Canon PowerShot SX70 HS Review

Key Specifications

• Review Price: £519.99
• 20.3-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor
• 65x optical zoom
• Shoots 4K video at 30fps
• 10fps burst mode
• 2.36-million dot electronic viewfinder
• 3-inch vari-angle screen

What is the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS?

If you’re looking for the convenience of a DSLR without the bulk or expense of multiple lenses, then a bridge camera could be for you – and the PowerShot SX70 HS is Canon’s latest example.

With its all-encompassing 65x optical zoom lens, full manual exposure control and even a Raw shooting option, it provides real creative control without the need to lug around a bag of lenses.

Its most likely audience is travelling photographers who want to capture a raft of different subjects at different distances, from wide-angle landscapes with far-away details to food, portraits and everyday street shots.

The drawback is that the camera won’t provide the same standard of image quality or flexibility as a DSLR. But for those just wanting an all-in-one option for a stretch of travel, it could well be a more attractive overall proposition overall.

Canon PowerShot SX70 HS – Design and features

For a camera with such a beastly lens, the PowerShot SX70 HS is remarkably compact – and at just 610g, it’s also relatively light in weight.

Even so, Canon has fashioned it with a generously sized grip, one that’s been liberally rubbered for extra security and comfort. Even if you have larger hands, it’s unlikely that you’ll find the camera either uncomfortable in the hands or fiddly to operate.

That said, while the camera may handle much like a DSLR, it doesn’t have the same sturdy build quality that you’d get from an interchangeable lens camera.

A number of direct controls have been designed into the body, such as a handful of buttons that allow you to regulate the lens’s focal length in different ways. There’s also a tall mode dial on the top plate that helpfully rounds up all exposure options. Both this and the command dial at the top of the grip have a tactile finish that makes it easy to use, and while the buttons on the whole sit relatively flush to the body – and could do with travelling further into the body itself when pressed – all are large and clearly marked.

Alongside the centrepiece that is the lens, Canon has equipped the PowerShot SX70 HS with an image stabilisation system that promises to steady the lens where necessary. This is a critical feature on cameras like this, and its effects can be seen in both the electronic viewfinder and on the LCD.

Other notable additions here include Raw shooting, a 10fps burst mode and Wi-Fi partnered with NFC for easy image transmission and remote control from a smart device.