Canon PowerShot SX230 HS

The Canon PowerShot SX230 HS is the first Canon digital camera to have GPS technology in it. Use the GPS to record longitude, latitude, altitude, and date/time. A GPS logging function lets you track movement from one picture to another so you can truly create a map of your journey. GPS data is also easily uploaded to Google Earth so you can share your pictures and adventures with your friends. The camera comes with a 3-inch TFT monitor which features a 16:9 aspect ratio and 461,000 pixel resolution. That makes it one of the best monitors in the business without having to go into the DSLR market. The camera itself comes in either black, red, or blue.

Here are some of the more general specifications for the SX230 HS. It is a 12.1 megapixel camera with a CMOS sensor and a DIGIC 4 processor. In more basic terms, it means it has great resolution, a highly sensitive sensor, and a great processor. It has 14x zoom which is equivalent to a 28-392mm lens on a DSLR camera. Between the megapixels and the zoom this camera is going to be competitive with many of the high-end cameras on the market.

In terms of video capturing the SX230 HS can capture in stunning 1080p, 24 frames per second. There is a dedicated movie button so switching to movie mode is simple and effective. If you want, there is a 720p video option which saves the video in an Apple-compatible format. That would be the iFrame file type.

Image Stabilization takes shaky footage and minimizes the shake captured by the video or still image function. Smart AUTO is the typical scene functionality which lets you manually select different scenes to capture the best image. There are 32 different scenes to choose from when capturing stills, and 6 to choose from when in video mode. If you want the camera to select the appropriate scene for you, turn on the Scene Detection Technology and it will make the correct selection. There is also a High Speed Burst mode which lets you capture stills in an amazingly quick 8.1 frames per second. Some high-end point-and-shoot cameras have a burst mode, but not many can capture that many that quickly. Best Image Selection is similar to High Speed Burst in that it will take several pictures very quickly. The difference is that it takes 5 pictures very quickly so that it can determine which one came out best and delete the rest. Use this feature when you want to make sure you capture a single moment perfectly. High Speed Burst mode is better when capturing a series of movements.

Tracking AF locks on moving objects so that when you decide to take a picture the object will be in focus. When shooting movies, it makes sure the moving object remains in focus the entire time video is being recorded. Use creative filters such as fisheye, monochrome, and sepia to alter the look of the picture before it is captured. Movie Digest is included in the software that comes with the camera. Shoot the stills and videos that you want. It takes all of these and makes a ready-to-play video of photos and short clips. This is nice if you don't feel like sifting through all of the media and splicing together a show yourself.

The SX230 HS comes with a TV remote that can control playback when connected to an HDTV. One accessory that is worth mentioning is the Canon WP-DC42 Underwater Case. It is a waterproof case that is sealed airtight that will fit the camera perfectly. Even better, it is capable of working in water up to 130 feet deep!

Sources:

http://usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/digital_cameras/powershot_sx230_hs

http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/canon-powershot-sx230-hs/4505-6501_7-34505080.html

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2380477,00.asp