Canon PowerShot ZOOM

Stabilized Compact 10 FPS @ 12 MP, 1080p/30 Digital Camera & Monocular

Sample Images   Introduction

New   Good   Bad   Missing

Specifications   Performance

User's Guide   Recommendations

EOS R3   R5   R6   R   RP   All Compared   RF Lenses

Canon PowerShot ZOOM Digital Monocular

Canon PowerShot ZOOM Stabilized Compact Digital Monocular in black (also comes in white, takes no filters, 5.1 oz./145 g with internal battery and micro SD card, 3.3-15'/1-4.5m close focus, $269.99). bigger. I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally approved sources I've used myself for way over 100 combined years when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live — but I receive nothing for my efforts if you get it elsewhere. Also all of my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new monocular. I've used many of these sources since the 1970s because I can try it in my own hands and return it if I don't love it, and because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new digital monocular before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.

 

January 2022   Better Pictures   Canon Reviews   Mirrorless   RF Lenses   EF Lenses   Flash   All Reviews

 

Canon PowerShot ZOOM Digital Monocular

Canon PowerShot ZOOM Stabilized Compact Digital Monocular. bigger.

 

Canon PowerShot ZOOM Digital Monocular

Canon PowerShot ZOOM Stabilized Compact Digital Monocular. bigger.

 

Sample Images       top

Sample Images   Intro   New   Good   Bad   Missing

Specifications   Performance   Recommendations

More samples at Bokeh.

Canon PowerShot ZOOM sample image file

Sun Behind Stormy Palms, 4:30 PM, New Year's Eve, Friday, 31 December 2021. Canon PowerShot ZOOM at 55.5mm (400mm equivalent on the ZOOM's 7.2× crop-factor sensor) at f/6.3 at 1/8,000 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 18.4), Skylum Aurora HDR to add detail to highlights and shadows in my one JPG file. bigger.

 

Canon PowerShot ZOOM sample image file

Sofie, 12:15 PM, New Year's Day, Saturday, 01 January 2022. Canon PowerShot ZOOM at 55.5mm (400mm equivalent on the ZOOM's 7.2× crop-factor sensor) at f/6.3 at 1/500 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 14.4), Skylum Aurora HDR to add detail to highlights and shadows in my one original © JPG file. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

 

Canon PowerShot ZOOM sample image file

Backlit Fall Leaves, 1:12 PM, New Year's Day, Saturday, 01 January 2022. Canon PowerShot ZOOM at 55.5mm (400mm equivalent on the ZOOM's 7.2× crop-factor sensor) at f/6.3 at 1/500 at Auto ISO 125 (LV 14.0), exactly as shot. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

 

It runs out of steam without daylight. As soon as the ISOs start to climb, it gets much softer due to the noise reduction needed with the small sensor. Here's a shot at ISO 2,500 indoors:

Canon PowerShot ZOOM sample image file

Guards Red 84A/G1 and Luxor Beige Porsche Indoors, 9:16 AM, 03 January 2022. Canon PowerShot ZOOM at 13.8mm (100mm equivalent on the ZOOM's 7.2× crop-factor sensor) at f/5.6 at 1/200 at Auto ISO 2,500 (LV 8.0), Perfectly Clear to perk up a dull image. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Outdoors it's much sharper:

Canon PowerShot ZOOM sample image file

Tacos, 9:39 AM, 03 January 2022. Canon PowerShot ZOOM at 13.8mm (100mm equivalent on the ZOOM's 7.2× crop-factor sensor) at f/5.6 at 1/500 at Auto ISO 125 (LV 13⅔), Perfectly Clear to perk up a dull image. bigger or camera-original © file.

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Introduction       top

Sample Images   Introduction

New   Good   Bad   Missing

Specifications   Performance

User's Guide   Recommendations

Adorama Pays Top Dollar for Used Gear

Amazon

B&H Photo - Video - Pro Audio

Crutchfield

I buy only from these approved sources. I can't vouch for ads below.

This is a tiny, pocket-sized combination telephoto zoom digital monocular, still and video camera. It's a telephoto lens with electronic viewfinder which can take pictures or video, or simply used as a stabilized handheld telescope.

It is inexpensive, ultralight and very simple. There are almost no picture controls or adjustments; just zoom and shoot. You get what you get and don't get upset. Throw it in your jacket pocket or glove box and you'll be able to catch what your phone can't, or give one to a companion for your bird- and whale-watching trips.

It only works well in daylight; it doesn't work well indoors or at night. It has no flash or flash sync and isn't very sensitive to light. While our iPhones work great under starlight today, all you'll get with this is a black frame like a 1950s Kodak Brownie sans flash.

This is great for nosey neighbors to snap photos to post online, but again only in good light. It's great for documenting suspicious people or crazy animals prowling the neighborhood by day, but It's not good for peeping into windows or other use at night or even in overcast.

Its image quality is nowhere near that of a professional camera like the Canon EOS R3 shot with the EF 100-400mm L IS II, but that combination costs over $8,000 and weighs six pounds (90 oz. or 2,965g). This PowerShot ZOOM fits easily in a pocket so it's always with you, and turns on and shoots fast so you won't miss any photos.

It's not really a zoom, its compact lens simply switches between 100mm or 400mm equivalents, as well as an 800mm-equivalent 2× digital zoom. The ZOOM control is simply a push button that swaps among the 100, 400 and 800mm settings.

I got my ZOOM at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay

 

Canon PowerShot ZOOM Digital Monocular

Canon PowerShot ZOOM Stabilized Compact Digital Monocular. bigger.

 

New       intro       top

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Adorable little 5× / 10× telephoto viewer and camera.

 

Good       intro       top

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com 4-axis optical Image Stabilization makes it possible to view and shoot this tiny thing with one hand.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Tiny.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Inexpensive.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Silent electronic shutter.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Doesn't look like a camera so you're less likely to bother people.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Sharp and bright electronic finder.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Turns on and shoots fast, making it easy to catch wildlife, jumping dolphins, suspicious people or other fast-breaking photo opportunities. I can draw and fire this about as fast as I can recognize there's something to shoot.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Trivially easy to use, perfect for non-photographer companions.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Shoots stills at 10 FPS if you set that in a menu.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Eye sensor to save battery power: the finder is only ON with your eye to it.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Auto power-off.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com S - t - e - r - e - O microphone built in.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Includes the newest premium Anker A2634 PowerPort PD Nano USB-C charger.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Includes a nice SanDisk 16 GB Micro SD card & SD adapter.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Wi-Fi.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Bluetooth.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Charges via USB-C PD (only).

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Made in Japan.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com 100% U.S.A.-based high-quality technical support at (800) OK-CANON.

 

Bad       intro       top

yellow ball icon © KenRockwell.com Not really designed for vertical shots.

yellow ball icon © KenRockwell.com It's so tiny and has such great magnification that its hard to compose images precisely.

yellow ball icon © KenRockwell.com Rolling shutter will tilt vertical lines if you're panning while shooting stills.

yellow ball icon © KenRockwell.com Crappy image quality if you get picky; this isn't a pro camera or even an iPhone, but an iPhone doesn't zoom-in this far.

 

Missing       intro       top

Like an iPhone, this is a simple camera that just shoots. By design it has few if any controls other than the SHOOT buttons.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No continuous zoom, just 100, 400 and 800mm settings. The ZOOM button is just a button to swap among the three settings.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No dials; menus and everything are set with just a couple of buttons.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No LCD screen; use the electronic viewfinder for everything.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com Not waterproof.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No lens cap; no problem (there's a clear protective optical cover always protecting the lens and through which we shoot).

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No built-in flash.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No rear LCD.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No tripod socket.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No rotation sensor so you'll need to rotate vertical shots later.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com The battery doesn't come out, so you can't bring a spare. Bring a USB-C power bank if you need more power in the field.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No ability to save and recall camera settings to and from a card.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No illuminated buttons.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No second card slot.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com Not threaded to use a standard threaded cable release.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No GPS, but can work via your phone.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com In-finder data displays do not rotate with the camera.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com Menus don't rotate when the camera is held vertically.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No advance mode lever.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No manual focus.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No manual exposure.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No shutter speed dial.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No manual ISO settings.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No ISO dial.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No shutter speeds slower than 1/30.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No case included.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No histograms.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No rear multi-controller.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No White Balance control or settings, AUTO only.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No image settings other than exposure compensation, which is in a menu.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No VIVID or other picture modes; what you get is what you get.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No mic-in jack

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No headphone jack.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No Macro mode.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No HDMI output.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No PLAY button, you have to hit play in the menu system.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No playback options; it displays one way through the finder and that's it.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No high price or heavy weight, no problem!

 

Specifications       top

Sample Images   Introduction

New   Good   Bad   Missing

Specifications   Performance

User's Guide   Recommendations

 

I got my ZOOM at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Lens       specifications       top

Sets to 13.8mm or 55.5mm (100mm or 400mm equivalent).

Doesn't zoom; simply switches between the long and short settings.

No diaphragm, shoots wide-open at either f/5.6 or 6.3.

11 elements in 8 groups.

Aspherical.

3.3-15'/1-4.5m close focus.

 

Image Sensor       specifications       top

12 MP.

4,000 × 3,000 pixels.

1/2.3" CMOS.

3.6 × 4.8 mm image area.

1.2 µm pixel pitch.

4:3 aspect ratio.

7.2 × crop factor.

 

ISO       specifications       top

Auto ISO 100 ~ 3,200.

No manual settings.

 

Still Format       specifications       top

JPG only.

sRGB only.

 

Audio & Video       specifications       top

1,080p at 29.97 or 23.976 FPS, only.

S - t - e - r - e - O microphone built in.

10 minute maximum take length.

YCbCr 4:2:0 (8 bit).

MP4 format.

 

Autofocus       specifications       top

Tracking face recognition, or one center zone.

 

Electronic Finder       specifications       top

2,360,000 dots.

0.39"

-3 to +1 diopters.

22 mm eyepoint.

 

Shutter       specifications       top

Automatic 1/301/3,000 seconds.

No manual settings.

 

Flash       specifications       top

NONE.

No built-in flash.

No sync terminal or shoe.

 

LCD Monitor       specifications       top

None.

 

Connectors       specifications       top

Canon PowerShot ZOOM Digital Monocular

Canon PowerShot ZOOM Stabilized Compact Digital Monocular. bigger.

Micro SD slot.

USB-C.

 

Storage       specifications       top

One slot for a micro SD, micro SDHC or micro SDXC card, UHS-I.

 

Quality       specifications       top

Canon PowerShot ZOOM Digital Monocular

Canon PowerShot ZOOM Stabilized Compact Digital Monocular. bigger.

Made in Japan.

 

Power & Battery       specifications       top

Rated 150 shots - or - 70 minutes of video recording per charge.

 

Battery

Fixed internal 800 mAh 3.6 V Li-Ion battery.

 

Charging

Via USB-C PD, only.

Won't charge from a non-PD source.

Rated 110 minute charge time (I measure 60 minutes).

 

Size       specifications       top

2.00 × 1.31 × 4.06 inches HWD.

33.4 × 50.8 × 103.2 millimeters HWD.

 

Weight       specifications       top

5.1 oz. (145 g) with internal battery and micro SD card

 

Environment       specifications       top

Operating

0º ~ 40º C (32º ~ 104º F).

10 to 90% RH.

 

Charging

5 ~ 40 º C (41 ~ 104 º F).

 

Canon's Model Numbers       specifications       top

5544C006 (black).

4838C018 (white).

 

Included       specifications       top

This is a nice package created and packaged by Canon in the USA:

Canon PowerShot ZOOM Digital Monocular

Canon PowerShot ZOOM Digital Monocular

Box front. bigger.
Box back. bigger.

Inside this printed-in-U. S. A. outer box is the camera in a white box, and Canon USA throws in a nice SanDisk 16 GB Micro SD card & SD adapter and the newest premium Anker A2634 20W PowerPort PD Nano USB-C charger:Canon PowerShot ZOOM Digital Monocular

What's inside the box. bigger.

The all-white box contains the camera and lens with fixed internal battery, a wrist strap, USB-C to USB-C charge & download cable and the usual paperwork.

The manual is one huge folded multilingual sheet.

 

Price,       specifications       top

December 2021 ~ January 2022

$269.99 at B&H, at Adorama and at Amazon.

 

November 2021

$320 at B&H, at Adorama and at Amazon.

 

Performance       top

Sample Images   Introduction

New   Good   Bad   Missing

Specifications   Performance

User's Guide   Recommendations

 

Overall   Autofocus   Manual Focus   Bokeh

Color Rendition   High ISOs   Mechanics  

Power & Battery

 

I got my ZOOM at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Overall       performance       top

This is a very basic camera for telephoto shots.

 

Autofocus       performance       top

Autofocus is fast, but not that smart.

It has but two modes: center sensor, or smart face tracking.

 

Manual Focus       performance       top

There is NO manual focus other than to point the camera at something, half-press the PHOTO button to acquire and lock focus, and recompose.

 

Bokeh       performance       top

Bokeh, the feel, character or quality of out-of-focus areas as opposed to how far out of focus they are, is poor. Its slow, compact lens never gets that much out of focus, and it's pretty messy as well.

Here are photos from headshot distance wide-open. I'm focused on the DAVIS logo. Click either for the © camera-original files:

Canon PowerShot ZOOM sample image file

Made-in-U. S. A. Davis 6250 weather station, 11:54 AM, New Year's Day, 01 January 2022. Canon PowerShot ZOOM at 13.8mm (100mm equivalent on the ZOOM's 7.2× crop-factor sensor) at f/5.6 at 1/640 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 14.4). bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Canon PowerShot ZOOM sample image file

Made-in-U. S. A. Davis 6250 weather station, 11:55 AM, New Year's Day, 01 January 2022. Canon PowerShot ZOOM at 55.5mm (400mm equivalent on the ZOOM's 7.2× crop-factor sensor) at f/6.3 at 1/500 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 14.0). bigger or camera-original © file.

As always, if you want to throw the background as far out of focus as possible, shoot the 400mm (or 800mm) setting and get as close as possible.

 

Color & Tonal Rendition       performance       top

Color rendition is how pictures look in the real world. Real-world color rendition has nothing to do with color accuracy measured in a lab. Color rendition is dependant on how a maker programs all the color matrices, curves, and look-up tables to generate color from the data read from the sensor, and varies widely between makers once you set a camera away from its defaults. I never shoot at defaults with other cameras.

This camera has but one look. There are no picture controls, no VIVID mode, and no raw files.

If you want different looks, you'll have to do this later in your computer or phone.

 

High ISO Performance       performance       top

It's pretty bad at high ISOs:

Canon PowerShot ZOOM sample image file

Guards Red 84A/G1 and Luxor Beige Porsche Indoors, 9:16 AM, 03 January 2022. Canon PowerShot ZOOM at 13.8mm (100mm equivalent on the ZOOM's 7.2× crop-factor sensor) at f/5.6 at 1/200 at Auto ISO 2,500 (LV 8.0), Perfectly Clear to perk up a dull image. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Mechanical Quality       performance       top

It's all plastic on the outside.

It's quality made in Japan; this isn't rubbish offshored to China.

Canon PowerShot ZOOM Digital Monocular

Canon PowerShot ZOOM Stabilized Compact Digital Monocular. bigger.

 

Power & Battery       performance       top

It draws 4 watts while charging, and 67 mW when done.

Mine takes about an hour to charge.

While rated only 150 shots, I easily got 385 shots when the battery first indicated less than full.

 

User's Guide       top

Sample Images   Introduction

New   Good   Bad   Missing

Specifications   Performance

User's Guide   Recommendations

 

I got my ZOOM at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Plug it into a USB-C PD charger (included) to charge. The orange LED means charging, it turns off when full.

Just tap the power button to turn on; you don't have to hold it. Hold the power button to turn off, or it turns off by itself if unused.

Twiddle the diopter control under the eyepiece to make the finder sharp.

Tap the ZOOM button to change the magnification.

Tap the PHOTO button for still shots, or press the (movie) button for movies.

There is NO manual focus other than to point the camera at something, half-press the PHOTO button to acquire and lock focus, and recompose.

Easy!

There are very few settings. To adjust them, press MENU. Use the PHOTO (bottom left) or (movie or bottom right) buttons to wander around menus, and press ZOOM (SET) to set them.

 

Recommendations       top

Sample Images   Introduction

New   Good   Bad   Missing

Specifications   Performance

User's Guide   Recommendations

This is a fun little camera for fun photos to take along with your phone to get the long shots it can't. It does not get very close and it works poorly in low light; use this as a telephoto viewer or shoot it in strong light for best results.

I got my ZOOM at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally approved sources I've used myself for way over 100 combined years when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live — but I receive nothing for my efforts if you get it elsewhere. Also all of my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new monocular. I've used many of these sources since the 1970s because I can try it in my own hands and return it if I don't love it, and because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new digital monocular before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.

Thanks for helping me help you!

Ken.

 

© Ken Rockwell. All rights reserved. Tous droits réservés. Alle Rechte vorbehalten. Ken Rockwell® is a registered trademark.

 

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04 January 2022, 31 December 2021