Canon Powershot SX530 HS Review

The Canon Powershot SX530 HS is this years update to the SX520, and increases the optical zoom to 50x, adds built-in Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity, whilst keeping the sensor the same with a 16 megapixel backlit CMOS sensor. Full manual controls are available, as well as numerous automatic and scene modes to make it easy for the beginner. 

Canon Powershot SX530 HS Features

The updated SX530 offers a new 50x optical zoom lens, covering the equivalent of 24mm to 1200mm in 35mm terms, with optical image stabilisation ensuring sharp shots, and steady video. The camera offers an impressive macro mode that will let you focus on subjects 0cm away from the front of the lens. Zoom framing assist buttons on the side of the lens helps you keep your subject in the centre of the frame if you lose it.

Canon has resisted the urge to increase the megapixel count with this new model, and the camera has the same 16 megapixel BSI (Backside Illuminated) CMOS sensor for improved low-light performance and speed. With a top mode dial, there are full manual controls including aperture and shutter priority, as well as numerous auto and scene modes to make it easy for a beginner as well as a more advanced photographer to use. 

There are numerous creative effects and filters available, as well as Creative Shot that will automatically generate a number of stylish shots. You can also adjust the colour settings yourself. 

Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity make it possible to connect the camera to a compatible smartphone, with the Canon app available for iOS and Android devices. 

FullHD video is recorded with stereo sound, and optical zoom is also available while recording.

Key Features

• 16 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor
• 50x optical zoom lens, 24-1200mm equivalent
• Optical Image Stabilisation, 2.5stops
• 3inch screen, 461k dots
• Wi-Fi / NFC connectivity
• FullHD video with stereo sound
• ISO100 to ISO3200
• 0cm macro focus distance
• Creative shot and Hybrid auto modes

Canon Powershot SX530 HS Handling

The camera has a good-sized hand grip, with a good rubber covering to help ensure you have a firm grip on the camera. This will help avoid you dropping the camera, as well as help ensure the camera is held as steadily as possible. Useful for long zoom photographs, or low light photography. Despite the plastic construction, the camera feels quite well built with little flex or obvious build quality issues. The pop-up flash is manually activated, and you simply pull it up to switch it on, and push it down to put it away again. 

The camera does not feature an electronic viewfinder, and for this you'll have to look at the bigger brother model to this, the Canon Powershot SX60 HS. The 3inch screen has a reasonable resolution screen at 461K dots, that is reasonably easy to see the majority of the time. There are a good number of controls and buttons on the camera, including a dedicated exposure compensation button, as well as a control wheel on top, making it quick and easy to change settings. To change additional options, you simply press the FUNC / OK button and this will bring up common photographic settings on screen. This means you should rarely need to go into the full menu system, however, if you do, you'll be pleased to find built in help.

Wi-Fi features - Using Canon's Camera Connect app, available for compatible iOS and Android devices you can view images and video on the camera, and transfer them to your phone for sharing on social network websites, such as Facebook, Twitter etc. You also have the option to remotely control the camera, and you can change a number of camera settings, as well as take photos. Another feature of the app is to add GPS location information to photos taken with the camera. 

Battery life - Battery life is rated at 210 shots according to Canon / CIPA test results, which is a little short, although this can be extended to 290 shots with the Eco mode enabled.