Canon PowerShot SX50 HS Review | 108 Data compared

The Canon PowerShot SX50 HS is a highly versatile, DSLR-styled bridge camera featuring a robust build, comfortable handgrip, and a bright 2.8-inch vari-angle screen. Key performance strengths highlighted in the review include the impressive 50x optical zoom lens, fast continuous shooting, and strong macro capabilities. ePHOTOzine While providing great image quality up to ISO 3200, the review notes minor drawbacks, such as a smaller-than-average screen and the lack of an automatic eye-sensor for the electronic viewfinder. Despite these minor points, the camera is highly recommended for its extensive focal reach.

The Canon PowerShot SX50 HS is a 12-megapixel ultra-zoom digital camera featuring a massive 50x optical zoom lens (24-1200mm equivalent) that delivers impressive sharpness, minimal distortion, and excellent macro capabilities down to 0cm. Designed like a miniaturized DSLR, it packs a well-rounded prosumer feature set into a compact body, including full manual controls (PASM), RAW image capture, a 2.8-inch rotating LCD screen, a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF), and a hot-shoe for external flashes. In terms of pros, the camera offers class-leading optical zoom reach, remarkably clean image quality with fine-grained noise up to ISO 800, excellent automatic white balance, and smooth 1080p HD video performance supported by a handy "Framing Assist" feature to easily track distant subjects. However, the camera suffers from several notable performance limitations that make it unsuitable for action photography. Its main cons include slow shot-to-shot speeds, a long screen blackout time, below-average battery life (335 shots per charge), and a frustratingly stiff electronic zoom controller that hampers precise framing. Furthermore, while its autofocus is quick at wide angles, it becomes glacially slow near the telephoto end,...

The Canon PowerShot SX50 HS stands out as a highly capable super-zoom camera defined by its groundbreaking 50x optical zoom (24-1200mm equivalent) and the crucial addition of RAW format support, which satisfies advanced enthusiasts seeking maximum quality from its 12.1 Megapixel sensor. Its notable pros include an incredibly effective Intelligent Image Stabilisation system that enables sharp handheld shots even at extreme telephoto lengths, faster continuous shooting speeds up to 14fps in High Speed Burst HQ mode, and a fully articulated 2.8-inch LCD screen well-suited for framing stills. Additionally, the inclusion of helpful physical features like Framing Assist buttons makes tracking distant, moving subjects significantly easier. However, the camera's massive zoom reach introduces distinct drawbacks, most notably a narrow maximum aperture that drops to a dim f/6.5 at full telephoto, severely limiting low-light performance compared to constant-aperture rivals. Major cons also extend to its hardware, such as a dated, low-resolution 202k-dot electronic viewfinder (EVF) prone to pixellation, and a frustratingly convoluted interface that lacks a dedicated toggle button to switch between the screen and EVF. Furthermore, its battery life suffers a...

The Canon PowerShot SX50 HS is a 12-megapixel superzoom camera featuring a 50x optical zoom lens with a 24–1200mm equivalent focal range and a variable aperture of f/3.4 to f/6.5. Designed for discrete street photography and capturing distant vignettes without heavy lenses or tripods, it delivers surprisingly acceptable image quality across its entire range and at low to medium ISO settings up to 1600. Its standout features include RAW file support to prevent clipped highlights, 1080p video recording at 24fps, a standard Canon hot shoe, and clever lens-housing buttons for framing assistance and framing stabilization. However, the camera comes with notable trade-offs due to its budget-friendly price and small 1/2.3″ CMOS sensor. The electronic viewfinder (EVF) is criticized as being small, low-resolution, and overall annoying to use. Additionally, the body has a smooth, cheap, and "plasticky" feel, while the in-camera JPEGs tend to be "overcooked" with aggressive sharpening. The camera also struggles in low-light environments due to its slower maximum aperture, meaning its extreme focal reach is best reserved for daylight conditions. If you'd like, let me know

The Canon PowerShot SX50 HS is an affordable 12.1-megapixel compact bridge camera highlighted by its massive 50x optical zoom lens (24-1200mm equivalent) and 4.5-stop Intelligent IS image stabilization. Sensor testing reveals surprisingly strong performance for its class, achieving a DxOMark overall score of 47 and ranking 10th among compact cameras with sub-4/3 sensors. Driven by a Back Illuminated Sensor and a DIGIC 5 processor, it delivers impressive colour depth (20.3 bits) and decent dynamic range (11.2 EV). This allows it to outperform more expensive competitors like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 in overall image quality and even match or edge out its sister model, the higher-end Canon PowerShot G15, in colour accuracy and low-light performance. The camera's main advantages include its highly versatile zoom range, a lower retail price than its direct competitors, a fully articulated display, RAW capture, and full HD video capabilities. However, it does come with notable drawbacks, such as mediocre low-light sensitivity maxing out at a weak 179 ISO. When compared to the G15, it lacks a high-resolution display, wider maximum apertures (f/3.4 to f/6.5), higher shutter...

The Canon PowerShot SX50 HS stands out for its extraordinary 50x optical zoom lens, spanning a 24mm to 1,200mm focal length range, which is backed by excellent image stabilization that enables steady hand-held shooting at long distances. Designed with an array of capabilities, it features shooting options ranging from full auto to full manual, raw image capture, a hot shoe for external flash attachment, and highly accurate, vivid colour reproduction. Additionally, Canon managed to reduce the physical body size and weight compared to its predecessor while successfully improving autofocus speeds and reducing shutter lag to 0.3 seconds in bright light. However, the camera suffers from significant limitations in low-light and indoor settings due to the lens' small maximum apertures and high-ISO image degradation, which results in visible noise and soft details above ISO 800. The physical control layout can also be highly frustrating; it lacks a dedicated thumb dial for settings adjustments, features an awkwardly placed directional pad that leads to accidental self-timer activation, and uses a tedious single-button cycle to switch between the LCD screen and the dim electronic...

The Canon PowerShot SX50 HS is highly praised for its massive 50x optical zoom lens, which covers a 24-1,200mm equivalent focal range, providing immense telephoto power in a compact and manageable 600g body. The reviewer found the image quality to range from very good to acceptable, making it an excellent "jack-of-all-cameras" for birdwatchers who want to easily document anything from distant flying raptors to nearby songbirds. Key technical pros include its built-in image stabiliser (vital for handling the extra 50x 'ZoomPlus' range), a 12.1 MP sensor, 1,080p full HD movie mode, and a highly functional 2.8-inch articulated screen. However, the review highlights notable downsides, stressing that it cannot match the sharpness or contrast generated by a DSLR and premium telephoto lens setup. A major usability con is the overly dark viewfinder, which makes it quite difficult to spot and track distant, fast-moving birds in flight. Despite these constraints, the camera's original RRP of £459.99 has been heavily discounted online down to around £350, making this versatile superzoom a massive bargain with enormous potential for hobbyists and wildlife enthusiasts.

The Canon PowerShot SX50 HS is highlighted as a highly portable, budget-friendly "digital compact zoom" camera that is exceptionally well-suited for beginner bird photography and documentary field work. Its standout features include a massive focal length that spans from a 24mm wide-angle for landscapes up to a 1200mm telephoto zoom for distant wildlife, packed into a lightweight body that eliminates the strain of heavy DSLR lenses. Reviewers praised its ability to shoot in RAW format for enhanced post-processing, its high-definition video capabilities, and the presence of a hot shoe for external accessories. In good lighting conditions at low ISO levels (such as ISO 80), it functions beautifully, and the LCD screen can even double as a makeshift spotting scope to share sharp, close-up bird views with others in real-time. However, the camera has notable limitations, particularly when dealing with fast or unpredictable subjects. Its slow autofocus system makes capturing skittish birds or birds in flight highly challenging, and it struggles to focus efficiently even when switched to macro mode. Image quality drops in darker environments; noise becomes noticeable at ISO...

The Canon PowerShot SX50 HS is highlighted as an impressive bridge camera featuring a 50x optical zoom lens (24-1200mm equivalent) and a 12.1MP CMOS sensor that delivers sharp images, RAW shooting capability, and silent autofocus during video. While praised for its versatile zoom and comfortable handling, the camera suffers from a slow maximum aperture (f/3.4-6.5), high ISO noise above ISO 800, and noticeable chromatic aberration.

The Canon PowerShot SX50 HS is an exceptionally versatile ultra-zoom bridge camera highlighted by its record-breaking, built-in 50x optical zoom lens (24-1200mm equivalent). It delivers an improved shot-to-shot time of 1.8 seconds and features a highly efficient optical image stabilization system that keeps handheld shots and 1080p video remarkably steady, even at full zoom extensions. Reviewers strongly praise its low-noise performance at fast ISO speeds—making it one of the best ultra-zoom choices for indoor photography—as well as the newly introduced RAW format support which allows users to manually fix color issues using the bundled processing software. Additionally, it features well-arranged manual controls, a custom button for quick white-balance calibration, and a handy lens-side button to temporarily zoom out and re-locate lost subjects. However, the camera suffers from several distinct performance and image quality flaws. Its automatic exposures tend to overexpose, forcing users to manually dial in compensation to avoid clipped highlights, while an unreliable auto white balance sometimes tints skin tones purple. Optically, the extreme 600-1200mm zoom range introduces heavy chromatic aberrations (multi-coloured halos) and deteriorating focus sharpness. Action and...

The Canon PowerShot SX50 HS is a compact, well-balanced bridge camera distinguished by its massive 50x optical zoom lens, which offers a 35mm equivalent focal range of 24-1200mm while weighing just over half a kilo. Built with a 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor that handles noise well up to ISO 1600, the camera features a 7.1cm tiltable LCD screen, Full HD video recording, and a less complex, user-friendly menu system. It also includes dual front-mounted framing assist buttons to help photographers quickly zoom out and re-locate subjects lost at extreme telephoto focal lengths. The camera's primary advantage is its unmatched zoom versatility and above-average image quality, alongside practical external controls and low noise levels at moderate ISO settings. However, its standout feature is also its biggest challenge; utilizing the extreme 1200mm telephoto end requires immense patience, atmospheric clarity, and a sturdy tripod to counteract "wobbly legs" and atmospheric haze. Additional disadvantages include minor optical flaws like slight barrel distortion at the wide end and pincushion distortion at the tele end, combined with a lower-resolution turret viewfinder and LCD screen.