Canon PowerShot SX40 HS Review
Image Quality
All of the sample images in this Review were taken using the 12 megapixel JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 3Mb.
If you don't yearn for DSLR type sharpness from the Canon PowerShot SX40 HS and expect to find blur intruding the nearer you shoot to maximum telephoto setting in direct proportion to the amount of available light - if shooting handheld and without flash - then you won't be overly disappointed or surprised by the image quality the SX40 HS delivers. Results for us were neither quite as bright nor sharp as that from Panasonic's Lumix DMC-FZ150, though in fairness that does feature a more modest zoom range. Pictures straight out of the Canon appeared a little 'flat' and lacking in contrast straight out of the camera although this is easily put right with a few seconds of Photoshop to arrive at something slightly more visually dynamic. Will the camera's intended target audience bother doing this though we wonder?
While it's great and very satisfying to be able to get a wide range of subjects into frame from a single vantage point that will have any camera with a zoom range less than 10x subsequently seeming almost frustrating in comparison, it really is in bright light that the SX40 HS struts its stuff when shooting handheld.
If you do have a steady surface however, it is worth experimenting with the upper reaches of that ISO range. Though some very, very fine grain is intruding at ISO 1600, it's nothing to get worked up about, while at ISO 3200, processing kicks in to such an extent that results almost appear better, if a little softer overall. Both top settings are perfectly usable however, especially, as we say, if there's a steady surface to hand.
Noise
There are 6 ISO settings available on the Canon PowerShot SX40 HS. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting.
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ISO 100 (100% Crop) |
ISO 200 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 400 (100% Crop) |
ISO 800 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 1600 (100% Crop) |
ISO 3200 (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 just a little soft at the default sharpening setting. You can change the in-camera sharpening level if you don't like the default look.
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Original (100% Crop) |
Sharpened (100% Crop) |
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Chromatic Aberrations
The Canon PowerShot SX40 HS chromatic aberrations pretty well throughout the review, with generally well-controlled purple fringing only present around the edges of objects in really high-contrast situations, as shown in the examples below.
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Example 1 (100% Crop) |
Example 2 (100% Crop) |
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Macro
The Canon PowerShot SX40 HS allows you to focus on a subject that is just 0cms away from the camera. 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 Shot |
100% Crop |
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Flash
The flash settings on the Canon PowershotSX40 HS are Auto, Manual Flash On / Off, and Slow Sync Speed, with Red-eye Reduction options available in the main menu. These shots of a white coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m.
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Flash Off - Wide Angle (24mm) |
Flash On - Wide Angle (24mm) |
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Flash Off - Telephoto (840mm) |
Flash On - Telephoto (840mm) |
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And here are some portrait shots. As you can see, neither the Flash On or the Red-eye-Reduction settings caused any red-eye.
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Flash On |
Flash On (100% Crop) |
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Red-eye Reduction |
Red-eye Reduction (100% Crop) |
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Night
The Canon PowershotSX40 HS's maximum shutter speed is 15 seconds, which is great news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 1/30th second at ISO 640. I've included a 100% crop of the image to show what the quality is like.
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Night Shot |
Night Shot (100% Crop) |
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Sample Images
This is a selection of sample images from the Canon PowerShot SX40 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.
Sample Movie & Video
This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920 x 1080 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 39 second movie is 169Mb in size.
As of February 2025, we are no longer providing full size sample images or videos for download.
Please contact us if you have any feedback on our new policy.
Product Images
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Front of the Camera |
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Front of the Camera / Flash Raised |
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Isometric View |
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Isometric View |
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Isometric View |
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Rear of the Camera |
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Rear of the Camera / Image Displayed |
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Rear of the Camera / Tilting LCD Screen |
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Rear of the Camera / Tilting LCD Screen |
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Front of the Camera / Tilting LCD Screen |
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| Top of the Camera |
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| Top of the Camera / Lens Extended |
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| Top of the Camera |
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| Bottom of the Camera |
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| Side of the Camera |
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| Side of the Camera |
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| Side of the Camera |
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| Side of the Camera |
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| Memory Card Slot |
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| Battery Compartment |
Conclusion
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 most obvious market for this pumped up PowerShot is the family user, wildlife watcher or sports fan, or even concert go-er who wants to get that much closer to their heroes in a venue where photography is allowed. As, due to its DSLR-shape the SX40 HS looks a lot more like your professional camera, it's not really one for surreptitious shooting unless you are some distance away. It will be undoubtedly off-putting for some that no Raw capture is offered, and though the back screen is angle adjustable the resolution is a modest 230k dots and the EVF is 202k dots, both of which seem to fall a little short of perfection in this day and age.
As an amateur tool the PowerShot SX40 HS cuts the mustard and is great fun. But we would only unconditionally recommend it if you can find a street price that shaves a decent chunk off the manufacturer's price and therefore doesn't otherwise tempt you into compact system camera or entry DSLR territory, if its one-zoom-fits-all eventualities sales pitch isn't the be all and end all.
| Ratings (out of 5) | |
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| Design | 4 |
| Features | 4 |
| Ease-of-use | 4 |
| Image quality | 4 |
| Value for money | 3 |
Review Roundup
Reviews of the Canon PowerShot SX40 HS from around the web.
cameralabs.com »
The Canon PowerShot SX40 HS is a 12 Megapixel super-zoom camera with a massive 35x optical range. Announced in September 2011, it replaces the best-selling PowerShot SX30 IS. The new model keeps essentially the same body, lens, screen, controls and battery as its predecessor, but switches its 14 Megapixel CCD for a 12 Megapixel CMOS sensor.
Read the full review »
trustedreviews.com »
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.
Read the full review »
whatdigitalcamera.com »
Canon’s latest SX40 HS superzoom retains the 35x optical zoom and design of the previous SX30 IS. But with a new CMOS sensor is the PowerShot SX40 the superzoom we’ve been waiting for?
Read the full review »
pcmag.com »
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.
Read the full review »
digitalversus.com »
After revolutionising its bridge camera with last year's SX30 IS, Canon is back with an updated model that doesn't look to have changed all that much. Appearances can be deceptive, however, as although the new PowerShot SX40 HS looks a lot like its predecessor, big changes have been made on the inside of the camera, notably with the addition of a BSI CMOS sensor and Full HD video.
Read the full review »
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