Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

The Canon PowerShot SX30 IS boasts a whopping 35x optical zoom lens, 14.1-megapixel sensor and expansive focal range. The lens -- which spans 24 mm to 840 mm -- allows a lot of flexibility for both landscapes and close-ups. Critics say Canon's optical image stabilizer -- useful for shaky hands -- is excellent in video and image mode. Other features include an electronic viewfinder, hot shoe for an accessory flash, 720p HD video with stereo sound and a 2.7-inch LCD that tilts and swivels. Gavin Stoker at TrustedReviews.com, however, says he is disappointed that the screen's resolution is only 230,000 dots, "when twice that would have been more commensurate with the outlay being asked here." Critics note that the newer Canon PowerShot SX40 HS (*Est. $350) is basically the same camera but with a better image sensor and full HD video, for not much more money.

The SX30 IS offers a full range of manual controls including aperture and shutter priority. But critics say that despite the digital SLR-like design of the SX30 IS, it doesn't quite have the photo quality of a DSLR, with noise and blurred details in images shot at ISO 400 and above. In addition, some reviewers say shooting performance is sluggish, with shot-to-shot times averaging 3.5 seconds, though startup to first shot is relatively quick. Finally, the camera lacks RAW (uncompressed) file support, though several competing ultra-zooms offer it. Video quality (including sound quality) receives praise from users at Newegg.com, who also like the camera's ability to zoom while filming. At PhotographyBlog.com, Mark Goldstein says video quality "falls short of full HD" but is "more than adequate" for most situations.

We found thoroughly helpful reviews of the Canon PowerShot SX30 IS at professional photo sites such as PhotographyBlog.com, which evaluates the camera's image quality in detail, and at Steves-Digicams.com, where the camera is tested in outdoor and indoor settings. TrustedReviews.com and CNET also provide good insight. A number of users post their impressions of the Canon PowerShot SX30 IS at Newegg.com.