Canon PowerShot SX410 IS Review

A 40x optical zoom range is available on the Canon PowerShot SX410 IS, a superzoom camera. While it won’t readily fit in your pocket, it won’t take up much room in a backpack, making it one of the most compact superzooms designed to resemble SLR cameras.

The SX410 IS was released in February 2015, making it the successor to the SX400 IS, which was made available in July of the previous year. In addition to increasing the zoom range from the earlier models’ maximum of 30x, this new model brings the total number of megabytes that the CCD sensor can capture up to 20.

The majority of the other features from the previous generation have been carried over, including the 3-inch LCD screen. Aside from the longer zoom and the new sensor, there isn’t much else that is new, and it’s a bit sad that Canon has opted against incorporating Wifi or increasing the HD video capabilities beyond 720p. The only new thing is the sensor and the longer lens.

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Canon PowerShot SX410 IS

Last update was on: January 19, 2024 1:58 pm

An increase of 25 percent in the zoom range is not to be sneered at, and a higher resolution sensor means that you can produce larger prints or crop in even closer. Still, it is unknown how the image quality compares to that of previous models. Read on for my comprehensive review to find out, and to see how the PowerShot SX410 IS stacks up against its more expensive stablemate, the PowerShot SX530 HS, as well as Nikon’s affordable bridge superzoom, the COOLPIX L840. Compare and contrast!

Canon PowerShot SX410 IS Lens

The PowerShot SX410 IS now has a whopping 40x optical zoom, giving it a focal length equivalent of 24 to 960mm. To be packed into a camera of this size, that is an impressively competent zoom range. Bridge cameras are available with greater zoom ranges than the SX410 IS, but these cameras are significantly larger and heavier.

The PowerShot SX530 HS is one among them. It has a 50x optical zoom, beginning at the same 24mm wide angle but stretching to 1200mm equivalent. The 38-times zoom range of the Nikon COOLPIX L840 starts wider than any of the Canon versions, at 22.5 millimeters, but it ends up with a lower maximum focal length of 855 millimeters.

The lens on the PowerShot SX410 strikes, in my opinion, an excellent balance between, on the one hand, its physical dimensions and weight and, on the other, its zoom range. Regarding models like this one, I can’t think many people will search for a longer zoom. However, for one reason, it becomes pretty tricky to hold the camera stable at longer focal lengths, even with image stabilization. Because of this, the SX530 HS has specific capabilities to assist you in maintaining your subject in the frame even while you are shooting at longer focal lengths.

Canon PowerShot SX410 IS Video

The PowerShot SX410 IS retains the same standard level of simplicity in its video capabilities as its predecessor, the SX400 IS. The video format with the most excellent quality is 720p25, and the only other choice is VGA with a resolution of 640 by 480 pixels and a frame rate of 30 frames per second.

Another option is the tiny effect, which simulates a tilt-shift effect on video and offers the user the choice between three speeds that play back at 5, 10, or 20 times the average speed. This may be done in 640 x 480 or 720 formats, which can be chosen from the quick menu when the mode is set to Miniature.

Movies are encoded using the H.264 codec at a bit rate of around 13Mbit/s on average, and they are stored in the same folder as images as QuickTime files with a MOV extension. So on a card with a capacity of 4 gigabytes, you can save the film for close to 40 minutes, but the maximum recording length is 29 minutes and 29 seconds.

You can tell that the SX410 IS a mono microphone since the hole it should go in is just behind the pop-up flash head. You can use optical zoom while recording, and you can also use digital zoom if you want to; however, in contrast to the COOLPIX L840, you have the option to disable it, which is also a nice thing.

In Program mode, the exposure is decided automatically; however, in Smart Auto mode, the SX410 IS employs the Digic 4+’s scene identification algorithms to recognize 21 different scenario types and adjust the exposure appropriately. In Program mode, the direction is changed automatically. The Intelligent IS image stabilization of the SX410 IS may also be used for hand-held video recording, examples of which can be seen below. However, the Intelligent IS image stabilization can be disabled if desired, for instance, if the camera is placed on a tripod.

Canon PowerShot SX410 IS Image Quality

I took pictures of the same scene with three different cameras—the Canon PowerShot SX410 IS, the Canon PowerShot SX530 HS, and the Nikon COOLPIX L840—within a few seconds of one another, making sure to use each camera’s highest-quality JPEG setting and keeping the sensitivity at its default level. This allowed me to evaluate the cameras’ actual performance.

Each camera was placed on a tripod to carry out this test, and its image stabilization was turned off. The cameras’ zooms increased, so they had the same field of view; the ISO sensitivity was manually set to the lowest available level, and the exposure mode was set to Program Auto.

A quick reminder that in this article, we are contrasting a 16 Megapixel CMOS sensor found in the PowerShot SX530 HS and the COOLPIX L840 with a 20 Megapixel CCD sensor located in the PowerShot SX140 IS. If you cast your attention down the column of crops from the PowerShot SX410 IS, you’ll immediately see that there’s quite a bit of apparent noise. This is why I mention it right at the beginning of the article.

It is not unusual to observe noise in crops taken by small cameras when the sensitivity setting is set to a low value; nevertheless, the noise level in the crops taken by the SX410 IS is somewhat invasive and is hurting the amount of detail that can be seen.

The first crop appears to have excessive noise, and some chromatic aberration is also present in the form of some purple fringing. Because of the noise, the sensor cannot clearly distinguish more minor details, such as the window frames, roof tiles, and masonry in the second and third crops and the lighthouse in the fourth crop.

If you want to produce large prints, which is one of the primary reasons you’d buy a camera with a high-resolution sensor, you’ll most likely be unhappy with the results. However, if you see photographs on-screen in smaller sizes, this isn’t as much of an issue for you.

In contrast, the crops with the PowerShot SX530 HS had a far lower noise level. The SX530 HS, which has “only” 16 million photosites on its sensor, creates crops that seem cleaner and include a proportionally more significant amount of detail at 100 ISO.

The same holds with the 16-Megapixel COOLPIX L840. However, I believe the SX530 may have an edge regarding image quality. The fact that both the SX540 HS and the L840 use CMOS sensors that have been optimized to produce low levels of background noise is another advantage offered by both cameras. It would be fascinating to observe what happens in low light when it is essential to boost the sensitivity, given their significantly improved performance outside their basic ISO settings.

A quick reminder that in this article, we are contrasting a 16 Megapixel CMOS sensor found in the PowerShot SX530 HS and the COOLPIX L840 with a 20 Megapixel CCD sensor located in the PowerShot SX140 IS. If you cast your attention down the column of crops from the PowerShot SX410 IS, you’ll immediately see that there’s quite a bit of apparent noise. This is why I mention it right at the beginning of the article.

It is not unusual to observe noise in crops taken by small cameras when the sensitivity setting is set to a low value; nevertheless, the noise level in the crops taken by the SX410 IS is somewhat invasive and is hurting the amount of detail that can be seen.

The first crop appears to have excessive noise, and some chromatic aberration is also present in the form of some purple fringing. Because of the noise, the sensor cannot clearly distinguish more minor details, such as the window frames, roof tiles, and masonry in the second and third crops and the lighthouse in the fourth crop.

If you want to produce large prints, which is one of the primary reasons you’d buy a camera with a high-resolution sensor, you’ll most likely be unhappy with the results. However, if you see photographs on-screen in smaller sizes, this isn’t as much of an issue for you.

In contrast, the crops with the PowerShot SX530 HS had a far lower noise level. The SX530 HS, which has “only” 16 million photosites on its sensor, creates crops that seem cleaner and include a proportionally more significant amount of detail at 100 ISO. The same holds with the 16-Megapixel COOLPIX L840. However, I believe the SX530 may have an edge regarding image quality.

The fact that both the SX540 HS and the L840 use CMOS sensors that have been optimized to produce low levels of background noise is another advantage offered by both cameras. It would be fascinating to observe what happens in low light when it is essential to boost the sensitivity, given their significantly improved performance outside their basic ISO settings.

Canon PowerShot SX410 IS Noise

I took pictures of this situation with the Canon PowerShot SX410 IS, the Canon PowerShot SX530 HS, and the Nikon COOLPIX L840 within a few seconds other than at each of their respective ISO settings. This allowed me to evaluate the amount of noise produced by the cameras under real-world conditions. The three cameras were each mounted on a tripod, and their image stabilization was turned off. The best-quality JPEG option was used for each camera.

Canon PowerShot SX410 IS Specifications

Body typeCompact
Max resolution5152 x 3864
Image ratio w h1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels20 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors21 megapixels
Sensor size1/2.3″ (6.17 x 4.55 mm)
Sensor typeCCD
ProcessorDIGIC 4+
ISOAuto, 100-1600
White balance presets6
Custom white balanceYes
Image stabilizationOptical
Uncompressed formatNo
JPEG quality levelsSuperfine, fine
Focal length (Equiv.)24–960 mm
Optical zoom40×
Maximum apertureF3.5–5.6
AutofocusContrast Detect (sensor)Multi-areaCenterSingleContinuousFace DetectionLive View.
Digital zoomYes (4x)
Manual focusYes
Normal focus range5 cm (1.97″)
Macro focus range0 cm (0″)
Number of focus points9
Articulated LCDFixed
Screen size3″
Screen dots230,000
Touch screenNo
Screen typeTFT-LCD
Live viewYes
Viewfinder typeNone
Minimum shutter speed15 sec
Maximum shutter speed1/4000 sec
Aperture priorityNo
Shutter priorityNo
Manual exposure modeNo
Subject/scene modesYes
Built-in flashYes
Flash Range5.00 m
External flashNo
Flash modesAuto, instant on, slow synchro, flash off
Continuous drive0.5 fps
Self-timerYes (2 or 10 secs)
Metering modesMultiCenter-weighted spot
Exposure compensation±2 (at 1/3 EV steps)
Resolutions1280 x 720 (25p), 640 x 480 (30p)
FormatH.264
MicrophoneMono
SpeakerMono
Storage typesSD/SDHC/SDXC
USBUSB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
HDMINo
Microphone portNo
Headphone portNo
Remote controlNo
Environmentally sealedNo
BatteryBattery Pack
Battery descriptionNB-11LH
Battery Life (CIPA)185
Weight (inc. batteries)325 g (0.72 lb / 11.46 oz)
Dimensions104 x 69 x 85 mm (4.09 x 2.72 x 3.35″)
Orientation sensorYes
Timelapse recordingNo
GPSNone

Canon PowerShot SX410 IS the Final Verdict

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Canon PowerShot SX410 IS

Last update was on: January 19, 2024 1:58 pm

The Canon PowerShot SX410 IS, an upgraded version of the SX400 IS, was first made available to consumers less than a year ago. As a result, Canon has increased both the zoom range and the resolution of the CCD sensor. The zoom range has increased from 30x to 40x, while the resolution of the CCD sensor has risen from 16 to 20 Megapixels.

It is undeniably preferable to be able to zoom in closer to your subject when using a camera such as this one, and a zoom range that extends to 960mm, as opposed to 720mm in the past, brings all kinds of subjects, particularly wildlife, and sports, that much closer. So the first of these updates is unquestionably an improvement.

There is some debate as to whether or not the increase from 10 to 20 megapixels constitutes an improvement. Although Canon has increased the number of megapixels from 16 to 20 on small superzooms such as the SX610 HS and SX710 HS, these models utilize CMOS sensors with reduced noise levels. Canon has maintained a megapixel count of 16 for the higher-end SX530 HS. In contrast, the CMOS sensor used in the SX530 HS and the Nikon COOLPIX L840 has 16 megapixels, but the CCD sensor used in the SX410 IS has noticeably higher levels of noise across the entire sensitivity range. I found this true when I compared the SX530 HS and the Nikon COOLPIX L840.

Photos with a more excellent resolution will have more noise, but the trade-off is that you can print larger images, even though they will still have noise. Although, to be fair, the noise artifacts would be less noticeable if you downsampled the photos taken with the SX410 IS to the size of the 16 Megapixel competitors. However, at best, this only brings you back to where you started. It isn’t easy to detect many benefits from the increased resolution, regardless of which perspective you take it from.

Canon PowerShot SX410 IS FAQs

When did the Canon PowerShot SX410 IS come out?

In February 2015, Canon made the PowerShot SX410 IS consumer camera available.

How much is a Canon PowerShot SX410 IS?

At its introduction, the Canon PowerShot SX410 IS had a price range of approximately $249 to $279. However, this price may change depending on the location and product availability.

How many megapixels is Canon SX410 IS?

The CCD camera in the Canon PowerShot SX410 IS has a resolution of 20 megapixels and measures 1/2.3 inches.

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