Customer reviews from usa.canon.com
Canon - PowerShot SX40 HS 12.1-Megapixel Digital Camera - Black
Average customer rating
4.7
(125 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 125 reviews
5 Stars
97
4 Stars
19
3 Stars
8
2 Stars
1
1 Star
0
90%of customers recommend this product.
(
111 out of
123)
Customer Reviews for Canon - PowerShot SX40 HS 12.1-Megapixel Digital Camera - Black
Customer Rating
5
Best camera ever.
on June 30, 2012
Posted by: skier4life
from Montrose, CO
I just bought this camera a few days ago and just recently, my friends and I made a video with it. The quality is amazing! I really love the zoom and the super slow-mo.
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
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Good for a super zoom.
on June 25, 2012
Posted by: Road Warrior
from Nevada
I recently replaced my aging Canon S5 IS with the SX40. For me, it filled 2 very specific roles: 1) Work camera (police) 2) Multi day hiking. For work, I only need to capture a representation of the scene with either photos and/ or video; so far this has worked great. My S5 spent over 4 years in a patrol bag getting beat up, tossed around, rained on, snowed on and it still works. That camera should have broke a long time ago which says a lot about Canon. For work, the ability to do macro and telephoto is great in one, relatively small package. Now this is for typical investigations, not forensic use. The second is for backpacking. I have a DSLR but lugging around the camera and lenses it a bit much for multi day trips. I would love to have it, but the extra weight wears on you; this is where I like the SX40. The camera is fairly light weight and somewhat flexible. I at least get to chronicle my adventure with good image quality. If you are a novice, there is an “auto” setting which the camera will adjust for (mostly) everything for you; however you do have to raise the flash manually. For a non-DSLR this camera had decent low light ability, especially if you use the “night scene” setting. I was very impressed with the clean shots you get with the “night scene” setting; it far exceeded my expectations for this type of camera. Check out some reviews online and some of them have sample photos using this setting.
Overall it is a nice camera, but don’t be fooled, it is NOT a DSLR nor is it a replacement for one. This camera it often referred to as a “super zoom”, being that it zooms in quite a bit more than a point and shoot camera. Typically the super zoom cameras have better image quality and more features that are easier to access. However, if you are considering either a DSLR or a super zoom, you will be happier in the long run with a DSLR…. unless you are not willing to buy several lenses. Other reviewers will state that super zooms are making DSLR’s obsolete; that is an ignorant statement. The SX40 is fairly flexible as an overall package but it is very limited compared to a DSLR. I currently shoot a 5D MkII but there are times it is just too much (bulk, weight, convenience, etc.) so a super zoom is just the ticket. BUT, when I want to shoot in low light without a flash, or want to achieve a shallow depth of field, the SX40 just won’t cut it (nor will any other super zoom). Even shooting telephoto is better. A cropped shot from my 5D and EF 100-400 is better than the “840 equivalent” from the SX40. Quite simply the interchangeable lenses, speed, sensor size (even on the “cropped sensor” DSLR’s) make the DSLR far superior.
For a lot of people who just want to capture memories and have a little fun with a camera, then the SX40 is great.
Pros: excellent image quality, durable, easy to use, flexible (for a super zoom)
Cons: no raw only jpeg
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Great camera, take the time to learn to use it
on June 16, 2012
Posted by: spookyone
from California desert rat
Terrific quality pictures. Optical zoom is more than adequate for everyday tasks. I bought the camera specifically for the Macro mode which is impressive. I am not sure why some reviewers have an issue here, but you must put the camera in macro mode first my friend to get the best benefit. Even when not in macro mode a close shot can be blown up with crystal clear quality anyway. There are some good reviews on the net for this camera where you can be shown how to use the camera and it's features so if you are not into reading the manual you can at least learn it from a video.
I enjoy the wider angle too. I am able to compose shots that normally would not get all the subject matter into the finished pic -- but here no problem.
Also, the camera is stellar in low light with plenty of iso settings/aperture and shutter variety to get what you need if you tweak it manually (forget point and shoot in auto mode in most cameras and this one is no exception if you really are going for that campfire shot !) Invest in a tripod or learn to stabilize yourself or use the shutter delay on a stationary surface with what's around if you want to get best results in extreme low light.
The nicest surprise feature is the slow-motion HD (hey, the HD is full 1080 too ! Wow ! I would think Birders would love this camera for this feature alone and all you sports fans too. Be sure to get the 16GB HD card if you do a lot of that kind of stuff.
For a fixed lens camera it's got a lot of value. Next step from this camera in a full feature DSLR with lens interchangeability but get ready for the price jump if that's where you go. For those using the camera after life with a day to day point and shoot it will work but you will miss out on the features if you stay stuck in that mode and will be unhappy that it's bulkier than the any hand held. But worth it dude.
I enjoy the wider angle too. I am able to compose shots that normally would not get all the subject matter into the finished pic -- but here no problem.
Also, the camera is stellar in low light with plenty of iso settings/aperture and shutter variety to get what you need if you tweak it manually (forget point and shoot in auto mode in most cameras and this one is no exception if you really are going for that campfire shot !) Invest in a tripod or learn to stabilize yourself or use the shutter delay on a stationary surface with what's around if you want to get best results in extreme low light.
The nicest surprise feature is the slow-motion HD (hey, the HD is full 1080 too ! Wow ! I would think Birders would love this camera for this feature alone and all you sports fans too. Be sure to get the 16GB HD card if you do a lot of that kind of stuff.
For a fixed lens camera it's got a lot of value. Next step from this camera in a full feature DSLR with lens interchangeability but get ready for the price jump if that's where you go. For those using the camera after life with a day to day point and shoot it will work but you will miss out on the features if you stay stuck in that mode and will be unhappy that it's bulkier than the any hand held. But worth it dude.
Pros: good battery life, Good Low-Light Performance, Nice features/settings, excellent image quality, durable, 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
I wish I had one before, Love it.
on June 13, 2012
Posted by: storm
from Knoxville TN
very nice, I needed a good camera now that I got Grand kid's now I can take a video or a picture and with a good price.
Pros: Good Low-Light Performance, Nice features/settings, excellent image quality, durable, easy to use
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
3
not for macro
on June 10, 2012
Posted by: nature enthusiast
Bought camera with a very specific purpose--that of getting good wildlife shots, especially of smaller insects. I agree with Muncie Birder and Fl guy that this camera is very difficult to get to focus on smaller things. Also the images have a very grainy appearance and are not crisp and clear, making cropping almost impossible. This is worse with low light and when using zoom. I expected much better, especially given the price and advertised 12.1 MP.
Pros: good battery life, durable, Lightweight/Portable
Cons: Poor image quality, Poor Low-Light Performance, Complicated controls/menu
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Amazing Camera
on June 8, 2012
Posted by: t-wolf67
from Hudsonville, MI
I purchased this camera last fall and it is phenomenal. The zoom is incredible. I've had people using expensive DSLR cameras with zoom lenses asking me for copies of my pics because they are clearer. I'm still learning everything it can do, but I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to take great pictures but doesn't want the expense of purchasing lots of lenses.
Pros: good battery life, Nice features/settings, excellent image quality, Bright LCD, 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
Best purchase I've made
on June 6, 2012
Posted by: Ron
from San Francisco Bay Area
I just bought this camera about two weeks ago, took some test photo's with it and fell in love with it right away, it has all of the features I wanted in a good quality camera, I purchased a lens hood for it, so I'm pretty serious about the camera, this is a product I would recommend to any one, who is out to purchase a good quality camera at an affordable price.
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, easy to focus
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
4
Focus is lacking
on June 2, 2012
Posted by: Muncie birder
from Muncie, In
This is sold as a super zoom camera. One of the main uses of a super zoom would be to photo birds. This camera about half the time will focus on everything but the bird. It brings up the bird in the view finder as if it is focusing on it but nope. It says it has manual focus. Good luck trying to use that feature. On the screen it shows the distance it is focusing at. I suppose if one has a tape measure and a still image that might work. Nevertheless, if the light is good and it does happen to get the correct focus the fotos are exceptional.
Pros: good battery life, Nice features/settings, excellent image quality, durable, Bright LCD, easy to use
Cons: Poor Low-Light Performance
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com