Customer reviews from usa.canon.com
Canon - PowerShot SX230HS 12.1-Megapixel Digital Camera - Black
Average customer rating
4.1
(77 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 77 reviews
5 Stars
40
4 Stars
21
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
6
1 Star
4
81%of customers recommend this product.
(
62 out of
77)
Customer Reviews for Canon - PowerShot SX230HS 12.1-Megapixel Digital Camera - Black
Customer Rating
5
Love My New Camera
on March 23, 2012
Posted by: Ms. Notech
from Cleveland, Ohio
I received this camera from my son as a Christmas gift. I had owned a digital camera which I hated using because it was difficult to use. After getting this camera I was amazed at how simple it is to take good pictures. My old camera didn't have a zoom and it was worthless when it came to taking pictures at any distance. With this Canon SX230 HS I can zoom in and get a clear shot of anything. I would recommend this camera to anyone who isn't a techie but wants to take good pictures. The features are outstanding and the price is reasonable.
Pros: easy to use
Cons: the pop up flash get's in the way when turning on
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Extremely Good Camera
on March 31, 2011
Posted by: Cozziwozzi
from Phoenix, Arizona
I have used a Canon Rebel XT and the Canon PowerShot SD900 Titanium. It was time for a new camera (March 2011). I settled on the PowerShot SX230 HS. I bought it the day it went on sale to the public at one of the retailers, and I have tried it out indoors in low light, outdoors, etc. It is an amazing camera. The only thing I do not like is that the flash is in a place where you normally hold on to the top left of the camera. The flash pops open when you turn the camera on. I just manually close it, but I would prefer it not open automatically. I would like to open it when needed.
But I can put up with that flash inconvenience for the quality of the images when placed in Photoshop.
I highly recommend the camera. I have had no problem with the battery life which is one of the things mentioned in a early review on the camera. I always keep a second battery fully charged in a pocket.
Very small and light. As for easy to use, I suppose I had a shorter learning curve due to previously using a PowerShot camera, but I didn't read the instructions before using. I do plan to read them to get the best use out of the camera. I am sure there are plenty of things that I can improve upon once I am completely familiar with everything available.
Pros: Good Low-Light Performance, Nice features/settings, excellent image quality, durable, Bright LCD, Lightweight/Portable, Simple controls/menu, easy to use
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
on August 13, 2011
Posted by: Ron58
from Oregon
Currently I own a Canon Powershot S40. I purchased the Powershot SX230HS camera due to my needing a more compact camera with a powerful zoom, and HD video recording. Before purchasing this camera, I read customer reviews from various well-known on-line stores, talked with the Canon company/read Canon website customer reviews, and viewed/tested the camera demo at a reputable store, asking many questions. I am very pleased with this camera's performance. It is easy to operate, and it has many fun features to incorporate into everyday and travel picture-taking. The GPS function is spectacular. So many times pictures have been taken, and by the time they are viewed and put into albums, the location of the taking of the picture(s) is forgotten. I did put a different camera strap on this camera; one that cinches onto the wrist to prevent accidental dropping. Overall, this camera is a wonderful addition to the other Canon camera I have, and still use. They are complimentary to each other. What features one has, the other may not, and visa-versa.
Pros: good battery life, Good Low-Light Performance, Nice features/settings, excellent image quality, durable, Bright LCD, Lightweight/Portable, Simple controls/menu, easy to use, gps, powerful zoom
Cons: needs a cinch strap
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
4
Zoom Zoom!
on June 16, 2011
Posted by: coasterpro
from Seattle, WA
Canon has built a reputation on superior image quality and while the SX230 HS is not perfect, it does not disappoint. My only complaints on image quality are that there is some purple fringing on backlit scenery and minor vignetting in the corners. However those sort of anomalies are not uncommon for consumer quality optics and we generally see less of that on Canon's higher end cameras. Dimly lit images and shadows also appear a bit posterized. This may be due to noise handling, JPEG compression, or some combination of both. However there is no native RAW support on this camera so we can't really test this. One thing I'd like to see Canon do in the future is decouple the noise handling function from the JPEG quality setting in the interface and give the user more creative control.
Image quality aside, the strongest features of the SX230 HS are undoubtedly its massive 14x zoom and the new backside illuminated CMOS sensor for low light performance.
The optical zoom is quite steady even at the full 14x. The digital zoom (which takes you up to 56x) has limited use for still photography, but is enormously useful for video. Although a tripod is most definitely required for that.
It may take a side-by-side comparison with the previous generation camera to see the true advantage of the new BSI-CMOS sensor for low light flashless photography, but the difference is genuinely impressive. Photos are quite usable all the way up to 1600 ISO, and the auto mode has no qualms about using that setting. The only thing holding the camera back from even greater low light performance is the relatively small 1/2.3" sensor and the restrictive 3.1/f aperture. But these are compromises sometimes necessary for cost, size of the camera body, and nature of the optics so I can't really fault Canon on that.
I have not found any use for GPS tagging yet. Although it does seem to work well, it does not work indoors which is bit disappointing and perhaps something to consider before spending the $50 extra to upgrade from the SX220 HS.
As good as this camera is, again, it's not perfect, and I do have some minor gripes about the design that I hope Canon will address in future iterations. For instance the placement and behavior of the flash. The flash pops up every time you turn on the camera or switch from playback mode to camera mode which is both annoying and needless wears on the popup mechanism. And then there is the noticeable lens shadow on closeup shots when using the flash. My biggest gripe with the design though is that my tripod's quick-clip blocks the battery/card compartment! You'd think this would have come up in product development, but apparently not. Finally the autofocus while recording video can be slow to impossible, depending on the light level. Other companies have nearly instantaneous autofocus on cheaper cameras, so I don't think there's any excuse for this in a top end product from the world's best selling brand.
Even with these complaints the SX230 HS is beyond a doubt the finest consumer compact I've owned. With its sleek design, mega zoom, awesome low light performance, superb image quality, full manual control, myriad settings, and easy navigation, Canon has designed a camera that is both fun and serious at the same time. While other manufacturers focus on auto mode with few or no manual controls, Canon focuses on versatility and creativity. A design philosophy that is reflected clearly in the SX230 HS.
Pros: Good Low-Light Performance, excellent image quality, durable, Bright LCD, Lightweight/Portable, Simple controls/menu, easy to use, amazing 14x zoom, full manual controls, 28mm aperture wide end
Cons: Missing features/settings, Short battery life, poorly placed flash, slow/dodgy autofocus, no shortcut button, tripod clip blocks battery compartment
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
4
Could be a ten, BUT...
on December 18, 2011
Posted by: mrsqueakers
from Flathead Valley, Montana
I bought this camera as a back-up that I could carry anywhere in lieu of my larger digital and film cameras, based upon two factors: image quality and GPS support. I have had excellent experiences with both, although the GPS is a real power hog. However, I will not give five stars for the following reasons:
1. Frivolous features in a high-end camera: "Fish-eye Effect", "Miniature Effect", "Toy Camera Effect", etc., instead of pro features such as Exposure Bracketing.
2. User Controls: For example, to lock the focus, the instructions say to "keep the shutter button pressed halfway and press the < button". If one is holding the camera properly, this can't be done...
3. One can't get a GPS location reading without taking a picture. There should be a display for location, just as the display for the clock in real time (another frivolous feature!).
4. My experience with battery life has been poor, even when not using the GPS.
5. The User Guide on the CD-ROM is poorly laid out, and the information provided is inaccurate and incomplete. For example, "When the camera is turned off, it will continue to receive a signal from GPS satellites for a certain interval of time...". It would be nice to know what that interval is! And, how often IS the location recorded when in log mode ?
6. The software provided is rather cludgy, and is missing a key feature from previous versions that I use with my Canon S3 IS: "Camera Remote Control". I will have to re-install a previous version to use that feature. Unfortunately, the previous version does not support downloading the GPS logs...
7. The over-all build quality is excellent; however, the cover for the interface jacks seems rather fragile. I would prefer rubber over plastic.
8. One cannot change batteries when the camera is mounted on a tripod..
9. And, finally, like everyone else, I disapprove of the flash position.
It sounds as if I really dislike this camera. On the contrary: I love it. However, I would love it a lot more if Canon would have treated the camera interface design with the respect the optical design deserves.
Pros: image quality, price/performance, size
Cons: battery life, gps features, flash position, controls, frivolous features, user guide
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Best Canon I have had
on October 25, 2011
Posted by: Sport40
from Berwyn, IL
I purchased this product because I wanted high resolution photo and HD video capability. It has surpassed my expectations, and it has so many great controls and features with ease of use. I can now watch my full 1080p video on any HDTV with the optional mini-HDMI cable accessory. The video even records in stereo to give the playback experience that you are actually at the event again. Photo quality is excellent from a color accuracy standpoint even in low light situations. The camera with case fits in any pants pocket or purse. The only drawback I have found with this product is the relatively short battery life. If you will be shooting for a full day or many videos at one time, I would recommend a spare battery. I am extremely pleased with this camera.
Pros: Good Low-Light Performance, Nice features/settings, excellent image quality, durable, Bright LCD, Lightweight/Portable, Simple controls/menu, easy to use, stereo sound, good value
Cons: Short battery life
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
lots of features in a small package
on January 27, 2012
Posted by: capthowe
from wesley chapel, fl
since owning this camera I have taken some of the best shots ever. crystal clean and sharp shots. easy to use. I am used to a full size slr and this camera is almost as good for 10% the cost and I can put it my pocket instead of carrying a big bag around. The GPS feature is a little slow, but I will probably use it once in a while.
Pros: easy to use and great photos
Cons: gps slow
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Great Camera! Don't Hesitate to Purchase!
on October 30, 2011
Posted by: Snap!
from Hazlet, N.J.
I purchased this camera for a once in a lifetime trip to Italy. I needed a camera that would capture the intricate detail of the art in the museums and the churches. I was leaning toward a digital SRL but wanted something I could just slip in my purse. This was the perfect choice! I shot 1500 pictures and a dozen videos. The pictures are perfect. I had a little difficulty with the sound on the video, but I will figure that out. I read the reviews about the short battery life before my purchase and bought a spare to be on the safe side. Power was never an issue. The zoom is fantastic, crystal clear shots! Quite a few people on my tour took a special interest in my Canon, most saying they were going to buy one soon! They will not regret it! I had a few other high end brand cameras before my new Canon - this is surely the best! I'm with Canon for life!
Pros: Good Low-Light Performance, Nice features/settings, excellent image quality, Lightweight/Portable, easy to use
Cons: could not find one!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com