Canon PowerShot SX1 IS Review

Pre-Photokina 2008: Canon has announced a pair of 10 megapixel successors to its PowerShot S5IS 'super zoom' compact digital camera. Both the PowerShot SX10 IS and PowerShot SX1 IS feature 28-560mm (equivalent) 20x zoom lenses, DIGIC IV processors, improved image stabilization system and wealth of new features. The SX1 IS is particularly interesting as it is the first PowerShot to feature a Canon CMOS sensor, which allows the camera to offer 4.0 fps (full resolution) continuous shooting and true 1080p HDTV movie capture at 30fps. UPDATE: The SX1 has now been launched in the US and RAW capability added for existing users. For more information about this update, click here. Jump to: Press Release Technologies Explained Specifications Additional images Press Release: Canon brings HD moviemaking and 4.0fps shooting to its PowerShot super zoom series Amstelveen, The Netherlands, 17 September 2008: Canon today supercharges its PowerShot digital compact camera range with two powerful new models: the 10 Megapixel PowerShot SX1 IS and PowerShot SX10 IS, which jointly replace the PowerShot S5 IS. Both raise the benchmark for compact zooms with an outstanding 20x wide-angle (28mm) optical zoom, with USM and VCM for fast, silent, zooming. The PowerShot SX1 IS offers a revolutionary series of features never seen before on a Canon compact camera – a 10 Megapixel Canon CMOS sensor, 4.0 frames per second continuous shooting, and full HD movie capture – while both cameras use Canon’s new DIGIC 4 processor for fast performance and richly detailed, clean images in a wide range of shooting situations. Unbeatable reach With a Canon 20x wide-angle (28mm) optical zoom lens, the PowerShot SX1 IS and PowerShot SX10 IS tackle everything from long-range telephoto shots to sweeping landscapes. Canon’s Ultrasonic Motor (USM) combines with Voice Coil Motor (VCM) technology for near-silent operation and the speed for sports or wildlife subjects. And thanks to Canon’s optical Image Stabilizer – which now offers a 4-stop advantage – camera shake blur is avoided even with the zoom fully extended. 10 Megapixel power The PowerShot SX1 IS and PowerShot SX10 IS feature resolutions of 10 Megapixels, capturing all the necessary detail for poster-size prints or creative cropping in post processing. A Canon CMOS sensor allows the PowerShot SX1 IS to shoot full-resolution JPEGs at speeds of up to 4.0 fps – making it a powerful, pocket-sized tool ideal for capturing fast-paced action sequences. High Definition moviemaking For the ultimate in visual quality, the PowerShot SX1 IS delivers 1080p (30fps) High Definition video – ready for instant playback on any HDTV via a built-in HDMI connection. The PowerShot SX10 IS offers fun, spontaneous VGA movie shooting. Movies on both cameras are enhanced with CD quality stereo sound, optical zooming and Face Detection Technology; and if extra reach is required, the PowerShot SX1 IS includes Canon’s Advanced Tele-Converter for an extra 2x zoom with no loss in movie quality. DIGIC 4: intelligent processing for better photos The PowerShot SX1 IS and PowerShot SX10 IS both feature Canon’s new DIGIC 4 image processor. As well as ensuring ultra-fast operation and superb, low-noise images, DIGIC 4 drives several intelligent technologies that make great photos easier than ever. People shots benefit from improved Face Detection Technology, which even detects faces positioned at an angle to the camera, or in profile. Face Select & Track tracks a specific subject even more accurately, while a new FaceSelf-timer function – which automatically triggers the shutter shortly after a new face enters the frame – makes group shots and self-portraits easy. Canon’s improved Motion Detection Technology delivers fantastic, sharp results by registering camera and subject movement, then automatically adjusting ISO to prevent image blur. Blur is further guarded against by new Servo AF, which continuously adjusts focus on subjects moving towards or away from the camera. DIGIC 4 also powers Canon’s new i-Contrast feature, which brings out great, natural-looking detail in dark areas of pictures – without blowing out lighter areas. Total Control For the ultimate creative precision, the PowerShot SX1 IS and PowerShot SX10 IS offer full manual control over both aperture and shutter speed. A Multi Control Dial offers fingertip access to all key settings. Plus, compatibility with a range of accessories – including Canon’s professional Speedlite EX flash units – extends creative potential even further. Also included with the PowerShot SX1 IS is Canon’s WC-DC300 controller, which allows wireless control of shooting and playback. This is ideal for tripod shots at slow shutter speeds, or any situation where keeping a distance from the camera is preferable. “Both of these cameras offer exceptional imaging possibilities,” said Mogens Jensen, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging, Europe. “In particular, the PowerShot SX1 IS genuinely redefines what a compact digital camera can do. This kind of power and versatility must be experienced to be believed.” Features at a glance: 20x wide-angle (28mm, f/2.8) optical zoom with optical Image Stabilizer 10.0 Megapixels Canon CMOS sensor for full resolution continuous 4.0fps shooting (PowerShot SX1 IS) Full HD (1080p, 30fps) movies plus HDMI output (PowerShot SX1 IS) DIGIC 4 for outstanding images and fast response times Shooting modes include full manual control Great people shots with Face Detection AF/AE/FE/WB plus Face Select & Track and FaceSelf-Timer Targets every possible cause of blur with High ISO Auto, optical Image Stabilizer, Motion Detection Technology and Servo AF Auto Red-Eye Correction in shooting and playback i-Contrast boosts brightness and retains detail in dark areas 2.5” vari-angle LCD II with wide viewing angle plus electronic viewfinder (PowerShot SX10 IS) 2.8” widescreen vari-angle LCD II with wide viewing angle (PowerShot SX1 IS) Multi Control Dial and customizable My Menu Smooth, 30fps VGA movies (PowerShot SX10 IS) Additional Information – PowerShot SX1 IS and PowerShot SX10 IS Printing The PowerShot SX1 IS and PowerShot SX10 IS feature a dedicated Print menu for quick access to direct print options. Full PictBridge support means users can print directly to any PictBridge compatible printer without the need for a PC. A Print/Share button allows one-touch printing and easy uploads to Windows or Mac systems. Language The PowerShot SX1 IS and PowerShot SX10 IS feature a user interface that supports 26 languages: English, German, French, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Portuguese, Korean, Greek, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Thai, Arabic, Romanian, Ukrainian and – new for Autumn 2008 - Farsi. Memory Card Support In addition to SD, SDHC and MMC memory cards, the PowerShot SX1 IS and PowerShot SX10 IS support MMCplus and HC MMCplus card formats. Both cameras are supplied with a 32MB memory card. Software and CANON iMAGE GATEWAY The PowerShot SX1 IS and PowerShot SX10 IS come bundled with the following Canon Software: ZoomBrowser EX 6.2 (Windows), ImageBrowser 6.2 (Macintosh): For organising and editing images, movies and slideshows, or creating and printing digital photo albums. PhotoStitch 3.1 (Windows), PhotoStitch 3.2 (Mac): For creating panoramic photos from multiple images. The bundled software supports Windows Vista (including SP1) / XP SP2 and Macintosh OS X v10.4-10.5. Both cameras support PTP for driverless transfer to Windows XP and Macintosh OS X, along with MTP for image and movie transfers to Windows Vista. Purchasers of the PowerShot SX1 IS and PowerShot SX10 IS are eligible for free membership of CANON iMAGE GATEWAY, 100MB of online ‘personal gallery’ space for sharing stills and video with family and friends. Optional Accessories The PowerShot SX1 IS and PowerShot SX10 IS can be combined with the following accessories: Soft Case (DCC-800) Canon Speedlite flash units (220EX, 430EX II, 580EX, 580EX II) Speedlite transmitter (ST-E2) High power Flash (HF-DC1) Off-Camera Shoe Cord (OC-E3) Compact AC Power Adaptor (CA-PS700) Battery Charger Kit (CBK4-300) Ni-MH Batteries (NB4-300) Technologies Explained: DIGIC 4 Canon’s DIGIC 4 (Digital Imaging Core) image processor manages all of the camera’s primary functions to optimize operating efficiency. Advanced image processing algorithms deliver superb image detail and colour reproduction with accurate white balance. High-speed processing results in outstanding responsiveness, rapid auto focus and extended continuous shooting ability. DIGIC 4 also powers advanced Noise Reduction Technology, i-Contrast and Face Detection AF/AE/FE/WB. Face Detection AF/AE/FE/WB, Face Select & Track and FaceSelf-Timer Canon’s Face Detection AF/AE/FE/WB system automatically detects up to 35 faces within a frame before adjusting focus, exposure, flash and white balance to ensure optimal results. It is able to determine which faces are intended to be the subject, instantly reverting to the partnering 9-point AiAF system if no face is the primary subject. Face Select & Track allows the user to select a particular face to be the main subject of a photograph and track it, for the best possible results. FaceSelf-Timer allows easy group shots by automatically triggering the shutter shortly after a new face has entered the frame. i-Contrast Available in either shooting or playback mode, Canon’s i-Contrast function analyses the exposure, dynamic range and other image characteristics of a shot, then adaptively increases the gain in dark areas – to produce heightened detail in darker regions, without blowing out correctly-exposed parts of the image. The noise reduction function of DIGIC 4 ensures minimal noise in adjusted areas. iSAPS iSAPS (intelligent Scene Analysis based on Photographic Space) automatically optimises key camera settings before every shot. Each scene is analysed and cross-referenced against Photographic Space – a vast in-camera library of photographic data. This enables the camera to make optimal adjustments to auto exposure, auto focus and auto white balance before image capture occurs. Optical Image Stabilizer The PowerShot SX1 IS and PowerShot SX10 IS use a lens shift-type Image Stabilizer (IS) system to detect and correct slight camera shakes that can cause image blur. The IS delivers a 4 stop advantage for improved performance in low-light conditions, when shooting at the telephoto end of the lens and when vibrations are more severe. It also features increased sensitivity to low frequency vibration, such as the rocking of a boat. Minute vibration gyros detect camera movement caused by hand shake. These signals – at 8,000 per second, twice the speed of signals in conventional IS – are processed by a single-chip IS controller, which discriminates between hand shake and intentional camera movements. Shake signals are sent to the IS unit, which moves one of the lens elements accordingly to re-align the light rays and cancel out the effects of shake. For improved accuracy and responsiveness, the moving lens element is supported on tiny ceramic spheres. In addition to minimising friction, ceramic spheres avoid some of the problems that can affect metal systems, such as thermal expansion and magnetism. Additional images PowerShot SX1 IS and PowerShot SX10 IS specifications Powershot SX1 IS SX10 IS Sensor •1/2.3” Canon CMOS • 10 million effective pixels • 1/2.3 " Type CCD • 10 million effective pixels Image sizes • 3648 x 2736 • 2816 x 2112 • 2272 x 1704 • 1600 x 1200 • 640 x 480 • 3640 x 2160 • 1920 x 1080 • 3648 x 2736 • 2816 x 2112 • 2272 x 1704 • 1600 x 1200 • 640 x 480 • 3648 x 2048 Image processor DIGIC IV Movie clips • 1920 x 1080 (HD) @ 1080p • 640 x 480 @ 30 / 15fps • 320 x 240 @ 60 / 30 / 15fps • WAVE (stereo) • 640 x 480 @ 30 / 15fps • 320 x 240 @ 60 / 30 / 15fps • WAVE (stereo) File formats • Still: JPEG (Exif 2.2) • DPOF 1.1 • Movie: AVI (Motion JPEG) • RAW • Still: JPEG (Exif 2.2) • DPOF 1.1 • Movie: AVI (Motion JPEG) Lens • 28- 560 mm equiv • 20x Optical zoom • F2.8 - F5.7 (max) • 13 elements in 11 groups (1 aspherical element, 1 UD element) Image stabilization Yes (Lens shift-type) Conversion lenses Yes Digital zoom up to 4x Auto focus • TTL • AiAF (Face Detection / 9-point) • 1-point AF (Fixed center) Focus modes • AF: Single, Continuous • Manual • Focus bracket AF assist lamp Yes Focus distance Closest 0 cm Metering • Evaluative (linked to Face Detection AF) • Center-weighted average • Spot ISO sensitivity • Auto • High ISO Auto • ISO 80 • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400 • ISO 800 • ISO 1600 Exposure compensation • +/- 2EV • 1/3 stop increments Exposure bracketing • 1/3-2EV • 1/3 stop increments Shuttter speed 15 – 1/3200 sec Aperture F2.8-5.7 (max) Modes • Auto • Program AE • Shutter Priority AE • Aperture Priority AE • Manual • Custom • Portrait • Landscape • Night Scene • Sports • Stitch Assist • Movie • Special Scene • Super Macro Scene modes • Indoor • Night Scene • Foliage • Snow • Beach • Fireworks • Color Accent • Color Swap • Long Shutter • Aquarium White balance • Auto (including Face Detection WB) • Daylight • Cloudy • Tungsten • Fluorescent • Fluorescent H • Flash • Custom Self timer • 2 or 10 secs • Custom or FaceSelf TImer Continuous shooting Approx. 4.0 fps until card fills Approx. 1.4 fps until card fills Image parameters My Colors (My Colors Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Positive Film, Lighter Skin Tone, Darker Skin Tone, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green, Vivid Red, Custom Color) Flash • Auto • Manual Flash On / Off • Slow Synch • Red eye reduction • Flash exposure lock • Flash Exposure Compensation +/- 2EV in 1/3 stop increments • Manual Power adjustment • Second Curtain Synch • Range: 50 cm - 5.2 m (wide) / 90 cm - 4.0 m (tele) Hot-shoe • Canon Speedlites (220EX, 430EX, 580EX) • E-TTL with EX series Speedlites, Canon's High Power Flash HF-DC1 Viewfinder • EVF (0.40" type) • 148,000 pixels • EVF (0.44" type) • 235,000 pixels LCD monitor • Vari-angle 2.8" TFT • 230,000 pixels • Adjustable Brightness • 100% Coverage • Vari-angle 2.5" TFT • 230,000 pixels • Adjustable Brightness • 100% Coverage Other features • Playback red-eye correction • My Camera • Sound Memo • Image tagging • Orientation Sensor • Histogram • Playback zoom Languages English, German, French, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Chinese (traditional), Japanese, Russian, Portuguese, Korean, Greek, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Thai, Arabic, Ukrainian, Romanian, Farsi Connectivity • HDMI Mini Connector • USB Hi-Speed • AV out • USB Hi-Speed • AV out Print compliance • PictBridge • Canon SELPHY Compact Photo Printers and PIXMA Printers supporting PictBridge (ID Photo Print, Fixed Size Print and Movie Print supported on SELPHY CP & ES printers only) Storage • SD / SDHC / MMC / MMC Plus / HC MMC Plus compatible Power • Compact AC power adapter CA-PS700, • Battery Charger Kit CBK4-300 • Ni-MH Batteries NB4-300 Weight (no batt) 585 g 560 g Dimensions 128 x 88 x 88 mm 124 x 88 x 87 mm