Canon's new performance compact camera flaunts a new wide-angle lens, more megapixels and a bigger zoom. But what about image quality? Read the full Canon PowerShot SX200 IS review to find out.
Review summary of the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS:
 |
|
Scoreboard » Features » Side-by-side » Gallery » |
 Canon’s budget advanced compact is a major architectural departure from last year’s PowerShot SX110 IS. The Canon PowerShot SX200 IS sports a 28mm wide-angle lens, 12x optical zoom and packs in 12-megapixels. But can the PowerShot SX200 IS handle 12-megapixels? We weren’t blown away by the PowerShot SX200 IS’s image performance compared to the PowerShot SX110 IS’s, and actually preferred the previous generation PowerShot in most bright light shooting environments. The PowerShot SX200 IS will sell, thanks to its classy design and fun colors, but its only other major upgrade is its 720P video to compete with the rest of the league. We liked the look of the new menus, but longed for the traditional menu structure featured on the PowerShot SX110 IS. Manual and Auto controls were nearly identical, so if you’re looking to save a chunk of change at the sacrifice of more megapixels and a wide-angle lens, we recommend busting the piggy bank open for last year’s Canon PowerShot SX110 IS. Release: March 2009. Price: $300.
Pros: Good low light performance. Attractive menus and external design. 720P video looks great.
Cons: Fair bright light image performance. Compromised navigation interface. No viewfinder.
| Poor |
Mediocre |
68%
GOOD |
Very good |
Excellent |
|
|
|
Full Canon PowerShot SX200 IS Review:
|
Design - Good
Canon was one of the few manufacturers to actually shake things up at the start of the New Year, and the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS represents an eccentric take on last year's PowerShot SX110 IS. The first item on the menu is the PowerShot SX200 IS's boxy, rectangular architecture. We love the flared right side because it provided more grip, and the half moon-shaped thumb rest in back jacked up the comfort level. The PowerShot SX110 IS felt slightly more bulky and cumbersome in our hands and certainly didn't possess the alluring looks of the PowerShot SX200 IS. To broaden its fan club, the PowerShot SX200 IS ships in burgundy and blue, in addition to black, and features a hot chrome panel along the right side to attract Harley riders.
Canon carried over the 3-inch LCD and pop-up flash, though there is no option to hide the flash while shooting. The flash and lens deploy in tandem when the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS is powered on, and it's one of the most impressive displays of camera sleekness we've seen in quite some time. The PowerShot SX200 IS's Mode dial and shutter button zoom toggle were downgraded in size, and we had trouble with the zoom toggle's rigid movement, due to the high tension of its inner spring mechanism. The Canon PowerShot SX200 IS shifted to a rechargeable Lithium Ion battery rather than relying on two AA batteries. We still mourn the absence of a viewfinder, which would play a large role under a relentless sun and lead to the contentment of many consumers. The PowerShot SX200 IS features a mini HDMI terminal to support playback of its new 720P video mode on an HDTV or HD monitor.
Interface - Good
While the proximities and formations of external controls are strikingly similar to the layout of the Canon PowerShot SX110 IS, the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS has been shafted, in our opinion, when it comes to interface navigation. The circular dial has been whittled down to a little plastic sprocket that lacks a decent grip and is mounted too close to the ridge of the 3-inch LCD. Our fingers kept ramming into the prominent ledge of the LCD screen, which made it even more difficult to spin that tiny annoying thing. We'd opt for the PowerShot SX100 IS's dial over the PowerShot SX200 IS's any day. Canon also dropped the Face Detection button and ISO quick function, which were two key controls, in favor of a simple four-button design devoid of image controls. The 230,000 pixel LCD resolution has also been transferred over to the PowerShot SX200 IS, and we were seldom impressed with its clarity.
Fortunately, the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS makes up for its interface-oriented shortcomings by featuring a killer menu system that puts the PowerShot SX110 IS's menu system to shame. Only when it comes to graphics, though. Visually, the menus are smooth and highly responsive and we admired Canon's departure from the pixilated layout of yesteryear. However, Canon finally abandoned the X-axis/Y-axis menu layout and sprang for a simple vertical aligned Function menu. We actually missed the functionality of the X-axis/Y-axis menu structure because it allowed us to view more options on the screen at once. The new menu system also engulfs 1/4 of the screen, which was quite a visual burden. If Canon implemented the same menu system found on their high end HD camcorders, such as the Canon Vixia HF S10, then we'd be in business.
Features - Good
Aside from a megapixel boost and new 28mm wide-angle lens, the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS received the gift of 720P video. We found the video quality of the PowerShot SX200 IS's HD video to surpass most compacts in its class and since video files are recorded in the H.264 MOV format, we could easily drag, drop and watch our clips in a matter of seconds. But the cherry on the sundae was the ability to apply Canon's Color Accent and Color Swap modes to video. We'd say the PowerShot SX200 IS's HD video mode rivals many entry-level camcorders, especially the Flip.
The unaltered Mode dial was a sign that Canon did not futz with many shooting controls on the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS. In fact, the PowerShot SX200 IS's feature suite is nearly identical to the PowerShot SX110 IS's. We still get Manual mode with the ability to adjust Shutter Speed and Aperture independently, and the light meter helped in many shooting environments. Aperture and Shutter Priority modes came in handy for motion and depth, and we liked the ability to adjust the Exposure Compensation in both modes. For the most part, the PowerShot SX200 IS's Program AE functioned adequately, but we struggled at times with exposure, leading to an overexposed or dark image. The key was to lock the Auto Exposure on a different area and then frame the shot.
In theory, the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS's manual Focus mode seemed like a blessing, but our opinion drastically changed after spending an afternoon attempting to discern between LCD pixels and actual subject matter. The focus magnification box is also too small to make out any fine detail. We love the interface, consisting of a ft./in. bar that is controlled via the dial. Auto Focus came to the rescue in most shooting environments, so we abandoned Manual Focus early on, as many consumers will most likely do. Half of the PowerShot SX200 IS's Scene modes are conveniently located on the Mode dial and the rest can be found in Scene mode, including Panorama Stitch Assist. Unfortunately, there's no option to adjust color other than Color Swap and Color Accent, which we thought was odd for Canon.
Hardware - Good
More megapixels, bring in more megapixels! The Canon PowerShot SX200 IS gets one of the most significant boosts from the previous generation PowerShot SX110 IS, leaping from 9-megapixels to a 12-megapixel count. The PowerShot SX200 IS's 1/2.3-inch CCD rocks Canon's latest Digic 4 processing and the lens has been upgraded to a 28mm wide-angle with a 12x optical zoom. Now it's obvious where all the PowerShot SX200 IS's enhancements reside.
The Canon PowerShot SX200 IS captures still images in the JPEG format and HD videos in the H.264 MOV format to removable SD/SDHC cards. As stated earlier, the PowerShot SX200 IS runs on a rechargeable Lithium Ion battery rather than AA batteries. The time from powering on to first shot fell within the median of an acceptable range, clocking in at approximately 2.5 seconds with the second shot firing off at around 2 seconds. This was definitely not one of the hastier performances.
Image Quality - Good
The Canon PowerShot SX200 IS exhibited a fair overall performance in bright light, given its basic imaging sensor and high pixel count, but we had more success in low light. Certain aspects of entry-level imaging were present at times in bright light, such as fringing and an unimpressive dynamic range. Colors popped, as with most Canons, but we didn't see a major improvement over the PowerShot SX110's bright light performance. The Canon PowerShot SX200 IS possessed most of the tricks it needed, including the ability to drop the shutter significantly in order to accommodate night shooting, so low light was not a huge issue. However, the Night Scene mode was still useless and any low light shooting was executed in Manual mode with a tripod. The flash was also too small to provide a reasonable spread of light, so all shooting was done without it. If image quality is the main concern, we recommend sticking with the Canon PowerShot SX110 IS.
Scene Test – Essex House
Detail looks beautiful in most areas of this image, especially along the mane of the horse statue and structuring of the Essex House. Noise is also low and colors retain a naturalistic hue. However, this image is wrought with fine fringing that appears to be attacking the branches, statue and building edges. Most beginner or intermediate shooters will not be phased by this level of fringing, but discerning photographers and advanced amateurs will not be having any of it.
Detail Test – Walk Like a Skeleton
Detail Test – Trash Wall
We're exposed to the same unfortunate plague in the first image, as we see the skeletons being consumed by purple fringing. Detail within the rock façade is great, but the fringing and blown-out portions of the skeletons make this image appear highly amateurish. The detail and lack of fringing in the second image is a significant improvement, and we learned that the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS happens to be rather picky under a beaming sun.
Sharpness Test – Stevens and Daneyko
Of course, when the light is highly agreeable, the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS will deliver a sharp, crisp image like this one. Shadows are rendered realistically and edges along the bottom of the banners are sharp. However, we begin to lose that crispness the farther we travel up the banners, and we're even met with a touch of fringing. This is still a good performance for a camera in this price range, despite our minor qualms.
Contrast Test – Times Square
Dynamic range was a constant struggle with the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS, as we can see here in this image. The 1 Times Square building is attacked by blown-out highlights, as well as the background sky. We had to drop the exposure in order to decrease the severity of the highlights, but it sacrificed the exposure of the entire image, which can stand to be a bit brighter. You'll have to watch the lighting with the PowerShot SX200 IS, as it cannot handle contrast very well.
Motion Test – Brodeur Save
The only way we were able to capture quick action was in Sports mode, which used a quick Shutter Speed and high ISO combination in order to freeze subjects, as we can see in this image. We were very impressed with the sharpness of the players, but the high ISO creates a party of noise, detracting from the detail of the image. Scaled down, this image is highly impressive.
Macro Test - Pinecone
We attained the best detail from a few inches away, thanks to Macro mode. This is one of the best macro performances we've seen from a compact in this class.
Color Test – Times Square
As usual, this is another top notch color performance from Canon, though we can catch fringing within the white Chicago text. Other than that, colors lok natural, vibrant and refrain from bleeding. On a side note, check out the white sky and faded buildings. Yes, the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS is a royal pain in the behind when it comes to dynamic range.
Night Test - Intrepid
Night Test – Graffiti
Night Test – Graffiti in Color Accent Mode
Shooting at night was not an issue, as long as we had a hard surface to brace the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS on. As we see in the first image, exposure is decent, but the PowerShot SX200 IS's Image Stabilization just couldn't support an unbraced zoom shot at night due to the low shutter speed. We had much better results with the graffiti shot, setting the PowerShot SX200 IS on the ground. The detail and exposure is wonderful and we're able to retain a great deal of color information as well. The Color Accent image looks ultra cool, especially at night.
Night Test - Manhattan
Low Light Test - Jumbotron
Even braced on a fence railing, the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS allowed us to penetrate the thick darkness of a chilly Manhattan night. The PowerShot SX200 IS will falter in extreme low light, as we can see in the background of the jumbotron. However, the detail, sharpness and color within the jumbotron is very impressive, despite the haze of low light-induced noise.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| | |
| |
| NEW DIGITAL CAMERA RELEASES | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
_it00.jpg)
|
Archive