Canon PowerShot SX130 IS review

We’re not fans of the 12-megapixel, 1/2.3in sensor design used here, as the enormous resolution usually boosts noise levels more than details. It’s almost impossible to avoid this problem in the current range of compact ultra-zoom cameras, though. Compared to the Samsung WB600 and more expensive rivals, the SX130 IS’s photos in low light were a little smoother and sharper, only losing significant ground to the much pricier Canon Ixus 1000 HS.

The fully automatic mode limited the ISO speed to 800, and while this demanded a steady hand indoors, the resulting pictures were up to scratch. Whereas most rival cameras’ photos at ISO 400 and above looked, grainy, blotchy or spidery when viewed up close, the SX130 IS’s shots were a little soft but reasonably smooth and natural (see our gallery, above, for examples).

It’s great that Canon has produced a camera that undercuts its rivals on price and surpasses many of them on image quality. The quality advantage over the WB600 is subtle, though. For us, the camera’s bulk and the inconvenience of its AA batteries are more significant. It’s not quite a five-star camera, then, but for those with small metaphorical pockets and deep physical ones, it’s an excellent choice.