caaron Say: Canon SX40 HS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 35x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch Vari-Angle Wide LCD
Excellent camera--Canon finally got it right!, 2011-10-26
This review is for: Canon SX40 HS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 35x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch Vari-Angle Wide LCD
I've had both of the predecessors to this camera--the SX20 IS and the SX 30IS. The new processor in this camera really works where those were 'iffy'. Stabilization is excellent even at 840mm (equivalent) and the pictures are crystal clear with minimal chromatic aberration and fringing (means they are sharp and relatively undistorted). The burst mode is fantastic--you can shoot up to 8 frames at 10 frames per second with this camera and it really works the way it is supposed to. It even uses the programmed settings and will do exposure bracketing in burst mode. My only complaint is that the zoom framing assist button (which is the same as the one on the SX30 IS) is placed where your thumb would normally be so it is difficult to shoot without inadvertently pressing it, which is why I didn't give it a 5 star rating. The zoom framing assist button itself is very helpful because it is difficult at full zoom to find a fast moving bird in the frame so it allows you to back the zoom off temporarily until you can re-acquire the image and then zoom in to shoot it. Picture quality is excellent with the new Digic 5 image processor, often rivaling the quality of pictures I've taken with my DSLR. This is a great all-around camera that although it is not pocketable is small enough and light enough to take anywhere.

Joshua "mxjoshua" Say: Canon SX40 HS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 35x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch Vari-Angle Wide LCD
Great!, 2011-10-13
This review is for: Canon SX40 HS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 35x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch Vari-Angle Wide LCD
First off let me state that I never write reviews, but I'm so happy my doorman had this waiting for me yesterday evening. After getting acquainted with my new camera a bit, I have to say it's truly a big step up from the sx30 (which I also own). The camera seems more responsive overall. The auto definitely works better. Pictures are crystal clear. And low light pictures are simply amazing. I even tested ISO 3200 with a nightlight and it produced a usable image with very little noise. Also, since the camera is more responsive to low light the zoom seems to work much better because low light zoom pics are very clear and have negligible noise.. This camera is simply a wonderful value for the money. Buy it.

Ethan A. Winning "ewin64" Say: Canon SX40 HS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 35x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch Vari-Angle Wide LCD
So Far So Good. Not Perfect, But What Is?. 4.5 Stars, 2011-11-06
This review is for: Canon SX40 HS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 35x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch Vari-Angle Wide LCD
Nov. 3, 2011 and Jan. 13, 2012 - [Please see posted photos here and web site from my first days' and most recent shootings. A picture is worth a thousand words.] I will do a complete review as the weather clears and I can take some photos in various light conditions. So far, it has performed well enough, but there is a learning curve from the SX20 which allowed greater latitude in overriding what the camera "wants to do."It may take a month before I can review the camera adequately, so I have uploaded some photos that I took on the first day, and I must say that they're pretty good. However, there were only 8 out of 51 taken. ...And then it started to rain. Please note that I am not new to the Canon line or (nature) photography: I have had the A620, S3, S5, SX10, SX20, and now the SX40. (I returned the SX30 which was a terrible disappointment.) And I've been taking pictures for over 60 years. So, unless you really get to know the camera - and even then - you may or may not get the results that I do.On that note, I might add that I was sorely disappointed that Canon didn't pop for a printed manual which, with this camera, is a must. Unlike the SX20 for which I could use the SX10 manual, this camera is quite different and - so far - I think more complex or at least more different than the SX20. Because of the issues that I've run into just in 3 days, it's very difficult to cross-reference what it says under Av with Tv or C1. This is not the basic point-and-shoot Elph, and I rarely shoot in "Auto." As I said, I have to give it a couple of weeks before I'll pass judgment.I must say that the photos that WERE already posted when I bought the camera gave me some trepidation in that so many were a little washed out. What I am finding so far is that, "Auto" might well be "Average." Average aperture, Average speed, Average contrast. But I purchased it anyway, and I've already found that Av or Tv or M are still the best settings although, unlike the SX20 where one could just set the speed and the camera would use the setting, I had to save the Tv settings to C1 or C2. This became routine by my third day (today).Nov. 8, 2011:Five days since I got the camera, and three days of shooting. I must say I've never seen so many comments regarding reviews, and many people have agreed with the more negative comments. What I've found is that the quality of photos I've taken have been excellent, needing very little post-production diddling. That said, and having used the burst mode, I'm deleting 4/5ths of the pix that I've taken, some because of duplication, some because of focus, and some because I just screwed up.In looking at the negative comments, I would admonish people to decide before buying this camera - or any other camera - WHAT DO YOU WANT TO USE THE CAMERA FOR??? I take pictures of nature, some scenery, but mostly birds, bugs, bunnies, bees, bears, and begonias. The SX40 HS has done very well in these areas, and I realize that there is a learning curve for such extreme focal lengths and the macro (which I rarely use).If you're going to take night time shots - which seems to have garnered so much comment about viewfinders and such - I can't address it. I took a picture of the (harvest) moon, hand-held, in Tv mode and it came out beautifully. But I don't take many nighttime pix, and I haven't had a chance to take fireworks in years. (If I want snapshots of people or parties, I use my wife's Elph.)I am still having some difficulty in overriding what the camera is set for re: aperture and speed. The SX20 could be overridden just by setting the speed to 1/2500th and one would get a much darker picture which could then be adjusted with software. Sometimes, it's the only way to get realistic clouds. With the SX40, I set it for 1/2500 and when I shoot, the camera comes down to 1/1600 or slower. IF I ever get the printed manual that Canon promised, I'll look for the menu where I can increase the value of the photo by -3 to +3. Yeah, I'm being a little lazy, but I hate the .pdf manual on disc that came with the camera.On the plus side, by coming down to 12 mp from 14 and by improving the processor, I can finally get SOME pix in low light or at least on a cloudy day. I've posted a few photos from the past few days: the two of the golden-crowned sparrows and the hummer were taken in low light and in thickets. They came out as sharp as anything I've ever taken with the SX10 or 20 (or S3 or S5 etc. etc.). Another plus, I am not having as much trouble with the SX40 focusing on a bird in the middle of a tree. The camera spots the center and at least HALF the time immediately seems to understand I want the bird not the branches.IF every photo I took came out perfectly, where's the fun in photography? Yes, sometimes the SX40 frustrates me, but Mother Nature sometimes frustrates me. Sometimes I think Mother Nature is picking on me. I ALWAYS though that Canon picked on everybody. After all, why do they come out with an improvement (?) every 10-12 months? Okay, the SX30 was terrible...I'll continue this in another week or so. For the time being, what I really like is the sharp photos I've been getting, and the 8 fps in the burst mode (the third is usually the best). I'm still not crazy about is the lack of an override for Tv and Av even using the C1, and I THINK the viewfinder is smaller than the SX20.Oh, btw, this camera is a few crucial (after a 5 hour hike) ounces less than the SX20. It's probably because it has a proprietary battery instead of the 4 AAs. I like the weight. What I don't like is that Canon wants $59 for a second battery, and has warned me about buying from "the secondary market." Comments? Suggestions? I'd appreciate knowing if there's a reliable battery that will work with this camera. (One of the other dealers offering a second battery as part of the SX40 HS package has been called out for offering a battery that doesn't fit the SX40!)I think it's silly to say that the LCD isn't as clear as a computer monitor. Never had one that was, and I'm often disappointed when something that looks in focus on the LCD is not nearly as sharp on my computer. After 12 years of digital photography, I've become accustomed to it. At least I didn't waste any film and have to wait two weeks to find out that my vacation pix are lousy.Still 4 stars for the features, 5 for the photos I've taken, and 3.5 for Canon engineers.Nov. 14, 2011.I posted more photos which speak for themselves. However, there is a caveat: I took 191 photos this morning mostly of deer, wild turkey, hawks, one praying mantis, and one tarantula. Of the 191, I posted (on my own site) 9. Here, I posted 5. And I kept 11. 180 were deleted, and that brings up two points. The burst mode of 8 fps works. That is, the SX40 really can shoot at 8 frames per second. However, not all will be in focus; many will be identical shots; and it is not the panacea for carefully composing and focusing and being at the right setting. (If you need the burst mode, you may be best off in Tv because speed is what you're after.)And please note: The battery is rated at being able to take 400 photos at the highest resolution and using the viewfinder (380 using the LCD). Well, if you shoot in the burst mode often or you take "movies," expect your battery to go in about 250 shots - and that's fast at 8 fps. I have just purchased two more batteries and, though they're not Canon "approved" because they're 1/4th the price, I'm hoping that I now will never run out of batteries while shooting. Will report on that when I get them.Just one note re: the battery indicator. When the battery indicator is down from 3 (full) to 2 bars, it only takes 3-5 more photos to get it to show red and Charge the Battery. This isn't a lot more helpful than the old SX20 which allowed about 10 shots when it said to change the battery without any precursor. I was really looking forward to having a real battery indicator. This ain't it. Still 4.5 stars.Nov. 22, 2011I started this review on Nov. 3 by saying, "So far so good," but I had a few reservations. I no longer have reservations, and would definitely recommend the SX40 to anyone who is more than a novice photographer. This is not a "simple" point and shoot, and you may get more than what you need or even want.It takes great photos, but you still have to know how to tweak its capabilities. If you're just going to keep this at "Auto," then you don't need this camera. However, if you really want such features as taking movies and using "my colors" and a quasi-fisheye mode, this may very well be the camera for you. If you want to take pictures in RAW, this is not the camera for you (it doesn't have RAW). I care about none of these things, so for me the camera gets 4.5 stars. If you want those features, this camera may be only a 3 or 4.So basically, I'm content with my purchase. There's no second-guessing. No alternative would have made me happier. I REALLY like it, but I don't love it. BUT look at it this way: if I got perfect pictures every time, it would take all the fun out of digital photography. I still need room for creativity ... and improvement.