PowerShot Zoom: The telescopic camera tested
9.11.2020
Translation: machine translated
This camera can't do anything except take telephoto shots and doesn't even have a screen. I don't think the idea is so bad, but the realisation could have been better.
Compact cameras have to be able to do something that the average smartphone camera cannot. In the case of the PowerShot Zoom, it's clear what that is: it can bring distant things up close. It's a kind of pocket-sized electronic telescope that you can use to take photos and videos.
There have been superzoom cameras in a compact housing for some time now. This one from the same manufacturer has a 40x zoom and a telephoto focal length equivalent to 960 mm in 35 mm format. That is more than the PowerShot Zoom. It "only" manages 400 mm optically, 800 mm digitally.
However, the idea of focussing a camera exclusively on telephoto shots is new. The PowerShot Zoom can do nothing else. The device also differs significantly from a normal compact camera in other respects. It has no screen. Instead, it is held directly in front of the eye like a small telescope. This makes a large part of the operation different from what we are used to.
Simple recording
Devices that can only do one thing are usually easier to use. The PowerShot Zoom only has five buttons and a wheel for dioptre correction. It should therefore be fairly easy to use.
For the most part, this is true. When switched on, the focal length is always set to 100 mm. The subjects appear approximately the same size in the viewfinder as they do to the naked eye, making it easy to get a rough orientation. One click on the zoom button switches the camera to 400 mm, a second click to double the digital magnification (800 mm). Another click brings the camera back to 100 mm.
Intermediate steps such as 200 or 300 mm are not possible. However, you can zoom much faster than with a compact camera. The step from 100 to 400 mm takes less than a second, the digital zoom switches on without delay. I can find my target quickly with this camera, even if it's a flying bird.
Spontaneous snapshots are fun. It's super quick to set up, firstly because of its size and secondly because there are no settings to make. With a normal camera, you have to check or readjust a lot of things: S mode with fast shutter speed, autofocus, continuous shooting, etc. The separate shooting buttons for photo and video on the PowerShot Zoom are also an advantage when things need to be done quickly.
Complicated playback
The operating concept also has its downsides. In the menu, you have to feel the buttons blindly while looking through the viewfinder. There are no directional buttons and you have to press buttons on the top and bottom. I find that quite tiring.
Because the camera has so few physical elements, you have to go to the menu quite often. The idea of the camera is that it is largely fully automatic. But if I do want to adjust something manually, such as exposure compensation, I have to do it in the menu.
One major shortcoming in this context is that the camera has no playback button. To view the recordings, I have to go to the menu and select "Playback".
As an alternative, I can also view the shots on my smartphone - after all, there is the "Canon Camera Connect" app, which establishes a connection between the camera and mobile. With the small viewfinder, this is certainly an interesting option. However, establishing this connection is even more complicated than activating playback in the menu.
By the way, the camera does not have an HDMI connection either, so this option for viewing images is also ruled out.
The image quality
The sensor of the PowerShot Zoom is only 1/3 inch in size. This is a disadvantage in poor light and with strong differences in brightness. Unfortunately, a small sensor is necessary if the housing of such a powerful telescope is to be so small.
Even in good lighting conditions, the camera does not deliver high-resolution images. It's good enough for Instagram and WhatsApp, but certainly not for a poster or 4K TV. Here is a section of the duck picture above so that you can see the quality enlarged. It was taken at 250 ISO.
It is also possible that the lens is not particularly sharp. In any case, the real resolution is below the nominal resolution of 12 megapixels, which is of course even worse in poor light. Here is a photo with 2500 ISO. I don't want you to see it enlarged.
Digital zooming offers no advantage when shooting. The nominal resolution of 12 megapixels is of course not given here. If you use the PowerShot simply for observation, i.e. as an electronic telescope, the digital zoom is definitely useful. You can simply see distant subjects better.
Miscellaneous
The sound quality is okay. Both microphones point forwards, which is the only right thing to do in this case. In quiet surroundings, however, the rattling of the image stabiliser can be heard in the videos. And the zoom noise is very audible - but you don't usually zoom during a recording.
With autofocus, you can choose between continuous AF and single AF - in the menu, of course. Continuous autofocus includes subject detection. The focus area is always in the centre and cannot be moved. The autofocus does not react particularly quickly, as the video below shows. This also explains why the autofocus only focuses once during continuous shooting. It cannot adapt during the series.
Close-up shots are not possible. The shortest focusable distance is one metre with 100 mm focal length and 4.5 metres with 400 mm.
No charger is supplied, only a USB cable. That wouldn't be a problem, but I couldn't manage to charge the camera with any of my other chargers. The cable supplied has USB-C at both ends and therefore doesn't fit into my normal chargers. And the camera won't charge with my other USB cables. This means I have to plug the camera into the USB-C port of my notebook and charge the camera with the notebook.
The battery is permanently installed in the camera. It can be removed, but the device has to be unscrewed to do so. This means you can't take a second battery with you when travelling.
Conclusion: Small, but not very fine
The PowerShot Zoom has both advantages and disadvantages compared to a conventional superzoom compact camera. It is quickly ready for use. Thanks to the viewfinder and fast zooming in and out, you can capture fast-moving subjects better. You can hold the camera more steadily and the images are less likely to blur. However, the operation is surprisingly difficult for such a simple device; I particularly miss a playback button.
If you're really into photography as a hobby, you won't be satisfied with the image quality. For snapshots and as a supplement to a smartphone, the PowerShot Zoom has its place. But it is probably too expensive for most people. What bothers me most is that Canon saves on the charger at this price and instead includes a cable that doesn't work with most chargers. <p
David Lee
Senior Editor
David.Lee@digitecgalaxus.chMy interest in IT and writing landed me in tech journalism early on (2000). I want to know how we can use technology without being used. Outside of the office, I’m a keen musician who makes up for lacking talent with excessive enthusiasm.
