Canon Brings SX1 IS to the US Market, Adds RAW Capture

by Jaxon S on February 20, 2009

in Camera Raves and Rants

sx1is-sideCompact camera consumers in the United States must have cheered Canon’s decision to bring its flagship ultrazoom wide angle camera, the PowerShot SX1 IS, into the US market.

For months consumers there were left wondering why Canon excluded them from having a shot at the much-anticipated camera.

The Canon PowerShot will be available in the US market from April at the price of US$600.

Good news also awaits those who already own the camera, as Canon is updating the firmware to include RAW capture. Wow… that would be awesome.

Now the SX1 IS package is complete — HD video with stereo sound, 20x optical zoom, 4fps continuous shot, wide angle, zero cm super macro mode, RAW capture…

  • Jaxon S

    Hi Neil, my advice is, don’t buy the Canon SX1 IS. It is quite outdated already.

    The G12 is a good camera although the zoom is less powerful. The pictures taken with the G12′s 10 megapixel and its bright lens will be much better than those from other compact cameras which have 12 or 14 megapixels.

    I will take the G12 anytime over the other point-and-shoot cameras with higher megapixels.

    If zoom is not very important to you, you can choose from Canon G12, Canon S95, Panasonic LX5, Nikon P7000, Olympus XZ-1 — all 10 megapixel cameras.

    [Reply]

  • Neil

    Hi Jaxon S,

    I have read your post for the first time that you talk about Canon SX1 is which I am interesting in. Your pictures are quite stunning I can not taking like that yet which I like. I interestin buying new Camera and saw this camera but only at Costco.ca have it online because it is Discontinue model from Canon and they came out Canon SX 30 is which has more Zoom then SX1. Could you give advice of which is the best point and shoot camera to buy? There Canon G12 with only !0. megapixels. compare to other two.

    I am more in more knowledge in camera as I have own two SLR Film camera and now go with Digital.

    If you reply with the advice would be much appreciated it.

    Thank you in advance.

    Neil.
    Astalavista43@hotmail.com

    [Reply]

  • Jaxon S

    Hi Bryan,

    I haven’t really tested the HD video but from the few shots I’ve taken, hand held, they come out good. It’s just that when I play it back on the computer using Quicktime, they are jerky.

    The clips are less jerky when viewed using Windows media player but still they don’t appear smooth for 30fps, especially images taken during quick panning.

    DP Review calls this “image tearing”.

    http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canonsx1is/page10.asp

    [Reply]

  • bryan

    Great review. I am looking at the SX1 IS to replace my older S1 IS from a few yrs back. I am drawn to this one because of the camera’s features, but mainly because of the HD video recording. I was looking at a Canon HV30 HD camcorder, but if I can get one device to do both it would be great.

    Would you say that casual video use would be okay with the SX1 IS? I am not going to be shooting tons of video anyway.

    Thanks!

    [Reply]

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