Canon PowerShot SX400 IS Review

It's the zoom. That's the feature that point-and-shoot cameras have over smartphone cameras. Specifically, the optical zoom. Thin and light smartphones just don't have the build for moving glass.

Sure, there are some "smart cameras" that have Android and a mobile processor on a point and shoot, and some smartphones, like the Nokia Lumia 1020 in particular, have upped the megapixel count to create an effective digital zoom. But nothing from the mobile world has come close to replicating the clarity or convenience of an automatic optical zoom.
That's good news for Canon, which still pumps out compact and point-and-shoot cameras through its popular PowerShot lines. One of its latest, the PowerShot SX400 IS comes from the Ultra Zoom subset (as signified by "SX"), sporting a 30x optical zoom along with a 16-megapixel CCD (1/2.3-inch) sensor and DIGIC 4+ image processor.
It's pretty bare bones otherwise, with a 3-inch TFT LCD display with 230,000 pixels and records 1280 x 720 resolution video at up to 25 frames per second. The camera lacks some modern features, though, including touch controls and wireless connectivity. At launch and as of this review, it costs $250.

Build and Design

The Canon PowerShot SX400 IS resembles a mini DSLR at a glance. That makes it far from pocketable, like many compact point-and-shoots, but it does make for a comfortable shooting experience. In fact, it's almost hard to believe how basic and featureless the SX400 really is, given its good looks. It's available in both red and black.
The camera also feels light for its design, and is still reasonably well constructed considering its price. It could likely survive a drop or two, but it's not water or dust resistant, and is at the mercy of the elements.
Ergonomics and Controls

The PowerShot SX400 really is a pleasure to hold and use. The right-handed grip has an agreeable texture and is deep enough that one can easily secure the SX400 in one hand. The buttons are all located on the right side of the device and are thumb accessible, while the large shutter/focus button rests within reach of the index finger. All the buttons are large and click nicely when pressed. As is typical with most cameras, the zoom lever surrounds the shutter button, and provides enough resistance for controlled zooms.
The biggest flaw is a minor gripe, but could provide a consistent annoyance. Both the video record auto/program/shooting mode buttons reside right where a user rests his or her thumb when gripping the camera. This makes an accidental press a bit more likely than otherwise, and it happened to us more than once during testing.
The flash rests above the lens and must be manually opened for use. The lens cap is the standard piece of plastic users can attach with a cord. Although it's a bit awkward, it's possible for just about anyone to operate the PowerShot SX400 with one hand, including raising the flash and taking off the lens cap.
This Canon Ultra Zoom also includes a tripod receptacle on the bottom, next to a latch that opens to reveal the removable battery and SD card slot. The right side also houses an "A/V Out Digital" port, which relies on the microUSB standard.
The battery cannot be charged in the camera, and must be inserted into the included wall charger. The camera also ships with a wrist strap.
Menus and Modes
The Canon PowerShot SX400's menu system is far from intuitive. There are plenty of filters and manual controls to tinker with, but they're buried and tough to find. Controlling them is also a hassle as the SX400 doesn't have a touchscreen or mode dial. Everything is accessed and selected via the buttons and four-way controller, which also double with picture options. It's very easy to get lost or accidently tap your way out of a desired option.
It's a good thing then that for most, the Auto mode will suffice. It's easy enough to enable, as there is a dedicated "Auto" button to toggle between it and the other shooting modes.
True to its name, the camera handles everything while in Auto, giving users only minimal control. They can turn the flash off or set it to auto, and from there toggle red-eye correction and the red-eye lamp. They can also set the timer to snap a pic after 10 or 20 seconds, or a custom time between zero and 30 seconds and a custom number of shots, up to 10.
Other menu items include:

• Drive mode: Single shot, Continuous (.8 shots per second normally, 3.2 shots per second in Low Light mode)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 3:2, 4:3, 1:1
• Pixel numbers: L, M1, M2, S (ranging from 16 megapixels to.3, depending on the aspect ratio)
• Video quality: 1280 x 720 (25 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
• There is also a program mode, which allows for more granular picture controls. In addition to the options above, it includes:
• Light metering: Evaluative, Center weighted average, Spot
• My colors (image color adjustments): Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, Black and white, Positive film, Lighter skin tone, Darker skin tone, Vivid blue, Vivid green, Vivid red, Custom color (contrast, sharpness, saturation, red, green, blue, skin tone adjustments)
• White balance: Auto, Day light, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Custom
• ISO: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600
• Compression: Superfine, Fine

While in Program mode, users can adjust the focus range (macro, normal, infinity), flash (auto, on, slow syncro, off), and exposure compensation (-2 to +2).
There is also a Live View mode that enables users to adjust the picture on the fly by tweaking the dark and light, neutral and vivid, as well as the cool and warm picture settings.
Finally, Canon included a handful of specific shooting modes, for a variety of situations, including:

• Portrait
• Face self timer (starts a countdown when a new face enters the scene)
• Low light
• Fish eye effect
• Miniature effect
• Toy camera effect
• Monochrome
• Super Vivid
• Poster effect
• Snow
• Fireworks
• Long shutter (1 to 15 seconds

There are also basic camera menu options, including:

• Digital zoom (4x): On, Off
• AF Point zoom: On, Off
• AF-assist beam: On, Off
• Review image after shooting: Quick, 2, 4, 8, Hold, Off
• Display info: Detailed, Off
• Blink detection: On, Off
• Grid lines: On, Off
• IS settings: Continuous, Off
• Dynamic IS: 1 (enhanced, for walking), 2 (reduces shake)
• Date stamp: Off, Date, Date and time

And finally, there are camera controls for setting the time and date, LCD brightness, sounds, power savings, language, and other device options.
Display/Viewfinder

The Canon PowerShot SX400 IS has a 3-inch color TFT LCD with approximately 230,000 pixels. It's not touch enabled, and there's no optical viewfinder. Thankfully it offers full coverage and what you see is what you get, so you can accurately frame and compose shots.
It's a mediocre display at best, especially compared with how far the technology has evolved in recent years, even on budget devices. The colors are drab and the resolution is noticeably low. It reaches a decent level of brightness at max settings, but even then, glare from the sun can be a problem thanks to its glossy protective plastic.
Viewing angles are acceptable for those awkward extended-arm shots, with one exception: overhead. The display inverts when viewed from below at sharp angles, making any picture taken overhead and "above the crowd" impossible to view and frame. Any pictures taken like this will be a crapshoot.

Performance

It's tough to keep expectations in check when reviewing a Canon camera, especially its entry-level devices given that even mid-range smartphone cameras are so impressive. But the PowerShot SX400 IS does one thing really well, zoom, and is either acceptable or lacking in many other areas. There's really not much else going for it from a shooting performance perspective, and it lacks Wi-Fi or any wireless connectivity to boot.
Shooting Performance
Users can whip out, power up, and snap a pic with the PowerShot SX400 IS in about 3 seconds, provided the lens cap is off. Canon claims the "PowerShot SX400 IS camera is equipped with Canon's latest advancements in autofocus (AF) technology," and it has an "AF that is significantly faster than on previous models."
In practice, the AF is quick, or at least quick enough for fast shooting, and Canon packed the PowerShot SX400 with multiple focus modes, including a center focus, intelligent focusing that prioritizes faces, and tracking AF. Users can also set the frame to small and normal sizes, and opt for a servo AF, continuous AF, and an AF assist beam.
The problem once again is that these options are stuck in the menu, making them nearly impossible to swap and change on the fly. To be fair, there are shortcuts for locking the focus area and toggling tracking focus, but they aren't intuitive. A touchscreen with touch to focus, which just about every smartphone now features, would go a long way toward making this camera more appealing.
All of that is moot when the camera is in Canon's Smart AUTO mode, and the PowerShot does an admirable job in figuring out the optimum settings for various shooting situations. Image stabilization is great, and the focus is generally where the user wants it to be. Auto white balance can be a bit wonky, especially indoors, but it's tough to complain otherwise.
The flash is reasonably powerful, ranging from 1.6 to 16 feet (w) and 4.6 to 9.8 feet (t), according to Canon. It has a slow 10-second cycle time. The battery is good for about 190 shots, or 260 in ECO mode, also according to Canon.
Lens Performance
The camera's 30x optical zoom is its main selling point. At this price range, that's about as deep a zoom as one can expect, though the Nikon Coolpix P600 has a 60x zoom for as little as hundred dollars more and change.
The zoom lever is large and provides decent control. Overall, the operation is quiet, but the noise will turn up on the footage if shooting video. Its f3.4 maximum aperture is suitable for most users, but zooming will introduce noise and produce muddy images.
The lens does a great job handling pin cushioning and barrel distortion, both of which aren't very noticeable at either end of the zoom. Chromatic aberration is also very slight, and will be a nonissue with this camera's intended users.
Video Quality
The Canon PowerShot SX400 IS only shoots 1280 x 720 resolution video at up to 25 frames per second. Though that's often marketed as HD resolution, it's below what many refer to as full HD, or 1080 x 1920 (the same resolution as a common HDTV).
That's disappointing, as most video-capable devices released in 2014 shoot full HD video. Viewed on a computer or small screen, the difference isn't noticeable, but it certainly will be on a larger HDTV.
The camera has a dedicated video record button, which is conveniently placed right on the thumb rest. So even though there is about a half-a-second recording delay from when it's pushed, users won't miss much of any action.
The on-board mic unfortunately picks up any camera jostling, but works well enough for narration. Any voices that are more than a few feet away and aren't directed at the camera will sound muddled. There is no external mic option, which limits its overall appeal beyond casual video shooting.
Image Quality
Those familiar with Canon cameras know what to expect from the PowerShot SX400: bold reds, blues, greens, and yellows that have just the right amount of saturation, but retain accuracy. Overall, it's a pleasant effect. In good outoor lighting, images come out crisp and clean, with little chromatic aberration and excellent exposure.
Of course, in good outdoor lighting, smartphone cameras also do well, so we compared the SX400 against the HTC One M8, which is currently an Android flagship with what many critics called an average camera.

Canon SX400 IS

HTC One M8

At a glance, both images appear roughly equal, with the HTC One offering a bit more saturation, but zooming in reveals the SX400 offers better contrast and exposure control.

Canon SX400 IS

HTC One M8

To be fair, the HTC One M8 has a 4-megapixel camera, but HTC claims it has larger "UltraPixels" that have better low-light sensitivity. In testing, that bares true. Check out these samples taken under the same low-light conditions. For the record, that's supposed to be the fuzzy stuffed puppy pictured below.

Canon SX400 IS

HTC One M8

Sample Images
Please click over to the image gallery for larger versions.