Canon Powershot SX280 HS Review
Introduction
The Canon PowerShot SX280 HS camera is a new travel-zoom camera that replaces the SX260 HS model. The SX280 has a 20x, 25-500mm optical zoom lens with built-in anti-shake system that features an enhanced Dynamic IS video mode with 5-axis stablizer. There's also a 12.1 megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor, 3 inch LCD screen with 460k-dot resolution, DIGIC 6 image processing engine, full 1080p HD Movie Mode at 60fps with stereo sound and an HDMI output, and a Smart Auto mode with Scene Detection Technology and an Easy mode for beginners. The Canon SX280 HS also offers on-board GPS with included Map Utility software and GPS logger function, built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, a full range of manual exposure modes for more experienced photographers, fast 14fps burst shooting at full 12 megapixel resolution, Face Identification, a range of Creative Filters and 120/240fps Super Slow Motion Movies. The Canon PowerShot SX280 is priced at £299 / $329 / €359 and is available in black or red.
Ease of Use
At first glance the new Canon PowerShot SX280 HS looks almost exactly the same as its SX260 HS predecessor, but design-wise and operationally it's not quite a perfect match. The build quality of the SX280 HS is the usual solid mixture of plastic and metal, with the camera feeling sturdy enough to withstand the odd drop or knock. Curved edges and corners make it appear less boxy and rectangular than it actually is, and while the SX280 HS is noticeably bigger and especially wider than your average compact, it still just about fits into your pocket and is reasonably light too at 233g with the memory card and battery inserted.
This modest bulk feels like a fair compromise given the 20x built-in zoom power, although the lens does extend an ungainly 2-inches from the body when using the maximum 500mm equivalent telephoto setting. Still, having the equivalent of a 25-500mm zoom lens in such a relatively small body is no mean feat, although perhaps inevitably the maximum apertures at either end of the range are pretty slow (f/3.5 and f/6.8 respectively). We suspect that most users won't notice that detail, however, instead attracted by the ability to capture everything from ultra-wide-angle landscapes to up close and personal action shots.
Helping to steady the SX280 HS is a prominent handgrip on the front. Used in conjunction with the effective image stabilisation system which automatically prevents blur by matching the optical Image Stabilizer to the scene from 7 different modes, this vertical bar helps to ensure that most of your shots in good light are sharp, whatever the focal length. Completing the front of the SX280 HS is a small window for a self timer/AF assist lamp positioned to the top left of the lens, small holes for the stereo speakers, and a microphone at the bottom-right of the lens.
On top of the camera next to the large shutter release button which has just the right amount of 'give' to enable users to determine a definite halfway point when pressed and encircling the shutter release button is a responsive rocker switch for operating the zoom - a nudge to the right zooming in, to the left zooming out. Alongside is a hump that houses the built-in GPS system, which is set to off as a default. To enable it, you have to go into the main menu, go to Settings and scroll down to the GPS Settings sub menu. It's worth noting that GPS shouldn't be used in every country, so if you're travelling abroad you should check with that country's regulations to make sure you're OK doing it. The GPS Logger function charts your journey for up to 48 hours on a single battery charge, and you can view your progress on the included Map Utility software. The upgraded GPS system didn't have too much trouble locking onto a sattelite indoors or in a built-up urban area, and we found that it worked reliably outside even with cloud cover.
The Map Utility software for uploading the pictures to Google Maps is included along with the manual disc in the box. You can easy install all items or custom install just the ones you want to. It's relatively easy to find out how to view your pictures on the map, the main problem we had was how to navigate away from the My Pictures folder that the software defaults to, so that we could get to our dedicated folder storing the Canon pictures. The ones that have GPS information have a small satellite icon in the top corner. The readings are extremely accurate - we would say to within a few metres.
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| Front | Rear |
More and more digital compact cameras are being produced with wi-fi connectivity, but there's not generally a great deal that can be done with it. Usually, you can only upload your pictures to another device or website. Canon have gone to town though and squeezed every last bit of use from it. For example, you can download Canon CameraWindow app from App Store or Google Play and connect the camera to your phone for wireless control. You can use your phone as a GPS service to geotag your photographs. You can back-up your photos to a website or computer, print directly with a wi-fi enabled printer as well as the previously mentioned uploading to social media.
Also located on top of the SX280 HS are the small pop-up flash unit and a recessed on/off button, which is a little unresponsive to use but at least ensures that the camera won't be turned on inadvertently.
Moving to the rear of the camera, the shooting mode wheel on the top right of the back plate features a plethora of options - 12 in total - with the sort of set-up found on an entry-level DSLR in relation to its mixture of creative manual options, plus point and shoot modes for common subjects. Canon has here thoughtfully included an 'easy mode' in addition to the scene and subject recognizing Smart Auto - the former denoted by a camera with a heart icon that more usually denotes a 'favourites' setting. This mode disables pretty much everything in terms of user selectable shooting options and so allows for fuss-free point and shoot operation suitable for complete beginners. The Live mode takes things one step further in terms of complexity by allowing you to change the camera's key settings via three onscreen sliders - dark to light, neutral to vivid, and cool to warm.
The shooting mode dial is also where you'll find the camera's scene modes, some of which again mirror the kind of selections you'll find on the latest consumer DSLRs and Micro Four Thirds hybrids. Further hand holding is provided by the Smart Shutter scene mode which as it sounds allows the shutter to be controlled with a smile or a wink, increasing the overall user-friendly feel and handy for when you want to include yourself in the picture. The shooting mode dial also provides access access to the creative effects mode, which contains 9 different looks including the popular perspective warping fisheye, miniature and toy camera options, and the interesting Movie Digest mode, which captures up to 4 seconds of the action before a still shot is taken, then joins all the clips together from the same day into a single VGA movie, which creates a time-lapse movie overview.
Of course when you're given fun new tools such as the above effects, the overwhelming temptation is to go crazy with them. Certainly the tilt and shift lens-like 'miniature effect' that transforms friends and colleagues into the equivalent of toy soldiers is hard to resist. Plus, with a press of the 'display' button on the SX280 HS's back plate followed by a toggle of the zoom switch on the top plate, users can go one further and precisely control the width of the portion of the image that is sharply in focus, leaving the rest artistically blurred. A live preview of each one is handily shown on screen so you don't even have to take a picture to see what the results of each effect will be.
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| Pop-up Flash | Side |
Unfortunately such effects cannot also be used when recording movies, though users do have access to the 'My Colors' settings, including colour swap and colour accent for anyone wanting to experiment something visually different from the norm, even if the results do at times resemble an early 1990's grunge rock video. Smart Auto is deployed in movie mode, though, with the camera referencing 21 different presets to find the most appropriate.
Perhaps most usefully, the full extent of the 20x optical zoom can also be deployed when shooting movies, its ultra quiet transition meaning that the built-in microphone doesn't pick up operational buzzes, the usual reason for manufacturers disabling the zoom. Focus is automatically adjusted as the user zooms in or out, which, with no alternative manual adjustment ring, means the footage can go soft for a moment or two before the camera locks on target. Canon states that Dynamic Image Stabilisation also kicks in when shooting video to ensure smooth tracking shots, of use when filming whilst walking for example. The SX280 HS records 1920x1080p Full HD movies at 60/30fps with stereo sound, making it one of the few compact cameras currently on the market to offer such good quality, while the Intelligent IS system helps to keep your footage steady.
Changing modes and features on the SX280 HS is a simple task thanks to a friendly user interface (UI) and straightforward menu system. Of the two menus, arguably the one you will use the most is the Function menu, activated by the Func/Set button in the middle of the four-way navigation pad. This gives you quick access to the most used functions of the camera, and everything is labelled clearly so you can understand what is what - the same goes for the Main menu system too.
Ensuring swiftness of operation, Canon has included a Digic VI processor as found within its more grown up DSLRs. Otherwise the PowerShot SX280 HS incorporates technology very similar to its other current non-super zoom IXUS and PowerShot compacts. As previously touched on, it features Smart Auto with Scene Detection Technology whereby the camera compares subjects with no less than 58 on-board variables and selects the most appropriate for optimum results. Also making an appearance here are shadow detail enhancing i-Contrast, Smart Flash Exposure which adjusts flash levels according to prevailing conditions, plus Face Detection technology which can recognize up to a whopping 35 faces in a frame, whilst Face Self Timer allows you as photographer to join them before the shutter fires.
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| Front | Top |
The SX280 HS sports a built-in flash of the pop up variety, positioned to one side of the lens which lessens the chance of red eye (with automatic red eye correction software further built-in as a belt and braces approach and selectable via the shooting menu folder). Thankfully Canon have seen the light and finally stopped the flash from automatically popping up when the camera is initially switched on, as on some of the SX280's predecessors. This was inevitably more than slightly irritating if you didn't actually intend to use it, with the only option being to press it down to return it to its dormant state.
As expected, in the absence of any modest integral memory - something with which Canon has quietly stopped bothering with of late as resolutions have grown higher - captured pictures and movie clips are written to optional SD, SDHC or even higher capacity (up to 2TB) SDXC cards. As regards video, the ability is also provided for Eye-Fi transfer and the camcorder-like direct upload of videos to YouTube to keep the younger members of the family happy.
The SX280 HS powers up in just over a second, rear LCD bursting into life and zoom extending to maximum wideangle setting so the camera is ready for action. With a half press of the shutter release button the camera takes a further second to determine focus and exposure, AF point/s highlighted in green with the customary beep of confirmation that focus and exposure has been determined and the user is free to pursue the shot. Go on to fire the shutter and a full resolution 12 megapixel image is committed to memory in a couple of seconds, the screen briefly blanking out before returning to the real-time scene before the lens. The amount of time the captured image appears on screen as a means of review can be altered via the menu folders.
The SX280 HS features an excellent 3-inch, 460k dot resolution widescreen format LCD at the rear that displays a 4:3 image ratio as its default setting. That's unless one is shooting HD movies with stereo sound, whereby the picture is automatically relayed in 16:9 ratio to more closely ape how it would appear when viewed on a desktop PC, or a flat panel TV. The excellent High-speed Burst mode shoots at a fast rate of 14fps at full 12 megapixel resolution (although only for 7 frames), one of the major benefits of the new Digic 6 processor, while the Super Slow Motion Movie mode offers a great way to dramatically slow down fast-moving subjects, shooting at either 240fps at 320x240 pixel resolution or 120fps at 640x480 pixels.
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| Memory Card Slot | Battery Compartment |
With approximately four fifths of the Canon's backplate taken up with the elongated widescreen format LCD, its operational controls are shunted over to the far right. Starting at the top, we have the penny-sized shooting mode dial with its ridged edge enabling a more definite purchase and nicely solid feel. This rigidity ensures it clicks into place for each setting in such a way that it is hard to accidentally slip from one option to another when fetching the camera out of a pocket or camera bag.
Below the shooting mode dial are the one-touch video record button, and next to it the identically sized replay/playback button. These two self-explanatory controls sit above the command/dial scroll wheel. It's here that alterations can be made to flash settings, as well as those for self timer, auto, close up (to 5cm from a subject) or manual focus, plus exposure compensation (+/- 2EV). In manual focus mode a distance slider appears at the right of the screen, adjustable with a swivel of the scroll wheel (so it's a bit fiddly), rather than more intuitively tabbing up or down. Any changes to the status quo are naturally effected with a press of the central function/set button as previously described. The Self-timer button doubles up as a Delete button when playing back your images.
The bottom pairing of buttons on the SX280 HS' back meanwhile are for the self explanatory 'display' and 'menu'; press the former and on-screen shooting information is either turned off or summoned up. Via the menu screens, users can also activate compositional grid lines or opt to present an image with grey bars cropping the default 4:3 presented ratio to a 3:2 ratio equivalent if so desired. Subsequently a press of the 'menu' button itself brings up two folders - the first containing the shooting menu - it's here users can activate the likes of the iContrast setting - the second the standard set up menu.
The right hand flank of the camera - if continuing to view it from the back - is where you'll find HDMI connectivity under a plastic port cover attached via a rather flimsy rubber catch. This is the port allowing the camera to be hooked up to a flat panel TV once you've purchased the relevant cable, and is presented adjacent to a second more traditional AV/USB out port. Under this compartment there's a plastic lug for attaching the wrist strap provided in the box. Underneath a side open catch and door at the base of the SX280 HS there's another dual compartment, with a slot for media card plus the provided rechargeable battery, good for a so-so 210 shots from a full charge, 20 less than its predecessor, but only if you don't use the GPS features which rather drastically reduces the battery life to between 100-150 shots.
That concludes our tour of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS' features and controls - next we'll take a close look at its image quality.
Image Quality
All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 12 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 4.5Mb.
The Canon PowerShot SX280 HS produces images of very good quality. It recorded noise-free images at ISO 100, 200 and 400, with some noise and slight colour desaturation at ISO 800. ISO 1600 shows more obvious noise and loss of colour but still remains perfectly usable, and even the faster setting of ISO 3200 doesn't suffer too badly, although we'd avoid using the fastest speed of ISO 6400.
The Canon PowerShot SX280 HS handled chromatic aberrations very well, with limited purple fringing effects appearing only in high contrast situations and generally at the edges of the frame. The built-in flash worked well indoors, with no red-eye and good overall exposure. The night photograph was excellent, with the maximum shutter speed of 15 seconds being long enough for most after-dark shots.
Anti-shake works very well when hand-holding the camera in low-light conditions or when using the telephoto end of the zoom range. Macro performance is good, allowing you to focus as close as 5cms away from the subject. The images were a little soft straight out of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS at the default sharpening setting and ideally require some further sharpening in an application like Adobe Photoshop, or you can change the in-camera setting. The range of Creative Filters and the My Color modes help to spice up your images.
Noise
There are 8 ISO settings available on the Canon Powershot SX280 HS. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting:
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ISO 80 (100% Crop) |
ISO 100 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 200 (100% Crop) |
ISO 400 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 800 (100% Crop) |
ISO 1600 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 3200 (100% Crop) |
ISO 6400 (100% Crop) |
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Sharpening
Here are two 100% crops which have been Saved as Web - Quality 50 in Photoshop. The right-hand image has had some sharpening applied in Photoshop. The out-of-the camera images are a little soft at the default setting ideally and benefit from some further sharpening in a program like Adobe Photoshop. You can also change the in-camera sharpening level to suit your tastes via the My Colors menu option.
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Original (100% Crop) |
Sharpened (100% Crop) |
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Focal Range
The Canon Powershot SX280 HS' 20x zoom lens provides a versatile focal length of 25-500mm in 35mm terms, as demonstrated below.
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25mm |
500mm |
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File Quality
The Canon Powershot SX280 HS has 2 different image quality settings available, with SuperFine being the highest quality option. Here are some 100% crops which show the quality of the various options, with the file size shown in brackets.
| 12M SuperFine (4.72Mb) (100% Crop) | 12M Fine (3.21Mb) (100% Crop) |
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Chromatic Aberrations
The Canon Powershot SX280 HS handled chromatic aberrations excellently during the review, with limited purple fringing present around the edges of objects in certain high-contrast situations, as shown in the example below.
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Chromatic Aberrations 1 (100% Crop) |
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Macro
The Canon Powershot SX280 HS offers a Macro setting that allows you to focus on a subject that is 5cms away from the camera when the lens is set to wide-angle. The first image shows how close you can get to the subject (in this case a compact flash card). The second image is a 100% crop.
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Macro |
Macro (100% Crop) |
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Flash
The flash settings on the Canon Powershot SX280 HS are Auto, Flash On, Slow Synchro, and Flash Off, with Red-eye Correction and Red-Eye Lamp settings available via the Flash Settings main menu option. These shots of a white coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m.
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Flash Off - Wide Angle (25mm) |
Auto Flash - Wide Angle (25mm) |
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Flash Off - Telephoto (500mm) |
Auto Flash - Telephoto (500mm) |
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And here are some portrait shots. As you can see, neither the Flash On setting or the Red-Eye Correction option caused any red-eye.
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Flash On |
Flash On (100% Crop) |
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Red-eye Correction |
Red-eye Correction (100% Crop) |
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Night
The Canon Powershot SX280 HS's maximum shutter speed is 15 seconds in the Long Shutter mode, which is good news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 15 seconds at ISO 80. The camera takes the same amount of time again to apply noise reduction, so for example at the 15 second setting the actual exposure takes 30 seconds.
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Night |
Night (100% Crop) |
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Anti Shake
The Canon Powershot SX280 HS has an anti-shake mechanism, which allows you to take sharp photos at slower shutter speeds than other digital cameras. To test this, we took 2 handheld shots of the same subject with the same settings. The first shot was taken with anti shake turned off, the second with it turned on. As you can see, with anti shake turned on, the images are much sharper than with anti shake turned off.
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Shutter Speed / Focal Length |
Anti Shake Off (100% Crop) |
Anti Shake On (100% Crop) |
| 1/8th sec / 25mm | |
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| 1/3rd sec / 500mm | |
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My Colors
The My Colors function menu option contains the now familiar range of colour options for tweaking the look of your images before shooting.
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Off |
Vivid |
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Neutral |
Sepia |
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B/W |
Positive Film |
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Lighter Skin Tone |
Darker Skin Tone |
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Vivid Blue |
Vivid Green |
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Vivid Red |
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Creative Filters
The Canon Powershot SX280 HS has 9 different creative filter options to help spice up your images.
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Fish-eye Effect |
Miniature Effect |
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Toy Camera Effect |
Soft Focus |
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Monochrome |
Super Vivid |
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Poster Effect |
Color Accent |
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Color Swap |
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Sample Images
This is a selection of sample images from the Canon Powershot SX280 HS camera, which were all taken using the 12 megapixel Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.
1/8s · f/3.5 · ISO 80
4.5mm
Download Original
1/10s · f/3.5 · ISO 100
4.5mm
Download Original
1/20s · f/3.5 · ISO 200
4.5mm
Download Original
1/40s · f/3.5 · ISO 400
4.5mm
Download Original
1/80s · f/3.5 · ISO 800
4.5mm
Download Original
1/160s · f/3.5 · ISO 1600
4.5mm
Download Original
1/320s · f/3.5 · ISO 3200
4.5mm
Download Original
1/640s · f/3.5 · ISO 6400
4.5mm
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1/100s · f/3.5 · ISO 3200
4.5mm
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1/200s · f/3.5 · ISO 6400
4.5mm
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1/60s · f/3.5 · ISO 1600
4.5mm
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1/30s · f/3.5 · ISO 640
4.5mm
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1/13s · f/3.5 · ISO 1600
4.5mm
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1/30s · f/4 · ISO 800
9.55mm
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1/20s · f/3.5 · ISO 1250
4.5mm
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1/20s · f/3.5 · ISO 1000
4.5mm
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1/30s · f/3.5 · ISO 320
4.5mm
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1/60s · f/3.5 · ISO 500
4.5mm
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1/15s · f/5 · ISO 1600
24.12mm
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1/30s · f/3.5 · ISO 250
5.45mm
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1/20s · f/3.5 · ISO 1000
5.45mm
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1/30s · f/4.5 · ISO 800
10.88mm
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1/30s · f/3.5 · ISO 640
4.5mm
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1/30s · f/4 · ISO 640
6.05mm
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1/15s · f/4.5 · ISO 1600
11.94mm
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1/40s · f/4 · ISO 640
8.33mm
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1/50s · f/3.5 · ISO 1600
4.5mm
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1/20s · f/3.5 · ISO 1600
4.5mm
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1/25s · f/3.5 · ISO 1600
4.5mm
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1/25s · f/3.5 · ISO 1600
4.5mm
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1/30s · f/3.5 · ISO 1600
4.5mm
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1/25s · f/3.5 · ISO 1600
4.5mm
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1/50s · f/3.5 · ISO 1600
4.5mm
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1/20s · f/3.5 · ISO 1600
4.5mm
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1/60s · f/3.5 · ISO 1600
4.5mm
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4/10s · f/3.5 · ISO 80
4.5mm
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3/10s · f/3.5 · ISO 100
4.5mm
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1/8s · f/3.5 · ISO 200
4.5mm
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1/15s · f/3.5 · ISO 400
4.5mm
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1/30s · f/3.5 · ISO 800
4.5mm
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1/60s · f/3.5 · ISO 1600
4.5mm
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1/125s · f/3.5 · ISO 3200
4.5mm
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1/250s · f/3.5 · ISO 6400
4.5mm
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1/8s · f/3.5 · ISO 80
4.5mm
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1/10s · f/3.5 · ISO 100
4.5mm
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1/20s · f/3.5 · ISO 200
4.5mm
Download Original
1/40s · f/3.5 · ISO 400
4.5mm
Download Original
1/80s · f/3.5 · ISO 800
4.5mm
Download Original
1/160s · f/3.5 · ISO 1600
4.5mm
Download Original
1/320s · f/3.5 · ISO 3200
4.5mm
Download Original
1/640s · f/3.5 · ISO 6400
4.5mm
Download Original
1/60s · f/3.5 · ISO 320
4.5mm
Download Original
1/60s · f/3.5 · ISO 80
4.5mm
Download Original
1/13s · f/3.5 · ISO 80
4.5mm
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1/8s · f/6.8 · ISO 80
90mm
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1/4s · f/3.5 · ISO 80
4.5mm
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1/160s · f/6.8 · ISO 80
90mm
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1/160s · f/6.8 · ISO 80
90mm
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1/200s · f/5.6 · ISO 80
49.01mm
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150/10s · f/3.5 · ISO 80
4.5mm
Download Original
Sample Movie & Video
This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 20 second movie is 58.9Mb in size.
Product Images
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Front of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS |
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Front of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS / Turned On |
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Front of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS / Pop-up Flash |
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Side of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS |
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Side of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS |
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Side of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS |
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Side of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS |
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Rear of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS |
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Rear of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS / Image Displayed |
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Rear of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS / Turned On |
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Rear of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS / Function Menu |
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Rear of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS / Main Menu |
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Top of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS |
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Bottom of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS |
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Side of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS |
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| Side of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS |
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| Front of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS |
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| Front of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS |
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| Memory Card Slot |
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| Battery Compartment |
Conclusion
The SX280 HS principally adds built-in wi-fi connectivity, the latest DIGIC 6 image processing engine, 60fps movies, quicker GPS and better image quality at the same price-point as last year's SX260 HS model. The wireless feature feels a little half-baked, especially in comparison to Samsung's recent compacts, and we'd have liked a touchscreen interface, but overall the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS is a well-specified travel-zoom that offers the best image quality in its class.
Image quality is slightly better than on the previous SX260, which was already very good, thanks to the debut of the DIGIC 6 processor. The back-illuminated sensor helps the SX280 to perform well in low light, with a usable ISO range of 100-1600 and even the higher settings proving adequate for web use and smaller prints, although we'd avoid the new top speed of ISO 6400. Full manual controls make the SX280 HS as well suited to more experienced users looking for a compact alternative to their DSLR as it is the beginner, but disappointingly there's still now raw format support.
The same 25-500mm, 20x zoom lens offers a broad focal range that makes it possible to frame up subjects near or far in pretty much an instant, pretty amazing given the size of the SX280 HS which is only a little larger than most compacts. The GPS system has been speeded-up, so that the waiting time for a lock on the nearest satellite is shorter, while wi-fi makes its first appearance on a Canon travel-zoom. As with Canon's other wireless compacts, though, it doesn't offer all of the features of rival systems and is a little difficult to both setup and use. Using both GPS and wi-fi quickly drained the battery, so buy a couple of spares if you want to take full advantage of the camera's features.
Despite our quibbles with the wi-fi implementation and lack of touch-screen control, the inclusion of DIGIC 6 has brought a number of significant improvements to Canon's 2013 travel-zoom model, making the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS a real contender to the market-leading Panasonic TZ series.
| Ratings (out of 5) | |
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| Design | 4.5 |
| Features | 4.5 |
| Ease-of-use | 4 |
| Image quality | 4.5 |
| Value for money | 4 |
Main Rivals
Listed below are some of the rivals of the Canon Powershot SX280 HS.
Fujifilm Finepix F800EXR
The FinePix F800EXR is the latest travel-zoom camera from Fujifilm, sporting a 20x lens with a versatile focal range of 25-500mm. The 16 megapixel F800 EXR also features wireless image transfer, GPS support, full 1080p movies, a high-contrast 3 inch LCD screen and 8fps continuous shooting. Read our in-depth Fujifilm FinePix F800 EXR review to find out if it's the ultimate travel camera...
Nikon Coolpix S9400
The Nikon Coolpix S9400 is a stylish and affordable travel-zoom compact camera. Featuring an 18x zoom lens with a focal range of 25-450mm, the Coolpix S9400 has a 18 megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor, high-resolution 3-inch OLED screen and can shoot 1080p Full HD movies. Read our expert Nikon Coolpix S9400 review...
Olympus SZ-30MR
The Olympus SZ-30MR is a new travel-zoom compact camera, featuring a 24x lens that provides a focal range of 25-600mm, yet is still small enough to fit into your pocket. Other key features offered by the SZ-30MR include a 16 megapixel CMOS sensor, 1080p HD video recording, 3 inch LCD screen, 9fps high-speed continuous shooting, sensor-shift image stabilisation and a range of Magic Filters. Priced at £250 / $350, we find out if the Olympus SZ-30MR is the best travel zoom camera that money can buy.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ40
The Lumix DMC-TZ40 is Panasonic's new flagship travel-zoom compact camera for 2013. The TZ40 (also known as the ZS30) packs an 18 megapixel sensor, 20x wide-angle zoom lens, 3 inch LCD touchscreen, 1080p HD movies, 10fps burst shooting, built-in wi-fi and GPS connectivity and full manual controls into its pocketable body. Read our Panasonic DMC-TZ40 / ZS30 review to find out if its the best travel-zoom camera...
Pentax Optio VS20
The Pentax VS20 is an innovative travel-zoom compact camera featuring a 20x image-stabilized zoom lens, 16 megapixel sensor, 3-inch LCD screen, 720p HD movies and not one but two shutter release buttons. Retailing for around £200 / $250, read our Pentax VS20 review to find out if it can take on its many travelzoom rivals...
Samsung WB850F
The Samsung WB850 is a new travel-zoom camera with a mouth-watering specification. The WB850 offers a wide-angle 21x zoom lens, 16.2 megapixels, Full 1080p video recording, 3 inch AMOLED screen, built-in wi-fi and GPS, plus full manual controls. Read our detailed Samsung WB850 review to find out if it's a contender for the travel zoom crown.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V is a new travel-zoom compact camera that seemingly offers all of the latest must-have features. A 16x 24-384mm Sony G lens, built-in GPS tracking, full 1080p high-definition video with stereo sound, a 16 megapixel CMOS sensor, high-resolution 3-inch screen, manual shooting mode, 10fps continuous shooting, 3D photos, and SD memory card support are all present and correct. Read our in-depth Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V review to find out if all this adds up to a great camera...
Review Roundup
Reviews of the Canon Powershot SX280 HS from around the web.
cameralabs.com »
The Canon PowerShot SX280 HS is a 12 Megapixel pocket super-zoom with a 20x optical range and built-in Wifi and GPS. Announced in March 2013 it's the successor to the popular SX260 HS and like that model it's available in two versions. The slightly cheaper SX270 HS, available in some regions, is identical other than lacking the Wifi and GPS capabilities of the SX280 HS. As such everything in this review apart from the Wifi and GPS sections applies to the SX270 HS.
Read the full review »
pocket-lint.com »
In the search for all-in-one compact camera perfection the Canon's thrown its latest tech into the ring: the PowerShot SX280 HS is the first Canon model to introduce the Digic 6 processing engine. But by resting on the same 20x optical zoom and 12.1-megapixel sensor specifications as its SX260 predecessor, is there enough to shout about in this latest travel zoom?
Read the full review »
pcmag.com »
The Canon PowerShot SX280 HS ($329.99 direct)$299.00 at Adorama is a pocket-size camera with a long 20x zoom lens. It packs a wealth of features into its svelte frame, including Wi-Fi and GPS. Images from the 12-megapixel CMOS sensor are sharp, although some details are smudged away at very high ISO settings. The camera doesn't have a fast lens like higher-end compacts with shorter zoom ratios, and while it's a bit on the pricey side, it isn't out of line with the competition. The SX280's combination of zoom, image quality, and extra features make for an attractive package, one that is good enough to oust the older, more expensive Sony Cyber-shot HX30V as our Editors' Choice compact superzoom.
Read the full review »
digitalversus.com »
Following last year's attractive SX260 HS, Canon's SX280 HS is an updated superzoom compact for 2013. But Canon hasn't made a whole lot of changes this time around, as the two models are virtually identical, notably keeping the same sensor and lens. In fact, the only real differences in this year's version are the addition of Wi-Fi connectivity and an upgraded DIGIC image processor (the sixth generation in 10 years).
Read the full review »
Specifications
IMAGE SENSOR
| Type | 1/2.3 type back-illuminated CMOS |
|---|---|
| Effective Pixels | Approx. 12.1M |
| Colour Filter Type | Primary Colour |
IMAGE PROCESSOR
| Type | DIGIC 6 |
|---|
LENS
| Focal Length | 4.5 – 90.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 25 – 500 mm) |
|---|---|
| Zoom | Optical 20x ZoomPlus 40x Digital Approx. 4.0x (with Digital Tele-Converter Approx. 1.5x or 2.0x and Safety Zoom¹). Combined Approx. 80x |
| Maximum f/number | f/3.5 – f/6.8 |
| Construction | 12 elements in 10 groups (1 UD lens, 2 double-sided aspherical lens) |
| Image Stabilisation | Yes (lens shift-type), 4-stop (Canon standard). Intelligent IS |
FOCUSING
| Type | TTL |
|---|---|
| AF System/Points | Face Detection, 1-point AF (fixed to centre) |
| AF Modes | Single, Continuous, Servo AF/AE¹, Tracking AF, Underwater Macro, Quick |
| AF Point Selection | Size (Normal, Small) |
| AF Lock | On/Off Selectable |
| AF Assist Beam | Yes |
| Manual Focus | Yes |
| Closest Focusing Distance | 5 cm (W) from front of lens in macro |
EXPOSURE CONTROL
| Metering Modes | Evaluative (linked to Face Detection AF frame), Centre-weighted average, Spot (Centre) |
|---|---|
| AE Lock | On/Off Selectable |
| Exposure Compensation | +/- 2 EV in 1/3 stop increments. Enhanced i-Contrast for automatic dynamic range correction |
| ISO sensitivity* | AUTO, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400 |
SHUTTER
| Speed | 1 – 1/3200 sec. (factory default) 15 – 1/3200 sec. (total range – varies by shooting mode) |
|---|
WHITE BALANCE
| Type | TTL |
|---|---|
| Settings | Auto (including Face Detection WB), Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Underwater, Custom. White Balance Compensation (Underwater mode) |
LCD MONITOR
| Monitor | 7.5 cm (3.0”) PureColor II G (TFT). Approx. 461,000 dots |
|---|---|
| Coverage | Approx. 100% |
| Brightness | Adjustable to one of five levels. Quick-bright LCD |
FLASH
| Modes | Auto, Manual Flash On / Off, Slow Synchro |
|---|---|
| Slow Sync Speed | Yes. Fastest speed 1/2000 sec. |
| Red-Eye Reduction | Yes |
| Flash Exposure Compensation | +/- 2 EV in 1/3 stop increments. Face Detection FE, Safety FE, Smart Flash Exposure |
| Flash Exposure Lock | Yes |
| Manual Power Adjustment | 3 levels with internal flash |
| Built-in Flash Range | 50 cm – 3.5 m (W) / 1.0 m – 2.0 m (T) |
| External Flash | Canon High Power Flash HF-DC2 |
SHOOTING
| Modes | Smart Auto (58 scenes detected), Hybrid Auto, Program AE, Shutter priority AE, Aperture priority AE, Manual, Live View Control, Sports, SCN (Portrait, Smart Shutter (Smile, Wink Self-Timer, FaceSelf-Timer), High-speed Burst HQ, Handheld Night Scene, Underwater, Snow, Fireworks), Creative Filters (Fish-eye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Monochrome,Soft Focus, Super Vivid, Poster Effect), Discreet, Movie |
|---|---|
| Modes in Movie | Smart Auto (21 scenes detected), P, Portrait, Miniature Effect, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Underwater, Snow, Fireworks, Super Slow Motion Movie |
| Photo Effects | My Colors (My Colors Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Positive Film, Lighter Skin Tone, Darker Skin Tone, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green, Vivid Red, Custom Color) |
| Drive Modes | Single, Auto Drive, Continuous, Continuous with AF, Self-Timer |
| Continuous Shooting | Approx. 3.8 shots/sec., AF: Approx. 5.1 shots/sec., up to 7 shots, LV: Approx. 1.0 shots/sec., High-speed Burst HQ: Approx. 14.0 shots/sec., up to 7 shots¹ ² |
RECORDING PIXELS/COMPRESSION
| Image Size | 4:3 - (L) 4000 x 3000, (M1) 2816 x 2112, (M2) 1600 x 1200, (S) 640 x 480 16:9 - (L) 4000 x 2248, (M1) 2816 x 1584, (M2) 1920 x 1080, (S) 640 x 360 3:2 - (L) 4000 x 2664, (M1) 2816 x 1880, (M2) 1600 x 1064, (S) 640 x 424 1:1 - (L) 2992 x 2992, (M1) 2112 x 2112, (M2) 1200 x 1200, (S) 480 x 480 Resize in playback (M2, S) |
|---|---|
| Compression | Superfine, Fine |
| Movies | (Full HD) 1920 x 1080, 60 fps, 30fps, (HD) 1280 x 720, 30 fps, (L) 640 x 480, 30 fps Super Slow Motion Movie (L) 640 x 480, 120fps, (M) 320 x 240, 240fps Miniature Effect (HD, L) 6fps, 3fps, 1.5 fps Movie Digest (HD) 30fps |
| Movie Length | (Full HD & HD) Up to 4 GB or 29 min. 59 sec.¹ (L) Up to 4 GB or 1 hour² (Super Slow Motion Movie) 30 sec. |
FILE TYPES
| Still Image Type | JPEG compression, (Exif 2.3 [Exif Print] compliant) / Design rule for Camera File system, Digital Print Order Format [DPOF] Version 1.1 compliant |
|---|---|
| Movies | MP4 [Video: MPEG4-AVC (H.264), Audio: MPEG2 AAC-LC (stereo)] |
| GPS log | LOG [NMEA 0183 message format compliant¹] |
DIRECT PRINT
| Canon Printers | Canon SELPHY Compact Photo Printers and Canon Inkjet Printers supporting PictBridge (ID Photo Print, Fixed Size Print and Movie Print supported on SELPHY CP & ES printers only) |
|---|---|
| PictBridge | Yes (via USB or Wireless LAN) |
OTHER FEATURES
| GPS | Yes¹. A-GPS (Assisted GPS) supported. GPS tagging, GPS Logger, automatic time update |
|---|---|
| Red-Eye Correction | Yes, during shooting and playback |
| Intelligent Orientation Sensor | Yes |
| Histogram | Yes |
| Playback zoom | Approx. 2x – 10x |
| Self Timer | Approx. 2 or 10 sec. or Custom |
| Menu Languages | English, German, French, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Italian, Greek, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Spanish, Ukrainian, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Simplified Chinese, Chinese (traditional), Japanese, Korean, Thai, Arabic, Romanian, Farsi, Hindi, Malay, Indonesian, Vietnamese |
INTERFACE
| Computer | Hi-Speed USB (MTP, PTP) dedicated connector (Mini-B compatible) |
|---|---|
| Other | HDMI Mini Connector (HDMI-CEC compatible), A/V output (PAL/NTSC) |
| Computer/Other | Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11b/g/n), (2.4 GHz only)¹ |
MEMORY CARD
| Type | SD, SDHC, SDXC |
|---|
SUPPORTED OPERATING SYSTEM
| PC & Macintosh | Windows 8 / 7 SP1 / Vista SP2 / XP SP3 Mac OS X v10.6 – 10.8 For Wi-Fi connection to a PC: Windows 8 / 7 SP1 Mac OS X v10.6.8 / v10.7 / v10.8.2 or later |
|---|
SOFTWARE
| Browsing & Printing | ImageBrowser EX |
|---|---|
| Other | PhotoStitch, Map Utility |
POWER SOURCE
| Batteries | Rechargeable Li-ion Battery NB-6L (battery and charger supplied) |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | Approx. 210 shots¹ (Measured with GPS features off) Eco mode: 260 shots¹ Approx. 210 min. playback More than 48 hours using only GPS Logger |
| A/C Power Supply | Optional, AC Adapter Kit ACK-DC40 |
ACCESSORIES
| Cases/Straps | Soft Case DCC-1500 Soft Case DCC-1550 |
|---|---|
| Waterproof/Weatherproof Case | Waterproof Case (40m) WP-DC49 Waterproof Case Weight WW-DC1 |
| Flash | High Power Flash HF-DC2 |
| Power Supply & Battery Chargers | AC Adapter Kit ACK-DC40, Battery Charger CB-2LYE |
| Other | Canon HDMI Cable HTC-100 |
PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS
| Operating Environment | 0 – 40 °C, 10 – 90% humidity |
|---|---|
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 106.4 x 62.8 x 32.6 mm |
| Weight | Approx. 233 g (including battery/batteries and memory card) |
| Zoom | ¹ Depending on the image size selected. |
|---|---|
| AF Modes | ¹ Some settings limit availability. |
| Continuous Shooting | ¹ Under conditions where the flash does not fire. ² Depending on memory card speed / capacity / compression setting. |
| Movie Length | ¹ The following Speed Class memory cards are required for maximum record time: (HD) 1280 x 720 Speed Class 4 or above. (Full HD) 1920 x 1080 Speed Class 6 or above. (iFrame) 1280 x 720 Speed Class 6 or above. ² Depending on memory card speed / capacity / compression setting. |
| GPS log | ¹ Complies with the NMEA (National Marine Electronics Association of the U.S.) 0183 |
| GPS | ¹ GPS use may be restricted in certain countries or regions. Use of GPS should comply with the laws and regulations of the country and area in which it is being operated including any restriction on the use of electronics. |
| Computer/Other | ¹ Wi-Fi use may be restricted in certain countries or regions. Wi-Fi support varies by device and region. For more information visit www.canon-europe.com/wirelesscompacts |
| Battery Life | ¹ Using the batteries and memory card format supplied with the camera (where included), except where indicated. |
- All data is based on Canon standard testing methods (according to CIPA Standards) except where indicated.
- Subject to change without notice.
- *Standard Output Sensitivity / Recommended Exposure Index
- . According to ISO 12232:2006 (20th April 2006) which specifies the method for assigning and reporting ISO speed ratings for digital still cameras.
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