Canon’s SX10 IS packs a 10Mp sensor and first looks are impressive with its black and grey, two-toned finish. The 20x optical zoom on the Canon Powershot SX10 IS has a focal length range of 28-560mm – equal to Sony’s HX1, but unlike Sony, Canon offers an attachment for a lens hood to protect images from flare. Like the Canon EOS 50D, the Canon SX10 IS assigns the same Digic 4 Processor technology inside. This contributes to its impressive write speed of just 1.5 secs – the fastest on test. Camera shake at the long end is combated with its optical image stabiliser that’s located in the lens, and it offers three modes - Continuous, Shoot and Panning.
At the rear there’s a 2.5in tilting screen with a sensitive scroll wheel alongside. The former may be average in size but its versatility for all-round angled viewing is superb. Another well-received feature is the Canon SX10’s hotshoe mount, which is compatible with Canon’s range of Speedlite flashguns. This makes the SX10 a good choice for portraits, when a more powerful or wireless flash system can be used. The bulky handgrip has a similar feel to Canon’s budget D-SLRs, but surprisingly, it doesn’t sport a rubberised finish. This is a very minor point, though, on what is a sturdy, well built camera. And all for a reasonable £289.
Great features like the Vari-angle screen and hotshoe mount allow you to get inventive and creative with your photography, and Canon’s optical IS system keeps hand-held images sharp at its maximum focal length. The handgrip feels as good as a budget D-SLR and its intuitive design along with valuable features earned this superzoom the prestigious DP Gold Award.
Digital Photo Gold Awardwww.canon.co.uk