Canon PowerShot SX40 HS Pro Reviews

Canon has raised the bar considerably in terms of image quality, quietness of operation and low light performance. This is thanks to its new HS System, but it's not as speedy as its rivals and it could do with a display upgrade and a RAW option.

This upgrade of the SX30 IS doesn't change a great deal but low light performance was good, as was slo-mo capture

If your main requirement from a camera is a large amount of optical zoom you can't go far wrong with the PowerShot SX40 HS. If it is manual controls that you particularly desire then there are a few cameras to consider, particularly with the SX40's price taking it to that of an entry level DSLR. Overall, picture quality is good and the camera has a wide range of features to help you take creative pictures.

The Canon PowerShot SX40 HS doesn't offer all the bells and whistles of competing full-size megazooms and its shooting performance lags behind them, too. However, it has plenty of positives including some of the best JPEG photo quality you'll find in this class as well as an extraordinarily long lens. If those things matter most to you, the SX40 HS is the way to go.

On the surface the SX40 HS is almost indistinguishable from its SX30 predecessor, and much the same can be said about using the camera. It's disappointing to not see significant advances in focusing speed and performance, and while a speedier 10.3fps Scene mode is available it's still not class leading in speed or ability. The small and low resolution LCD screen also feels out of date compared to the competition and there's still no sign of Raw shooting. But it's the SX40's inner workings that escalate the camera to greatness: thanks to the new back-lit CMOS sensor image quality is a mini triumph. Add to that the lens's huge 24-840mm range and excellent image stabilisation and the SX40 HS is hard to beat for a superzoom that provides a zoom in excess of 600mm.

I loved the promise of the SX40 - a single, integrated, relatively inexpensive camera that can capture every image from wide-angle to telephoto, from landscapes to sports - but quirky auto-focus at the telephoto end and the difficulty of finding subjects when zoomed in make it less than great for any type of wildlife or distance sports photography. And the penalty for the huge zoom range is a bulky lens which makes it difficult to fit in your pocket. However, the DIGIC5 processor and sharp lens deliver excellent images throughout their range, along with a bucket load of features. So the camera makes an excellent point and shoot with the added advantage of having the ultrazoom for the times you need it. If you need an ultrazoom that will let you go from wide angle to super-telephoto without changing lenses, the Canon PowerShot SX40 is a worthy choice. With a faster processor and upgraded sensor it has improved image quality over prior versions. But if you can get by with a smaller zoom range there are more compact options which deliver better image quality for the same price.

Since the SX40 HS costs roughly the same as an entry level DSLR plus kit lens you've really got to want the broad paparazzi-style focal range on offer here to even think about parting with your cash. If you've got over that hurdle it does just about everything one would want, apart from the ability to swap lenses - not that most amateurs would want to anyway given that extensive focal range.

The Canon PowerShot SX40 HS may be little more than the SX30 IS equipped with a new sensor, but this single change has a significant impact on the camera as a whole. The 720p video and paltry 1.3fps continuous shooting of the SX30 IS have now been upgraded to 1080p and up to 10.3fps (for eight frames anyway), while the switch to CMOS, drop in resolution and new image processor really do lower noise levels with no perceptible loss in real-life resolving power.

For those looking to get started with photography, this is a fantastic, fuss-free choice that will help you learn more about manual controls and different shooting options. It's worth noting that while you can pick up an entry level DSLR, such as the Canon EOS 1100D for around the same price, which will give better image quality overall, you do get the incredible zoom range in a smaller and lighter body that isn't part of a more expensive system.

The Canon PowerShot SX40 HS offers an impressive 35x zoom range, fast continuous shooting, and very good image quality. You won't be able to fit it into your pocket, but this megazoom can capture telephoto images that a smaller camera couldn't dream of.

The Canon PowerShot SX40 HS is a brilliantly versatile bridge camera whose key feature, that 35x optical zoom, is made all the more attractive by an excellent image stabilisation system. Picture quality is good and overall speed is much improved over its series precursor, the SX30. If you can live without the picture quality perfection and improved low light performance of a DSLR, this is a great buy.

So while there’s plenty about the SX40 to keep superzoom snappers more than happy, it may feel disappointing to others who were expecting a total reworking of the SX-series. Good where images are concerned, but just not quite the best across the board.

If you’re considering a mega-zoom, the SX40 HS is a slam dunk. We can’t be any clearer: If you’re in this neighborhood, buy it. The camera takes fine photos, is loaded with nice features, has cool filters and takes quality movies.

It's a close call choosing between the SX40 IS with its superior image quality and the FZ150 with its faster performance, bigger, sharper screen, raw capture and full control over video exposures. The FZ150 is only a little behind for image quality, though, and much further ahead for performance, so it retains its place as our favourite ultra-zoom camera. The SX40 IS comes a very close second, though.