Thursday, January 21, 2010

My experience using the Canon Powershot SX20 IS camera

If you've landed on this page, chances are you are already the proud owner of a Canon Powershot SX20 IS camera, or are actively considering getting one. And maybe, like me, you are somewhat intimidated by all the bells and whistles this camera has to offer. Well, my hope is to try and help dispel some of your fears by sharing what I've learned about this versatile camera over the past couple of months. Like you (maybe) I wanted something that was not quite as advanced as a DSLR, but could take me well beyond what a basic point-and-shoot model can offer. And in this, I have not been disappointed. What especially intrigued me about the Powershot SX20 was its 20X zoom lens that held out the promise of finally being able to indulge in some decent wildlife photography, and more specifically, bird photography. And after a few blurry shots, I'm pleased to report that I've been able to get to the point where I can get shots like this one:


What I hope to do with this blog is to share my experiences with this wonderful and surprisingly economical camera, and I hope this will help fellow SX20 users in honing their skills. And in no way do I claim to be an expert in any of this - I'm just describing what works for me, and if it works for me, a strict amateur, it should work pretty well for you too! And I certainly appreciate any words of wisdom for all of you kind readers. More to come soon!

5 comments:

  1. Can you use UV and polarizing filters with the SX20 if you her a 58mm adaptor ring? Does the camera cap fit over filters?

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  2. I have not used a filter yet, but I understand you can get adaptors compatible with the SX20 from Lensmate (http://www.lensmateonline.com/). And I don't know whether the camera cap will fit on top of the filter...

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  3. No. If you use 58mm Filter Adapter then you can't use the original camera cap. You ll need to buy a 58mm Snap-on Lens Cap.

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  4. Great pics :> I was checking online where I can find a replacement for the optical unit of my sx20 when I saw your blog. Very informative. Would you know where I can buy? I scratched my lens last week. The scratches come out as blurs in my pics. Really sad. Hope you can assist - honey@vgmiranda.com

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  5. After reading comments about lens scratches, I bought a 58mm adaptor filter and lens cap with tether so you don't lose it -all through E-Bay. I experimented with many of the features of my Sx-20 this summer and am very happy with it. It's an especially good travel camera because of the long lens. I used to get so frustrated at how my all-in-one lens on compact digital camera flatened out the space in distance. Now hills look like hills, with lots of detail.

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