Canon PowerShot SX1 IS

Handling (8.00)

The SX1 has some heft to it, weighing in at about 4 ounces more than the other ultrazoom cameras in our roundup. Its advantage lies in the fact that there’s a little real estate for your left hand to grasp while holding the camera. On the Nikon P90, Olympus SP-590UZ and the Sony HX1, the lens is positioned right up against the side of the camera. The lens barrel itself isn’t deep enough on these cameras to grasp comfortably, and there’s no camera body surface to hold either, leading to an uncomfortable shooting position. We had no such problem with the Canon SX1. And on the righthand side, the SLR-style grip is deep enough for a solid hold and easy handling, though it could have been just a bit wider. A textured surface on the grip would also be a nice touch (literally), but at least there’s a dimpled surface on the back thumb rest for added traction.

The fold-out LCD is also nicely constructed, with a distinct ‘click’ as it snaps into position when rotating the lens and a wide hinge that gives it a secure feel in your hand.

Buttons & Dials (8.75)

For the most part, the camera controls are well designed. They certainly have a high-quality, professional feel, and the labels are clear and easy to read at a glance. We also like the dedicated movie record button — positioned to the right of the viewfinder it’s out of the way of roving fingers, so it’s unlikely to be pushed accidentally, but convenient to press just by shifting your thumb.

The combination control dial/four-way controller is small but effective, and the menu button in the lower right corner is easy to push without having to go looking for it. The playback mode button is the only one we would reposition, since this frequently-used control required either a firm press with the side of your thumb (not that easy to accomplish) or repositioning your hand.

Menus (6.50)

As with most cameras today, the SX1 menu system is broken into two parts: an instant-access control overlay on the shooting screen and a traditional full-screen menu system.

The overlay menu is easy to access by pressing the FUNC. SET button, and simple to use, with clear on-screen displays and a logical organization.

The main menu system is not as well designed. Unlike most Canon menus, there are only four tabs, most of which run much longer than the depth of the screen. That means options aren’t plainly visible and lots of scrolling is required. What’s more, in order to switch from tab to tab, you have to maneuver all the way back to the top of the menu listing, another time-consuming procedure. Additional horizontal tabs with shorter lists below would have helped.

In record mode all the myriad shootng settings are presented in the first, 22-item tab. Then there’s a setup tab with the typical rarely changed options. The third tab is entirely devoted to inconsequential setup options, consistently mostly of programmable camera sounds (you can even upload your own). Finally, the fourth My Menu tab is a genuinely useful option to create your own custom menu of frequently used settings, particularly valuable given the scroll-heavy record menu.

In playback mode, you get a first menu with slide show and image editing options, a second devoted entirely to print options, then the same setup and customization menus offered while shooting.

This overlaid shooting menu offers fast access to a wide range of options.	The menu system is legible but poorly organized.

Manual & Learning (8.25)

Canon did an exceptional job with the 308-page Camera User Guide, beginning with a brief Getting Started section that covers setting up the camera and taking your first shots, and moving on to a complete and thorough explanation of the many features provided. The writing is clear and comprehensible whatever your experience level. The abundance of illustrations, screen captures and charts eliminates guesswork in nearly every case, and even the index works well, a true rarity when it comes to digital camera manuals.

To download your own copy of the SX1 manual in PDF format, click here.

To add even more user-friendly goodness to the mix, Canon also includes a separate Software Starter Guide that’s genuinely useful, plus a Direct Print User Guide (a sensible move for a company that sells a lot of photo printers, but welcome nonetheless).