A review of the latest in the range of 'Compact Superzooms', the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS. Find out how this compact digital camera performs and if it's worth the money.
Canon PowerShot SX200 IS
After the PowerShot SX100 and SX110, the SX200 is the next in this series of ‘Compact Superzooms’. These cameras are different in construction from the SX1 and SX10 series of superzooms, whose ancestry lies with the PowerShot S series of yesteryears. This camera is a blend of the high megapixel, high zoom features of the S series housed in a compact ‘IXUS’ like metal body. Does the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS digital camera also give the best of both worlds in terms of its performance? Let's find out in this review.
What's in the Box
• The 12.1 effective Megapixel PowerShot SX200 IS digital camera
• NB-5L rechargeable lithium-ion battery
• Battery charger
• Wrist strap
• USB cable
• A/V cable
• CD-ROM featuring Canon Digital Camera Solution
• 168 page camera manual (printed)
Technical Specs
(From the Canon website)
Sensor
• 1/2.3" Type CCD
• 12.1 million effective pixels
Lens
• 28 - 336mm (35mm equiv)
• 12x optical zoom
• F3.4-5.3
Shutter speed: 15-1/3200 sec
LCD monitor: 3.0" TFT
Weight (no battery): 220 g
Dimensions: 103 x 61 x 38 mm
Features that Stand Out
1. A metal body. The earlier cameras in this series had a plastic body, whereas the SX200 IS has an aluminium body, which gives it a premium feel. There’s just a hint of a hand grip, but that’s enough to help hold the camera firmly.
2. A Li-ion battery. Again, a new feature for a consumer Canon camera, the NB-5L Li-ion battery claims to last for 280 shots. That’s lesser than the 450 shots claimed by the two NiMH AA Batteries in SX110 IS. But Li-ion batteries are definitely lighter than AA NiMH cells. The included charger takes two hours for a full charge.
3. Support for hi-res moves and a HDMI port. This camera can shoot 720p high definition movies, not to be confused with full HD 1080p movies.
| Image quality | Rating  |
Like its predecessors, the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS is top notch in terms of image quality. It generally produces well exposed images with balanced colour. The auto-ISO mode is fairly accurate. But the issues with this lens in terms of chromatic aberration continue. There is visible purple fringing at high zooms and in contrasty situations.
Please continue on to page two of this digital camera review to learn more about the features of the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS, including a "price to value" rating.