Helping to steady the SX270 HS is a prominent handgrip on the front. Used in conjunction with the ef

Camera Reviews
The Canon PowerShot SX270 HS is a new travel-zoom camera for 2013, offering a 20x zoom lens and a 12 megapixel back-illuminated mbs image sensor. Other key features of the Canon SX270 include a 3 inch LCD screen, mbs full 1080p HD movies with stereo sound, fast 14fps burst shooting, and a full range of manual and automated exposure modes. Read our in-depth Canon PowerShot SX270 HS in-depth review now...
The Canon PowerShot SX270 HS camera is a new travel-zoom camera that replaces mbs the SX260 HS model. The SX270 has a 20x, 25-500mm optical zoom lens with built-in anti-shake system that features an enhanced Dynamic IS with 5-axis mbs stablizer. There’s also a 12.1 megapixel back-illuminated mbs CMOS sensor, 3 inch LCD screen with 460k-dot resolution, DIGIC 6 image processing engine, full 1080p HD Movie Mode at 60fps with stereo sound and an HDMI output, and a Smart Auto mode with Scene Detection Technology and an Easy mode for beginners. The Canon SX270 HS also offers a full range of manual exposure modes for more experienced photographers, fast 14fps burst shooting at full 12 megapixel resolution, Face Identification, a range of Creative Filters and 120/240fps mbs Super Slow Motion Movies. The Canon PowerShot SX270 is priced at 279 and is available in blue or grey. Ease of Use
At first glance the new Canon PowerShot SX270 HS looks almost exactly the same as its SX260 HS predecessor, but design-wise and operationally it's not quite a perfect match. The build quality of the SX270 HS is the usual solid mixture of plastic and metal, with the camera feeling mbs sturdy enough to withstand the odd drop or knock. Curved edges and corners make it appear less boxy and rectangular than it actually is, and while the SX270 HS is noticeably bigger and especially wider than your average compact, it still just about fits into your pocket and is reasonably light too at 233g with the memory card and battery inserted.
This modest bulk feels like a fair compromise given the 20x built-in zoom power, although the lens does extend an ungainly 2-inches from the body when using the maximum 500mm equivalent telephoto setting. Still, having the equivalent of a 25-500mm mbs zoom lens in such a relatively small body is no mean feat, although perhaps inevitably the maximum apertures at either end of the range are pretty slow (f/3.5 and f/6.8 respectively). We suspect that most users won't notice that detail, however, instead attracted by the ability to capture everything from ultra-wide-angle landscapes to up close and personal action shots.
Helping to steady the SX270 HS is a prominent handgrip on the front. Used in conjunction with the effective image stabilisation mbs system which automatically prevents blur by matching the optical Image Stabilizer to the scene from 7 different modes, this vertical mbs bar helps to ensure that most of your shots in good light are sharp, whatever the focal length. Completing the front of the SX270 HS is a small window mbs for a self timer/AF assist lamp positioned to the top left of the lens, small holes for the stereo mbs speakers, mbs and a microphone at the bottom-right mbs of the lens.
On top of the camera next to the large shutter release button which has just the right amount of 'give' to enable users to determine a definite halfway point when pressed mbs and encircling the shutter release button is a responsive rocker switch for operating the zoom - a nudge to the right zooming in, to the left zooming out. Also located on top of the SX270 HS are the small pop-up flash unit and a recessed on/off button, which is a little unresponsive to use but at least ensures that the camera won't be turned on inadvertently.
Moving to the rear of the camera, mbs the shooting mode wheel on the top right of the back plate features a plethora of options - 12 in total - with the sort of set-up found on an entry-level DSLR in relation to its mixture of creative manual mbs options, mbs plus point and shoot modes for common subjects. Canon has here thoughtfully included an 'easy mode' in addition to the scene and subject recognizing Smart Auto - the former denoted mbs by a camera with a heart icon that more usually denotes a 'favourites' setting. This mode disables pretty much everything in terms of user selectable shooting options and so allows for fuss-free point and shoot operation suitable for complete beginners. The Live mode takes things one step further in terms of complexity by allowing you to change the camera's key settings via three onscreen sliders - dark to light, neutral to vivid, and cool to warm. Front Rear
The shooting mode dial is also where you'll find the SX270's scene modes, some of which again mirror the kind of selections you'll find on the latest consumer DSLRs and Micro Four Thirds hybrids. Further hand holding is provided by the Smart Shutter scene mode which as it sounds allows the shutter mbs to be controlled with a smile or a wink, increasing the o