One needs no introduction to the immensely successful PowerShot S series of superzooms, which began with the revolutionary S1 IS way back in 2004, continued with S2 IS, S3 IS and S5 IS, added an 'X' to reinvent itself as the SX1 IS and SX10 IS. The newest baby of this illustrious lineage of superzooms is the SX20 IS. It retains its familiar body and solid feel and quality, while adding a wide-angle lens, 20X zoom, HD video recording, a 12.1MP sensor and Servo AF continuous focus mode. Let's take this one apart and find out if it builds on the immensely high standards its predecessors have set.
(Sourced from the Canon Website)
- Sensor: 12.1MP 1/2/3" CCD
- Lens - 28-560 mm eq. (20X optical zoom) f/2.8-f/5/7
- 13 elements in 11 groups with 1 UD and 1 single-sided UA element)
- Image Stabilization: Yes, lens shift type
- Focus modes: single point, continuous, servo AF/AE, manual focus with bracketing
- Minimal focus distance: 0 cm
- Metering: Evaluative, centre weighted, spot
- ISO: Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600
- Shutter Speed:15 s to 1/3200 s
- Self timer: 2/10s, Face Self timer
- Continuous Shooting: upto 1.0 fps till card is full
- Flash: Range 50cm-6.8m wide, 1m-3.7m tele
- LCD Screen:2.5", 230000 pixels
- Video: HD
- Memory: SD/SDHC/MMC/MMCPlus
- Power: 4 AA alkaline/NiMH
- Weight:560g
- Dimensions:124x88x87mm
The SX20 IS feels solid and safe in one's hands. The superior quality plastic body and large grip, with excellently placed batteries offer a very balanced, SLR-like feel.
Essential features like the vari-angle LCD, flash hot shoe, the helpful menu, the large movie button, and the mode dial feature here too. Quality of all buttons and dials are top notch and leave nothing to desire. Button placement is just apt and fingers naturally hit the right buttons.
The feedback offered by the zoom lever is just right, and the LCD screen is bright enough to view in daylight. There are three coatings over the LCD screen - a scratch proof hard coat, a dust protective flourine coat and multi-coat to cut reflection, ensuring vivid images in sunlight too.
The zoom lens barrel now has markings to help select the right focal length.
This might very well be the fastest of the S series from Canon, with the camera ready to shoot in just over 1 second of pressing the power-on button. The Digic 4 also makes its presence felt as the camera feels much more snapppier than earlier models. Shutter lag is non-existent, with response being instantaneous and full 12 MP images saved to memory within a second. As earlier, the zoom lever is a pleasure to operate and moves ultra smooth and ultra silent.