Canon PowerShot SX100 IS Full Review

Canon PowerShot SX100 IS Full Review,
December 2007, Lars Rehm & Simon Joinson

Review based on a production Canon SX100 IS

The PowerShot SX100 IS is the first model in Canon's new SX series of budget super zoom compact cameras, and in the Powershot line-up slots in somewhere between the tried and tested A-Series and the more upmarket S5 IS. Canon's engineers combined the materials and build quality of the former with the long lens, some features and design of the latter to merge them into a brand new camera that goes head to head with Panasonic's popular TZ series (and the new Sony H3). The SX100 IS comes with a 8.0MP sensor, a 10x zoom, optical image stabilization and a comprehensive range of manual photographic controls, all nicely wrapped up in a compact silver or black plastic body. Canon says the SX series offers exceptional performance in the hands of any member of the family, so let's find out how it performed in our capable hands, starting, as ever, with the headline features.

• 8.0 Megapixels
• 10x optical zoom with optical Image Stabilizer (36-360mm equiv.)
• Comprehensive range of photographic controls with P, Av, Tv and M modes
• DIGIC III imaging processor
• Face Detection
• Digital Tele-Converter and Safety Zoom
• 2.5” LCD with 100% coverage
• 19 shooting modes

PowerShot SX100 IS specifications

Street price	• US: $300 • UK: £200
Body Material	Plastic
Sensor	• 1/2.5 " Type CCD • 8.0 million effective pixels
Image processor	DIGIC III
Image sizes	• 3264 x 2448 • 2592 x 1944 • 2048 x 1536 • 1600 x 1200 • 640 x 480 • 3264 x 1832
Movie clips	• 640 x 480 @ 30fps • 320 x 240 @ 30fps • 160 x 120 @ 15fps
Lens	• 36-360mm (35mm equiv) • 10x optical zoom • F2.8-4.3
Optical Stabilization	Yes (lens-shift)
Focus	TTL autofocus
Metering	• Evaluative • Center-weighted average • Spot
Shooting modes	• Auto • Program AE • Shutter Priority AE • Aperture Priority AE • Manual • Portrait • Landscape • Night Snapshot • Kids & Pets • Special Scene • Stitch Assist • Movie
Scenes modes	• Portrait • Landscape • Night Snapshot • Kids & Pets • Night Scene • Indoor • Foliage • Snow • Beach • Fireworks • Aquarium
Shutter speeds	15-1/2500 sec
Apertures	F2.8-4.3
Exposure compensation	+/-2EV in 1/3EV stop increments
ISO Sensitivity	• Auto • High ISO Auto • ISO 80 • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400 • ISO 800 • ISO 1600
White Balance	• Auto • Daylight • Cloudy • Tungsten • Fluorescent • Fluorescent H • Custom
Image parameters	My Colors (My Colors Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Custom Color)
Continuous	• Approx 0.8fps until card is full (AF / LiveView) • Approx 1.3fps until card is full (LCD monitor off)
Flash	• Auto, Flash On, Flash Off, Slow Sync, Red-eye reduction • +/- 2EV in 1/3 stop increments • Face Detection FE compensation • Safety FE • Flash exposure lock • Manual Power Adjustment (3 levels) • Range (Auto ISO): 50cm - 3.0m (wide) / 2.0m (tele)
Storage	• SD, SDHC, MMC, MMCplus , HC MMCplus compatible • 16 MB card supplied
Viewfinder	No
LCD monitor	• 2.5-inch P-Si TFT • 172,000 pixels • 100% coverage • 15 levels of brightness adjustment
Connectivity	• USB 2.0 Hi-Speed • AV out (PAL / NTSC switchable)
Power	• 2x AA Alkaline or NiMH batteries • Optional AC adapter ACK800
In the box*	• PowerShot SX100 IS Body • AA-size Alkaline Battery (x2) • 16MB SD Memory Card • Wrist Strap • AV cable • USB interface cable • Software CD-ROM
Other features	• Histogram • 2,10 sec or custom self timer • Face Detection • Optional High Power Flash (HF-DC1)
Weight (no batts)	266g (9.4 oz)
Dimensions	108.7 x 71.4 x 46.7 mm (4.3 x 2.8 x 1.8 in)

Design

At a beauty pageant the SX100 IS probably wouldn't make it into the final 12; Canon took a rather 'form follows function' approach when designing their first budget superzoom compact camera. That's not necessarily a bad thing; build quality and materials have been adopted from Canon's popular A series, which has established itself as a reliable user-friendly range of cameras. Externally curves are the predominant shapes on the SX100 IS; hard edges can't be found anywhere on the body. Its dimensions and weight make it a camera more suitable for being carried in a bag rather than your shirt pocket. Having said that, for a 10x zoom it is pretty compact.

The control layout is usually pretty consistent throughout the Canon range and the designers haven't changed their ways this time around. This is no bad thing, as the Canon interface is one of the most intuitive we have come across - though in this model the number of external controls is surprisingly small considering the camera's comprehensive set of features. All everyday shooting functions can be accessed via the excellent FUNC menu - and Canon has even managed to integrate a dedicated ISO button (something still missing from the A series cameras). Luckily the function of the otherwise rather pointless print button can now be customized, you can choose between White Balance, Digital Zoom and a few more options.

The SX100 IS has also inherited a cut-down version of the G9's rotating controller/jog-dial combination, once you've got used to its operation you'll find it very useful for browsing menus and images, it really speeds things up. Although the SX100 IS has a lot more plastic than the more upmarket Powershots, it feels well constructed and solid.

In your hand

The SX100 IS is quite significantly larger and heavier than your typical stylish super-slim compact but nonetheless (or rather because of that) it handles very well. The grip, which houses the batteries, is a very helpful feature, the camera always feels stable in your hands. The shutter button and zoom lever are perfectly positioned too, operation with one hand is not a problem at all.

Body elements

No revolutionary innovations to be found here; Canon has stuck to the formula that is well known from the the A-series and has only added a few modifications here and there. Anybody who has used a more recent Canon compact camera before won't find any surprises when they pick up the SX100 IS.

	The top of the camera is home to the main power button, mode dial and shutter release (in the middle of the circular zoom rocker). Like the A series models, the shutter release has a nice positive feel and a distinct 'half press' point.
	The 10x zoom's design is apparently 'based on the proven lens configuration of the Powershot S5 IS' 12x lens (according to Canon). It covers a 35mm equivalent range of 36-360mm - we'd love it to start a little wider, but you can't have everything. The maximum aperture ranges from f/2.8 at wide angle to f/4.3 at the tele end. Lens based image stabilization helps to steady your shot at the long end of the zoom.
	The built-in flash is a flip-up type and has a range of up to 3.0m (W) or 2.0m (T).
	The card and two AA batteries sit under a hinged door on the base of the camera. The SX100 IS is compatible with the SDHC standard and comes with a 16MB card. Alkaline Batteries provide power for approximately 140 shots. This number increases to 400 when using NiMH batteries (CIPA standard).
	Connections for the optional AC adapter, USB 2.0 and the A/V interface are hidden underneath a plastic flap on the right side of the camera.
	The rear controls should be familiar to anyone who has used a Powershot before; the four-way controller (which now rotates) is located in the centre. It has direct-access buttons for focus, flash, ISO, drive mode, self-timer and the Func menu. Above sits the play button and at the bottom you'll find the exposure compensation button which doubles as a delete button in play mode.
	Uncharacteristically for a Canon Powershot there is also a row of buttons underneath the screen. From left to right: The print button (the function of which luckily can be customized), the face selector button, the display button (which controls the amount of information shown on screen) and the Menu button.
	The SX100 IS has a bright 2.5-inch screen with a wide viewing angle. It has a, for this screen size, a pretty average resolution of 172,000 pixels (a sure fire indication of the camera's budget positioning). The screen is bright and contrasty (and has a good refresh rate). LCD brightness can be adjusted in the menu although in direct sunlight you'd sometimes wish the SX100 had an optical viewfinder as well.

Operation and controls

Evolution rather than revolution is Canon's credo when it comes to development of compact camera user interfaces. If you've used a Canon Powershot recently most of the control elements will be familar to you. Having said that, Canon's human-machine-interface designers have included a couple of novelties in the control layout of the SX100 IS. The row of buttons underneath the screen has not been seen on a Powershot in this form before (there is also a brand new dedicated face selector button for picking the 'main face' in an image when using face detection) and the SX100 IS has inherited a simplified version of the combined jog-dial/four-way-controller combination from Canon's flagship compact camera, the G9.

The user interfaces on recent Canon compacts have always been amongst the most user friendly and intuitive in their class and the SX100 IS is no exception. Considering the large amount of features available on the SX100 IS the external controls are comparatively minimal but the excellent design of the FUNC menu means a number of crucial settings such as White Balance or Flash compensation are never more than a couple of button presses away. ISO, drive mode and exposure compensation even get their own dedicated buttons, plus you can customise the function of the (otherwise rather useless) print button.

One setting that we'd like to see included in the Func menu is the AF mode. If you want to switch between continuous and single AF you have to dive deep into the menus which can be slightly annoying if you change over a lot.

Rear of camera

Nothing earth-shattering new on the rear view of the SX100 IS. Most Canon users will find themselves in fairly familiar territory. From the top we've got the play/record mode switch. You can also start the camera in play mode by pressing this button. The jog-dial/four-way controller serves for menu navigation and provides access to the ISO, focus, flash, drive and self-timer settings. Below the wheel you can find the exposure compensation button (also used to switch between aperture and shutter speed settings in manual mode and as a delete button in playback mode). The direct print button (customizable), the new face selector button (for selecting and tracking faces in face detection mode) and the display and menu buttons have been placed underneath the 2.5 inch screen.

Top of camera

	The SX100 IS' top plate has been designed in a very minimalist way. As you can see, the top of the camera is home to only the main power switch, the mode dial and zoom control/ shutter release unit.

Controls & Menus

Canon's on-screen display and menu structure has - despite minor modifications here and there - remained fairly consistent across camera ranges and generations, it is admirably intuitive and understandable. Even first time Canon users will find their way around the settings pretty quickly. The SX100 IS has also a decent smattering of external buttons, allowing for quicker access to the most crucial settings (ISO, focus, drive mode; white balance can be programmed onto the print direct button).

Pressing the DISP button cycles between two preview settings; preview image only (with information on exposure compensation and IS mode only) and - as shown above - full information. There's plenty of information displayed around the edges of the frame. Note that the amount of information displayed will depend which mode you are shooting in. There is also an optional grid, which can help keep things straight.	Half press the shutter and the camera will set the focus and exposure, indicating the center focus point (or chosen face in face detect mode - there is no AiAF on the SX100 IS), plus the shutter speed and aperture chosen by the AE (auto exposure) system. If the shutter speed is too slow you will also see a camera-shake warning.
Users of previous PowerShots will be perfectly at home with the record mode FUNC menu, which offers fast access to a wide range of controls over shooting and image parameters including metering, white balance, MyColors, flash compensation and file size and quality.	The SX100 IS has now a dedicated ISO button (on the four way controller) which allows for quick access to this important setting.
In shutter and aperture priority modes the setting is changed using the jog-dial. In manual exposure mode the +/- button toggles the setting changed by the left/right arrow keys between the shutter speed and aperture. Half press the shutter and the display shows how far you are from the metered exposure as an EV value.	Record mode menu allows you to change everything from AF mode to digital zoom and red-eye reduction. It is also here where you'll find the options for image stabilization.
In a rather smart move Canon has made the direct print button customizable, you can use it to either change white balance, set the custom wihite balance, use the digital tele-converter, display the grid or switch the display off.	The setup menu - accessible in both record and playback modes - offers control over various camera-related parameters, including power management, file numbering, date and time and card formatting.
The play menu offers the usual range of options, including protecting, rotating and deleting images, plus a sound recorder.	One of the three alternative play mode views includes a histogram display and exposure information.
In play mode there is also an option for viewing thumbnails (3x3).	Saved images can be magnified up to 10x by using the zoom lever.
In review mode there is a display option which shows you an enlarged version of the focus area.	If the SX100 IS is set to Face Detection focus and exposure will be optimized for a detected face. If there is more than one face in the frame you can select and track the 'main face' using the face selector button.
Face detection also works in review mode. You can chose faces using the face selector button and zoom in to check the focus.	The SX 100 IS has Canon's now standard Print menu, which simplifies the direct print process (something I must confess I've rarely used on any camera).

Timing & Performance

The SX100 IS uses the latest incarnation of Canon's imaging processor, the DIGIC III. Other recent Canon compacts (using the same processor) have performed very well in our tests, so it comes as no surprise that the SX100 IS generally feels very responsive and snappy as well. The lens covers a very long range, so not surprisingly it takes slightly longer to extend and retract when switching the camera on or off than a shorter lens but it all stays well within acceptable limits.

If we have to complain about one thing it has to be the long flash recycling times. Especially when batteries are weak it can take up to almost ten seconds until the flash is ready for the next shot, pretty annoying when there is a whole group of people waiting for their photo to be taken. The AF slows down a little at the long end and in low light but still performs well for a 'budget' superzoom. Overall with the SX100 IS you get a responsive camera for your money, that is fun to use. Image review and shutter lag are very good for a camera in this price bracket.

Timing Notes

All times calculated as an average of three operations. Unless otherwise stated all timings were made on a 3264 x 2448 Superfine JPEG image (approx. 3,370 KB per image). The media used for these tests was a 1 GB SanDisk Extreme III SD card.

Action	Details	Time, secs
Power: Off to Record		1.7
Power: Off to Play	Image displayed	1.3
Power: Record to Off	All activity ceased	2.0
Power: Play to Off	When buffer is empty	~0.2
Record Review	Image displayed	0.8
Mode: Record to Play		1.6
Mode: Play to Record	Lens already extended	2.0
Mode: Play to Record	Lens not extended	3.0
Play: Magnify	To full magnification (10x)	0.8
Play: Image to Image	Time to display each saved image	0.4
Play: Thumbnail view	3 x 3 thumbnails	0.2

Action	Details	Time, seconds
Zoom from Wide to Tele	36 to 360 mm (10 x)	2.2
Half-press Lag (0->S1)	Wide angle	~0.3 *1
Half-press Lag (0->S1)	Telephoto	~0.6 *2
Half to Full-press Lag (S1->S2)	LCD live view	~0.2
Half to Full-press Lag (S1->S2)	Viewfinder
Full-press Lag (0->S2)	LCD live view, wide angle	~0.6
Off to Shot Taken	LCD live view	2.5
Shot to Shot	Flash off	1.6
Shot to Shot	Flash on	5.9*3
Shot to Shot	Flash on, red eye	6.7*3

*1	Focus speed is fractionally faster if you use center AF rather than Face Detection. Focus speed in low light can slow down marginally
*2	Focus at the tele end can marginally slow down in low light
*3	Shot to Shot times with Flash can go up to 10 seconds with weak batteries

Lag Timing Definitions

Half-press Lag (0->S1) Many digital camera users prime the AF and AE systems on their camera by half-pressing the shutter release. This is the amount of time between a half-press of the shutter release and the camera indicating an auto focus & auto exposure lock on the LCD monitor / viewfinder (ready to shoot).	(Prime AF/AE)
Half to Full-press Lag (S1->S2) The amount of time it takes from a full depression of the shutter release button (assuming you have already primed the camera with a half-press) to the image being taken.	(Take shot, AF/AE primed)
Full-press Lag (0->S2) The amount of time it takes from a full depression of the shutter release button (without performing a half-press of the shutter release beforehand) to the image being taken. This is more representative of the use of the camera in a spur of the moment 'point and shoot' situation.	(Take shot, AF/AE not primed)

Continuous mode

The tables below show the results of our continuous shooting test, indicating the actual frame rate along with maximum number of frames and how long you would have to wait after taking the maximum number of frames before you could take another shot. The media used for these tests was a 1 GB SanDisk Extreme III SD card. Shutter speed was kept above 1/200 sec during these tests.

Continuous drive mode

In continuous shooting mode the SX100 IS averages 1.3 frames per second which is pretty much normal for a camera in this class but a lot lower than the Panasonic TZ3 (which manages 3 frames a second, though only for a limited number of shots). With the SX100 IS shooting at this rate is only limited by the size of the memory card, so you do not need to worry about buffering. In Continuous AF mode things slow down a little as the camera refocuses before each shot.

Image Type	Mode	Avg. frames per sec	Frames in a burst *1	After burst
3264 x 2448 JPEG Super Fine	Continuous	1.3 fps	unlimited	n/a
3264 x 2448 JPEG Super Fine	Continuous AF	0.8 fps	unlimited	n/a
2592 x 1944 JPEG Fine	Continuous	1.2 fps	unlimited	n/a

*1	In a single "burst" (finger held down on shutter release).

Continuous shooting is good but not brilliant for this camera class - it is definitely a bonus though that continuous shooting is not limited by the size of a fast memory buffer. Ultimately few 'super zoom' cameras offer the performance needed for true 'sports action' photography, and the SX100 IS is no exception.

File Write / Display and Sizes

Timings shown below are the time taken for the camera to process and "flush" the image out to the storage card, the timer was started as soon as the shutter release was pressed and stopped when activity indicator went out. This means the timings also include the camera's processing time and as such are more representative of the actual time to "complete the task". The media used for these tests was a 1 GB SanDisk Extreme III SD card.

Image Type	Time to store (secs)	Time to display (secs)	File size *1 (approx.)	Images on a *2 1GB Card
3264 x 2448 JPEG Super Fine	~1.2	~0.2	3,370 KB	286
3264 x 2448 JPEG Fine	~0.9	~0.2	1,720 KB	476
3264 x 2448 JPEG Normal	~0.6	~0.2	730 KB	983
2592 x 1944 JPEG Fine	~0.7	~0.2	1,084 KB	695
2048 x 1536 JPEG Fine	~0.5	~0.2	690 KB	1086

*1	All file sizes are an average of three files. As is the case with JPEG it's difficult to predict the size of an image because it will vary a fair amount depending on the content of the image (detail and noise).
*2	Camera estimation.

With write times averaging around 1.2 seconds for a 8MP Super Fine JPEG the SX100 IS performs very well indeed for a camera at this level. If write times are high up on your list of priorities it makes sense to invest in some fast memory cards in order to take advantage of the cameras performance.

White Balance

The SX100 IS has five white balance presets (Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H) in addition to the default Auto and a custom (measured) mode. We did not experience any problems with Auto White Balance when shooting our outside galleries and the SX100 IS also copes well with most mixed light sources. However, it struggled to correct the color cast caused by shooting under artificial lighting.

While the performance under fluorescent light is about average, Auto White Balance really struggled with incandescent light sources, producing very warm results. According to Canon this is intentional in order to preserve the 'warm' atmosphere created by incandescent light bulbs. If you prefer your colors more neutral you should switch to the incandescent preset which produces much better results although far from perfect. In those instances when color temperature is crucial, manual White Balance is your best bet.

Incandescent - Auto WB Red 12.0%, Blue -21.3% Poor	Incandescent - Incandescent preset WB Red 3.2%, Blue -6.4%, Average
Fluorescent - Auto WB Red 1.6%, Blue -14.7%, Average	Fluorescent - Fluorescent preset WB Red 2.4%, Blue -4.9%, Average

Flash Performance

The built-in flash has a range (using auto ISO) of up to around 3.0 m (9.8 feet) at the wide end of the zoom, dropping to 2 m (6.6 feet) at the long end. We found color accuracy to be very reliable with the flash producing very slightly warm results. This is in most cases desirable as it produces natural skin tones in flash portraits. As expected from an AA battery powered camera, flash recycling times can be very long. When battery power is low you might as well go away and make a cup of tea for yourself and your subjects while waiting for the flash to recharge. Flash recycling times can get pretty close to the 10 sec mark, so always make sure you carry a fresh pair of AAs when you know you are going to use the flash a lot.

Skin tone - Slightly warm tone, good underexposure	Color chart -good color accuracy, slight underexposure

Macro Focus

Like a number of cameras in the superzoom league the SX100 IS features a macro mode that lets you focus down to a very close distance at wide angle: 1 cm in this case. The real-life applications of this feature are quite limited though. This close up you are quite likely to shade the subject with the camera itself, not to mention that any mobile subject would have made a getaway long before you get that close. Having said that the macro mode is fun to play with and you can get some interesting results.

At the wide end of the zoom (1 cm minimum focus distance) it captures an area 27mm (1.1 inches) across. At the long end of the lens the minimum distance is approximately 100cm, covering an area of 115mm (4.5 inches) across. There is quite some distortion at the wide end; that's hardly a surprise considering the lens is covering an extremely wide angle at this setting. Distortion at the tele end exists (and there's a touch of chromatic aberration), but is hardly noticeable. There is some corner softness although it won't be visible in anything but the largest of prints.

Wide macro - 27 mm x 20 mm coverage 121 px/mm (3063 px/in) Distortion: High Corner softness: Average Equiv. focal length: 36 mm	Telephoto macro - 115 mm x 86 mm coverage 28 px/mm (716 px/in) Distortion: Low Corner softness: Fairly low Equiv. focal length: 360 mm

Barrel and Pincushion Distortion

The distortion measurements for the SX100 IS are not bad at all considering the long zoom range. Barrel distortion at the wide end is pretty average at around 1.0%. This will be visible on straight objects close to the edge of the frame but it is not any worse than the competition. At the long end there is only very minor pincushion distortion at 0.2%, nothing that would be of any relevance unless test charts are one of your favorite subjects..

Barrel distortion - 1.0% at Wide angle Equiv. focal length: 36 mm	Pincushion distortion - 0.2% at Telephoto Equiv. focal length: 360 mm

Specific image quality issues

The SX100 IS is a very close relative to Canon's trusted A-Series cameras and it does therefore not come as a surprise that the image output is very similar both in terms in quality and 'character'. The SX100 IS produces admirably refined results at lower ISO settings that match image quality of far more expensive cameras - as long as you don't expect miracles and don't spend too long looking at 100% crops. Colors are natural, and auto white balance in daylight generally works accurately (although sometimes slightly on the warm side). Exposure is spot on in almost any shooting situation and so is the focus unless you try to track a fast moving object. Canon's approach to in-camera sharpening is fairly subtle. If you prefer your images slightly sharper, that's your choice, and you can easily apply an unsharp mask in post-processing, at least you've got the option (which you don't have if out-of-cam images are over-sharpened already).

Almost as expected from a camera with a 1/2.5 in sensor there is some highlight clipping in very bright, high contrast conditions. This is common to virtually all high pixel count small sensor compacts. These cameras struggle to capture the full tonal range in scenes with a large dynamic range (high contrast, very bright days). The reason for this is usually a combination of the limited dynamic range of the small sensors and a steep tone curve. The problem can be mitigated by applying some negative exposure compensation and/or reducing contrast in the My Colors menu.

Noise and NR at low ISO settings

Shooting in anything less than perfect light brings out some of the nastier characteristics of the tiny sensors used in compact cameras and the SX100 IS is no different. There are visible shadow noise and blurring of fine texture such as foliage (caused by noise reduction) even at base ISO. This is common to most small sensor cameras and by no means worse on the SX100 IS than on the competition's comparable cameras, but that doesn't make it any less unpleasant, and limits the usefulness of the output for large prints.

100% crop	360mm equiv., F4.3, ISO 80

Fringing

Color fringing around highlights is certainly not unique to the SX100 IS but some other manufacturers (such as Panasonic) have managed to rid of it through in-camera processing. Unfortunately Canon has not adopted this approach yet. Having said that red fringing on the SX100 IS is only visible in the typical high contrast scenarios and well within acceptable limits, we have certainly seen much worse in the past. Just something to watch out for.

100% crop	360mm equiv., F4.3

ISO Sensitivity / Noise levels ISO equivalence on a digital camera is the ability to increase the sensitivity of the sensor. The works by turning up the "volume" (gain) on the sensor's signal amplifiers (remember the sensor is an analogue device). By amplifying the signal you also amplify the noise which becomes more visible at higher ISO's. Many modern cameras also employ noise reduction and / or sharpness reduction at higher sensitivities. To measure noise levels we take a sequence of images of a GretagMacBeth ColorChecker chart (controlled artificial daylight lighting). The exposure is matched to the ISO (ie. ISO 200, 1/200 sec for consistency of exposure between cameras). The image sequence is run through our own proprietary noise measurement tool (version 1.5 in this review). (Note that noise values indicated on the graphs here can not be compared to those in other reviews.) Canon SX100 IS vs Panasonic DMC-TZ3 vs Sony DSC-H3 Canon SX100 IS ISO 80 n/a n/a   Canon SX100 IS ISO 100 Panasonic DMC-TZ3 ISO 100 Sony DSC-H3 ISO 100 Canon SX100 IS ISO 200 Panasonic DMC-TZ3 ISO 200 Sony DSC-H3 ISO 200 Canon SX100 IS ISO 400 Panasonic DMC-TZ3 ISO 400 Sony DSC-H3 ISO 400 Canon SX100 IS ISO 800 Panasonic DMC-TZ3 ISO 800 Sony DSC-H3 ISO 800 Canon SX100 IS ISO 1600 Panasonic DMC-TZ3 ISO 1250 Sony DSC-H3 ISO 1600 With tiny, high pixel count chips noise is always going to be an issue, and to a large degree this is more a test of the effectiveness (both measurable and visible) of a camera's noise reduction system. Designers have to balance the desire to produce smooth, clean results with the need to retain as much detail as possible (if you blur away the noise, you blur away image detail too). Canon's approach to noise reduction in the past has been unusually light-handed, clear preference was given to detail retention over image 'cleanliness'. More recently Canon's software engineers have modified this approach and there is now clearly more noise reduction applied to images (with a touch of mild smearing of low contrast detail visible even at ISO 80). That said at all settings from ISO 200 to ISO 800 the Canon is doing a decent job of balancing noise and noise reduction. Ultimately, you can't work around the fact that a 1/2.5 inch sensor simply is prone to noise. There is very mild noise visible in shadow areas even at base ISO, and once you get to ISO 800 there is enough noise to show on even the smallest prints. The amount of noise produced by these tiny sensors won't be much different from manufacturer to manufacturer; the noise reduction algorithms applied however are. Both Canon and Sony are trying to preserve detail by not pushing luminance NR too hard with varying degrees of success across the ISO range (at low ISO settings Canon wins, at higher settings Sony is nosing ahead). Panasonic has chosen a completely different route, applying an abundance of both chroma and luminance noise reduction resulting in smooth but blurred pictures with comparatively little detail at all higher ISO settings. Note that the Sony DSC-H3 does not offer manual white balance. For this test we used Cool Fluorescent white balance which produced the best results with our studio lights. Luminance noise graph Cameras compared: Canon SX100 IS, Panasonic TZ3, Sony H3 Indicated ISO sensitivity is on the horizontal axis of this graph, standard deviation of luminosity is on the vertical axis. RGB noise graph (ISO 80-1600) Cameras compared: Canon SX100 IS, Panasonic TZ3, Sony H3 Indicated ISO sensitivity is on the horizontal axis of this graph, standard deviation of each of the red, green and blue channels is on the vertical axis. Both graphs show what we've observed in both our test shots and our 'real life' samples. - the SX100 IS (still) applies comparatively low levels of noise reduction, so the results are a little noisier than those of some other cameras. On the plus side the SX100 IS retains a little more detail. This is quite evident in comparison to the TZ3 which has significantly lower (measured) noise levels but blurs a lot of detail away. The Sony H3 actually manages to balance noise reduction and detail retention remarkably well - probably the best here. Low contrast detail What the crops and graph don't show is the effect of noise reduction on low contrast fine detail such as hair, fur or foliage. An inevitable side effect of noise removal is that this kind of detail is also blurred or smeared, resulting in a loss of 'texture'. In this test the crops below show the effect of the noise reduction on such texture (hair) as you move up the ISO range. 100% Crops, F3.5 ISO 80 ISO 100 ISO 200 ISO 400 ISO 800 ISO 1600 These crops illustrate perfectly how the SX100 IS's noise reduction algorithms smear and blur image detail at higher ISO sensitivities (and that there is a little loss even at the lowest ISO settings). Noise and noise reduction artefacts are clearly visible from ISO 200 upwards. At ISO 400 you really start to lose a lot of detail and at ISO settings higher than that the hair starts to transition into an indefinable yellowish mass - save these settings for emergency use only. So then, the SX100 IS is not significantly different to most other compact cameras in the noise department. Try and avoid ISO settings higher than 400 and you're ok, the image stabilization should help with that. If you really have to use ISO 800 or 1600 you probably shouldn't print it any larger than postcard size.

Image stabilization

The optical image stabilization used on the SX100 IS is certainly one of the better systems we have tested recently. The camera has three modes: Continuous (IS on all the time), 'Shooting' (stabilization is only activated when the button is half-pressed to lock exposure) and 'Panning' (only stabilizes the effect of vertical camera shake, for photographing horizontally moving objects). Continuous mode makes framing easier - the system steadies the preview image - but obviously uses more battery power (it's on all the time).

The system makes handheld shots at 2 or even 3 shutter speeds slower than normal perfectly possible, although your hit-rate will decrease significantly once you get beyond that. The 100% crops below show the effectiveness of the IS system when shooting at full focal lengths at speeds as low as 1/10th sec.

Real world example: 360mm (equiv), 1/10th Second, hand-held
Stabilization off	Stabilization on

The stabilization test

In this simplified version of our SLR IS test, ten hand-held shots were taken of a static scene with the stabilization off and on. The shutter speed was decreased for each shot (from 1/500 sec to 1/15 sec). The zoom was set to its maximum position (360mm equiv.), the test target was 5 m away from the camera. The test was repeated 3 times and an average taken.

The resulting images were then inspected and given a blur score - 'Sharp' (no visible blurring at 100%), 'Mild Blur' (the kind of camera shake that is tolerable at small print sizes) and 'Heavy Blur' (virtually unusable due to camera shake) and 'Very Heavy Blur' (little discernible detail).

As the charts below show the IS system does give you a couple or even three stops advantage. At 1/50 (which is roughly three stops below the recommended minimum shutter speed (using the focal length reciprocal rule of thumb) you still have a 7/10 chance of getting a usable shot. And even at shutter speeds as slow as 1/15 sec 50% of shots are either sharp or only mildly blurred.

Hand-held, no stabilization (360mm equiv.)

As you can see from the chart below only at 1/250h sec or above can we be confident of getting sharp results from the majority of shots, and once you get to 1/50th sec and below the majority of shots are blurred, and none are sharp.

Hand-held, stabilization on (360mm equiv.)

With image stabilization activated the results improve significantly - you have a hit-rate of 100% usable images at all shots down to 1/125 sec. Even as shutter speeds as slow as 1/15th sec you have a one in five chance of getting a completely sharp and an 50% chance of getting an at least acceptable image.

Movie mode

Canon's movie mode is pretty similar on most of their Powershot compact cameras, with only some slight variations here and there. So don't expect any surprises when you switch the SX100 IS to movie mode. As is now the norm on most compact cameras the SX100 IS offers a maximum movie size of 640x480 pixels - enough to fill most television screens at 30 frames per second. It also offers the option to shoot at a smaller size and lower frame rate (useful if you want to send videos by email).

Just as other Canon Powershots we recently reviewed the image quality is good, the movies are very smooth and show very few compression artefacts. You can't use the optical zoom while recording. Digital zoom however works although inevitably the quality drops a little. The AVI files are comparatively large - at the best quality setting (640x480 / 30fps) you need more than 2MB for every second of movie. So if you shoot a lot of movies you should think about getting some some big, fast SD cards too.

	Here's the screen you see when you first turn the mode dial to movie mode. The jog-dial lets you switch between the standard and compact movie mode presets. Icons indicate the frame size, metering and the amount of recording time left on the card.
	On-screen information when recording movies is fairly basic - elapsed time and low battery warning if necessary.
	The FUNC menu gives you options for white balance, MyColors and movie size (640x480, 640x480 Long Play or 320x240 pixels). In compact mode the camera records 160x120 at 15fps.
	Pressing the menu button in movie recording allows you to change digital zoom, safety MF, grid lines and IS mode settings.
	In playback mode a thumbnail of the first frame of the movie appears when scrolling through saved images. Press the FUNC/SET to play movies. You can view a histogram and full shooting information for the movie by pressing the DISP button.
	When viewing movies a set of controls appears along the bottom of the frame allowing you to play, jump to either end and pause, move one frame at a time or play in slow motion.

Sample movie

	640x480 pixels @ 30fps 5.0 seconds File size: 10.5 MB Shot at wide angle (36mm equiv.) Click on the thumbnail to view the movie (caution: large file!)