Canon Powershot SX1 IS Reviews: Digital Hybrid Camera

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Score 8.8/10 Read 36
customer reviews

+ This digital camera has no outstanding positive points. - It scores poorly on ease of use.

£519 – £523 at 2 retailers out of 400 retailers checked

Canon Powershot SX1 IS: See full product description

Ease of use	8.1
Image quality	8.7
Features	9.0
Build Quality	9.1
Value for money	8.7
Overall rating	8.8

Some customer reviews of Canon Powershot SX1 IS

Most helpful reviews

Peter , GREASBY, WIRRAL Keen amateur

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: EASY TO USE WITH EXCELLENT PICTURE QUALITY . THE MOVEABLE PREVIEW SCREEN IS VERY HANDY
Bad points:: NO REAL BAD POINTS WITH THE USE I HAVE HAD WITH IT IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS.
A BIT PRICEY EVEN WITH THE RELATIVE LOW PRICE ON SIMPLY ELECTRONICS , CERTAINLY WOULD NOT PAY FULL LIST PRICE .

Ease of use	9.0
Image quality	9.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	9.0
Overall rating	9.0

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Confirmed purchase: 23 Sep 2009

Confirmed purchaser Keen amateur

Score 8.0/10

Good points:: Good build quality and image quality
Bad points:: A little expensive for a bridge camera

Ease of use	9.0
Image quality	9.0
Features	8.0
Build Quality	9.0
Value for money	7.0
Overall rating	8.0

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Confirmed purchase: 23 Mar 2010

Paul, Leeds, Yorkshire

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: Excellent Camera overall...................
Bad points:: Nothing bad about the camera but

Ease of use	8.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	9.0
Overall rating	9.0

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Confirmed purchase: 22 Sep 2009

Confirmed purchaser Experienced amateur

Score 8.0/10

Good points:: Good video quality, the only camera on the market that can produce HD1080P video with 40x zoom without any quality loss.

Easy to use and very intuitive.
Bad points:: Not the best bridge for still photos.
Very short battery life, especially when using the LCD.

Ease of use	10.0
Image quality	9.0
Features	9.0
Build Quality	7.0
Value for money	8.0
Overall rating	8.0

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Confirmed purchase: 11 Mar 2009

Barry, Brighton Keen amateur

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: The camera is of the high standard and quality you expect from Canon giving excellent results. Being a bridge camera it is just what I wanted with SLR facilities but not the need to keep changing lens for different situations. I would highly recommend this camera to anybody who is looking for more than an ordinary compact but not wanting a full blown SLR. In short it is solidly built good quality Canon camera with lots of scope for the beginner to advance with.
Bad points:: None discovered so far.

Ease of use	8.0
Image quality	9.0
Features	9.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	9.0

Was this review helpful? 2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 08 Dec 2009

Charles, Totnes, Devon Point & shoot

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: I have not had much time to use it yet but so far it seems extremely good.
Bad points:: A complex product if you really want to use it in depth which will require quite a bit of study. A paper manual would be helpful.

Ease of use	6.0
Image quality	9.0
Features	9.0
Build Quality	9.0
Value for money	9.0
Overall rating	9.0

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Confirmed purchase: 03 Dec 2009

Mitch, Canterbury Keen amateur

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: Feels good and solid, and easy to pick up the basics. Even for a complete novice like me.
Bad points:: Minor point, but I would prefer a proper user guide manual, instead of the cd version.

Ease of use	8.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	8.0
Overall rating	9.0

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Confirmed purchase: 01 Jan 2010

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This Canon Powershot SX1 IS is reviewed on PC Advisor

This Canon Powershot SX1 IS is reviewed on Expert Reviews

Product Features

Camera Type	Hybrid
There are 2 main types of camera: The SLR and the Compact. SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex. SLR cameras use a prism to reflect the exact image as seen through the lens and so offers a more accurate viewfinder. SLR cameras have detachable lenses offering greater flexibility if you wish to take a variety of different photographs. Compact cameras have a built in lens and an ‘above lens’ viewfinder which is less accurate but they are often cheaper, more sleekly designed and easier to carry anywhere with you to capture that moment perfectly without having to fiddle with complex settings or a bag full of lenses.
Resolution (Megapixels)	10

Optical zoom ratio	10
The amount by which the camera optics (lens) can bring the subject closer.
Screen size (Inches)	2.5
Screen size is measured diagonally from corner to corner.
Digital zoom ratio	4
Not to be confused with optical zoom, digital zoom enlarges a portion of the image thus simulating optical zoom. In doing so, some image quality is lost.
Type of image stabiliser	Yes
If a photo is taken at a slow shutter speed, or at a long focal length, the effects of ‘hand shake’ will be amplified. Some cameras come with built-in image stabilisation which is designed to act against this to produce sharper images. It’s great for low light shots without a tripod, like at a gig.
Touchscreen	No
Touchscreen technology allows you to move and click things directly on the screen using your finger or a stylus pen.
3D	No

Colour	Black
The main colour of the product.
Media format	SDHC Card
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
Media format	SD Card
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
PictBridge	Yes
An industry standard allowing images to be printed from camera to printer, without needing a computer. CIPA PictBridge Standard Website
Video recorder	Yes
Video recording functionality allows the capture of videos in mpeg or avi format which is great if you want to capture a whole scene, not just one moment.
Manual Focus	No
Almost all modern cameras have autofocus. Manual focus allows you to override the autofocus and set the distance yourself. This is especially useful if your camera is struggling to focus in a low-light or confusing scene.
Timer	Yes

Weight (g)	266
The weight of the product in grams.
Flash	Yes
Whether or not your camera has an in-built flash. Flashes are essential for fully capturing a low light image.
Body Only	Yes
dSLR cameras have detachable lenses and are sold in a variety of combinations. This facet lets you know whether the package your are considering comes bundled with a lens or whether it is just the body of the camera.
WiFi	No
Wifi allows you to connect your device to wireless routers or modems which allows you to connect to broadband internet.
Shortest shutter speed (Fractions of a second)	1/2500
This is the fastest speed at which the camera can take a photo. Faster shutter speeds really freeze the action and are great for sports photography.
Longest shutter speed (Fractions of a second)	1/15
This is the longest exposure your camera will take. The longer you take a photo for, the more light is let in and the more motion is captured. Long shutter speeds can give fantastic, artistic results. Try photographing the night sky at 30s or longer to see how the rotation of the Earth causes the stars to curve through the scene.
Waterproof	No
If your camera is waterproof you will be able to film under water which is perfect for diving and snorkeling.
Viewfinder	Yes
Dimensions (mm)	108x71x46
The size of the device in millimetres, in width x height x depth.
RAW Format	No
GPS Receiver	No

Resolution (Pixels)	3264x2448
A camera sensor, that captures the photograph, is measured in pixels. The number given here is the horizontal amount of pixels followed by the vertical quantity of pixels. The more pixels a camera sensor has, the bigger and higher quality the image will be.
Max. Aperture Lens 1	f2.8-4.3
Measured in f-stops the aperture of a lens dictates the maximum amount of light captured. If you want to do low light photography look for something with a wide aperture like f2.8. The widest aperture is given as a range as it changes when your lens is zoomed in.
Release date	2007-10-09
The date the product was originally made available for purchase.
Height in mm	8.8

Width in mm	127.5

Depth in mm	8.8

Serial Shot Mode	Yes
Bluetooth	No
Bluetooth is a technology for the wireless transfer of data such as contacts, photos and music between mobile phones, computers and a host of other Bluetooth enabled devices. Read more about Bluetooth on Wikipedia
Autofocus	Yes
Changeable Lens	No
Highest focal length (Millimetres)	560

Lowest focal length (Millimetres)	28

Also known as: Powershot SX1 IS, Canon PSSX1IS, Canon PS SX1 IS

Digital Cameras Buyers' Guide

Manufacturer's Description

With a 10.0 MP Canon CMOS sensor and 20x wide-angle zoom for incredible reach, the PowerShot SX1 IS offers continuous shooting up to 4fps. Supplement photos with Full HD videos.

Features

20x wide-angle zoom with optical IS
10.0 MP Canon CMOS sensor
Full HD movies
DIGIC 4
Extra fast continuous shooting at full
resolution (4fps)
Face Detection and anti-blur technology
i-Contrast
2.8 wide vari-angle LCD
EX Speedlite flash compatible

The supercharged super zoom.

Super zoom
The powerful 20x wide-angle (28mm, f/2.8) optical zoom provides outstanding reach and composition flexibility. With Ultrasonic Motor (USM) and Voice Coil Motor (VCM), zooming is fast, accurate and near-silent, while Canons renowned optical Image Stabilizer technology counteracts camera shake.

Canon CMOS sensor
The PowerShot SX1 IS is the first Canon compact camera to incorporate a Canon CMOS sensor, which allows high resolution shooting in exceptionally rapid bursts. The sensor boasts 10 Megapixels for capturing the finest detail, allowing creative cropping and superb large-scale prints.

HD movies in stereo
Create smooth, high quality movies in full high definition (1080, 30p), then use HDMI connectivity for playback on HD widescreen TVs complete with CD quality stereo sound.

DIGIC 4
Incorporating the latest in image processing technology, DIGIC 4 delivers extraordinary noise reduction. The result is richly detailed, cleaner images, even when shooting at high ISO speeds. DIGIC 4 also drives exceptional processing speeds and responsive operation.

Miss nothing
With the Canon CMOS sensor, extra fast continuous shooting speeds (up to 4fps) at full resolution are achieved. Servo AF tracks moving subjects to ensure they remain in focus.

Face Detection Technology
Great people shots are assured with the latest Face Detection AF/AE/FE/WB even faces at angles and far away. Face Select & Track optimises settings for a chosen person, while FaceSelf-Timer waits for you to enter the frame for great self-portraits or group photos.

Eliminate blur
The PowerShot SX1 IS combats potential blur with High ISO Auto and Motion Detection Technology, which ascertains movement of both camera and subject to set the optimum ISO, whatever the shooting situation. Servo AF tracks moving subjects to ensure they remain in focus.

Optimum contrast
Working in both shooting and playback, i-Contrast boosts brightness in dark areas. The result is improved contrast with detail retained in tricky lighting conditions.

Large LCD
The 2.8" widescreen vari-angle LCD enables framing from challenging angles and easy sharing of images in playback. Night Display mode enhances screen visibility in low light.

Flash compatible
For extended shooting options and better light coverage, the comprehensive accessory system includes compatibility with Canon EX Speedlite flash range.

Product		Retailer	Price	Total price	Buy now
Featured retailer “Free delivery on all orders at amazon.co.uk”	Canon PowerShot SX1 IS Digital Camera - Black (10MP, 20x Optical Zoom) 2.8 inch LCD Colour	10 reviews of Amazon	£519 free delivery	£519	Go In stock
	Canon PowerShot SX1 IS Digital Camera - Black (10MP, 20x Optical Zoom) 2.8 inch LCD Colour	No retailer reviews yet	£521 + £2 delivery	£523	Go In stock