In the aftermath of its competitor Nikon launching the world’s longest 125x optical zoom camera, Canon has now launched the PowerShot SX740 HS, a compact travel zoom camera which despite its small physique will be able to zoom to up to 40x optically. The camera will be starting to retail in the US for $399 (approx. Rs 27,370) and will soon be available in other regions including India.
The PowerShot SX740 HS spans across a focal range equivalent to 24-960mm in contrast to a traditional 35mm lens together with a variable Aperture of f/3.3 to f/6.9. The device boasts of a 20.3MP back-illuminated BSI-CMOS sensor which when powered by the DIGIC 8 image processor can output a frame rate of 10 FPS when capturing images.
On continuous focus, the SX740 HS will be able to capture a commendable 7.4fps burst shots. Canon is finally moving on from Full HD video capture as it shifts toward 4K Ultra HD video capabilities that includes a time-lapse mode in 4K grabbing as much as 8MP frames. ISO sensitivity ranges from 80 to 3200, with a maximum of ISO 1600 in auto mode. Shutter speeds range between 15 seconds and 1/3200 second.
There’s a 3-inch tilting LCD display which can be bent to be used at any angle and can even face forward allowing users to capture self-portraits with ease. Canon is offering 5-axis image stabilization to provide PowerShot users with vibration reduction when optically zooming in to uptown 40x. There’s also a ZoomPlus feature which can get you to use 80x of zoom, though digitally if you’re okay with some loss in image quality.
For easy transfer of images and videos, the PowerShot SX740 HS offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity to be paired with any other handheld device. Additional features include a Hybrid Auto mode, Zoom Framing Assist, a built-in flash and Smart Auto shooting mode.
The Canon PowerShot SX740 HS will be available for an asking price of $399 (approx. Rs 27,370) and will go on sale later during the year.