Review: Canon PowerShot SX220 HS

admin | March 8, 2011 | 0 Comments

Canon PowerShot SX220 HS

Our test is now underway, but we’ve already completed our resolution, noise and dynamic range tests, the results of which we would like to share with you here.

Canon’s 12.1 million pixel PowerShot SX220HS has a 14x optical zoom which starts at 28mm and extends to 392mm providing plenty of scope for capturing sweeping landscape vistas, portraits and distant details. And, thanks to its HS system Canon promises that the SX 220 HS turns in good low-light performance, something we will be testing over the coming few days.

Canon PowerShot SX220 HS image quality and resolution

As part of our test we shoot our resolution chart at every sensitivity setting. The higher the value quoted in the caption score, the greater the level of detail being resolved and the better the image quality.

ISO 100: score 20/22
Resolution chart at iso 100 See the full image

ISO 200: score 20/22
Resolution chart at iso 200 See the full image

ISO 400: score 20
Resolution chart at iso 400 See the full image

ISO 800: score 20
Resolution chart at iso 800 See the full image

ISO 1600: score 20
Resolution chart at iso 1600 See the full image

ISO 3200: score18
Resolution chart at iso 3200 See the full image

These graphs were produced using data generated by DXO Analyzer. We shoot a specially designed chart in carefully controlled conditions and the resulting images are analysed using the DXO software.

Signal to noise ratio
A high signal to noise ratio (SNR) indicates a cleaner and better quality image.
Signal to noise ratio graph

Dynamic range
A high dynamic range indicates a better ability to reproduce a wide range of tones. These cameras do not produce raw files, only JPEGs which are automatically processed in-camera to produce the best image possible in the view of the manufacturer.
Dynamic range graph