Canon powershot sx420 is đánh giá

Beautifully designed Canon Powershot SX420 is called a Bridge camera which means that it offers better image quality than a compact camera and it’s smaller than a regular DSLR (but it still looks like one). Its weight and size are just perfect: it is very light and just a little larger than a smartphone, which is great for carrying around wherever you go.

SX420 makes a few small improvements compared to its predecessor, and two major features might make you fall in love with it.

The Canon Powershot SX420 is a 42x optical zoom camera. This feature gives you the ability to zoom closer to your subject with the zoom range that extends to 1080 (35mm equivalent), also supported by the longer lens, which is great for wildlife and sports photography.

Another improvement is an increase to 20 MP resolution that allows you to make bigger prints.

Now, let’s take a look at the main specifications.

Powershot SX420 Specifications

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Sensor 16.1 MP ISO 100 – 1600 Optical Image Stabilization Yes LCD Resolution 230k Pixels LCD Screen 3’’, fixed Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720 Built-in Viewfinder No Shutter Speed 1/4000s Continuous Shooting 0.5 fps Zoom Lens 24–1080 mm F3.5 – F6.3 Optical Zoom 42X Face Detection Focusing Yes Built-in Wi-Fi Yes NFC Connectivity No Batteries Lithium-ion (200 shots) Manual Focusing No Remote Control With a smartphone Weight 325 g Size 104 x 85 x 69 mm

Check price and reviews of the Powershot SX420 on Amazon.

Overall

Pros:

Amazing 42x Optical Zoom is one of the things that make you buy this camera in the first place. That combined with a sharp lens and optical image stabilization, all placed in the small and light body is what makes you fall in love with it.

Cons:

The first flaw of this camera is something you can see right away – it has no viewfinder. It also has no manual exposure mode. HD video is limited to 720p, and continuous shooting is so slow at 0.5 fps. And don’t even get me started on the poor battery life around 200 shots.

Build & Design

SX 420 isn’t the smallest camera on the market, but it is quite small. The design is plain, which I don’t consider as something bad. Minimalism is great when it comes to this type of camera.

Controls

Taking a look at the controls, you’ll find the power button and the zooming ring that surrounds the shutter button (as usual) at the top of the camera, plus the small flash that you must manually open to use.

When you look at the back of the camera, you’ll be able to see that there is a usual range of compact camera controls such as video record, image playback, and image mode selector, plus the buttons for flash, self-timer, exposure, and macro.

All the necessary controls are located on the right side and thumb accessible.

Ports

On the side, you’ll find just a single port that you can use for USB connection to a PC or A/V.

Lens

The camera lens is a Canon 42x 12 elements Zoom Lens that has built-in image stabilization and ranges from 4.3 up to 180mm.

Construction and Ergonomics

The camera has a comfortable handgrip, and it fits nicely in your hand. It is far from a pocketable camera like some compact point-and-shoot cameras, but it is effortless to use and carry around, which makes it an excellent choice for travelers.

It is well constructed considering the price, and it would certainly survive a couple of drops, but it’s not water or dust resistant.

Menus

When it comes to the menu, it is not intuitive at all. There are a lot of filters and controls, but there are very hard to find. Even when you find them, controlling them is quite complicated since there is no touchscreen.

Everything that you want to do is controlled with buttons and a four-way controller which makes it easy to get lost.

LCD Screen

Speaking of the screen, unfortunately, it isn’t perfect. Not only that it has a low resolution of only 230000 pixels that gives us grainy appearance, but it is also can’t be tilted, it is just fixed in the one position.

Shooting Modes

One of the things that some experienced photographers love is a full manual mode. Well, unfortunately, that is not possible with SX 420. The most control you can have is in the program mode that allows you to choose exposure compensation and ISO.

There is also an auto button that gives you access to some creative shooting modes like portrait, low light, and miniature.

Performance

You can whip out, power up, and snap a pic in about 3 seconds with SX 420. It produces photos just a little better than smartphones with good cameras, but there is this one thing that this camera does well – zoom.

Autofocus

With the autofocus technology, faster than on previous models, SX 420 is excellent for fast shooting. It is also equipped with the multiple focus modes such as center focus, intelligent focus (which prioritizes faces) and tracking autofocus.

There are also options for a servo AF, an AD Assist beam, and continuous AF. However, these options are stuck in the menu which makes it hard to change them as quickly as you might need.

In Smart Auto Mode, this camera does a great job figuring out ideal settings is different shooting situations, focusing where you want it to be and Image Stabilization is extraordinary.

Image Quality

When it comes to image quality, I have to say that I find it just fine: Reds, blues, and greens have just the right amount of saturation. It is a fine effect. Images are crisp and clean in good outdoor lighting, with excellent exposure and a little chromatic aberration.

Exposure

In some other light conditions that aren’t exactly perfect, you can see a little noise even at the lowest ISO settings, and a bit of purple fringing which is a result of chromatic aberration.

Those things actually limit the sensor’s ability to resolve some finer details. That isn’t a problem when you are viewing an image on the screen in small size, but if you need some big prints, it might be a problem.

In some higher ISO sensitivities, it is even worse, so I recommend using at least the flash whenever you want to shoot in non-ideal light conditions.

Learn more about the Powershot SX420 on Amazon.

What type of photography is the Canon Powershot SX 420 IS good for?

Even if you already like this camera based on what you read above, you still might ask yourself if this the right camera for you. The first thing you have to clarify with yourself is what you are going to use it for (what type of photography).

In this section, we will review Canon Powershot SX 420 IS in 5 different photography areas.

Portrait Photography

Image StabilizationSensor Resolution 20 MPManual Focus ModeSmall SensorNo RAW shootingNo External flash shoeNo Built-in viewfinderErgonomics and handlingNo manual exposure mode

Image Stabilization diminishes the impacts of camera shake at long exposures and long focal lengths in this way guaranteeing sharper images which is great for portraits.

It is also great to have it when you don’t have the built-in viewfinder, so you have to hold the camera away from your body while taking an image and that causes, even more, camera shake.

The sensor resolution of 20 MP assures large prints of your portrait shots

Excellent handling of a camera is essential during portrait shooting, just as proper placement of the physical controls on the camera body but this cute little camera, unfortunately, doesn’t have those attributes.

The sensor is big enough to achieve that shallow depth of field and blurry background that is desirable for portraits.

For a great portrait shot, you need to nail the focus perfectly which is even easier with manual focus mode available on this camera.

All of that leads us to the conclusion that Powershot SX420 is an AVERAGE candidate for portrait photography.

Street Photography

Live-viewFace-Detection focusingFixed LCD ScreenImage Stabilization24 mm wide-angle coverageSmall BodyNo Built-in viewfinderManual Focus ModeNo RAW shooting1/2.3″ sensor size

Live-view is very useful for street photography where you don’t want to get people’s attention. It is a substitute for a viewfinder that this camera doesn’t have anyway.

The lack of the viewfinder forces you to hold the camera away from the body, and that is not very stable, especially if you are using some heavy camera lenses. Also, it can be really hard to read the LCD screen in the bright sunlight.

Thankfully there is the Image Stabilization that reduces the impact of camera shake ensuring sharper images.

Face detection is a beneficial feature for street photography because it allows you to focus on framing and other settings while the camera focuses perfectly for you.

However, if you aren’t satisfied with how your camera focuses on its own, you can always focus manually. With manual focusing available you can also play with one of the most popular techniques amongst street photography – Zone focusing.

Although the JPEG files are more attractive out of the camera, RAW files contain much more color information and it is great to have both shooting capabilities available.

RAW also gives you space for post preparing without huge quality loss, and those files provide more extensive dynamic range and option to recover shadow and highlight cut-out to some degree. Unfortunately, SX 420 has only JPEG files available.

SX 420 has a small body, and that is a great thing when it comes to street photography, but with smaller body comes smaller sensor and that is one of the reasons why this camera struggles in low light situations.

In the end, all of that makes it an AVERAGE candidate for street photography.

Sports Photography

0.5 fps continuous shooting1/4000 Shutter speedBattery life 200 shotsBuilt-in Wi-FiImage StabilizationErgonomics & HandlingEnvironmental SealingsNo Manual exposure modeManual Focus ModeNo Built-in viewfinderNo External flash shoeNo RAW shooting1080mm Tele lens

When it comes to sports photography, one of the most important things is how fast your camera is. The shutter speed is fast, 1/4000 – 15s, so SX 420 is undoubtedly suitable because it is fast enough to freeze sports action.

However, this kind of shooting lasts for a long time in most sports events which drains the battery pretty fast, and with the battery life of 200 shots per change, you would have to change batteries frequently in the middle of an event.

Since all of the subjects are moving, you will be happy that you have built-in image stabilization that will reduce any camera shake while you are tracking your subject.

The body might not be as good as a DSLR, but it will be good enough for most of the conditions you might find yourself in.

However, a lot of sports events are held outdoors in all weather conditions, and you will need your camera to be ready for some bad conditions because exposure to dust and water are very common in this photography category.

Unfortunately, SX 420 didn’t prove to be good under challenging conditions. Also, the lack of manual exposure mode in these conditions might lead you to a loss of shadow and highlight clipping.

These compact cameras are not great at focusing on moving objects, and if doesn’t lock the focus your camera may even not fire at all. On the plus side, the SX420 has a manual focus mode which is useful in these situations.

The viewfinder would also make it so much easier for a photographer to shoot in these situations, but as we already know Powershot SX 420 IS doesn’t have one.

We also know that it has an image stabilization that covers for the camera shake, but is that enough in these situations?

Sometimes it is hard to read the LCD, especially under bright sunlight and that is something that image stabilization can’t cover.

Based on the table, Canon Powershot SX 420 IS proved to be a POOR candidate for sports photography.

Daily Photography

Optical Zoom 42xSmall BodyWeight 325g1/2.3 sensorNo RAW shooting

This great optical zoom of 42x is just perfect for daily photography because it gives you a lot of flexibility since this is going to be the only camera you’ll use during the day.

Also, if you are going to carry it around the whole day, you will want it to be small and lightweight. Well SX 420 is one of the smallest and lightest cameras you’ll find.

With the small body comes the small sensor which struggles in low light situations sometimes, and without the RAW shooting capability, it can lose color and overall quality in some cases.

Once again, this is the category where Canon Powershot 420 IS proved to be GOOD for daily photography.

Landscape Photography

24 mm Wide angle coverageSensor resolution 20.0 MPNo Manual exposure modeManual focus modeNo RAW shooting capability1/2.3″ Sensor sizeNo environmental sealing42x Optical Zoom

Wide angle lenses are just perfect for landscape photography because of their capability to capture wider scenes. That is why SX 420’s 24mm wide-angle coverage is just great for shooting landscapes.

With the 20 MP resolution, you can achieve nice large prints if the photo was taken in good light, which most of the time will be since the landscape photography is mostly done outdoors.

However, shooting outdoors, where difficult conditions are very common, isn’t the best thing for this cute little camera, since it doesn’t have the environmental sealing.

With the manual focus mode that SX 420 has, you can make fine adjustments to have the perfect focus. This also minimizes the areas that are out of focus because autofocus might not always give you the best results.

For a landscape shot it is very important to have a correct exposure, and most of the times auto exposure can do a pretty good job, but it may still fail in some difficult conditions, that is why I don’t like the lack of manual exposure.

With no RAW shooting capability that you might need in some conditions, you risk losing some color quality. Isn’t it enough that it already has a small sensor that struggles in low light situations?

In this category, Canon Powershot SX 420 IS proved to be an AVERAGE candidate for landscape photography.

Conclusion:

As you can see, we have a camera that we cannot claim to be perfect for any of these five types of photography, but it can still do an average job if you need it for portrait, street, daily or landscape photography.

Somehow, this is just an average camera in every way. The body built is average, image quality just a little better than any smartphone’s camera. It proved to be average in most of the photography types.

What I like the most about it is its compact size and light body which is easy to carry around. It’s perfect for traveling, and it comes with a fantastic price tag.

However, if you need it for anything more serious than for capturing some memorable moments with friends and family, you may want to consider a more full-featured camera like the Canon EOS Rebel T7i DSLR Camera available on Amazon.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Powershot SX420

Can I take good landscape shots with the Canon PowerShot SX420 IS?

It’s a decent camera for landscape photography. It has a 24mm wide-angle capability, which is great for outdoor photography. The 20MP sensor is great for capturing shots that you may later want to enlarge.

As for negatives, it lacks manual exposure, which can be a problem in some shooting conditions if auto exposure does not give the desired result. Also, it’s not environmentally sealed, so be careful when using it in wet weather.

Can I attach a portrait lens on my Canon Powershot sx420 IS?

No. This is a fixed lens camera and there are no interchangeable lenses for it. That being said, you can adjust the zoom to a mid-focal length and use a wide aperture mode (to get shallow depth of field).

Can I attach a lens adapter and a lens hood to my Canon PowerShot SX420?

There is a lens hood available. You can read more about it on Amazon.

Which camera is better Nikon B500 or Canon sx420?

The B500 edges the Canon out on several specs. It comes down to the type of photography you do most. Here’s a detailed review of the B500.

How long does the Canon Power Shot SX420IS take to charge?

The battery life of the NB-11LH LiIon battery pack is rather short at 200 shots. It recharges in about 2.5 hours, per Canon’s specs using the CB-2LF charger.