Canon PowerShot SX20 IS review and tutorial

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Canon PowerShot SX20 IS review and tutorial
Canon’s PowerShot SX20 IS is a 12.1 Megapixel super-zoom camera with a 20x optically-stabilised lens and 2.5in flip-out screen. Announced in August 2009, it comes one year after its predecessor, the massively popular SX10 IS. Canon’s not messed too much with a winning formula and kept the body, lens, screen and AA battery power of the SX10 IS, but enhanced them with a few key upgrades.

Most obviously (and inevitably) Canon has increased the resolution from 10.0 to 12.1 Megapixels. Much more importantly, the movie mode now boasts a 720p HD option, and there’s also an HDMI port so you can watch both video and stills in high quality on an HDTV.

The SX20 IS has also become more cunning in its auto mode, employing scene detection which along with recognising people and close-ups, can additionally discern between different lighting conditions, and even if the subject is in motion. Making operation even easier, the SX20 IS also now features Hints and Tips which explain what different settings will do if required. And for those who like to know exactly when a photo was taken without consulting the file attributes, a new Date Stamp can optionally imprint the information in the corner of your images.

These new features enhance what was already one of the best super-zoom cameras on the market. The headline 20x optical zoom range remains extremely flexible, delivering coverage equivalent to 28-560mm with effective image stabilisation.

You can start recording video at any time by simply pressing the big red button on the rear, zoom the lens while filming, and capture decent quality stereo sound.

The 2.5in screen may sound a little small compared to the latest cameras, but like its predecessor it’s fully articulated, allowing you to compose with ease at high or low angles – not to mention flipping it round for self-portraits or back on itself for protection.

As before there’s also a flash hotshoe on top of the camera which can accommodate any of Canon’s Speedlite range, and even control recent models through the menu system. Speaking of the menus, the SX20’s various options have been also been redesigned and simplified.

There’s still full manual control over exposure with Program, Manual, Aperture and Shutter Priority modes, along with a selection of scene presets and one of Canon’s thumb wheels to allow quick and easy adjustments.

The earlier PowerShot SX10 IS was justifiably a best-seller, not to mention one of our Best Buys, so by equipping it with HD video and an HDMI port, along with the other enhancements mentioned above, Canon’s produced an even more compelling prospect. But its arch rival from Panasonic has also received an update in the form of the latest Lumix FZ38 / FZ35, with both models sporting 12 Megapixels, HD movies with stereo sound, and powerful super-zoom ranges.

In our full review we’ll pitch the SX20 IS directly against the FZ38 / FZ35, comparing every aspect from design and build to still and video quality. We’ll also throw-in a DSLR to see how their image quality measures-up. We’ll additionally discuss how its features compare against its stable-mate, the PowerShot SX1 IS, which boasts Full HD 1080p video and fast 4fps continuous shooting.

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS design and controls

The Canon PowerShot SX20 IS shares essentially the same body as its predecessor, and like most super-zoom models is designed like a miniature DSLR with a defined viewfinder head, large grip and protruding lens barrel. The major benefit of a super-zoom over a DSLR is of course is the optical range with the SX20 IS housing the same considerable 20x zoom as its predecessor, compared to the typical 3x ranges of most DSLR kits. We’ve pictured it below alongside its major rival, Panasonic’s Lumix DMC FZ38 / FZ35, which sports a slightly shorter 18x range.

Measuring 124x88x87mm, the SX20 IS shares exactly the same dimensions as its predecessor. It’s also 6mm wider and 13mm taller than Panasonic’s FZ38 / FZ35, although 2mm thinner. While the photos above and below illustrate how the Canon super-zoom is noticeably larger than the Panasonic, they don’t reveal their surprising difference in weight. The FZ38 / FZ35 weighs 414g with its battery compared to the 680g of the SX20 IS when fitted with four typical AA batteries. Indeed the SX20 IS operational weight is only 20g lighter than Canon’s own EOS 1000D / XS DSLR complete with its battery and (admittedly 3x) kit lens.

It’s actually quite surprising how much heavier the SX20 IS feels in practice than the FZ38 / FZ35, with the Panasonic feeling relatively empty in comparison. Some may prefer the extra heft of the Canon and the confidence it instils, while others would see the relatively light weight of the FZ38 / FZ35 as a key advantage. We strongly recommend picking up both – with their batteries fitted – to see for yourself.

The Canon may be comfortably heavier, but the build quality of the two models is roughly the same. Both share similar plastic exteriors with good joins and no creaking or flexing to worry about, but Canon’s flagship PowerShot G11 ultimately feels slightly tougher.

Viewed from above, the SX20 IS features a slightly larger grip than the FZ38 / FZ35 – indeed it’s roughly the same size as the company’s entry-level DSLRs. This along with a bulge on the rear for your thumb allows you to grip the SX20 IS very comfortably and securely, although it could have been that much classier coated with the mottled rubber finish of the FZ38 / FZ35 or EOS 450D / XSi’s grips.

The SX20 IS shares the same external controls as its predecessor, with the similarities extending to the same options on the main mode dial: Auto, PASM, a single Custom mode, Stitch-Assist, Movie, four popular scene presets, and a SCN position which access a further eight presets plus a 3200 ISO option and Canon’s colour swap and colour accent modes. Like its predecessor, the SX20 IS offers complete manual control over both the aperture and shutter, and we have full details in the next section below.

Canon PowerShot SX20 – top controls

Unlike most digital cameras, you don’t need to switch to movie mode and press the shutter release to start filming. Like its predecessor (and now also the FZ38 / FZ35), the SX20 IS features a dedicated record button on the back for video. This allows the SX20 IS to start recording video at any time regardless of the mode you’re currently using. Conversely, when you’re recording video, you can press the shutter release at any time to take a still image – albeit temporarily interrupting the video. As before, this essentially renders the movie mode position on the Command dial redundant, but it does reinforce the camera’s superior video recording capabilities.

As before, a group of four buttons start on the upper right surface and follow the curve of the thumb rest round the rear: the biggest is the power button, followed by buttons for playback, exposure compensation and AF frame area.

The exposure compensation button doubles as an AE lock, but only if you’re half-pressing the shutter release at the same time. The controls are positioned so it’s easy to get your finger and thumb in the right places, but it takes a little practice to get the different pressures right and not accidentally take a photo as you push in the compensation button.

Canon PowerShot SX20 – rear controls

To the right of the screen you’ll find one of Canon’s thumb wheels with a cross-key arrangement in the middle. At first glance, the wheel appears similar to that on other Canon compacts, but there are size and tactile differences.

The wheel on the SX20 IS is stepless and completely smooth to turn, compared to the discreet steps felt on the wheels of the other models as you turn them. The SX20 IS’s wheel is also smaller than the PowerShot G’s version, and rather than having separate cross-key buttons in the middle, the entire disc is pushed up, down, left or right.

The reason we’re going into detail is there’s quite significant ergonomic differences in terms of use. We personally much preferred the physical feedback from models featuring wheels with discreet steps over the stepless motion of the SX20 IS. On the other models you can feel when you’ve made a change, whereas on the SX20 IS you have to watch the screen to see how much you should turn the wheel. We also prefer the internal cross keys to the entire wheel tilting. This is of course all personal preference, and we’d advise you try them for yourself to see which feels best to you. It just seemed a little odd that Canon would have at least three different disc controls for its compacts, in addition to the larger wheels on its EOS DSLRs.

The theory’s the same though. Depending on the mode at the time, a spin of the wheel could adjust the aperture, shutter, exposure compensation or manual focus distance, select a scene preset, or scroll through either menu options or images in playback. While we ultimately preferred the clicking feedback on the dials of other Canon models, the SX20 IS still offers quick and tactile control over various options, and it’s a lot easier to do this than prodding the tiny joystick on the Panasonic cameras.

Pushing up, down, left or right on the edge of the wheel will set the SX20 IS’s manual focus, drive mode, macro mode and ISO sensitivity respectively, while pressing the FUNC / SET button in the middle either confirms an action or fires-up the superimposed Function menu for quick access to various settings – see further details below.