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Recently, my camera (a Canon PowerShot S3 IS) began to exhibit some strange behaviour. Sometimes, while zooming, the camera would report "Lens error, restart camera" and then shut down. I began to think about a replacement.

I've been a fan of Canon digital cameras ever since I bought my S100 Digital Elph in 2002. All the Canon cameras I've used have been well put-together, and have included features I've not found in other cameras (like an LCD that swivels properly). The PowerShot line combines the ease-of-use of a point-and-shoot camera, with the power and flexibility of higher-end camera lines.

Now, this camera's two and a half years old, and has lived a very full and productive life, including a trip to the repair shop after being unceremoniously rattled about in the back of an ATV. The camera is now off warranty, which makes another trip to the shop out of the question, and the lens error is one of those degenerative intermittent problems that will eventually leave me stranded without a camera, probably at the worst possible moment. I've been thinking for a long while about putting this one out to pasture; finally I decided to bite the bullet and pick up a new camera. The one I chose is a Canon PowerShot SX10 IS. The rest of this article will detail the reasons for my choice, and the advancements Canon has made between the S3 and the SX10. (I realise that there have been a few models in between these two, most notably the S5, and while I may touch on them, I will try to limit myself to first-hand experience.)

Another point to note concerns the quality of the photos in this article. I wanted to take a number of side-by-side photos of these two cameras, which means I didn't use either of them for this article. Unfortunately, the only other camera I have is the one in my Blackberry, so please don't complain about the quality of the pictures. It's about what I'd expect from a pinhole camera, which is exactly what I'm dealing with.

Why not a DSLR?

Many people do not make the distinction between a true digital SLR (DSLR) and a standard digital camera, which is a pet peeve of mine. Despite what some undereducated people might tell you, the PowerShot line of cameras are not true DSLRs. A DSLR is basically an SLR with the film replaced with a CCD. For a more detailed explanation, see the Wikipedia article on DSLR cameras. The primary advantages of a DSLR over a traditional point-and-shoot such as the PowerShot are the interchangeable lenses and the larger CCD. Canon DSLRs typically use a sensor equivalent in size to a frame of APS-C film (about 40% the area of a 35mm frame,) while other cameras use a CCD that is about 3-5% the area of a 35mm frame. The larger CCD means a higher quality image for a given number of megapixels.

The primary advantage of the PowerShot (or most other non-DSLR cameras) over a DSLR is the fact that the CCD is constantly exposed to the image, in order for the viewfinder or LCD to display a preview. DSLRs have this ability, but it requires moving the mirror assembly out of the way, which sort of negates the point of having an SLR camera in the first place. The main reason for having an SLR was to eliminate the parallax effect found when trying to frame a shot with a camera that has a viewfinder whose axis does not coincide with the lens/film axis. (meaning that the image you frame in the viewfinder is not the same as the image capture on the film or sensor.) Since the PowerShot is using the sensor to capture the image for display in the viewfinder, this parallax problem is eliminated.

One other historic disadvantage of a DSLR is that they do not shoot video very well, owing to the fact that there's usually a mirror assembly in front of the shutter. Since the PowerShot is constantly capturing images using the sensor, shooting a movie is as easy as pressing the record button. This makes it trivial to spontaneously record a movie as easy as capturing a candid photo.

All in all, I find the convenience of this camera and its ability to shoot good quality video as well as stills, far outweighs the improvements in image quality I would gain from a DSLR.

Included accessories

Lens hood

The S3 has a removable trim ring on the front of the camera body, allowing for certain filters and hoods to be attached to the camera. Unfortunately, these accessories were specific to the S3, and were purchased seperately. Personally, if I wanted to do much of that, I'd have purchased a DSLR. I think most other people agreed; the SX10 doesn't have this removeable ring, and it seems that Canon has done away with filters and such for their PowerShot cameras. However, the SX10 did come with a removeable lens hood, which is used to reduce glare. The hood can be installed forwards or backwards, meaning it can be stored in the case without taking up additional space.

Improvements over the S3

Face recognition

The SX10 will automatically detect up to 3 faces when composing a shot, and up to 9 while setting focus and exposure (while the shutter button is pressed to the first detent.) The camera tries to decide who is the primary subject, and will automatically adjust focus and exposure to correctly capture the faces.

Lens cap

One of the biggest problems I had with my S3, and indeed, what may have contributed to its terminal lens-motor condition, was the fact that the lens cap would restrict movement of the lens. Basically, if the camera was turned on without removing the lens cap, the camera lens would extend, hit the cap, and then stop. The camera's brain would detect a lens motor fault, and twitch for a few seconds before shutting down. The lens cap on the SX10 is attached the moveable, rather than the fixed portion of the lens, which means if the same thing happens with the SX10, the lens simply extends and the camera happily displays the darkness on the inside of the lens cap.

Hot shoe

Starting with the S5, the PowerShot S-series included a hot shoe, which means an external flash could be attached to the camera. This is something I sorely missed with my S3 in certain circumstances, such as when trying to photograph miniatures or light a large area. The built-in flash on these cameras has a range somewhere around 13m, while the range on a Canon Speedlight is typically in the 40m range. In addition, an external flash can be aimed away from the subject, so that the light is reflected off the ceiling and behind a subject, reducing or eliminating the harsh shadows that appear on the wall behind the subjects in flash-lit portraits. And beyond that, there are many other things that can be done using a hot-shoe, including slaving many flashes to the camera to light large scenes from multiple angles.

Zoom Lens

The SX10 has a 20x optical zoom lens, which is a moderate improvement over the 12x optical zoom that the S3 has. The S3's lens has focal lengths from 6.0 to 72.0mm, while the lens on the SX10 will do focal lengths from 5.0mm to 100.0mm.

Enlarged LCD

The LCD on the back of the SX10 is a whole 10mm larger on the diagonal than the S3. (about 55mm to about 65mm). While not as big as the ginormous LCD on the back of the SX110 compact camera, the SX10 still has a viewfinder, which is not present on the SX110.

Rotary controls

Like the SX110, and missing from the S3, the SX10 has a control dial on the back of the camera which can be used to quickly scroll through images in playback mode or adjust settings. It is also used while shooting manually, to adjust the exposure and aperture settings.

Things I miss from the S3

Tethered lens cap

The lens cap on the SX10 is not tethered to the neck strap as it was on the S3. In fact, there is not even a way to attach a tether, probably owing to the fact that the lens cap and lens hood need to operate together. There is a clip on the lens cap that allows you to clip the cap to the neck strap, so you're not constantly misplacing it. However, the nicest thing about the tethered cap on my S3 is that I can flick the cap off while pulling the camera from its case, which made it easier to capture candid photos with little warning.

Power switch

Canon has done away with the rotary switch/off button from the S3, instead using a pair of buttons to control power and record/playback mode on the SX10. Much like the lens cap issue, I had grown accustomed to pulling my S3 from its case, flicking off the lens cap with a fingernail, while using my thumb to turn the camera on, all in one smooth motion. The arrangement of controls on the SX10 does not lend itself so well to this practise, however, so I'm going to have to be more vigilant about having my camera at the ready. I suspect, though, that the previous arrangement may have had issues with being more susceptible to accidental damage, or in my case, accidental activation. (A couple times I've turned my S3 on while in the bag, which may well have contributed to its current lens-motor problems.)

Optional accessories

Because the camera has a hot-shoe, it can operate the Canon Speedlite series of flashes, including the Speedlite transmitter, used for controlling a number of Speedlight flashes configured as slaves.

Unlike the S3, there are no lens adapters or filters available for the SX10. The SX10 has a built-in teleconverter option, which uses the digital zoom to simulate a teleconverter attachment.

Conclusion

So far, I'd have to say that I'm very pleased with the quality of workmanship that continues to go into Canon's cameras. If you're looking for a powerful camera that's easy to use and won't break the bank, the PowerShot line is still, IMHO, the way to go. With the addition of the hot shoe on the later PowerShot lines, you have one less reason to shell out the big bucks for a DSLR.