340.– CHF
Canon PowerShot zoom
13.8 - 55.5 mm, 12.10 Mpx, 1/3"
Canon PowerShot Zoom: Mini camera for telephoto shots only
16.10.2020
Translation: machine translated
The Canon PowerShot Zoom is the most extraordinary compact camera in years. It can't do much - but it can do exactly what smartphones can't. Does the world need it?
Something is finally happening again in the otherwise boring compact camera segment. You can tell at first glance that the new Canon PowerShot Zoom is no run-of-the-mill camera.
The compact camera specialises in telephoto photography. It shows image sections that correspond to the focal lengths of 100, 400 and 800 mm on a full-frame camera. 100 mm is a light telephoto, 400 mm is a very strong telephoto and 800 mm is super telephoto. However, the camera only achieves the maximum magnification with a digital zoom.
You can switch between these three levels. Continuous zooming is apparently not possible. The lens speed is f/5.6 at 100 mm and f/6.3 at 400 mm. It remains the same at 800 mm because nothing is changed optically.
The only screen on the camera is the viewfinder. With the camera on your face, images are less blurred. The built-in image stabiliser also helps here.
A fairly simple gadget
The specifications of this snapper are anything but impressive:
- 1/3-inch sensor with 12 megapixels. That's a very small sensor.
- JPEG only, no RAW. Who would have thought that would still exist in 2020?
- Video maximum Full HD and 10 minutes at max. 30 fps
- 10 continuous shots per second, without tracking autofocus
- OLED viewfinder with 2.36 million dots, 100 per cent coverage at 60 fps refresh rate
- Slot for microSD memory card
- WLAN and Bluetooth
It's not just the specs that are slimmed down, but also the weight compared to other compacts: The camera weighs just 145 grams. At just over 3×5×10 cm, it fits in any trouser pocket. It is presumably intended as a zoom supplement to the smartphone. In any case, I see the Zoom as a gadget that appeals to a completely different target group than is usually the case with Canon.
The sales figures in the run-up to Christmas will show whether the world needs something like this. The PowerShot Zoom will be available from November 2020. <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.
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