Canon SX540 HS PowerShot Canon - Review 🏆

The Canon PowerShot SX540 HS is a versatile superzoom point-and-shoot camera that was released in 2016. It features a powerful 50x optical zoom lens, providing an impressive focal range of 24-1200mm for capturing anything from wide landscapes to distant subjects. With a 20.3MP sensor, full HD video capabilities, and built-in Wi-Fi/NFC connectivity, the SX540 HS is designed as an all-in-one solution for hobbyists looking to take great photos and videos without the need for interchangeable lenses. It offers full manual controls in a compact body weighing just 442g, making it highly portable. Overall, the SX540 provides excellent image quality and versatility at an affordable price point.

Image Quality

The Canon PowerShot SX540 HS delivers excellent image quality for a compact camera. It features a 20.3-megapixel 1/2.3-inch High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor coupled with Canon's DIGIC 6 image processor.

The sensor and processor combination produce detailed images with realistic colors and low noise levels. The camera has a resolution of 5184 x 3888 pixels, enabling large prints.

While the small sensor size results in some noise at high ISO levels, overall noise performance is quite good for this class of camera. Images are very usable through ISO 3200, with only slight visible noise. At the maximum ISO of 3200, noise becomes more apparent but doesn't detract too much from image quality.

The PowerShot SX540 HS captures sharp, vibrant images in a range of lighting conditions. It performs especially well outdoors in bright sunlight. Indoors and in low light, images remain clear with minimal noise, aided by the fast f/3.4-6.5 lens. Overall the camera delivers the image quality expected from a compact camera with a 1/2.3” sensor.

For those looking for more advanced features, the Canon EOS 250D + EF-S 18-55 mm f/4-5.6 IS STM Lens is an excellent choice. This DSLR camera offers a 24.1-megapixel APS-C sensor, delivering superior image quality with greater detail and lower noise levels. It also features 4K video recording and Dual Pixel CMOS AF, making it perfect for both photography and videography enthusiasts. The lightweight design and intuitive interface make it easy to use for beginners while providing the versatility required by more advanced users. With the included EF-S 18-55mm lens, this camera kit covers a wide range of shooting scenarios, from landscapes to portraits.

Zoom Capabilities

One of the standout features of the Canon PowerShot SX540 HS is its impressive zoom range. This camera offers a remarkable 50x optical zoom, allowing you to get exceptionally close to distant subjects. The 50x zoom gives you a 35mm focal length equivalence of 24-1200mm, providing great versatility when composing shots.

Whether you're photographing wildlife, sports, landscapes or architecture, the powerful 50x zoom gives you the reach to capture stunning images from afar. Even when fully zoomed, the lens maintains sharpness and image quality. With the flip of a lever, you can quickly zoom from wide angle to super telephoto.

In addition to the optical zoom, the SX540 HS has 100x ZoomPlus digital zoom. This extends the total possible zoom range to an astonishing 5000mm equivalent. While image quality decreases when using the digital zoom, it can still be useful in some situations when you need even more reach. Overall, the zoom capabilities allow for great flexibility and make this camera well-suited for travel and outdoor photography.

For those seeking a compact yet powerful camera, consider the Canon IXUS 285 HS (Black). This sleek, stylish camera offers a 12x optical zoom, allowing you to capture distant subjects with ease. It's equipped with a 20.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor and DIGIC 4+ processor, ensuring top-notch image quality. The built-in Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity make it easy to share your photos instantly, making it a great choice for everyday photography and social media sharing.

Video Recording

The Canon PowerShot SX540 HS captures high-quality 1080p Full HD video at up to 60 frames per second. This allows for smooth, detailed footage that looks great when played back on HDTVs.

The camera records stereo sound using its built-in microphones. The microphones do a decent job at picking up voices and ambient noises near the camera. For more control over audio, you can connect an external microphone to the camera's microphone input jack.

Overall, the video capabilities of the SX540 HS are quite good for a compact point-and-shoot. The high-resolution 1080p video provides a lot of detail, and the ability to shoot at 60fps gives you flexibility when editing and creating slow-motion effects. The stereo sound is also a nice feature at this price point.

Design and Handling

The Canon PowerShot SX540 HS has a compact and lightweight body that makes it easy to carry around. It weighs approximately 442 grams, which is light enough to hold steady for handheld shots. The camera body measures 120.5 x 81.7 x 91.9mm, so it can fit into a jacket pocket or small bag when traveling.

Despite its small size, the SX540 HS has a deep grip that allows you to wrap your fingers around the camera securely. The textured coating on the grip helps prevent slippage. All of the main controls are within easy reach of the right hand. There is a dedicated movie record button on the back as well as a control dial surrounding a SET button. This lets you quickly change key settings.

The PowerShot SX540 HS lacks an electronic viewfinder but it does have a 3-inch LCD screen that tilts up 180 degrees and down 90 degrees. This vari-angle screen makes it easy to compose shots from high and low angles. The screen resolution is approximately 461,000 dots. Menu navigation is straightforward with clear labeling and descriptions for each setting. Overall, the thoughtful design makes the SX540 HS comfortable and convenient for everyday use.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed

The Canon PowerShot SX540 HS features a contrast-detect autofocus system, which is quite fast and accurate for a camera in this class. It can lock focus in around 0.5 seconds in good lighting conditions, which is decent but not as fast as some higher-end cameras.

In terms of burst shooting, the SX540 HS can capture up to 5.9 frames per second in high-speed continuous shooting mode. This allows you to capture fast action shots of moving subjects. While not incredibly fast, it's sufficient for casual action photography of kids, pets, and everyday life.

The camera also has servo AF for continuous focus tracking of moving subjects. It works fairly well at keeping focus locked on the subject, as long as they are not moving erratically or at high speeds. Overall, the autofocus capabilities are quite good for a mid-range superzoom camera.

Features

The Canon PowerShot SX540 HS has a robust set of features that make it a versatile camera for everyday use. Some of the highlights include:

Built-in WiFi and NFC: The camera has wireless connectivity that allows you to transfer images to smartphones, tablets, computers and printers. You can also remotely control the camera from your mobile device using the free Canon Camera Connect app. The NFC feature makes pairing with NFC-enabled devices fast and convenient.

Creative Filters and Modes: The PowerShot SX540 HS offers a variety of built-in creative filters and modes that allow you to add artistic effects to your photos. Some examples are Toy Camera, Fisheye, Miniature, and Monochrome modes. There are also modes like Super Vivid, Poster Effect and Long Shutter that provide unique photo effects.

Hybrid Auto Mode: This mode records a short video clip before each still image shot, which is then combined into a video highlight reel that shows the day's photographic journey. It's a nice way to compile memories from a vacation or event.

Smart Auto Mode: The camera automatically selects the optimal settings based on the shooting scene, allowing you to point and shoot with ease while still getting great results. Subjects are detected and camera settings adjusted accordingly.

Creative Shot Mode: Takes five sequential images while automatically applying a variety of creative filters to each shot. You get six different filtered versions of the scene to choose your favorite from. It's a fun way to add artistic flair.

Overall, the PowerShot SX540 HS is packed with modes and effects that let you exercise your creativity and capture photos and videos with a customized artistic touch. The wireless connectivity provides convenience for sharing content on the go.

Battery Life

The Canon PowerShot SX540 HS is powered by an NB-6LH rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack. This provides enough power for around 205 shots per charge when using the LCD screen, or 265 shots per charge when using the viewfinder, according to Canon's CIPA testing standards.

Real world battery life can vary depending on usage, but generally the SX540 HS battery life is decent for a superzoom camera. The battery pack charges via USB, so you can conveniently top it up using a computer, portable charger, or car charger. Overall, battery performance is solid enough for day trips and short vacations. Just be sure to pack the USB charger if you plan on any photography excursions longer than a day.

Pros

The Canon PowerShot SX540 HS has several strong advantages that make it a compelling choice for a budget superzoom camera.

• Good zoom range: The 50x optical zoom lens provides an extremely versatile 24-1200mm equivalent range. This allows you to capture wide landscape shots as well as get very close to distant subjects. The powerful zoom makes it easy to photograph wildlife, sports, concerts, and more.

• Easy to use: The SX540 HS has a simple, intuitive interface that makes it easy for anyone to pick up and start using right away. Key settings are accessible via the mode dial and quick menu. Novices will appreciate the built-in guided menus that explain camera functions.

• Good value: Given its set of features, 50x zoom lens, and overall image quality, the SX540 HS delivers good value for the price. It packs a lot into an affordable superzoom camera. The combination of versatility, ease of use, and low cost make this a compelling choice for many.

Cons

The Canon PowerShot SX540 HS has a few drawbacks to consider.

• Image noise at high ISO - While image quality is generally good, there can be noticeable noise in images shot at high ISO settings, especially ISO 800 and above. This can result in graininess and loss of fine detail. The high ISO performance is not best-in-class compared to other cameras.

• No external mic port - The SX540 HS lacks an external microphone port, so you are limited to the built-in mono microphone for audio recording. This can result in lower quality audio compared to using an external stereo mic. If high-quality audio is important for your videos, the lack of an external mic port may be a disadvantage.