Canon PowerShot SX110 IS Digital Camera Review

Canon PowerShot SX110 IS

Digital Camera Review

Dec 08, 2008 - By Tim Barribeau
2.1 The PowerShot SX110 IS from Canon is a new point-and-shoot with an impressive 10x zoom in a reasonably portable package. It shoots at 9-megapixel resolution, and offers optical image stabilization to make handheld telephoto shots practical. It didn't score very well in our extensive lab testing, with the exception of color accuracy, but we were very impressed by the excellent user interface and significant degree of manual control. The SX110 IS is currently available for $249.99 in black or silver;  the full review follows.
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Value (8.00)
For $250, you get a camera with a full suite of manual controls, a solid 10x zoom, a bit of customizability, and solid, if not amazing, test scores. It's quite a multi-purpose camera, and will just as easily shoot at a party as it will taking a photo of a bird on a nature walk. It straddles the line between ultra-zoom and compact point-and-shoot. It has most of the zoom and controls of the former, but the more portable size of the latter, and strikes as a good flexible camera that can be chucked in a bag for just about any situation.


Comparisons

Canon PowerShot SX100 IS – The predecessor model to the SX110 IS, this is a slightly less expensive alternative at present, as you can find one for approximately $200. The older model generally performed ever so slightly worse in our lab testing, except on white balance and low light, where it did markedly better. It shoots at slightly lower resolution than the SX110 (8 megapixel instead of 9), but it's a solid alternative if you're pinching pennies.




 Casio Exilim EX-FH20 – The Exilim FH20 is an ultra-zoom like the SX110, but its primary claim to fame is its ludicrously high speed. It will set you back $600, but can shoot 40 photos a second, at full 7-megapixel resolution, and up to 1000 fps super-slow-motion video. If you're really keen to catch the perfectly timed shot, and can part with the money, the FH20 is worth considering.




Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 – The FZ18 is currently our highest scoring ultra-zoom. It shoots eight megapixels to the Canon's nine, and costs around $300. With that you get an increased 18x zoom (and consequential larger body size), and better test scores for resolution, dynamic range and noise. If you're looking for a camera with a larger zoom and a more SLR-like body, this is one of the finest cameras we've reviewed (even if it does cost slightly more).



 

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H7– Another highly rated ultra-zoom, this time with a 15x zoom, and eight-megapixel resolution. Going for about $375, the Sony scored extraordinarily wel for noise and dynamic range, making it quite appealing for low-light photography. It didn't do quite as well for video or color, but if you think you'll be photographing in challenging lightin situations and don't mind the extra size, it's worth a closer look.





Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters – With an Easy mode for complete beginners, and Auto for those with a smidgen more confidence, it takes almost no photographic experience to use the SX110 IS successfully. And if you feel the urge to take more control of your photographic process, it's straightforward to segue into more advanced settings, like program mode.

Budget Consumers – If cash is especially tight, the SX100 IS is marginally less expensive, but $250 for the SX110 IS is a good deal too. Either option is easy on the pocketbook, and they're both decent cameras.

Gadget Freaks – Gadget lovers won't find much to admire with the bulky and slightly clunky PowerShot. While it is a good all-around camera, it's probably not sleek or sexy enough for a technology fiend, nor does it have any ultra-cool features.

Manual Control Freaks – Control freaks will appreciate the depth of manual controls that the SX110IS provides. Full manual mode, aperture priority, shutter priority, custom white balancing and some degree of control customizability are all here. There could be a few more white balance settings, or maybe auto exposure bracketing, but for a point-and-shoot camera, this is a fairly full set of controls.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists – As a backup camera that can just be thrown into a bag, but still packs enough controls to satiate a pro-user and a decent zoom, the SX110 definitely has appeal. However, the poor test results will probably end up turning them away from the camera.

 
Connectivity / Extras Page 12 of 15 Conclusion
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