated which is something that many wouldn’t like. I’d rather have a larger display.
I don’t know if the compressed movie mode results in less quality because I didn’t take movies with prior versions of this camera because the file size was larger. I like that videos take up less space now and I will use the video feature of this version.
Canon released a camera similar to this with HD video capabilities but it’s not available, as far as I know, in the U.S. Check the Canon website for more info. if you want to research that.
There is not a way to screw filters on this camera as there was with the optional lens adapters available for the S5IS. It seems that Canon could have easily done this by threading the end of the lens but maybe I am missing something. I anticipate that Canon or some other company will come out with an adapter that will allow filters. My main use of filters was simply to protect the lens.
I don’t know if the software is improved because I don’t use it. If you want date / time stamps on your photos, you need to do it via software.
If you like this camera and are interested in a great pocket-sized camera to complement this one, check out the SD880IS. It has many of the same features such as the Digic 4 chip, face detection, wide angle, I-contrast, and in addition it has a beautiful 3″ display.
Update 10-26-08
– I previously commented that I thought the shape was too boxy” and the grip “too abrupt”. After using the camera for a while I have grown to like the shape because it helps keep…
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|PhotoBug
Sweet Big Little Camera (Updated April 29, 2009),
This is a second update. It comes after several months working with an SX10 IS.
SHORT LIST
Pros:
Excellent resolution
Very good noise control
Image edge and corner sharpness
Less than average color fringing
True wide angle and phenomenal telephoto
iContrast for highlight/shadow
Vari-angle LCD
Focus frame size adjustment
Brightness, contrast, sharpness and color settings
Great movie mode with stereo sound
Hot shoe
Lens hood
Cons:
Slow f5.7 maximum aperture beyond 100mm
Tendency to overexpose (though this can be an advantage–see below)
Low light autofocus issues
Minor lens distortions and color fringing at either end of zoom
Tedious control dial
LCD hard to see in bright outdoor light
Zoom sounds audible in movies
IN DEPTH
A semi-pro photographer with 30+ years’ shooting experience, I am respectful yet rigorously demanding of my photo equipment. I push parameters, often absurdly so, but the SX10 doesn’t seem to mind it one bit. For its price point, features and class, this is a stellar offering, and I highly recommend it.
The camera is solidly built and, although hefty for a point-and-shoot, feels well balanced in the hand. Controls are intuitively placed and easy to find with your fingers–no need to take your eye off the LCD or viewfinder when you’ve become acquainted with their positions.
Performance is excellent in all but low light, where autofocus and shutter lag are sometimes at issue. The camera powers on and is ready to shoot very quickly. Image recording time is swift, especially with a Class 6 card, and in reasonable lighting focus is both swift and accurate. Resolution is superb; image stabilization is best in class. And the sheer zoom range–wow!
Point-and-shoot capability is great. Open the box, install batteries and memory card, and fire away. It’s so easy, kids can do it. And given a little time and tinkering, in its creative modes the camera really shows its chops.
In this review, you’ll see several references to existing-light photography. It’s my personal preference; I only use flash when I must. So I’ve spent a lot of time working out the angles for that sort of shooting. What you won’t see is anything more than a cursory remark about action photography. It’s not something I’ve used this camera for just yet.
In this model Canon addresses several issues inherent in the “S” series–most notably noise and dynamic range. Though still noisy at ISO 800, about half the images I’ve shot at that setting have been okay for prints, and nearly all are very good at ISO 400. Pictures taken between ISOs 80 and 200 are clean and excellent. Noise reduction at higher ISOs does degrade saturation and details a bit (more noticeable at the longer end of the zoom, especially in low-contrast lighting) but not enough to abandon the higher sensitivities altogether.
Both edge and corner sharpness are very good at anything but widest angle and full zoom, and even here sharpness is much improved over the S5 at ANY focal length. In truth, no zoom lens of such wide range has edge-to-edge sharpness at its focal extremes.
Color fringe is a mixed bag. Depends somewhat on the focal length, ISO, aperture and shutter speed. Overall, fringing is not that bothersome. At both the widest angle and full telephoto ends you’ll see some colored edges, most noticeably in areas of high contrast. Bumping the zoom lever once or twice makes all the difference.
Some barrel distortion occurs at the wide end as well, though not too bad. It’s only noticeable where there are obvious vertical or horizontal lines (again, a bump or two of zoom, and lines strighten right up). These issues can of course be corrected in most photo editing programs, although not in Zoombrowser EX, the camera’s supplied software.
Achieving focus in certain lighting can be iffy and sometimes fails. Changing the focus frame size will usually remedy this. When it doesn’t, manual focus feature comes to the rescue. Fortunately this feature is improved in the SX10. The autofocus issue seems linked to extremes in contrast, whether low or high, rather than actual light available. Low contrast, low light situations present the most difficulty, but a couple of times my copy has struggled and failed in high-contrast, intense lighting, too. Lowering the ISO helped.
If you prefer existing light photos and stay at ISO 400 and under, at focal lengths beyond 100mm you’ll need to reduce shutter speeds due to narrowing apertures, and action shots get tricky. For stationary subjects, though, the camera can be hand-held at speeds as low as 1/6 sec to produce sharp images without flash–phenomenal. This works best with image stabilization set to single shot rather than continuous.
It IS a good…
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|Mark N.
Happy with the SX10 IS,
Below are what I like:
-It uses regular “AA” batteries. Never buy a camera that uses specialized batteries no matter what people may tell you. Updated 6/27/09: this camera is so power efficient that it can take 600 photos on a single set of AA rechargeable batteries according to a leading consumer magazine (no other camera can even come close, non).
-It has a useful 28mm wide angle lens. This means you can include a whole group of people in a picture without standing too far back(such as in a small room). Most cameras (I say 90%) do not have lens this wide.
-You can zoom (optical & digital, with audio) while taking movies. Many cameras do not allow optical or audio during movie taking.
-It takes SD memory cards which is most popular (plentiful, cheap). Do not settle for cameras that take any other type of memory cards.
-It has a rotating LCD display.
-It is quick to take (and view) pictures and movies.
-Picture and movie quality (with stereo audio) is superbly competitive to any other high quality cameras.
Below are what I don’t like:
-No grip: this is one slippery camera. I like its size and weight but its grip needs to be designed accordingly.
-The LCD display is very easily scratched. Do not wear this camera with a neck strap with the LCD facing out, because your shirt buttons will scratch the LCD. Immediately put a protective screen on this LCD first; there are several protective screen or tape products available.
-The lens has no thread so you can’t put on a lens filter to protect it from smears and dust.
-The lens cap has no tether or tether hole so there is little you can do to attach the cap to the camera. Canon, what was you thinking?
-I wish it can record movies in widescreen 16:9 VGA. It does not have HD movie feature but I don’t need HD, I only wish widescreen VGA.
Currently there are several 20x zoom cameras available, such as the Olympus SP-570UZ and SP-565UZ, Casio EX-FH20. I’ve tried all of them, and eventually chose the Canon SX10IS as I think it gives you superb features and quality for an unbelievable price.
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