Canon SX1 IS

Canon SX1 IS is Canon's Small Sensor Superzoom digital camera originally launched on March of 2009. It includes a 10 MegaPixel, CMOS 1/2.3" size sensor with a max resolution of 3648 x 2736.

The SX1 IS is scored #121 out of 244 in Small Sensor Superzoom cameras and over all #668 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. You should use our Smart camera filter to get camera listings based on your custom requirements.

The following is a graph of various factors used in the rating system.

The Canon SX1 IS comes with a history of related digital cameras. Underneath, you can take a look at all previous and brand new models along with important features.

You can look at the SX1 IS from various angles in the gallery below.

Here is a checklist of advantages and drawbacks of the Canon SX1 IS based on factors that are normally considered necessary in a digital camera.

The measurement of the sensor on the Canon SX1 IS is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the ability to capture 3648 x 2736 pixels using aspect ratios of 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera boasts Image Stabilization (Optical). In body stabilization is superior than digital stabilization since the latter may lead to cropping.

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The CMOS sensor boasts 10 megapixels and features a standard ISO range of 80 to 1600. RAW format is supported which means that you have more room to maneuver in post.

The graphic below shows the SX1 IS's sensor size compared to other popular sizes. The SX1 IS sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.8 and is highlighted in green.

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To get an understanding of various aspect ratios, you should refer to the graphic below.

Canon SX1 IS weighs in at 1.36 pounds (615g / 21.69 ounces) and features external size of 128mm x 88mm x 88mm (5.0" x 3.5" x 3.5"). The weight of typical Small Sensor Superzoom camera is 387g and the Canon SX1 IS is heavier as compared with various rivals.

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The following is a pic of the Canon SX1 IS beside a softdrink to help you have a feel for its size.

The top view below will highlight the button layout on the SX1 IS.

The SX1 IS offers a fixed lens having a focal range of 28-560mm giving it a 20.0 x zoom which is amazing and can make it easier to zoom right in.

At it's widest 28mm, it will have an aperture of f2.8 which will be kind of sluggish and not great in low light events and you will probably find it difficult to capture good bokeh. You will probably also need to up your ISO leading to noisy images. Towards the long end, 560mm is fantastic zoom and comes to f5.7 making it pretty sluggish and you will have to go with slower shutter speeds.

The SX1 IS has the following connectivity:

• USB Yes
• HDMI Yes

Digital cameras that contain NFC and / or Bluetooth support are able to be used wirelessly via smartphones. You will be able to send images and oftentimes adjust settings without connecting physically with the camera.

A few apps also allow a Liveview and hit the shutter if you are not close to the camera. If the camera features a HDMI out, it can easily be hooked up to an external monitor. Many cameras will allow you to charge the battery pack using the USB port.

The max video resolution on the Canon SX1 IS is 1920 x 1080 and it can record in MPEG-4 and H.264 file format. 1080p resolution delivers a great balance for video quality vs file size but 1080p won't give you much room to downsample. The body does not have a mic and / or headphone port which means you get absolutely no control over your sound. It is probably best to take a look at another camera in case you want better sound in your videos.

There is no environment proofing in the Canon SX1 IS so you have to be careful in rainy and dusty situations.

The Canon SX1 IS includes a 2.8 inch fully articulated display screen having a resolution of 230 thousand dots.

The screen is selfie friendly to get self portraits as well as group shots if needed. Please note that the display offers no touch support.

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The View Finder details regarding Canon SX1 IS are the following:

• ViewFinder Electronic

Viewfinders can be quite beneficial for bright outdoor situations which may make the camera screen washed out and very difficult to view.

Canon SX1 IS has the ability to shoot continuously at 4.0 frames per second. The maximum shutter speed is 1/3200s.

Canon SX1 IS boasts both built in flash and also external flash support. The max flash sync speed is 1/500s.

Canon SX1 IS boasts only Contrast Based Auto Focus and doesn't have Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot snappier & accurate as compared with Contrast Based autofocusing. The camera includes Face detection which can be handy for portrait photography.

The Sensor includes 9 focus points to pick from. Canon SX1 IS has the ability to use manual focusing when needed for low light conditions or you need more exact focusing control.

The usual Small Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 316. Fujifilm HS35EXR features the maximum (600) battery life for this group of cameras.

Here is a list of Small Sensor Superzoom cameras that have the highest battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth

Fujifilm HS35EXR
SX1 IS vs Fujifilm HS35EXR600 yesnono

Nikon B500
SX1 IS vs B500600 nonoyes

Photography Glossary

Nikon L840
SX1 IS vs L840590 noyesno

Panasonic FZ200
SX1 IS vs FZ200540 yesnono

Leica V-Lux 4
SX1 IS vs V-Lux 4540 yesnono

The following graph shows a rundown of the Canon SX1 IS for various forms of photography. To view more, go to the specific paragraph below.

The Canon SX1 IS receives a points tally of 46 which is average, meaning that it is reasonably acceptable to use for portraits. Shooting portraits favors heavily to sensor resolution, support for RAW files in addition to the capability to work with external flash.

Getting a decent points tally of 56, the Canon SX1 IS is reasonably suited to use in street photography. A good street photography camera provides a good balance of picture quality and portability.

A low sports photography score of 33 means the Canon SX1 IS is not suitable for taking pictures of sports. A camera must have good autofocus plus fast continuous shooting for sports photography.

Size is pretty critical in getting a camera for travel. All things considered, the Canon SX1 IS gets a reasonable 52 for a travelling camera which makes it fairly appropriate for your travels.

For anyone looking to buy a digital camera for landscape photographs, the most important factor is going to be image quality. The Canon SX1 IS at it's low rating of 44 for a landscape camera is not suitable among its rivals.

A vlogging camera preferably should come with a moving screen, microphone port and if possible image stabilization. Taking all things into account, the Canon SX1 IS is fairly acceptable as a vlog camera as it comes to a decent rating of 57.

If you are trying to find replacements to the SX1 IS, here is a number of the top placed cameras that fall under the family of Small Sensor Superzoom.

The line graph listed below will give you a bird's eye view of the SX1 IS versus it's top scoring rivals listed above.

Here are a few more cameras you may have a look at as alternatives. To see a detailed comparison, just click on the "compare" link.