Canon PowerShot SX100 IS Full Review

The PowerShot SX100 IS is the first model in Canon's new SX series of budget super zoom compact cameras, and in the Powershot line-up slots in somewhere between the tried and tested A-Series and the more upmarket S5 IS. Canon's engineers combined the materials and build quality of the former with the long lens, some features and design of the latter to merge them into a brand new camera that goes head to head with Panasonic's popular TZ series (and the new Sony H3). The SX100 IS comes with a 8.0MP sensor, a 10x zoom, optical image stabilization and a comprehensive range of manual photographic controls, all nicely wrapped up in a compact silver or black plastic body. Canon says the SX series offers exceptional performance in the hands of any member of the family, so let's find out how it performed in our capable hands, starting, as ever, with the headline features:
8.0 Megapixels
10x optical zoom with optical Image Stabilizer (36-360mm equiv.)
Comprehensive range of photographic controls with P, Av, Tv and M modes
DIGIC III imaging processor
Face Detection
Digital Tele-Converter and Safety Zoom
2.5” LCD with 100% coverage
19 shooting modes
PowerShot SX100 IS specifications
Street price:
• US: $300• UK: £200
Body Material:
• Plastic
Sensor:
• 1/2.5 " Type CCD• 8.0 million effective pixels
Image processor:
DIGIC III
Image sizes:
• 3264 x 2448 • 2592 x 1944• 2048 x 1536 • 1600 x 1200• 640 x 480• 3264 x 1832
Movie clips:
• 640 x 480 @ 30fps• 320 x 240 @ 30fps• 160 x 120 @ 15fps
Lens:
• 36-360mm (35mm equiv)• 10x optical zoom• F2.8-4.3
Optical Stabilization :
Yes (lens-shift)
Focus:
TTL autofocus
Metering:
• Evaluative• Center-weighted average • Spot
Shooting modes:
• Auto• Program AE• Shutter Priority AE• Aperture Priority AE• Manual• Portrait• Landscape• Night Snapshot• Kids & Pets• Special Scene• Stitch Assist• Movie
Scenes modes:
• Portrait• Landscape• Night Snapshot• Kids & Pets• Night Scene• Indoor• Foliage• Snow• Beach• Fireworks• Aquarium
Shutter speeds :
15-1/2500 sec
Apertures:
F2.8-4.3
Exposure compensation :
+/-2EV in 1/3EV stop increments
ISO Sensitivity:
• Auto• High ISO Auto• ISO 80• ISO 100• ISO 200• ISO 400• ISO 800• ISO 1600
White Balance:
• Auto• Daylight• Cloudy• Tungsten• Fluorescent• Fluorescent H• Custom
Image parameters:
My Colors (My Colors Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Custom Color)
Continuous:
• Approx 0.8fps until card is full (AF / LiveView)• Approx 1.3fps until card is full (LCD monitor off)
Flash:
• Auto, Flash On, Flash Off, Slow Sync, Red-eye reduction• +/- 2EV in 1/3 stop increments• Face Detection FE compensation• Safety FE• Flash exposure lock• Manual Power Adjustment (3 levels)• Range (Auto ISO): 50cm - 3.0m (wide) / 2.0m (tele)
Storage
• SD, SDHC, MMC, MMCplus , HC MMCplus compatible • 16 MB card supplied
Viewfinder:
No
LCD monitor:
• 2.5-inch P-Si TFT• 172,000 pixels• 100% coverage• 15 levels of brightness adjustment
Connectivity:
• USB 2.0 Hi-Speed• AV out (PAL / NTSC switchable)
Power:
• 2x AA Alkaline or NiMH batteries• Optional AC adapter ACK800
In the box*
• PowerShot SX100 IS Body• AA-size Alkaline Battery (x2)• 16MB SD Memory Card • Wrist Strap• AV cable• USB interface cable• Software CD-ROM
Other features:
• Histogram• 2,10 sec or custom self timer• Face Detection• Optional High Power Flash (HF-DC1)
Weight (no batts) :
266g (9.4 oz)
Dimensions:
108.7 x 71.4 x 46.7 mm (4.3 x 2.8 x 1.8 in)