Canon PowerShot SX50 HS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 50x Wide-Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom Black

Full disclosure - I am not a professional. I am a serious armature who love learning about photography and improving my skills. I currently own a Canon 7D DSLR with the kit lens and also the Canon 70-200 L F4. I love that camera and use it when I am out on an event or outing where I really want to try to get some great pictures. However, I decided I wanted a good light, small, bridge camera that I could use as a "grab and go" camera to use at events like Birthday parties, social gatherings, etc., where I'd like to get "good" pictures, but not out for great photography. Just something I could keep in a small tot to have handy when I didn't feel like carrying the 7D with all it's lenses and associated trappings. I did a lot of research and it came down to this camera and Panasonic FZ200. Which camera takes the "best" pictures depends on which review you read, but in the end, after looking at may comparisons, the SX50 seemed to fit what I wanted. The Good: - The zoom is amazing. And the IS is so good that I can take fairly good telephoto shots, even when hand-held. - Very fast multi-shot capability with the right SD card. - Lots of nice "Picture Type" settings that help you get a good shot under a variety of conditions, when you don't what to take the time (or don't have the time) to mess with manual settings. - Light weight, but doesn't feel "cheap" - Articulating LCD is a must! - Hot shoe for better flash - Shoots RAW! This was a must for me! I am starting to dabble with Photoshop and Lightroom and the ability to import RAW images was a must. There are not many bridge cameras I found at this price point with RAW capability. - Excellent image quality, even at Telephoto distances. It's "Only" 12MP but unless your printing huge posters, 12MP is plenty for most applications. The Bad: - Image noise when you get much above 400 - more noticeable than my 7D for sure so this Camera may not be a great choice for low light situations with no flash - a trade off I was willing to make to get the 50x zoom. - Flash does not automatically pop up. You must lift it up manually to take a picture with flash. - The F-stop is not constant across the Zoom range. The one thing the Panasonic I mentioned had in it's favor was a F2.8 across its full (30x) zoom. Sine most of my shooting would be with decent light, or in situations where I could use flash, this was not a huge concern. I can always fall back to the 7D if low light is an issue. - No USB cord. Not going to ding it a star for this, but come on Canon, really? - The AVF (View Finder) is not the best. Not as bad as I thought it would be based on some of the reviews I've read, but still not nearly as good as it could be. Serve's it's purpose - just. Bottom line - I love this camera and feel it will do just what O need it to do

I'm an experienced nature photographer, having been at it for over 50 years. I have been using Canon's PowerShot cameras going back to the S3. My relationship with these cameras has been a love-hate one, but the SX40 was a "Like" and this is "Really-Like-but-Love-is-too strong-a-word." See uploaded photos (click on "most recent") many of which have been published in birding magazines as well as with Audubon societies. But remember, I know this camera... This should NOT be your first-time-digital point and shoot camera! The learning curve is way too sharp because this camera is quite complex, and has unnecessary bells and whistles that you should avoid (at least until you learn the basics). What did I think about this camera? Well, after doing an awful lot of research, *I bought two* even after there had been a "recall" which I still don't understand! (One of these was for my wife.) I am a pro turned amateur nature photographer, and have been for many years. As for digital, I have had the Canons S3, S5, SX10, SX20, SX30 (returned immediately), SX40, and now the SX50. After you've played with the SX50 for a couple of days, I'd be happy to send my standard settings if you just email me. Here are the improvements over the SX40 and all SX models that preceded this (you can see the progression on my web site (see my profile). The good: 1. Shutter lag is minimal! You can shoot in burst mode of 7-9 frames per second depending with the mode you're in, but shutter lag has been cut by 70%. Canon says that you can shoot up to 13 frames per second. Not with this camera, but 7 should be sufficient. 2. Fast focus with center metering. The SX40 (and other like cameras) want to focus "on an average" of all the elements in a shot. Unfortunately, anything that uses the term average is like the guy with his head in the refrigerator and his feet in the oven, and on average, he's comfortable. It just doesn't work that way ... which is why you should also steer clear of "Auto." (More later) So, basically, if there's a bird on a branch in the center of a bunch of branches and twigs, the SX50 WILL focus on the bird and usually on the first try. 3. Super Fine Mode. The SX40 goes to Fine resolution, but still left noise (the "snow" you'll see when cropped a distant shot of a bird etc.). For lack of a better way of putting this, Super Fine Resolution gives you many more pixels making the shot "tighter" and easier to crop without losing definition. 4. Burst (continuous) Mode: This will hit a top speed of 9 frames per second. That's maximum, but if you can find a bird in flight, you stand a pretty good chance to get at least one frame in focus. It could be the bird's butt as it's leaving, but it will be in focus. There IS a locking device called High Speed AF (two buttons to the left of the lens). I am still trying to master this, and it will come to me ... I hope. So far, it feels like I'm trying to play an accordion with both hands doing something. I am pretty good at panning, but finding a bird in flight in the fully extended zoom is difficult. High Speed AF should correct that problem. NOTE: In order to get the most from burst mode, reducing shutter lag, etc., be certain to get a SDHC card! You need a fast card to maximize some of the aspects of the camera. Also, because the files will be much larger than what some are used to, I use a 16GB CLASS 10 card,* but 32GB CLASS 10 when on vacation in Yellowstone, Rainier, Bryce, Yosemite, in other words, anywhere where I'll be taking as many as 1,000 shots a day. And yes, especially with burst mode, you can easily take 1,000 pix on a vacation day. A Class 10 card will transfer 10 MG per second. If you want to - and you will - take pictures in burst mode, you need that speed between card and camera processor. 5. Low light: Well, it isn't a disappointment because I expected this. You're buying a camera with a one chip sensor as opposed to 6-9 with a DSLR. The lens does allow more light than the SX40, but it still isn't a DSLR. Indoors, I recommend a flash. 6. I have 9 settings that I use very often, but not all the time. One of the most critical difference is the white balance so that I don't blow out the whites of birds, goats, even recently bathed dogs. You can store ALL of your favorite settings in two modes C1 and C2. I store my settings for bright, sunny days in C1, and for low light or cloudy days in C2. 7. IMAGE STABILIZATION: There's IS and then there's IS. The SX50, for a one-bit processor, has marvelous IS. I took shots of my TV's "What's playing" menu at 1/5 of a second (that's SLOWWWW!), hand held, and it was so sharp that my optometrist could actually see what I was complaining about, ghosting of letters and numbers on a white background. There are several photos I posted here that were taken hand-held at 1200mm (full zoom), and they're tack-sharp. Note that I haven't used a tripod or monopod since my 35mm SLR film days. 8. Weight: 21 ounces and a 1200mm zoom! Those who carry a 6 pound camera around on a hiking day, often wish for the SX50. (I have a friend who carried a 34 pound camera and tripod who recently underwent back surgery, no kidding! Of course, neither of us is a young, fit 45.) The disappointments: 1. RAW. All I've heard from my brother - a photographer for 65 years (but he takes pix of people and buildings, not of birds, bugs, bees, badgers, or bison) - has been touting the value of RAW. Well, the SX50 gives you a choice of shooting in RAW or RAW AND jpeg. Because the size of these files is 4 times more than a jpeg alone, continuous/burst mode just doesn't work. The processor can't process that much without a delay. And it increases shutter lag like waiting for a dialup connection! 2. Auto. I don't like Auto. As I said Auto is "average," and that's the results you'll get. I suggest you learn TV, AV, and then Manual to get the most of this camera. (Again, I'll be glad to send my settings and save you trouble. 99% of the time, I shoot in shutter priority, Tv = "Time value" whatever that means.) 3. MINOR disappointment: battery life. Look, this camera is doing so much more and processing so much information that it uses more battery power. I change the battery at least once every time I go out. At least it uses the same battery as the SX40. I carry two extra batteries - reasonably priced on Amazon - whenever I hike. 4. Related to battery life, the SX50 doesn't give you a choice to leave the camera in an "always on" mode. The camera will turn off in 2 minutes which can be problematic when you see something you want to shoot at the last second. Turning the camera on can take 2 seconds. Birds, dogs, and kids under the age of 10 don't sit still for more than 1.5 seconds. 5. The Viewfinder: I will not buy or even use a camera without an Electronic Viewfinder. The one on the SX50 is still small, no bigger than on the SX40. It does the job, but not until you get your photos on a 23 inch monitor will you be absolutely sure that they're in focus. I use the LCD for a preview of what I just took, but remember that a 3" LCD will make your pix look sharp whereas a HD monitor will tell the truth. The LCD is perhaps a good way to take a macro (though I usually zoom and crop). 6. The ISO "Button:" For some stupid reason, Canon went and switched the ISO setting button from the right side to the bottom of the wheel in the back, and they went and put the Self-Timer on the right. That exactly where you're most likely to hit the button with your right thumb. It's a terrible idea because the getting out of the Self-timer is a two step button pushing process, and that takes a couple of seconds or more while you're trying to get a shot of something that won't wait for you. Of interest, but not to me: I won't take videos with this camera (I did once with the SX40), but I really think that if you're looking for a camera for movies of your kid's soccer, little league, or gymnastics, start with some step up from a smart phone and, if you have the money, a camcorder with image stabilization. If you do want to shoot wildlife videos, you definitely will want a tripod. Also, don't ask me about the Clear Face, Fireworks, parties, Color Accept, Swap Colors, or the other whistles (I'm a bell man) that I find gimmicky. I mean, you'd think that "Clear Face" would also get rid of acne! I understand the marketing value, but fooling around with these should wait until you can take a sharp photo of your dog or weasel or kid before you decide that they'd look nicer with a green complexion and yellow fur. If you're willing to take some time (2 to 4 weeks) to nail the basics, then this may well be THE camera for you. It is NOT for rank amateurs, and it probably won't satisfy most pros who are already into DSLRs. But if you want photos that are tack-sharp with a camera that's easy to use AND carry, and you're willing to learn the basics beyond Auto, this is the camera for you.

My wife is quite the photography enthusiast and owns a couple of DSLR cameras. I wasn't willing to invest that kind of money into a high end camera when I've never even taken a photography class. But I do have an interest in photography, and thought it would be fun to have a camera that could produce something better than my iPhone! The Canon PowerShot SX50 turned out to be the perfect beginners camera. First off you can just set it on auto and use it like any old point and shoot. It has a massive zoom which allows for some pretty incredible pictures. You can zoom optically by 50x and then 4x more digitally for a 200x zoom. Obviously if you zoom to the max you will compromise the picture quality somewhat, but it is still surprisingly good. Once you have decided to take off the training wheels you can experiment with some of the cameras more advanced features. You can set the camera to shutter priority which allows you to take the great action shot or freeze water droplets flying through the air. You can use aperture priority and get those nice depth of field images where an object is in focus and the background is not. There is even a full manual mode if you want to get very technical. There are also guided auto settings for action shots, night time and various other scenarios. I have attached some pictures taken with the camera. All freehand, no tripod. Even the zoom in on the moon was just taken standing in the back yard one night. I've read articles to suggest that even serious photographers like this camera because unlike their fancy DSLR, this camera is very lightweight. And to get a zoom as good as this one on a DSLR would set you back thousands of dollars, and would weigh a ton. If you want to take more serious pictures than your iPhone can, then this is a great camera to play around with. I've taken mine on various trips and have managed to take some good pictures with it. Of the attached images you'll see three animals taken at a zoo, which illustrate the powerful zoom (clearly I am not all that close to these dangerous animals!). A moon shot, showing not even the max zoom. It was taken during a 'honey moon' that's why it's not the usual color. And there's a fountain image, you can see how the water is frozen mid stream with high shutter speed. I think that this camera is well suited to both beginners and more seasoned photographers. Definitely worth a closer look this one.

Let me start by saying that you are buying this camera for the zoom, plain and simple. The 50X zoom is incredible. You can get a lot of shots that are impossible with other point and shoot cameras. The quality at full zoom is excellent. You can get detailed pictures of objects that you normally couldn't with other point and shoot cameras. The image quality remains good even when you throw in the digital zoom although it starts to deteriorate after you get past 100x. A lot of users have complained that the SX50 does not take good pictures in low light. This is true to some degree. When the camera is set in automatic mode it tends to take dark grainy pictures. It often sets a high ISO and a low shutter speed. This is a especially problematic if you are taking pictures of moving objects. I have found that if you set the camera on manual and adjust the settings to your liking you can take significantly better pictures than the auto mode. This however does not need to be done in better lighting situations as the cameras auto mode works much better than in low light ones. I do recommend that if you intend to use this camera indoors that you invest in an external flash that allows you to bounce the light off the ceiling to get better quality pictures. Again if you are taking the pictures in an outdoor environment the camera performs wonderfully. For those of you that are looking to take wildlife pics you wont be disapointed. How else could you get great closeups of wildlife without having to move close enough to scare them off? I have had no problems with the speed of the zoom and the time it takes to focus on your target. Sometimes it requires you to take your hand off the button and let the camera refucus but that usually only happens in low light situations and at extreme zooms. I have also been able to take a number of close up macro style photos of various objects while blurring the background for that proffesional look. I had to drop off 1 star for the lack of quality of the auto mode in lower light situations but again you can remedy this with a flash or going into manual mode. Other than that this is a great camera especially for those landscape and wildlife photos that most people looking for a 50x zoom are expecting.

I'm an amateur who has long been curious to learn more about photography. I bought this particular camera for two reasons: (1) to help promote organizations of which I'm a member by taking photos of our events, often in low-light conditions and (2) to teach myself more advanced photography through its manual controls, such as ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. Surprises: Although the zoom certainly seemed nice when I bought the camera, I had not realized how useful its 50x zoom would be. (With digital enhancement, the zoom can reach 200x, but with heavy digital zoom, the image quality suffers.) I can sit in the rafters of a sporting or singing event and easily photograph the faces of the performers across a crowded gym or auditorium from me. As long as the images are with the optical zoom, they are good enough quality to be used in a newsletter or on Facebook. The zoom has also been useful to photograph wildlife. For example, I went to a lake, and while there, I was able to isolate ducks as they swam and even when they reached land. I also was able to be closer to the ducks without causing them to alter their routine. I've since learned through research that obtaining equivalent zoom functionality with a DSLR would require lenses that could cost 3-4 times as much as this camera. Various reviews, particularly on professional websites, had commented that a tripod was necessary to capture the benefits of the SX50's zoom, and I now agree. At 50x zoom, very small movements of the camera can cause you to go from watching a bird in a tree to staring a random, out-of-focus leaf on another tree. A tripod usefully reduces such opportunities for human error. I was also pleasantly surprised by the self-timer. It's not a reason to buy this particular camera, but I had not realized how useful self-timing 3 shots in a row would be, especially when I'm gathering the family for a photo on the sofa. Pros: So many of these reviews have "Pros" and "Cons," and my thoughts won't differ from those to any great extent. The biggest pro is that this is essentially a very advanced point-and-shoot camera that gives you customization options akin to a true DSLR. In this way, it is a "bridge" between the two camera categories, but you may alternatively encounter "superzoom" as describing its category in professional reviews. The photo quality is solid and the auto focus is adequate. Unlike other point-and-shoot controls that I've encountered, the on-screen controls treat you like an adult, In fact, the scroll wheel and function button are quite easy to manipulate while staring at the image through the viewfinder. Cons: The biggest con is that this is not a DSLR camera -- though it's still a very good camera. The auto focus and shutter speed can be slower than ideal when I'm trying to photograph a speaker using Auto mode, but when I switch to the Sports mode and take bursts of photos, I'm often able to capture the images that I strive for. When I read reviews, a line like that will sometimes cause me to pause and over zealously think "Oh no, I need a camera that has a faster or better X feature!" Still, provided that you aren't trying to be a professional photographer at a college football game, it's pretty good functionality. Various reviews state that the viewfinder is inadequate, and I agree that the viewfinder is subpar, especially when compared to the SX50's beautiful optical screen. Nonetheless, as a practical matter, the weak viewfinder does not cause me to take bad photographs. That is, when I photograph an object by viewing it through the viewfinder, I tend to believe that the image has some flaw in it, but often, when I look at the photograph on a computer or through the screen, the image looks quite good despite the sometimes unclear quality displayed in the viewfinder. I credit the auto focus with making me come across as a better photographer than I actually am. Fulfilling My Motivations to Purchase: Earlier, I mentioned my two primary motivations to purchase. As to photographing events, the camera does so well. I've even discovered that the zoom, particularly at a setting like 75mm-100mm equivalent, has a nice effect of flattening the image and improving the appearance of the subjects (though that's not a phenomenon unique to this camera). In low light, the camera distinguishes itself from a typical point-and-shoot camera. Again, it's not going to create miracles and I've seen DSLRs do better, but for an amateur photographer like me using it for promotion of my organizations and family photos, I'm satisfied with the results. As to teaching me more about photography, it really is a fun camera to use because it has a serious side that treats me like an adult. I've gone the EasyShare route with two cameras that used icons to suggest particular functionality, and the Canon SX50 has similar icons for preprogrammed functionality without being limited to those. I really like how the camera has hands-on features that let me bypass those preprogrammed settings. In particular, I have experimented with ISO and shutter speed settings. The scroll wheel in combination with the menu screens is fairly intuitive to use. As a result, I have a much better understanding of digital photography than before I bought the camera. Conclusion: In reviewing, sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between my own ineffectiveness with photography and true limitations with the camera. Nonetheless, it's clear that this is a good camera that satisfies my needs, and I'm able to take better photographs than friends who have DSLRs but don't know how to use them. When I some day buy a new camera, it must, at a minimum, have the functionality present in this camera. More likely, I will purchase a DSLR and will research that purchase based on what I have learned from using the SX 50 during my ownership of it.

I just got my Canon Powershot SX50 HS from Amazon.com. This camera is totally awesome. I have the predessor SX20is and I was very happy with my old Canon. The compliments I got for the pics I took with the SX20is were multiple due to the outstanding quality of the photos. I took my new Canon out for a test drive today. I am blown away by my new Canon. I was speechless when I saw my 1st pics. Total ease of use is incredible. The zoom is just plain miraculous. I can see objects in my pics that were not visible to the naked eye. The only negative comment I have to say regarding this incredible camera is that Canon should have kept the use of AA batteries as opposed to the propriatary Canon 10L Lithium Ion battery. I overcame this handicap by purchasing 2 more stand-by batteries. I would not want to be out on a shoot and run out of juice. I doubt this is going to happen with a total of 3 batteries on board. I have decided to keep my old Canon as it is still a gr8 camera and a nice back-up to my New and totally awesome SX50 HS. I've been into photography for a long time. I remember having a mirrored Rokor 300mm fixed focus lens and I thought it was awe inspiring. My Canon SX50 HS with its incredible ZOOM of 1000MM is out of this world !!! I'm a very happy camper with my new Canon.. Of course I will tell all of my friends about this new & wonderful camera from Canon :) Yesterday 8/24/14 my friend and I went on a PM shoot on a pedestrian bridge here in Salem, Oregon. We belong to a photo club right here in Salem. I took a few shots of a distant pooch about 2 city blocks away. He was running and swimming around, in & out of the river retrieving balls & stick thrown by his master. I took a couple of still images and a short 30 second video of this pooch. I then shared them with some of the members of our photo club. My friends & fellow photographers. After the ooo's and awe's I believe I sold two of the Canon SX50 HS cameras. The images were bright, vivid and great. One of our fellow members asked if my camera supported lens changes and I answered NO. I then let them know I did not feels as though I needed to change lenses with the zoom capabilities of my Canon. I absolutely love my Canon. The bottom line is the images I take with my Canon are amazing !!

I am giving the Canon PowerShot SX50 a 5-star rating because the photos and the zoom are amazing. I am not a "photographer" by any stretch, I'm just a girl with a blog who loves nature and enjoys photographing birds and such. I had a Kodak Easyshare with a 21x zoom and was very happy with it until I started blogging, and following the blogs of some nature photographers. It was soon apparent that my little camera was lacking. A photographer I respect recommended the Canon PowerShot SX50, saying it would do everything from macro photos to long-range bird photos without having to mess with lenses or complicated equipment. I have only had this camera a couple of weeks and so far I am very pleased with the quality of the photos and the zoom. I have posted many photos of birds both on my blog and facebook to rave reviews. The camera itself probably rates a 4-star review. My biggest complaint is that there are several function buttons on the back right where you would place your thumb. I am forever accidentally hitting something I don't want to, and once I even messed up my settings because I accidentally hit a button, had a bunch of stuff pop up on the screen, and then couldn't undo what I did. Also, the PDF manual that goes along with this camera is very complicated for a simple person like me. Like I said, I'm not a photographer, I need simple and easy to understand. The manual uses a lot of icons and symbols and also skips around a lot - giving you partial information and then referring you to another page for further information. This is not very convenient. If you are not already familiar with the lingo of photography, you will find the manual a bit overwhelming. Even my photographer friend said the manual is not very user-friendly. I am not crazy about the auto mode on this camera. I've been shooting in program mode, which I find easier to use. I am slowly educating myself about the different settings and reading different photography books to improve my skills and understanding. I also think it's rather chintzy that the camera does not come with a USB cable, you have to buy one separate. Even my $200 Kodak came with all the necessary equipment. If you are looking for a longer zoom with a fairly easy to use point-and-shoot, you will like this camera. It is a good value for the price and takes awesome pictures.

------------------------------------------- Update #2 July 23, 2014: I still love this camera but have discovered one flaw. The life if the battery is not that good. So, order you a spare battery, or two, as they are not that expensive. This way, you will not be caught with a dead battery at the most inopportune time. ------------------------------------------- UPDATE #1 July 10, 2014: I am really starting to love this camera even more. I've been tinkering/playing with it for two days now and a lot of my first worries have been dismissed as I am indeed learning how to properly use this camera. As some have stated in their reviews, focusing can be a "pain in the butt", but I have figured out that if you keep half-pressing the shutter button, and slightly moving the view finder, you can, almost all of the time but not always, find the focal point you were after. I'm old, hardheaded, and have only read a handful of books my entire life, so manuals are OUT of the question for me. ;) I know that with time and trial and error, I usually figure out most things that I am trying to accomplish. Another, and the most important reason that I am updating this review is that the size of the camera is allowing me to get awesome shots that I would not have been able to achieve with my very large, very long DSLR camera. My passion is photographing small critters like hummingbirds, butterflies, bees and the such. With my EOS60D, with a 400mm lens attached to it is a monster! Just the act of raising it to your eye to aim at your subject scares off the most skittish critter. With this camera, you keep the camera close to you, use the LCD screen for aiming, and slowly zoom in on your object of photography. They don't see the sudden movement that is with a huge camera and more often than not, not scared away by you. Another thing I noticed is that the neck strap is not a good thing. It is in the way more than it is useful. I did attach the lens cap to the camera, but that is easy to keep in tact in one hand while shooting. My next update will be with my 430EX II speed lite attached to it. If that is possible. Oh yeah, I forgot one more very important thing. The camera viewfinder, eye piece, is almost useless. It's like looking at your object from 100 yards away. maybe it's just me. Use the LCD display for viewing. ------------------------------------------- I own several DSLR cameras from Canon. Some may ask, then why did you buy a "point and shot" camera? With this camera, the answer is easy; 50X OPTICAL zoom! With my DSLR cameras, buying glass can and is getting very expensive. The 50X optical zoom is equivalent to a 1200 mm lens. If I put a 1200 mm lens on my Canon 60D, it would weight a ton, stick out a yard, and have set me back more money than my truck cost. Yes, I'm not exaggerating. No, this will not replace my DSLR camera, just accent them. I love photographing wildlife, birds mainly, and sometimes, reaching out that extra 50 feet is out of the reach of my lenses that I currently have. Yes, I can take a picture, but the further out, the less detail you get. While the MP is less than my 60D, at a long range, it's a no brainer as I don't have to crop an image to death to see the image I was after and lose a ton of detail. The auto focus is a bit different, ok, a lot different than the canon DSLR's but with time, I will learn how to aim. The focus is fast, and if you have one of those fancy new/super fast SD cards, taking pictures is super fast. I am not one to write a review and then let it sit. I often update my reviews as time goes by. Sometimes I report bugs, sometimes I up my rating, and sometimes I lower my ratings. The reason is always given in all of my reviews. If you are new to photography, and only want a Point and Shot camera, this could be expensive for a first time buyer. If you are seasoned, and know what you want, then this is a super camera from a reliable manufacture. Also, if you are like me, tired of taking out a second mortgage to keep buying new glass, then this is the perfect camera to get that extra reach without the expense of buying new glass.