Canon PowerShot SX10 IS Digital Camera Review

The Canon PowerShot SX10 IS, an under-$500 (suggested retail price) digital camera, one of the newest members of the Canon PowerShot camera family line, has a number of professional features that allow a beginner or intermediate level photographer to "grow" into the use of more advanced features and digital photography techniques. From macro photography, action imaging and distortion-free portraits to videos and telephoto-effect digital images, this digital camera can easily handle a broad range of digital photography challenges. Here’s a breakdown of features, options and what to expect.

Shooting and Viewing Still Images

The camera’s 10 megapixel CCD image sensor captures an in-depth spectrum of digital images. There are a total of eighteen still image and video shooting modes available via a rotating dial and the camera’s optical zoom ranges from 28 mm to 560 mm. This allows for plenty of photographic creativity for more advanced digital photographers while automatic and pre-set modes make life a little easier for the more technically-challenged photographers.

Shooting modes include:

· Automatic

· Night snapshots

· Landscape

· Portrait

· Sports (fast action mode) macro

· Stitch assist mode for panoramic shooting of scenes and landscapes

· Video

In addition to these pre-select modes, there are settings which allow you to individually set shutter speed, aperture, set aperture and shutter speed combinations together, set and lock focus, and save custom settings. There are also special scene modes (SCN mode dial setting) which permit further refinement for shooting:

· Sunsets

· Snow

· Fireworks

· Beach

· Aquariums

· Indoors (with or without flash assist)

· ISO 3200 speed equivalent

· Color accents

Canon PowerShot SX10 IS Features also include Face Detection and a multi-mode variable self-timer further expanding the camera’s photographic range.

The camera’s LCD monitor swings out from the camera body right or left, can tilt forward 180 degrees towards the camera lens or can be rotated backwards 90 degrees. The LCD monitor’s mobility allows you to shoot images from extremely low, overhead or other very awkward angles without you having to train as a contortionist.

On the rear right hand side of the camera back a button is located which will erase any image or video currently on LCD monitor display. This makes deleting mistakes quick and easy as you can wipe out a bad shot. It does unfortunately also allow for accidently erasing images or videos while you might be adjusting to use of the camera. Once erased from the camera memory card, an image or video cannot be recovered. A bit of practice in handling the camera will minimize the possibility of mistaken erasures, however.

One good feature of the camera allows you to instantly start shooting videos at any time simply by pressing a special red "video" button conveniently located next to the viewfinder and beside the amply-sized 2.5 inch LCD monitor. One decisive problem with the camera is that videos are recorded as FLV or flash video files. These must usually be converted to another format if you wish to edit or otherwise work with the video. Most video editing software will function with other video formats such as AVI, WMV, MVI, or MOV, but not FLV (flash video) file formats. So, you’ll need to become familiar with some video conversion software to manage this problem, but there are several low-cost or free programs available to handle this.