Canon's engineers didn't stick to the script with the PowerShot Zoom ($299.99), a new concept for a compact camera, one that entirely skips wide-angle coverage—think of it is as a digital spyglass for capturing distant subjects. It's more useful than a smartphone for catching shots of the local fauna and outdoor sports, and offers some appeal to family photographers who use an iPhone for most snaps, but want a bit of extra zoom power from time to time. But it takes more than innovation to recommend the PowerShot Zoom emphatically, as its image and video quality lag behind modern smartphones.Digital Spyglass The PowerShot Zoom is comfortable enough to hold, even if it's a bit awkward to actually use. A one-handed device, the Zoom rests in your palm, measuring 2.0 by 1.3 by 4.1 inches (HWD). It's about as heavy as a phone at 5.1 ounces, and you can tell that most of the weight is in the optical block—the chassis itself is light, but not flimsy, plastic. Controls are all placed arou...
The Canon PowerShot Zoom rethinks what a compact camera can be, but while we like the idea of a pocketable point-and-shoot just for distant subjects, its imaging chops don't match mainstream competitors.
Easy to fit in a pocket; Dual telephoto angles of view; Sharp EVF; Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and USB-C
Image quality lags behind smartphones; Handheld video just 1080p and shows some jitter; No good in low light; So-so battery life