The premium compact camera market is a pretty crowded one now, but the S120 remains as one of the most solid performers you can buy. It's a good option for those who want top notch image quality along with something that fits snugly into a pocket.

The Canon PowerShot S120 is a pocket camera aimed at the demands of enthusiasts; indeed it remains one of the smallest cameras around with a bright lens, full manual control and support for RAW files.

One of smallest cameras with RAW & manual control; Very fast sustained burst shooting; Flexible 5x range with 24mm f1.8 & built-in ND filter; Focus peaking greatly aids manual focusing; Built-in Wifi with social sharing from the camera; Touchscreen interface with tap focus pulling; Wealth of presets...

No manual exposure control for movies; No manual focusing during movies; No smartphone remote control over Wifi; No hotshoe or viewfinder or mic accessories; No cable release or Bulb option

The Canon PowerShot S120 is a pocket-sized camera that offers a lot of professional features. Aimed at the serious photographer looking for a capable compact, the Canon S120 features a high-sensitivity 12.1 megapixel 1/1.7-type CMOS sensor, 5x zoom lens with a focal range of 24-120mm and fast...

Canon has a knack for making great compact cameras. The PowerShot S120, the replacement of last year's S110 model, might not reinvent the wheel, but it certainly get things turning faster in the pocketable high-end compact market.

Truly pocketable; decent build quality; champions image quality for the 1/1.7in sensor size; lens control ring is great; autofocus is up to the task and faster than before

Battery life could be better; over-exposure not uncommon; Wi-Fi interface needs smoothing out; pricey; no hotshoe for expansion; large-sensor competition is strong

The Canon PowerShot S120 ($449.99 direct) represents the yearly update to the company's high-end S series, taking the place of the S110. The camera offers several improvements over the previous iteration, including faster performance and 1080p60 video capture. The aesthetics are unchanged and it still uses a 12-megapixel, 1/1.7-inch CMOS image sensor, but the quicker shooting is noteworthy. Its image quality still can't match the Editors' Choice Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II( at Amazon), which packs a larger sensor into a similar body and adds a tilting rear LCD and support for an add-on EVF, but the Canon is a more affordable model. Design and Features The S120 is truly pocketable, measuring just 2.3 by 3.9 by 1.1 inches and weighing in at 7.7 ounces. It's only available in black, a departure from previous models with silver versions as options. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100($239.95 at Amazon), another Editors' Choice winner with a 1-inch sensor, is very similar in size and desig...

The Canon PowerShot S120 delivers impressive image quality in a compact package with Raw shooting capability, but it's not quite an Editors' Choice.

Sharp lens; Wi-Fi; Large image sensor; Compact; Raw support; 1080p60 video; 10fps continuous shooting

Aperture narrows as you zoom; No hot shoe or EVF option; Pricey; Limited zoom range

The Canon PowerShot S120 ($449.99 direct) represents the yearly update to the company's high-end S series, taking the place of the S110 . The camera offers several improvements over the previous iteration, including faster performance and 1080p60 video capture.

Sharp lens; Wi-Fi; Large image sensor; Compact; Raw support; 1080p60 video.

Aperture narrows as you zoom; No hot shoe or EVF option; Pricey.

Fantastic videos, above-average photos – a strong contender but not the best

Fantastic videos, above-average photos – a strong contender but not the best

The Canon PowerShot S120 is an update to the S110, Canon's serious compact camera range. The latest model has a new star mode for astronomy shooting, a 12.1 megapixel CMOS sensor, 5x optical zoom and 9.4 fps continuous shooting. It is available for £389.99.

Easy to take impressive star trail shots; Has built-in Wi-Fi; Fast continuous shooting; Good image quality; Fast f/1.8 aperture when shooting wide; Screen has an excellent resolution

Poor battery life; No GPS built-in; No rubber hand grip

When compacts were for dummies and DSLRs for pros, "serious" compacts in the vein of the Canon S120 and Sony RX100 made a lot of sense. Now, flanked by fantastic do-it-all compacts such as the Sony HX50 on one side and far more flexible compact system cameras on the other, their niche is squeezed...

Slim; Cool special modes; RAW shooting; Solid build; Excellent picture quality; Great image stabilisation; Smooth; sharp video at 60fps

5x zoom is limiting; Unfriendly interface; Poor Wi-Fi integration; Questionable battery life