NiniaPimp Magazine

rebel1864 from Lancaster,Ohio on Nov.012011

I use this alot for wildlife and sports.The monopod is great strong easy to extend and once tightened it well not slip.The head on the other hand well not stay tight.I use it with a canon 50D with a canon 70-200 f2.8 is lens.When I tighten the head it comes loose in about three min.

Originally posted at Buzzillions.com (legalese)

Rocketfish 70″” Carbon Fiber Monopod
This monopod features a quick-release plate for easy attachment and removal of your digital camera or camcorder and high-quality carbon fiber tubes for stability and portability.

Very nice image and video

battery life it’s good if gps is disabled

when you open the camera, you need to left the finger on the flash if you don’t want to use it…… boring

Originally posted at Buzzillions.com (legalese)

Powershot SX230 HS Digital Camera (Black)
Canon’s Powershot SX230 HS Digital Camera (Black) adds a new twist to the feature-packed PowerShot cameras: built-in GPS that will automatically tag your photos with time and location. It also offers a full set of photographic goodies in a very small package (4.1 x 2.4 x 1.3″/10.5 x 6.1 x 3.3 cm an…

The Canon Rebel T3i takes the consumer level dSLR a couple steps closer to the mid-level Canon 60D with the addition of the rotating rear LCD screen, remote flash firing, and in-camera processing features. The already highly competent, older Rebel T2i already shared many important features with the 60D (and even features of the semi-pro 7D) including the 18 MP sensor, 63-zone exposure metering system, high ISO performance, HD movie capabilities, and Digic 4 image processor. With these new upgrades, it might make it even more difficult to choose between them. But there are some important differences.

If you are considering the Rebel T3i vs T2i, the Rebel T3i is replacing the T2i. Since both cameras share the same 18 megapixel sensor and Digic 4 processor, both the T2i and T3i will create images with exactly the same image quality, produce the same low light/ high ISO performance, shoot at 3.7 frames per second, and have nearly the same size and build quality. They are both offered with the same 18-55mm kit lens (with some minor cosmetic differences on the new T3i kit lens). The T3i is very slightly larger and heavier due to the addition of the rotating rear LCD monitor. And that is one of the biggest differences between the two cameras. Do you want and need a vari-angle rear screen or not? The other major difference is the ability of the T3i to remotely control multiple off-camera flashes. Like the 60D and 7D, you can use the built-in flash of the T3i to trigger other Canon Speedlites. Some other minor additions to the T3i include the Scene Intelligent Auto Mode, which is a feature borrowed from point and shoot cameras. When in Auto mode, the T3i will make a determination of what type of scene you are shooting – close-up, portrait, landscape, etc. – and automatically configure the camera settings accordingly. However, if you want to use a powerful and costly digital SLR as a point and shoot, you should probably save the money and just buy a nice, high quality point and shoot like the Canon S95. Other additional but not essential upgrades include the in-camera processing Creative Filters, and the ability to choose different image size ratios and to rate your images. (Helpful hint: press the Q Button while in image playback and you can access features like rating, rotating, and Creative Filters.) There is also a marginally helpful Feature Guide which gives brief descriptions of various settings and some additional video features like Video Snapshot, which you can use to shoot short video clips that are automatically joined together into a video, with music.

Canon Rebel T3i vs. 60D vs. 7D
Sensor and Image Quality: All three cameras share a very similar sensor and 18 megapixels, and so their image quality will be virtually the same. All are capable of taking professional quality images.

Exposure Metering: The three cameras all share the latest 63-zone, dual-layer exposure metering system and 4 metering modes. That means they will all determine the exposure virtually identically and enable you to take properly exposed photos in most every situation, including difficult back-lit scenes. The size of the areas metered for Partial and Spot metering vary slightly between the cameras, but that isn’t anything critical.

Autofocus: The T3i shares a similar autofocus system to the 60D, with 9 focus points and three auto focusing modes. However the 9 AF points of the 60D are more sensitive than those of the T3i: all are cross-type in the 60D, only the center is cross-type in the T3i. The 60D autofocus system is much less complex than the sophisticated AF system of the 7D with its 19 AF point system and its additional Zone, Spot, and Expansion focus modes. These various modes address how you want to deal with and group the numerous AF points. Plus the custom settings of the 7D allow one to customize how the AF system works – how it tracks subjects, how it deals with objects that come between you and your initial subject, how quickly it responds to these changes of possible subjects that are at different distances from you, etc. However, if you are not an avid sports photographer, a wildlife shooter, or someone who understands, needs, and will use the elaborate features of the 7D AF system, then this shouldn’t sway you.

Construction: As you can probably figure out from the prices, each camera is not built the same. The T3i has relatively strong construction of a stainless steel frame with polycarbonate body. The 60D has a stronger and lighter aluminum frame and polycarbonate body, but not as strong as the 7D’s magnesium alloy construction. The 60D also has some amount of weather sealing – more than the T3i, less than the 7D. But for most users, including even those using the camera daily or in travel situations, the construction of any of these cameras is far more than good enough, strong enough, and durable enough.

ISO: Since they all share a very similar sensor, the ISO sensitivity and performance at high ISO settings is virtually the same for these three cameras. But don’t take my word for it, don’t be swayed by pixel peepers on forums, instead check out the camera sensor tests at dxomark to verify this. As you can see, they all share the exact same overall score, and show very similar performance.

Controls: As with construction, the buttons and controls vary with these cameras. Unlike the T3i, the 60D and 7D have nearly every control an advanced photographer needs on the exterior of the camera and they also have the top LCD panel and rear Quick Control Dial that are not on the T3i. With all the cameras, any controls can also be easily accessed with the Q Button and Q Menu or in the other menus on the rear LCD monitor. The top buttons of the 60D set only one setting each, so this is less complicated than the multiple-setting buttons of the 7D. Canon has removed the white balance (WB) button on the 60D that the 7D has, but that isn’t a big deal – use the Q Menu. Another change on the 60D is that the Multi-controller has been moved from the thumb joystick like the 7D and 50D and placed in the middle of the rear Quick-control dial. This doesn’t change how it functions, and should just be a matter of getting used to the difference. If you plan on using your camera on Auto or Program most of the time, then the controls of the T3i are more than sufficient for your needs. If you work in Av, Tv, or M modes and need quicker and more direct access to your controls and the additional top LCD screen to view and change your current settings, then you need to consider the 60D or 7D over the T3i.

Menus and Custom Functions: These allow for greater control over customizing how the camera functions. The T3i has less Menu and Custom Function setting options than the 60D, and the 7D has yet a few more than the 60D. These settings enable you to customize the operation, function, and controls to work how you want them to, including things like exposure increments, peripheral illuminations correction for lenses (fixes dark corners), tweaking how the autofocus system operates, setting more precise white balance settings, and customizing which button does what. There are ebooks such as my Canon T3i Experience – The Still Photographer’s Guide to Operation and Image Creation With the Canon Rebel T3i / EOS 600D and Your World 60D – The Photographer’s Guide to Operation and Image Creation with the Canon 60D which walk you through all of the Menu settings and Custom Function settings so that you can set up your camera to work best for how you photograph, and also begin to learn to master all the advanced features, settings, and controls of these powerful dSLR camera.

Wireless Flash: Like the 7D and 60D, the T3i incorporates wireless flash triggering. This allows you to trigger multiple off camera flashes at different output levels. The T2i does not have this feature.

Articulating LCD Screen: The big new feature that the 60D and T3i have that the 7D and T2i do not is the articulating rear LCD screen. This may prove useful for videographers, as well as for setting up compositions while the camera is on a tripod, for macro use, or for using it from unusually low or high vantage points. Some users will be able to avoid buying an expensive angle finder because of this feature. There is also an electronic level in the 7D and 60D, visible in the viewfinder, rear LCD, or top LCD.

Viewfinder: The T3i has a pentamirror viewfinder with 95% coverage of the actual resulting image. The 60D has a large, bright pentaprism viewfinder with 96% coverage, not quite as nice as the nearly 100% view of the 7D pentaprism.

Processor: The T3i shares the same Digic 4 processor as the 60D. The 7D has dual Digic 4 processors. However, if you don’t need to shoot dozens of continuous images, you probably won’t notice any processing speed issues.

Continuous Shooting Speed: The T3i can shoot 3.7 frames per second. The 7D can shoot a blazing 8 frames per second, in which the photos barely change from frame to frame. The 60D can shoot a respectable 5.3 fps which is actually a more useful rate. If you need the extremely high fps for sports, wildlife, or other action shooting, get the 7D. If not, don’t be swayed by this excessive feature.

Memory Card: The T3i and 60D use the SD memory card. The 7D uses the CF card.

Battery: The T3i and T2i use the smaller LP-E8 battery with less capacity than the LP-E6 battery used by the 60D and 7D.

Size and Weight: The T3i is smaller and lighter than the 60D, which in turn is smaller and lighter than the 7D. Go to a store and hold them to get a better…

The PowerShot SX230 HS is Canon’s top compact megazoom featuring a 28mm-equivalent wide-angle lens with a 14x zoom. It’s the same lens used in 2010′s SX210 IS and the body is for the most the same, too. The major change is to the camera’s imaging sensor; the SX210 had a 14-megapixel CCD while SX230 has a 12-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS. Without getting into the technical differences, what you need to know is that the new sensor produces better low-light photos and has faster shooting performance than that of its predecessor. Canon also built in a GPS receiver for geotagging your photos while you’re shooting–a first for a PowerShot.

However, while its photos–and movies–are pretty great for its class, the SX230′s shooting performance is a bit behind the competition. Its lens isn’t as wide or as long as similarly sized models and Canon doesn’t do as much as others with the GPS capabilities, either. Plus, everything about the design that was off with the SX210 is still off with the SX230. You’ll have to decide if my issues are deal breakers for you, though, because it’s otherwise a very good compact megazoom.

The SX230 HS has some of the best photo quality I’ve seen from a compact megazoom, particularly at higher ISOs. While photos do get softer and noisier above ISO 200–typical for point-and-shoots–ISO 400 and 800 are still very usable. The noise and noise reduction are well balanced so you still get very good color and detail at these higher sensitivities. Colors desaturate some at ISO 1600 and 3200, subjects look very soft, and detail is greatly diminished, but photos are still usable at small sizes for prints or on a computer screen. Basically, if you need to shoot in low light or want to freeze action, this camera is one of the best options in its class.

Sample photos:
Canon PowerShot SX230 HS

There is some asymmetrical distortion on the left side of lens visible at its widest position. When the lens is extended there is slight pincushion distortion, but it’s barely discernible. Sharpness is very good and consistent from edge to edge and in the corners–pretty rare on a compact megazoom. The SX230 exhibits a high amount of fringing around high-contrast subjects. It’s typical of compact cameras, but the amount is above average for its class, visible even when viewed at small sizes.

Color performance is a strong point with the SX230 HS. Everything turns out bright, well-saturated, and reasonably accurate. Exposure is generally good, though it really struggles with highlights, blowing them out every chance it gets. White balance is fairly accurate, too, but Auto goes warm indoors. You’re better off selecting the appropriate preset for your lighting or using a custom setting.

Video quality is also excellent. It shoots in full HD, but it’s at 24 frames per second. That’s not ideal for shooting fast-moving subjects as you’ll see some judder that’s typical of the video from most compact cameras. The same goes for quickly panning the camera. Otherwise the results are impressive, even at its lower resolutions. The zoom lens does function while recording, but you will hear the movement in quiet scenes. There are stereo mics on front, but the left mic is too easily blocked if you’re not paying attention to your hold on the camera.

Shooting options on the SX230 HS run the gamut from simple point-and-shoot options to full manual controls. The manual shooting options are better than most compact megazooms. You get semimanual and full manual control over shutter speed and apertures as well as manual focus with a safety for fine-tuning. Apertures include f3.1, f3.5, f4, f4.5, f5, f5.6, f6.3, f7.1, and f8. With the lens fully extended, you only get three settings, though: f5.9, f7.1, and f8. Shutter speeds can be set from 15 seconds to 1/3,200 second (1/2,500 is the fastest with the lens extended). There are options for setting color saturation, sharpness, and contrast, too, and the flash strength can be easily adjusted. A flash exposure lock, which adjusts flash output for what you’re focused on, can quickly be activated as well; it functions well for keeping the flash from blowing out subjects.

If you just want to point and shoot, there’s Canon’s Smart Auto, which determines the appropriate settings based on the scene you’re shooting. An Easy mode works similarly, but heavily limits settings. Frankly, the Smart Auto is easy enough and this spot should have gone to a custom mode. Canon also put on the mode dial three popular scene selections–Portrait, Landscape, and Kids Pets–and a SCN choice for accessing other scene settings like Low Light, Beach, Foliage, Snow, Fireworks, and Panorama Stitch Assist. There’s an Underwater option, but it’s for use with an optional casing; the camera is not waterproof. Canon includes its Smart Shutter option to the Scene mode, too; this includes a smile-activated shutter release as well as Wink and Face Detection Self-timers. Wink allows you to set off the shutter simply by winking at the camera and the Face Detection option will wait till the camera detects a new face in front of the camera before it fires off a shot. Both work well.

Canon’s Creative Filters are now all located under a spot on the mode dial. The filters include Canon’s standard Color Accent and Color Swap options as well as Toy Camera Effect, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Fish-eye Effect, and Miniature Effect. While some may find these to be a bit goofy, they can be a lot of fun to play with, if only to add some interest to what would otherwise be a boring shot. I particularly liked the results from the Toy Camera Effect, which has Standard, Warm, and Cool settings. All but the Toy Camera and Fish-eye are available for movies. Also available for movies is a high-speed option for capturing 30-second slow-motion clips at 120 or 240fps at resolutions of 640×480 and 320×240 pixels, respectively.

This model also has a new Movie Digest mode that records a few seconds of VGA-quality video before you take a picture. The camera then takes all of those clips for a day and strings them together into a single movie recapping your day. Since it’s a separate mode you have to remember to use it regularly throughout the day. Also, because it automatically stitches the clips together, if there’s something you don’t want, you’ll have to edit it out yourself. It would be nice to have the option to create the movie or just store the clips as well as have it create a movie with the photos you took inserted between the clips. Still, the result is actually cooler than I thought it would be; you just really have to pay attention to what you’re doing before you shoot a picture for it to be good.

Though it doesn’t focus as closely as others in its class, the SX230 HS is a capable macro shooter. You can get within 2 inches of your subject and come away with some nice fine detail as long as you keep your sensitivity below ISO 200.

One of the biggest benefits to CMOS sensors is their fast speed compared with CCD sensors. That’s certainly true of the SX230 HS, getting a noticeable performance jump from the CCD-based SX210 IS. On the other hand, it is slightly slower than CMOS-based compact megazooms from other manufacturers. The camera goes from off to first shot in 1.6 seconds with shot-to-shot times averaging 2.4 seconds without flash and 3.6 seconds with flash. Its shutter lag–the time it takes from pressing the shutter release to capturing a photo–is 0.4 second in bright lighting and 0.8 second in low-light conditions. The SX230′s burst mode is capable of capturing at 2.2 frames per second, with focus and exposure set with the first shot. It can shoot until your memory card fills up, though, which is nice; competing cameras have a burst limit and make you wait while images are stored before you can shoot again. The camera also has a continuous with AF, but it is really too slow to be useful for sports or other fast-moving subjects. The camera also has a high-speed burst mode that can shoot 3-megapixel photos at up to 8.1 frames per second. The results are very good compared with similar modes on other cameras I’ve tested, suitable for small prints and definitely for Web use.

The SX230′s design doesn’t change much from its predecessor; it basically looks like an extra large PowerShot Elph, and kind of a dull-looking one at that. The 14x zoom lens front and center is the only thing keeping this from being slipped easily into a tight pocket; there’s no problem dropping it in a handbag or coat pocket, though. Still, you’ll probably want to invest in a protective case or risk scratching the fine finish of the metal shell. Canon continues to make the flash pop up every time you start the camera, regardless of the camera’s settings. (Simply putting a finger on it when powering on will keep it from coming up, too, hopefully not damaging the lift mechanism.) With the flash up, the camera is very awkward to hold because you don’t really have anywhere to put your fingers. The LCD is decently bright, but I still had problems seeing it in direct sunlight. Also, despite being 3 inches on the diagonal, you’ll only be using 2.5 inches for framing your shots unless you switch to one of the camera’s 16:9 wide-screen resolutions.

The camera’s controls are a mix of good and bad; they’re also a bit small and cramped for larger hands. On top is the shutter release and zoom ring. When gripping the camera, your thumb sits on the sizable shooting mode dial. It clicks firmly into each selection, so there’s little risk you’ll inadvertently change modes. The power button is positioned above the right edge of the LCD and close to the mode dial. Depending on the size of your thumb, it can be a little difficult to press.

Directly under the dial are a dedicated record button for movies and a playback button. Below those is an unmarked Control Dial/directional pad. Touch the dial and a button description displays on screen so you know which direction to press to change flash, exposure, self timer, and focus settings. The dial allows for fast navigation and for quick changes to aperture and shutter speed in the manual and semimanual shooting modes. It moves freely, but you can feel individual stops when rotating it. In the center of the dial is Canon’s standard Func. Set button for accessing shooting-mode-specific options and making selections. Under the dial are a Display button for changing the shooting or playback information that’s shown on screen and a Menu button for basic operation settings. In all, operation is straightforward, but you’ll certainly want to read the manual, which is in PDF format on the bundled software disc.

Including a built-in GPS receiver makes the SX230 HS competitive with the high-end compact megazooms from Sony, Panasonic, Fujifilm, and Casio. However, those manufacturers offer greater functionality; Canon uses it to geotag photos with elevation, longitude, and latitude data and updating the camera’s clock. It can also keep a log file of your travel, e.g. the path you take while walking through a city. But that requires you to leave the GPS on all the time and make sure it’s always able to connect to satellites. So if you go indoors and forget to shut off logging, your battery will continue to drain. Canon didn’t make it easy to turn on and off either, burying it at the bottom of the camera settings menu. Plus, there’s no mention in the manual as to what the camera does should you lose your connection. Does it automatically search again? Do you have to go into the menu and turn the GPS off and on again to get it to refresh? If it refreshes on its own, how often will it search until it gets a signal?

Should you want to connect to a computer, monitor, or HDTV, there are Mini-USB and Mini-HDMI ports on the body’s right side. The battery and memory card compartment are on the bottom under a nonlocking door; however, the door closes firmly. The battery does not charge in camera and its life is fairly short, hastened by using the zoom, GPS, burst shooting, and capturing movies. You’ll want to invest in a second battery.

Conclusion:
The Canon PowerShot SX230 IS might not be the fastest compact megazoom or have the longest lens. It’s also Canon’s first crack at putting GPS in a PowerShot and it shows. However, its photo quality is excellent for its class and with all of its shooting options, including semimanual and manual modes, it’s a great choice for beginners and enthusiasts or as a family camera.

Shooting speed (in seconds)
(Smaller bars indicate better performance)

Time to first shot  

Typical shot-to-shot time  

Shutter lag (dim)  

Shutter lag (typical)  

Find out more about how we test digital cameras.

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The PowerShot SX230 HS is Canon’s top compact megazoom featuring a 28mm-equivalent wide-angle lens with a 14x zoom. It’s the same lens used in 2010′s SX210 IS and the body is for the most the same, too. The major change is to the camera’s imaging sensor; the SX210 had a 14-megapixel CCD while SX230 has a 12-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS. Without getting into the technical differences, what you need to know is that the new sensor produces better low-light photos and has faster shooting performance than that of its predecessor. Canon also built in a GPS receiver for geotagging your photos while you’re shooting–a first for a PowerShot.

However, while its photos–and movies–are pretty great for its class, the SX230′s shooting performance is a bit behind the competition. Its lens isn’t as wide or as long as similarly sized models and Canon doesn’t do as much as others with the GPS capabilities, either. Plus, everything about the design that was off with the SX210 is still off with the SX230. You’ll have to decide if my issues are deal breakers for you, though, because it’s otherwise a very good compact megazoom.

The SX230 HS has some of the best photo quality I’ve seen from a compact megazoom, particularly at higher ISOs. While photos do get softer and noisier above ISO 200–typical for point-and-shoots–ISO 400 and 800 are still very usable. The noise and noise reduction are well balanced so you still get very good color and detail at these higher sensitivities. Colors desaturate some at ISO 1600 and 3200, subjects look very soft, and detail is greatly diminished, but photos are still usable at small sizes for prints or on a computer screen. Basically, if you need to shoot in low light or want to freeze action, this camera is one of the best options in its class.

Sample photos:
Canon PowerShot SX230 HS

There is some asymmetrical distortion on the left side of lens visible at its widest position. When the lens is extended there is slight pincushion distortion, but it’s barely discernible. Sharpness is very good and consistent from edge to edge and in the corners–pretty rare on a compact megazoom. The SX230 exhibits a high amount of fringing around high-contrast subjects. It’s typical of compact cameras, but the amount is above average for its class, visible even when viewed at small sizes.

Color performance is a strong point with the SX230 HS. Everything turns out bright, well-saturated, and reasonably accurate. Exposure is generally good, though it really struggles with highlights, blowing them out every chance it gets. White balance is fairly accurate, too, but Auto goes warm indoors. You’re better off selecting the appropriate preset for your lighting or using a custom setting.

Video quality is also excellent. It shoots in full HD, but it’s at 24 frames per second. That’s not ideal for shooting fast-moving subjects as you’ll see some judder that’s typical of the video from most compact cameras. The same goes for quickly panning the camera. Otherwise the results are impressive, even at its lower resolutions. The zoom lens does function while recording, but you will hear the movement in quiet scenes. There are stereo mics on front, but the left mic is too easily blocked if you’re not paying attention to your hold on the camera.

Shooting options on the SX230 HS run the gamut from simple point-and-shoot options to full manual controls. The manual shooting options are better than most compact megazooms. You get semimanual and full manual control over shutter speed and apertures as well as manual focus with a safety for fine-tuning. Apertures include f3.1, f3.5, f4, f4.5, f5, f5.6, f6.3, f7.1, and f8. With the lens fully extended, you only get three settings, though: f5.9, f7.1, and f8. Shutter speeds can be set from 15 seconds to 1/3,200 second (1/2,500 is the fastest with the lens extended). There are options for setting color saturation, sharpness, and contrast, too, and the flash strength can be easily adjusted. A flash exposure lock, which adjusts flash output for what you’re focused on, can quickly be activated as well; it functions well for keeping the flash from blowing out subjects.

If you just want to point and shoot, there’s Canon’s Smart Auto, which determines the appropriate settings based on the scene you’re shooting. An Easy mode works similarly, but heavily limits settings. Frankly, the Smart Auto is easy enough and this spot should have gone to a custom mode. Canon also put on the mode dial three popular scene selections–Portrait, Landscape, and Kids Pets–and a SCN choice for accessing other scene settings like Low Light, Beach, Foliage, Snow, Fireworks, and Panorama Stitch Assist. There’s an Underwater option, but it’s for use with an optional casing; the camera is not waterproof. Canon includes its Smart Shutter option to the Scene mode, too; this includes a smile-activated shutter release as well as Wink and Face Detection Self-timers. Wink allows you to set off the shutter simply by winking at the camera and the Face Detection option will wait till the camera detects a new face in front of the camera before it fires off a shot. Both work well.

Canon’s Creative Filters are now all located under a spot on the mode dial. The filters include Canon’s standard Color Accent and Color Swap options as well as Toy Camera Effect, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Fish-eye Effect, and Miniature Effect. While some may find these to be a bit goofy, they can be a lot of fun to play with, if only to add some interest to what would otherwise be a boring shot. I particularly liked the results from the Toy Camera Effect, which has Standard, Warm, and Cool settings. All but the Toy Camera and Fish-eye are available for movies. Also available for movies is a high-speed option for capturing 30-second slow-motion clips at 120 or 240fps at resolutions of 640×480 and 320×240 pixels, respectively.

This model also has a new Movie Digest mode that records a few seconds of VGA-quality video before you take a picture. The camera then takes all of those clips for a day and strings them together into a single movie recapping your day. Since it’s a separate mode you have to remember to use it regularly throughout the day. Also, because it automatically stitches the clips together, if there’s something you don’t want, you’ll have to edit it out yourself. It would be nice to have the option to create the movie or just store the clips as well as have it create a movie with the photos you took inserted between the clips. Still, the result is actually cooler than I thought it would be; you just really have to pay attention to what you’re doing before you shoot a picture for it to be good.

Though it doesn’t focus as closely as others in its class, the SX230 HS is a capable macro shooter. You can get within 2 inches of your subject and come away with some nice fine detail as long as you keep your sensitivity below ISO 200.

One of the biggest benefits to CMOS sensors is their fast speed compared with CCD sensors. That’s certainly true of the SX230 HS, getting a noticeable performance jump from the CCD-based SX210 IS. On the other hand, it is slightly slower than CMOS-based compact megazooms from other manufacturers. The camera goes from off to first shot in 1.6 seconds with shot-to-shot times averaging 2.4 seconds without flash and 3.6 seconds with flash. Its shutter lag–the time it takes from pressing the shutter release to capturing a photo–is 0.4 second in bright lighting and 0.8 second in low-light conditions. The SX230′s burst mode is capable of capturing at 2.2 frames per second, with focus and exposure set with the first shot. It can shoot until your memory card fills up, though, which is nice; competing cameras have a burst limit and make you wait while images are stored before you can shoot again. The camera also has a continuous with AF, but it is really too slow to be useful for sports or other fast-moving subjects. The camera also has a high-speed burst mode that can shoot 3-megapixel photos at up to 8.1 frames per second. The results are very good compared with similar modes on other cameras I’ve tested, suitable for small prints and definitely for Web use.

The SX230′s design doesn’t change much from its predecessor; it basically looks like an extra large PowerShot Elph, and kind of a dull-looking one at that. The 14x zoom lens front and center is the only thing keeping this from being slipped easily into a tight pocket; there’s no problem dropping it in a handbag or coat pocket, though. Still, you’ll probably want to invest in a protective case or risk scratching the fine finish of the metal shell. Canon continues to make the flash pop up every time you start the camera, regardless of the camera’s settings. (Simply putting a finger on it when powering on will keep it from coming up, too, hopefully not damaging the lift mechanism.) With the flash up, the camera is very awkward to hold because you don’t really have anywhere to put your fingers. The LCD is decently bright, but I still had problems seeing it in direct sunlight. Also, despite being 3 inches on the diagonal, you’ll only be using 2.5 inches for framing your shots unless you switch to one of the camera’s 16:9 wide-screen resolutions.

The camera’s controls are a mix of good and bad; they’re also a bit small and cramped for larger hands. On top is the shutter release and zoom ring. When gripping the camera, your thumb sits on the sizable shooting mode dial. It clicks firmly into each selection, so there’s little risk you’ll inadvertently change modes. The power button is positioned above the right edge of the LCD and close to the mode dial. Depending on the size of your thumb, it can be a little difficult to press.

Directly under the dial are a dedicated record button for movies and a playback button. Below those is an unmarked Control Dial/directional pad. Touch the dial and a button description displays on screen so you know which direction to press to change flash, exposure, self timer, and focus settings. The dial allows for fast navigation and for quick changes to aperture and shutter speed in the manual and semimanual shooting modes. It moves freely, but you can feel individual stops when rotating it. In the center of the dial is Canon’s standard Func. Set button for accessing shooting-mode-specific options and making selections. Under the dial are a Display button for changing the shooting or playback information that’s shown on screen and a Menu button for basic operation settings. In all, operation is straightforward, but you’ll certainly want to read the manual, which is in PDF format on the bundled software disc.

Including a built-in GPS receiver makes the SX230 HS competitive with the high-end compact megazooms from Sony, Panasonic, Fujifilm, and Casio. However, those manufacturers offer greater functionality; Canon uses it to geotag photos with elevation, longitude, and latitude data and updating the camera’s clock. It can also keep a log file of your travel, e.g. the path you take while walking through a city. But that requires you to leave the GPS on all the time and make sure it’s always able to connect to satellites. So if you go indoors and forget to shut off logging, your battery will continue to drain. Canon didn’t make it easy to turn on and off either, burying it at the bottom of the camera settings menu. Plus, there’s no mention in the manual as to what the camera does should you lose your connection. Does it automatically search again? Do you have to go into the menu and turn the GPS off and on again to get it to refresh? If it refreshes on its own, how often will it search until it gets a signal?

Should you want to connect to a computer, monitor, or HDTV, there are Mini-USB and Mini-HDMI ports on the body’s right side. The battery and memory card compartment are on the bottom under a nonlocking door; however, the door closes firmly. The battery does not charge in camera and its life is fairly short, hastened by using the zoom, GPS, burst shooting, and capturing movies. You’ll want to invest in a second battery.

Conclusion:
The Canon PowerShot SX230 IS might not be the fastest compact megazoom or have the longest lens. It’s also Canon’s first crack at putting GPS in a PowerShot and it shows. However, its photo quality is excellent for its class and with all of its shooting options, including semimanual and manual modes, it’s a great choice for beginners and enthusiasts or as a family camera.

Shooting speed (in seconds)
(Smaller bars indicate better performance)

Time to first shot  

Typical shot-to-shot time  

Shutter lag (dim)  

Shutter lag (typical)  

Find out more about how we test digital cameras.

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We expect more out of a $100 all-in-one printer than the Kodak ESP C310 delivers. We were disappointed with the build quality of the Kodak ESP 5, and Kodak seems to struggle with the same issues with this model. The entry-level C310 may register decent print speeds and wireless setup is easy, but we recommend spending your $100 on the Canon Pixma MX410 instead–you’ll get a more versatile and attractive imaging device that even has an auto-document feeder and more shortcut buttons on the control panel.

Design
The ESP C310 has a compact footprint relative to other multifunction printers. It can print, scan, and copy, but you don’t get an auto-document feeder, so you have to endure scanning large stacks of documents or snapshot photos on a sheet-by-sheet basis. Unlike on the ESP 5, the input and output trays sit on opposite sides of the device, and the 100-sheet input tray in the back bows down on top of the scanner lid when not in use–we prefer the Canon Pixma MX410′s folding auto-document feeder, which lends a more streamlined look to the machine.

The paper output tray sits flush with the unit and folds down with an extendable plastic arm that pulls out of the edge to corral sheets of paper as it completes each job. On the whole, the printer is made of a light plastic that reminds us of a Playskool toy and gives the device a flimsy and delicate feel.

When you raise the cover to reveal the ink bay, a thin plastic arm pops up and braces the cover, similar to the hood of a car. The mechanism requires two hands to close and is an overall poor design choice; it’s almost guaranteed to break over time, and we’re not sure why Kodak didn’t just use a standard spring-mounted lid. Also, the cover on top of the scanner bed folds on a fixed hinge that doesn’t reach over thicker items like large books.

The ESP C310 retains the standard-size ink cartridge bay: one slot for black and one for five different colors, which is common for printers in the low-end price range. The Kodak Web site reports 10 cents per color photo, a price on par with the average inkjet printer. In addition, Kodak sells three different printing bundles that include black and color ink cartridges as well as several types of paper.

The top of the device has a small (1.5-inch) LCD that walks you through installing the printer on your wireless network at home, and a glowing light on the front shows your network status in relation to the host computer network. Kodak keeps the rest of the buttons on the control panel to a minimum, with simple shortcuts for power, cancel, navigation, and start. Just below the buttons you’ll find a multimedia card reader for Memory Stick, xD-Picture Card, SD, and Compact Flash cards, but the printer is lacking a USB port for printing directly from a digital camera.

By contrast, the Canon Pixma MX410 offers the additional benefit of a fax machine and a host of buttons on the front including auto-dial buttons and a full set of numerical buttons for dialing. And while the Canon’s two-line dot matrix display isn’t quite as fancy as the Kodak’s color LCD, we see no added benefit to a full-color LCD on a printer that isn’t designed to print a large volume of photos.

The Kodak ESP C310 ships with a helpful driver CD that walks you through the installation process and includes the Kodak Home Center software. The Home Center acts as a hub for the copy, print, and scan functions. The copy feature is easy to navigate and offers a unique collage copy setting that duplicates several pictures in the same orientation as the originals. The scanning center is a little too simplified and lacks an option to scan directly to a PDF or an e-mail; both are almost an industry standard and we’re disappointed to see that Kodak skip these two crucial features.

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The Canon Pixma MX410 is a worthwhile all-in-one solution for people who need an output solution for intermittent monthly use to print out boarding passes, office documents, or occasional snapshot photos. Its dual-ink cartridge bay limits its output performance so we don’t recommend it for photo-specific use, but you’ll certainly be satisfied with the Pixma’s graphic and text quality. Add extra features like wireless connectivity, an auto-document feeder, and Canon’s exclusive HD Movie Print that lets you pull and print still photos out of Canon compatible HD video cameras, and this $100 device is more than worth its price.

Design and features
The design of the Pixma MX410 is streamlined so that every drawer, tray, and port folds up flush into the self-contained body. The result is a very sleek matte black exterior with all of the buttons you need to adjust the settings placed conveniently on the front panel. Since the default function is to print, the rest of the hot keys (copy, fax, scan) are the largest on the panel along with backlit power and start buttons and a blinking alarm for low ink and paper jams.

Last year’s Pixma MX330 is no longer offered on the Canon Web site, but you can still spend the same amount and benefit from a dedicated 1.8-inch LCD display. The MX410 is simpler with only a two-line dot-matrix graphic display in the middle of the control panel, and although it’s not as fancy as a color LCD, it’s still adequate for all the day-to-day print, scan, and fax functionality.

Most AIOs don’t typically include auto-document feeders (ADFs) with printers at this price point, so we’re happy to see that Canon includes one to make it much easier to scan or copy stacks of documents. The ADF can only handle up to 30 pages at a time, so the majority of your blank media goes through the rear input tray that holds 100 pages, and a plastic guide folds out of the rear tray to corral larger media.

Output, on the other hand, is a much more simplified process: all outbound prints just pop out of the front drawer onto an angled lip that folds out of the main body. We’re disappointed to see that the MX410 doesn’t include a multimedia card reader for direct prints, but you can hook up a digital camera directly to the printer through the PictBridge USB port on the bottom of the unit.

The top of the printer lifts open to reveal the standard 8.5-inch-by-11-inch scanner bay, but you can also pop that open and access the two-ink cartridge bay below. To keep costs low, the MX410 only uses two inks: one for black and one for tricolors. While we prefer five or sometimes even six separate cartridge tanks to cut down on the cost of consumables, it makes sense that a printer at this accessible price only has two tanks. If you plan to use your printer for more snapshot photo prints or graphical documents, a printer with separate ink cartridge bays like the Canon Pixma MX870 will prove more economical.

The package includes a driver CD with all the installation files you need to customize your prints. Within those settings, you can choose between commonly used templates like standard, business, paper saving, and photo printing that adjust the type of media, paper size, and source.

Additionally, the driver provides you with adjustments for borderless printing, vivid photos, gray scale prints, and even manual color intensities by numeral increments. It also features a pop-up print status monitor that shows the current job, document name, device owner, status, and a graphical representation of the ink cartridge levels. Conveniently, this pop-up automatically disappears once the job in queue is finished printing, but we prefer status monitors that show us the page and progress of the print.

The driver also automatically installs Canon’s Easy Photo Print EX software onto your computer that flaunts all the creative features of the MX410. It allows you to print simple snapshot photos on the fly, create whole albums of artwork, and print calendars with custom pictures, as well as custom stickers using Canon’s proprietary sticker paper.

The explorer window on the main page works just like a Windows Explorer pane, except we prefer HP’s Solution Center layout that automatically scans and detects printable pictures on your hard drive for you. Canon’s creative suite is incredibly easy to use and even lets you make simple photo edits like red-eye correction, face sharpening, and blemish removal, which is great for people who don’t want to deal with the hassle of third-party editing software like Adobe Photoshop.

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