Canon PowerShot ZOOM compared to…

The PowerShot ZOOM is a brand new style of camera from Canon that packs a powerful long lens into a tiny body, offering you new ways of bringing your favourite subjects a lot closer and capturing more detail than many smartphones.

Packing a 100mm, 400mm and 800mm¹ step zoom into a body no bigger than a computer mouse, the PowerShot ZOOM offers a unique shooting experience. It’s palm-sized and sits more comfortably in your hand than a smartphone yet is capable of shooting rich, detailed images and Full HD movies of subjects that are far away. With superb Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, convenient USB-C charging, powerful image stabilization and an impressive 10fps continuous shooting, it’s perfect for capturing family fun, sporting events and garden wildlife with, fuss-free ‘Full Auto’ operation.

The PowerShot ZOOM is more like a palm-sized pocket telescope and takes photos and Full HD video using a step zoom design consisting of two optical focal lengths – 100mm or 400mm – with a 2x digital converter to take you further to 800mm. Flipping instantly between either zoom is done at the flick of a switch in real time, so you can see distant objects closer without ever having to take your eye away from the super-clear viewfinder, which is more usable in bright daylight as there is no glare on the screen, unlike phones.

So, leave the phone in your pocket next time you want to capture a faraway moment. Smartphones, although capable of great results at close range, are often compromised when it comes to capturing images over long distances. Some smartphones may advertise long zoom capabilities, but due to their slim size, a combination of alternative technologies such as digital zoom, hybrid zoom and a folded optical design are used to capture images and videos from a distance. This means that image stabilisation is limited, and most of the time does not deliver the image quality that is otherwise achieved with a dedicated camera featuring a genuine Canon lens.

The PowerShot Zoom can be used comfortably with one hand too. No need to decide on which capture app to choose on your smartphone, and the fuss of using two fingers to pinch zoom to frame your shot and risk missing the moment altogether; the PowerShot ZOOM gets rid of all that hassle, working in the blink of an eye to capture every fleeting moment.

Just as you keep a smartphone in your pocket, you can keep the PowerShot ZOOM in there too, as it’s light and small so won’t weigh you down like a normal camera. And when you take it out, keep it around your wrist with the included wrist strap for convenient handholding. And then, once you are ready to share, connect easily with the Canon Connect app.

Travel zoom cameras offer a very powerful telephoto reach and certainly deliver great image quality, but their larger size and greater weight means that they aren’t always practical – and many won’t fit inside a pocket. When you’re out walking and don’t want to carry excess kit with you or need something that is beautifully discreet yet gets you close to the moment, the PowerShot ZOOM makes perfect sense as it is fast, and can instantly zoom to capture distant subjects and details with ease. Just switch on, frame up and shoot thanks to no complicated menus and a simple button layout.

Speed is where the PowerShot ZOOM really delivers. Because it’s Full Auto, it means you can point and shoot without having to decide on the best settings. The camera’s powerful DIGIC 8 processor does all the thinking for you, leaving you free to enjoy the moment and capture super-detailed images and Full HD movies from its 12MP CMOS sensor. And with a 10fps continuous drive, it’s brilliant for capturing animals or kids at play without disturbing them, whether in the park or at home.

While you might have been considering buying one of Canon’s stunning image stabilised binoculars, the PowerShot ZOOM offers a comparable telephoto reach with photo and Full HD video recording capabilities, and additional great features which makes it an essential outdoor friend. For example, you can connect to your phone to geotag images you’ve captured on your outdoor adventure and even share the live view, so others can see what you see, allowing you to stay in the moment and capture rich detailed images. Additionally, you can also share your memories on the spot. Perfect for school sports days, casual wildlife spotting and recording fleeting glimpses of birds and garden wildlife, the camera boasts speed and lightness plus three different magnifications which you can switch to instantly plus a very fast power-up time, so you can literally pick up and shoot whenever the moment happens.

As you’ve realised, the PowerShot ZOOM can achieve higher quality from a distance than most smartphones and capture whilst you experience, unlike binoculars. It connects you to your phone and gets you closer to your subject in new and exciting ways, allowing you to live the moment and capture it at the same time. With its easy-to-use features and instant power-up operation, it’s the perfect pocket telescope that is always there for you in the palm of your hand.

• The 3-step zoom with great optical magnification2 will allow you to catch moments even from hundreds of metres away.
• Record in Full HD or take 12 MP stills to get great results thanks to a 4-axis optical Image Stabilizer and less eye fatigue with Powered IS using the 2.36 MP viewfinder.
• Capture wildlife in dynamic ways thanks to 10 fps continuous shooting, such as bird photography to reveal wings in flight.
• With its small size, USB-C charging3 and generous operating time, it’s ideal to keep in your pocket or on your wrist for those must-not-miss family or wildlife moments.
• With full auto control, the camera extends your view in beautiful simplicity. See clearly through a bright viewfinder and easily change basic settings in the simple menu.
• Share the live view from the camera and save memories via the Canon Camera Connect app. Link with Wi-Fi and geotag your images via Bluetooth®4 link to your smartphone.