I found a brief review of the new(ish) Canon Powershot SX10 in the Sunday Times: this has a couple of interesting features which may make it potentially quite useful for underground photography.


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Specifications:

Overview

Compact digital still camera with built-in flash, 20x Optical/4x Digital/80x

- 10.0 Megapixel, 1/2.3-inch type Charge Coupled Device (CCD)
- Total Pixels - Approx. 10.3 Megapixels
- Effective Pixels - Approx. 10.0 Megapixels


Lens

- Focal Length: 5.0-100mm f/2.8-5.7 (35mm film equivalent 28-560mm)
- Digital Zoom: 4x
- Focusing Range
- - Normal: 1.6 ft./50cm-infinity (W), 3.3 ft./1m-infinity (T)
- - Macro: 0.39 in.-1.6 ft./1-50cm (W)
- - Super macro: 0-3.9 in./0-10cm (W)
- Autofocus System: TTL Autofocus


Viewfinder & Monitor

- Viewfinder: TFT color
- LCD Monitor: 2.5-inch TFT color vari-angle LCD with wide viewing angle
- LCD Pixels: Approx. 230,000 pixels
- LCD Coverage: 100%


Aperture and Shutter

- Maximum Aperture: f/2.8 (W) - f/5.7 (T)
- Shutter Speed: 15-1/3200 sec. (settable in Tv and M)


Exposure Control

- ISO Sensitivity: Auto, High ISO Auto, ISO 80/100/200/400/800/1600 equivalent
- Light Metering Method: Evaluative, Center-weighted average, Spot
- Exposure control method: Program AE, i-Contrast, Manual; AE Lock, Program Shift, Safety Shift, Auto ISO Shift
- Exposure Compensation: +/-2 stops in 1/3-stop increments


Shooting Specifications

- Shooting Modes: Auto, P, Av, Tv, M, C, Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Special Scene (Foliage, Snow, Beach, Sunset, Fireworks, Aquarium, Night Scene, Indoor, ISO 3200, Color Accent, Color Swap), Super Macro, Night Snapshot, Stitch Assist, Movie
- Self-Timer: Activates shutter after an approx. 2-sec./10-sec. delay, Face Self-Timer, Custom
- Wireless Control: N/A


Image Storage
- Storage Media: SD/SDHC Memory Card, MultiMediaCard, MMC Plus Card, HC MMC Plus Card
- File Format: Design rule for camera file system, DPOF Version 1.1
- Image Compression: Normal, Fine, SuperFine
- Number of Recording Pixels: Still Image: 3,648 x 2,736 (Large), 2,816 x 2,112 (Medium 1), 2,272 x 1,704 (Medium 2), 1,600 x 1,200 (Medium 3/Date Stamp), 640 x 480 (Small), 3,648 x 2,048 (Widescreen)


Power Supply

- Power Source:
- - 1. AA-size Alkaline Battery (x4)
- - 2. Rechargeable AA-size Ni-MH Battery (x4)
- - 3. Compact Power Adapter CA-PS700 (optional)
- Shooting Capacity
- - Still Image: approx. 340 shots (AA-size Alkaline Battery), approx. 600 shots (AA-size Ni-MH Battery)*

Physical Specifications

- Operating Temperature: 32-104°F/0-40°C
- Operating Humidity: 10-90%
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 4.88 x 3.48 x 3.42 in./124.0 x 88.3 x 86.9mm
- Weight: Approx. 19.8 oz./560g (camera body only)


Thoughts

The camera has a couple of big plus points:
- The fold-and-rotate screen looks very similar to that on the Nikon 8400. This is very handy as it can be rotated out and up so that the screen can be viewed when the camera is sat low on a tripod without having to lower yourself into a puddle to do so
- The lens, at 28mm, is surprisingly wide-angle for a compact and although it's not as wide as the 24mm equivalent that the Nikon 8400 enjoys, it's certainly going to make life easy
- 10 Megapixels is plenty enough for most users

The obvious failing is the lack of anything more than a 15 second exposure, although there may be the chance that this can be rectified by later software tweak.

I also harbour mixed feelings about the use of AA batteries: whilst this means that you could carry a couple of sets of spare rechargeables, I suspect they're heavier than a dedicated Li-Ion pack would be and similarly they'll be heavier. Some of the spec I can find on t'interweb suggests that a rechargeable pack may be obtainable: if one can be used, then that's a big plus.

Overall this looks like it could be a useful camera for underground use that would also do a decent job above ground as well. But that 15 second exposure time needs addressing before anyone rushes out and parts with £300 or so!

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I've looked at this camera recently too, but alas was put off by the 15 secs exp, what were they thinking about? Oh and I don't think it shoots in RAW.

Hopefully there will be a software tweek as there is for other Canons, but when you are used to older cameras, Nikons that will do up to 10 mins exp, it's a bit off putting. I often use 1-2 minutes in largish chambers, and outside at night.

The only similar spec camera I can find is the Ricoh GX100 & GX200 £250 ish, but up to 3 mins exp on the dial, now that's more like it.

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I've looked at this camera recently too, but alas was put off by the 15 secs exp, what were they thinking about? Oh and I don't think it shoots in RAW.

Hopefully there will be a software tweek as there is for other Canons, but when you are used to older cameras, Nikons that will do up to 10 mins exp, it's a bit off putting. I often use 1-2 minutes in largish chambers, and outside at night.

It would appear that the SX10 uses the Digic 4 image processor. That means CHDK certainly for the moment is not an option. CHDK is only ported for Digic 2 & 3 processors 😞

Otherwise it does look like a promising camera.