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Canon PowerShot SX200 IS reviews
You can find here the most interesting reviews / ratings from the well-known expert sites about the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS Camera. Here are the reviewers:
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- 28 August 2009 - |
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- 4 |
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- 08 July 2009 - |
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- 0 |
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- 23 May 2009 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 16 May 2009 - |
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- 4 |
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- 27 April 2009 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 24 April 2009 - |
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- 4 |
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- 07 April 2009 - |
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- 0 |
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- 30 March 2009 - |
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- 0 |
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- 30 March 2009 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 15 March 2009 - |
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- 0 |
DPInterface 's conclusion / rating - 28 August 2009 |
“ As we said in our introduction, the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS offers photographers of all skill levels a versatile camera, stylish design, and capable performance. The SX200 IS truly can meet multiple needs: macro, wide angle, telephoto, even high definition video. Overall performance may not win blue ribbons in any given category, but the SX200 IS does most things very well, with an approachable interface, enough controls for enthusiasts to be happy with, a competent lens, and yes, it even takes great pictures. There are some negatives, and in a camera that offers a bit of everything, you’d expect some compromises. A higher resolution LCD would be a nice addition, as would the ability to see exposure settings “live” on the LCD. A faster lens would also be nice, to help with depth of field effects (given the aperture priority and manual modes), and stereo sound during movie recording seems like painful omission. Of course we’d always like to see improvements in image quality, but given current sensor sizes, I fear added megapixels have reached the point of diminishing returns, offering very little added resolution, with added noise, and thus more extensive use of noise (and detail) reduction. That said, in typical use the SX200 IS can take very crisp and vivid images, and combined with a do everything lens, it’s been an eager performer in nearly every situation. If you’re in the market for a compact camera that can tackle nearly anything thrown its way and look good while doing it, I highly recommend the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS... ”
DPInterface's rating: |
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- 4 |
Complete review here
Imaging Resource 's conclusion / rating - 08 July 2009 |
“ The Canon PowerShot SX200 is a versatile photo companion, packing a 12x zoom that gets to 336mm, an image processor that can track faces in motion, a wide selection of recording modes including Manual, HD video with an HDMI port, and more. Image quality, while suffering the usual small-camera blurry corners and chromatic aberration, showed surprisingly little distortion and accurate color. The big complaints are that the popup flash can't be closed and close-up focusing was not accurate (which can be impossible to detect on the LCD). But the overall experience of using this versatile digicam was such a delight, it easily earns a Dave's Pick, especially if you need an interesting travel companion... ”
Imaging Resource's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
LetsGoDigital 's conclusion / rating - 23 May 2009 |
“ The Canon PowerShot SX200 IS Megazoom is an all-round camera. A pleasant camera with an easy and low learning curve operation. A camera for a wide range of users, even for the hobby photographer. The Canon SX200IS does not have all that many rivals, with the exception of the Panasonic TZ7, which is currently the biggest competitor. Neither camera is perfect, but both have excellent qualities that in fact complement each other. If both cameras would merge, we would have an astonishing Megazoom camera. However, I can't see this happening just yet. For now, the Canon SX200 IS provides versatile setting possibilities, an effective ISO range and a nice focal length. The camera also provides high picture quality, but unfortunately drops a stitch with its lens. Still, the Canon PowerShot SX200IS deserves a high ranking, a camera with true potential!... ”
LetsGoDigital's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
TrustedReviews 's conclusion / rating - 16 May 2009 |
“ The PowerShot SX200 IS is a rare camera, a genuinely good all-rounder. It has an attractive modern design, good build quality, comfortable easy-to-use handling, a wide range of user options and full manual exposure control. It performs well in a wide range of situations, and produces generally good results. It's just a pity it's so expensive, and that the competition is so good... ”
TrustedReviews's rating: |
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- 4 |
Complete review here
CameraLabs 's conclusion / rating - 27 April 2009 |
“ As we said at the top of this page, the PowerShot SX200 IS is Canon’s first attempt at a pocket super-zoom, and it’s certainly impressive, packing a 12x zoom, 3in screen, HD movies, an HDMI port and full manual control into a pocketable form factor. Viewed in isolation it’s a highly compelling prospect.
But the big issue facing the SX200 IS is its arch rival, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 / ZS3, which lest we forget, has enjoyed several years and generations of evolution and refinement. Considering both cameras share a 12x zoom range, 720p HD movies, HDMI ports, 3in screens and scene detection, not to mention a similar size, weight and price, it’s impressive how quickly Canon has got up to speed on its first generation pocket super-zoom.
But as discussed in detail above, the Lumix TZ7 / ZS3 simply manages to out-feature the SX200 IS in almost every respect. The SX200 IS’s trump card may be manual control over exposures, but the TZ7 / ZS3 boasts a wider lens, more detailed screen, faster continuous shooting and the ability to zoom while filming, along with much more besides. Then there’s that annoying flash on the Canon and its unforgiveable inability to zoom while filming.
Don’t get us wrong though: the PowerShot SX200 IS is an impressive camera with some great features, and fulfils its brief to deliver a flexible super-zoom range with HD movies in a pocketable form-factor. Indeed it’s sufficiently good to easily earn our Recommended award.
But for roughly the same money, Panasonic’s Lumix TZ7 / ZS3 is ultimately more compelling overall. Unless you absolutely need manual control, it remains our top choice in this category, but Panasonic can’t rest on its laurels. Canon’s made a very impressive debut in the pocket super-zoom market and come the next generation the tables could be turned... ”
CameraLabs's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
RegHardware 's conclusion / rating - 24 April 2009 |
“ Canon has managed to squeeze a quart into something a little larger than a pint pot. The PowerShot SX200 IS has a good range of features, including a very versatile zoom, and offers much for both beginners or DSLR users looking for a smaller camera to take on their travels. Handling is good, although it’s let down by a quirky pop-up flash system. You can even use it as an HD camcorder, provided you’ve got enough memory card space. This is indeed a handy camera to take on a holiday or a trip... ”
RegHardware's rating: |
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- 4 |
Complete review here
DigitalcameraReview 's conclusion / rating - 07 April 2009 |
“ On the one hand, the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS is both seemingly everything our editorial staff looks for in a camera, and everything we've come to expect from Canon. It's a solid, better-than-average performer in most respects, with great zoom range, wide-ranging control options to please everyone from novices to enthusiasts, a lucid interface, 720p video capture, and decent construction.
Even with all of this, though, the SX200 comes off as just a little – dare we say it? – boring. Sure, it's a reasonably solid camera that will give you little of substance to complain about (especially if you're just looking for snapshots). But in spite of several upgrades over the SX110, the sum of these parts doesn't always seem to add a lot to the overall experience. On the one hand, several key improvements – from HD video shooting to a wide-angle lens to a li-ion battery – have (finally!) given Canon an SX-series contender that's capable of challenging Panasonic on turf long dominated by its Lumix TZ/ZS models
But while the SX200 certainly checks all of the boxes, only a full appraisal of some very strong competition from the likes of not only Panasonic, but also Olympus, Nikon, Kodak, and Samsung, will tell if the SX200 is able to eke out a leading position in this competitive field... ”
DigitalcameraReview's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
Steves Digicams 's conclusion / rating - 30 March 2009 |
“ Designed for those who want a great deal of versatility packaged into a small frame, the SX200 IS is yet another example of Canon's commitment to offering the latest in technology and ingenuity. The SX200 is an awesome little camera, with very few flaws. Image quality is excellent, as is shooting performance in single shot mode. If you are one who is in the market for a versatile super-zoom that can be tucked away in your purse, backpack or briefcase, look no further. With a street price of US$379 or less, we feel this camera offers an outstanding value for the amount of features and portability you are receiving... ”
Steves Digicams's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
PhotographyBLOG 's conclusion / rating - 30 March 2009 |
“ The Canon PowerShot SX200 IS is an excellent first attempt at a travel-zoom camera, but ultimately it can't quite match its main rival, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7. Starting with the positives, the SX200 IS's main point of differentiation is the PASM creative shooting modes, which will instantly grab the attention of the seasoned photographer looking for a pocket camera that they can really control. All of the other competitors in this category are purely point-and-shoots, so providing Aperture-priority, Shutter-priority and Manual modes is a big advantage for the SX200 IS. The 12x zoom lens is also a real highlight, with an incredibly versatile focal range of 28-336mm that will cover virtually every photographic situation that you'll encounter. It's not quite as wide as the DMC-TZ7's 25mm lens though, exhibits a little more distortion at either end, and is substantially bigger in size, making it less well-suited to more candid photography. The same can be said of the SX200's general dimensions, being bigger and heavier than its rivals - maybe only by a few grams and millimeters, but important none-the-less in an area of the market where size is everything.
The SX200 IS does lead the way in the megapixel wars, with a 12 megapixel sensor that produces the usual quality images that we've come to expect from Canon. ISO 100-400 is a usable range for most photos, on a par with most of its main competitors, with the rather soft and desaturated ISO 800 setting best reserved for emergencies. The Canon PowerShot SX200 IS dealt extremely well with chromatic aberrations, macro performance is an amazing 0cms, and the image stabilization system really makes a big difference when hand-holding the camera at slower shutter speeds. Video is another story though. Although you can record 1280x720 pixel HD footage, it quickly fills up your memory card thanks to the space-hungry Quicktime format, suffers from the usual muffled mono sound, and worst of all doesn't allow the zoom to be used during recording. The HDMI port makes it easy to connect the SX200 to a HD TV, although we would have liked to see a suitable cable included in the box. Overall, it doesn't compare well to video shot with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7.
Unfortunately for the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS, this is also true of quite a few other key areas too. The 3 inch LCD screen has a lower resolution, the continuous shooting speed is over twice as slow, the lens is a little slower, the flash inexplicably pops-up for every shot, and Smart Auto Mode isn't quite as smart as Panasonic's Intelligent Auto mode. Which leaves us with a still very capable camera that will particularly appeal to the more experienced photographer, but also a camera that comes a clear second in the race, rather than occupying the top spot on the winners' podium... ”
PhotographyBLOG's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
DCResorce 's conclusion / rating - 15 March 2009 |
“ The Canon PowerShot SX200 IS is a very capable and compact ultra zoom camera. It offers very good photo quality, a 28 - 336 mm lens, a nice combination of automatic and manual controls, a large LCD, and a HD movie mode. It's not perfect though; it has a weak, slow-to-charge flash, battery life is below average, and you can't zoom while recording a movie mode. Despite that, the PowerShot SX200 is a good choice for a travel camera, and it earns my recommendation.
It's pretty obvious from the design of the PowerShot SX200 what camera it's going after: the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5. The SX200 has a compact body (by ultra zoom standards, at least), made almost entirely of metal. The camera is a bit unusual in that its flash pops up automatically when the camera is turned on, not closing until it's powered off. Thankfully, Canon designed the SX200 in such a way that the flash doesn't block your fingers, so it's easy to hold the camera. The flash is quite weak, however. Canon didn't go overboard with controls, either -- you can figure out the SX200 without having to read the manual first. The highlight of the camera is probably its F3.4-5.3, 12X optical zoom lens. The range of the lens is 28 - 336 mm, which should cover nearly any shooting situation that may come up in your travels. The SX200 has Canon's optical image stabilization system, which effectively reduces blur in still photos, and "shake" in your videos. On the back of the camera is a sharp 3-inch LCD display, with very good outdoor and low light visibility. Like all of the compact ultra zooms, the SX200 does not have an optical or electronic viewfinder.
Overall, the PowerShot SX200 is a good choice for those who want a lot of zoom power in a portable (not to mention stylish) package. I haven't reviewed the SX200's main competitor (the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3) just yet, so I can't tell you which one is better. The ZS3 has a nicer movie mode and slightly better battery life, but it lacks the manual controls of the SX200. It also has two million fewer pixels, though I don't think anyone will notice. Regardless of how well the ZS3 performs, the PowerShot SX200 is still a solid camera, and one that i can recommend... ”
Complete review here
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