SX210 IS
The SX210 IS comes featuring an excellently high resolution achieving up to 14.1 Megapixels.
The PowerShot SX210 IS is also able to zoom in an object far away up to 14x its normal size. And, an optical image stabilizer is also ready in position with an improved dynamic stabilization. All these features so far are meant to make it possible for users to capture fast moving events and to take pictures while they keep on moving from places to places.
You will also have the power of recording HD videos with a maximum resolution of up to 720 pixels with great stereo sound. Better yet, there is also an HDMI output port for connectivity with an HDTV to view the movies on the HDTV.
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SX210 IS - Ease of Use
For the past couple of years Panasonic has been offering reliable compact pocket cameras with big zooms courtesy of its well-received TZ range, more recently joined by Samsung and its WB500/550 and WB650 models. Now Canon is getting in on the 'high zoom' act with the 14.1 megapixel, wide-angle 14x optical zoom PowerShot SX210 IS. Updating the 12MP, 12x SX200 IS, the new Canon is roughly the size of a bar of luxury soap and not to be confused with the simultaneously released IXUS 210.
This, its manufacturer claims, is a PowerShot any member of the family can use to get closer to the action, with ease of use just as important as the numerically impressive headline spec. Its aim to appeal to a fairly broad user base is reflected in the choice of three body colours. There's black, gold or, um, purple. Allegedly the latter is this season's must have, even if the shade of our review sample had us in mind of a cough sweet.
Apart from the 14MP resolution and 14x zoom, equivalent to 28-392mm in 35mm film terms, the PowerShot SX210 IS (the 'IS' suffix relating to optical 'image stabilisation', providing the equivalent of four stops compensation) features a 3-inch, 230k dot resolution widescreen format LCD at the rear that displays a 4:3 image ratio as its default setting. That's unless one is shooting 1280x720p HD movies with stereo sound, whereby the picture is automatically relayed in 16:9 ratio to more closely ape how it would appear when viewed on a desktop PC, or a flat panel telly.
'Movies in your pocket' is Canon's marketing mantra, so fittingly enough HDMI output is provided at the side to hook the camera up to your TV, though the relevant cable is extra. Deliberately so says Canon, as selling these add-on 'extras' is how its retailers boost their bottom line.
Whilst the PowerShot SX210 IS looks to be from the same mould as its SX200 IS predecessor, design wise and operationally it's not an exact match. The shooting mode wheel has most noticeably moved, from the top plate to a new position top right of the back plate, where it now falls under thumb rather than forefinger. This dial features a plethora of options - 13 in total - with the sort of set up found on an entry-level DSLR in relation to its mixture of creative manual options, plus point and shoot modes for common subjects. Canon has here thoughtfully included an 'easy mode' in addition to scene and subject recognizing Smart Auto - the former denoted by a camera with a heart icon that more usually denotes a 'favourites' setting. This disables pretty much everything in terms of user selectable shooting options and so allows for fuss free point and shoot operation.
This shooting mode dial is also where you'll find the camera's scene modes, some of which again mirror the kind of selections you'll find on the latest consumer DSLRs and Micro Four Thirds hybrids. As with the latest additions to the Olympus Pen series, here we get access to a diorama effect (which Canon has simplified on the function menu as 'miniature effect'), fast becoming this year's must have on-board feature, plus a perspective warping fisheye option. Further hand holding is provided by a new Smart Shutter mode that as it sounds allows the shutter to be controlled with a smile or a wink - increasing the overall user-friendly feel and handy for when you want to include yourself in the picture.
Though it offers a very extensive lens reach for a compact, the front of the PowerShot SX210 IS is clean and unthreatening. We're provided with a smattering of style despite its plastic-y build by virtue of the different coloured top plate strip that continues down both sides of the camera and thus 'frames' the faceplate like the mantle of a fireplace. Though the slightly off-centre lens positioning inevitably dominates - the full physical extent of it hidden when the camera is in its dormant state - Canon has positioned a small window for a self timer/AF assist lamp to its top left. Top right of the lens, we find a tiny catch for manually activating the pop up flash via a fingernail if required.
The top plate strip is slightly more interesting, the camera's dual microphone set up found here rather than the traditional positioning on the faceplate - presumably so it is slightly further away from any operational noises made by the lens. Dead centre of the left and right microphone/s we find a built in speaker for playing back sound with clips. Looking at the PowerShot SX210 IS from the rear we find the flash positioned over to the far left and neatly flush with the body when not in use, whilst over to the far right where it naturally falls under the forefinger of the right hand is the shutter release button. Apart from the rear plate shooting mode dial and scroll wheel it's the largest control here and has just the right amount of 'give' to enable users to determine a definite halfway point when pressed.
To the left of the shutter release button, rather than encircling it, is a raised rocker switch for operating the zoom - a nudge to the right zooming in, to the left zooming out - and to the left of this again a lozenge shaped on/off button. Press this and the camera powers up in just over a second, rear LCD bursting into life, zoom extending to maximum wideangle setting and flash popping up nigh simultaneously so the camera is ready for action. With a half press of the shutter release button the camera takes a further second to determine focus and exposure, AF point/s highlighted in green with the customary beep of confirmation that focus and exposure has been determined and the user is free to pursue the shot. Go on to fire the shutter and a full resolution 14MP image is committed to memory in a couple of seconds, the screen briefly blanking out before returning to the real-time scene before the lens. The amount of time the captured image appears on screen as a means of review can be altered via the menu folders.
With approximately four fifths of the Canon's backplate taken up with the elongated widescreen format LCD its operational controls are shunted over to the far right. Starting at the top, we have a penny-sized shooting mode wheel with ridged edge enabling a more definate purchase and nicely solid feel. This rigidity ensures it clicks into place for each setting in such a way that it is hard to accidentally slip from one option to another when fetching the camera out of a pocket or camera bag. The 13 strong options here comprise Smart Auto and Easy Auto modes as discussed, plus the creative quartet of Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Manual shooting settings. For the point and shoot brigade the Canon has further easy access pre-optimised modes for, typically, portrait, landscape and night time photography, along with a kids and pets mode, an indoor/party mode, and collected scene modes setting, with, last on the dial the movie shooting option. That said, users don't have to actually be in movie mode to commence filming - a press of the dedicated recording button lets video capture commence as a handy short cut.
Going back to scene modes for a second, this is where you find the Canon's nifty effects settings. To access these, first press the 'function/set' button in the middle of the scroll wheel/command dial near the camera's base and a familiar (to Canon users) toolbar of options is presented at the left hand side of the LCD. The first option you come to is record mode, and this is where the Smart Shutter, 3.5 megapixel Low Light mode, Colour accent, Colour swap, Fisheye effect, plus Miniature effect also 'live'. Apart from these, users are presented with the rather more common-issue beach, foliage, fireworks and stitch assist panorama settings. By moving up or down the same toolbar the likes of white balance can be manually adjusted, the Canon proprietary 'My Colors' effects turned on or off, and quality settings further adjusted for shooting both stills and video.
Below the shooting mode dial are the aforementioned one-touch video record button, and next to it the identically sized replay/playback button. These two self-explanatory controls sit above the command/dial scroll wheel, which, unusually, is free from external markings. Yet give it a press and a virtual dial appears on screen with the formerly hidden settings now revealed. It's here alterations can be made to flash settings, as well as those for self timer, auto, close up (to 5cm from a subject) or manual focus, plus exposure compensation (+/- 2EV). In manual focus mode a distance slider appears at the right of the screen, adjustable with a swivel of the scroll wheel (so it's a bit fiddly), rather than more intuitively tabbing up or down. Any changes to the status quo are naturally 
effected with a press of the central function/set button as previously described.
The bottom pairing of buttons on the SX210 IS' back meanwhile are for the self explanatory 'display' and 'menu'; press the former and on-screen shooting information is either turned off or summoned up. Via the menu screens, users can also activate compositional grid lines or opt to present an image with grey bars cropping the default 4:3 presented ratio to a 3:2 ratio equivalent if so desired. Subsequently a press of the 'menu' button itself brings up two folders - the first containing the shooting menu - it's here users can activate the likes of the iContrast setting - the second the standard set up menu.
The right hand flank of the camera - if continuing to view it from the back - is where you'll find HDMI connectivity under a plastic port cover attached via a rather flimsy rubber catch. This is the port allowing the camera to be hooked up to a flat panel TV once you've purchased the relevant cable, and is presented adjacent to a second more traditional AV/USB out port. Under this compartment there's a plastic lug for attaching the wrist strap provided in the box.
Underneath a side open catch and door at the base of the PowerShot SX210 IS there's another dual compartment - with a slot for media card plus the provided rechargeable battery, good for a so-so 260 shots from a full charge.
Though it does have a couple of operational quirks - the flash popping up automatically on power up whether you'd previously deactivated it or not, plus the multiple button presses needed to actually delete something.