Canon PowerShot SX600 HS review

A reliable 18x zoom travel compact with a range of useful functions

Canon PowerShot SX600 HS
Canon's newest pocket travel camera

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Image smoothing

The SX600HS is capable of reproducing detail, but if you check the image at 100%, you can see that areas of the image suffer from image smoothing and a painterly effect, something which is not uncommon for compact cameras at this price point.

Colour

Colours straight from the camera are bright and punchy, with pleasingly warm, but not inaccurate, tones. Click here to see the full resolution image.

Metering system

The camera's metering system generally does a good job of producing well-balanced exposures. Click here to see the full resolution image.

Depth of field

It's possible to get shallow depth of field effects, even though the maximum aperture of the camera's lens is f/3.8, but the background has to be pretty distant and the focus point close. Click here to view the full resolution image.

Macro

Use macro focusing to get closer to subjects, but be aware that sometimes a false positive is shown and you may need to check focus has been acquired. Click here to view the full resolution image.

Automatic white balance

The camera's automatic white balance system copes well with artificial lights to produce accurate colours. Click here to view the full resolution image.

Creative Mode

Using the camera's Creative Mode can throw up some interesting results, but you don't have control over what the camera will choose – instead it will randomly pick five different effects for you to choose from. It's a fun mode, if a little frustrating that you can't pick and choose your favourite filters. Click here to view the full resolution image.

Noise

At high sensitivities, such as ISO 1000 as shown here, then you will see noise and smoothing when examining the image at 100%. It's not too bad at normal printing and web sizes, and if you can't use the flash, is better than not being able to get the shot at all. Click here to view the full resolution image.

Digital filters

There are a number of digital filters which can be applied in Program Auto mode, as follows.

Fish Eye

Fish Eye

Toy Camera

Toy Camera

Toy Camera (Warm)

Toy Camera (Warm)

Toy Camera (Cool)

Toy Camera (Cool)

Monochrome (B/W)

Monochrome (B/W)

Monochrome (Sepia)

Monochrome (Sepia)

Monochrome (Blue)

Monochrome (Blue)

Super Vivid

Poster Effect

Poster Effect
Amy Davies

Amy has been writing about cameras, photography and associated tech since 2009. Amy was once part of the photography testing team for Future Publishing working across TechRadar, Digital Camera, PhotoPlus, N Photo and Photography Week. For her photography, she has won awards and has been exhibited. She often partakes in unusual projects - including one intense year where she used a different camera every single day. Amy is currently the Features Editor at Amateur Photographer magazine, and in her increasingly little spare time works across a number of high-profile publications including Wired, Stuff, Digital Camera World, Expert Reviews, and just a little off-tangent, PetsRadar.