Canon PowerShot SX110 IS

After its SX100 IS was the first compact to respond to the challenge thrown down by Panasonic's TZ range by adding a 10x zoom, Canon has renewed its efforts with the PowerShot SX110 IS. 

Little has changed during the upgrade - if ain't broke, don't fix it, as they say - but selling at the same price as the earlier model, is the SX110IS a worthy successor?

Handling

Given how cheap this camera is, Canon had to cut back on something. 

They didn't scrimp on the lens, so it had to be the case, which is molded with low quality plastic. 

The handle is now a little smaller, and as a result, it's slightly harder to get hold of the camera, but this is by no means a flimsy prodcut and the cost savings have allowed money to be spent where it can really make a difference.


On the back, then, there is a large 3 inch screen, whose 230 000 pixel resolution does sometimes result in pixellated images but is otherwise generally acceptable. 

It's a little too bright on sunny days, but its large size allows for comfortable focusing with a wide viewing angle.  Definitely a sound investment for the money saved on the new casing.

Elsewhere, the SX100 IS's reactivity is one of its strong points, with quick focusing even in macro mode. 

The startup time is still under two seconds, which isn't amazing but certainly understandable given the price point of the camera and the size of the lens that is deployed every time you switch it in. 

Equally, moving from saving one photo to taking the next is quick enough, and it's only really in burst mode that the camera struggles.

The interface is another undeniable success, especially thanks to the combined click wheel/directional control, which allows easy access to four settings (focus, sensitivity, flash and burst mode), while also being able to adjust options in semi-automatic and manual mode.

On the other hand, we can only make the same complaint about this camera as we did about its successor: the AA batteries always fall out of the case every time you open the memory card slot. 

Battery life itself is dreadful too - we suggest you abandon all hope of using regular batteries and buy yourself a pack of rechargeables to carry around with you to swap in as soon as this camera has emptied its first two.

Image Quality

Photos are nice and sharp.  Purple fringing is only visible in areas of particularly high contrast, which can be our only real criticism of the lens. 

The default color settings are warm and pleasing to the eye, as is often the case with Canon equipment. 

Warm skin tones are particularly saturated, while the dynamic range is quite limited, with bright lights shining through very strongly.


The ISO handling is classic, with light blurring visible, if not overpowering, from the lowest settings up, with a gradual increase in noise that nevertheless still permits good quality A4 prints at 400 ISO.  From 800 ISO onwards, though, the billowing is very visible and soon obscures much of the detail.



Compared to the competition

It's possible to argue that this camera only has one direct competitor, as the Panasonic TZ5 is the only other compact available today with a 10x zoom.  The two cameras are very different, however. 

The Panasonic puts the emphasis on its 'intelligent' automatic features, HD video and an incredibly high-resolution screen, while the Canon sticks with manual controls, solid handling and a telephoto lens that's bigger than any other on a compact.

What's more, with its large case and extensible flash, the Canon very much adopts the aesthetics of a 'small bridge' camera, while the TZ5 is definitely positioned as a 'high-end compact.'

The pricing is almost the same for both models, with a slight advantage to Panasonic, although the comparison is perhaps futile given the two very different target audiences.  As we have seen, Panasonic are after fans of high-tech gadgets with the TZ5, while Canon seem to be aiming their product at dedicated amateur photographers.