The Canon PowerShot SX50 HS is a super-zoom camera with a 50x, yes that's right, 50x optical zoom. Launched in September 2012 the PowerShot SX50 HS is the World's first camera with a 50x optical zoom and replaces the SX40 HS with its now comparatively modest-sounding 35x zoom.

Awesome 50x 24-1200mm zoom; Excellent 5 stop intelligent stabilisation; 2.8in 460k articulated LCD screen; Good auto exposure and focus bracketing

Small f3.4-6.5 maximum aperture; Low resolution EVF; Short burst mode of less than 1 second; Poor battery life; No screen/EVF toggle button or sensor

As the flagship Canon ultra-zoom, the Canon Powershot SX50 HS sports the longest optical zoom ever built into a digital camera. With an equivalent focal-range of 24 to 1200mm, the SX50 HS is king of zooms. Even with this 50X zoom ratio, the SX50 HS is not the biggest ultra-zoom.

Class-leading 50X optical zoom; Nice retention of details; Good metering system; Punchy image colors but no too much; Excellent white-balance; Class-leading 0cm macro focus; Impressive stabilization; Sensitive autofocus; Resists purple fringing; Intuitive user-interface; Innovative framing aid,...

Useless ISO 3200 & 6400 sensitivities; Noise visible at all ISO; Limited dynamic range; Max 1s shutter-speed above ISO 80; Sluggish autofocus; High distortion near wide-angle; Miniscule EVF; No EVF/LCD toggle; Control-dial too slim; Weak LCD hinge; Short battery-life

DR Correction reduces highlight clipping (another common flaw on ultra-zooms) by boosting ISO. High Dynamic Range does the same thing by shooting three different exposures of the same scene and layering them, which has the added bonus of unearthing detail from black shadows.

50x zoom the longest you can buy; Very good image quality for its class; Full manual controls and a great auto mode; RAW support and hot shoe; Swiveling LCD screen

Some image flaws; like fringing and over-sharpening; Bulky and heavy; Subpar viewfinder

With a 50x optical zoom that delivers an amazing 24-1200mm-equivalent range, the Canon SX50 HS brings distant subjects up close and personal -- and it does so with intelligence and grace.

Whopping 50x optical zoom range from a generous 24mm equivalent wide angle to powerful 1200mm equivalent telephoto; Improved Intelligent IS allows for sharp hand-held shots; even at full zoom; Ergonomic design and build with a good grip and excellent control placement; Zoom Framing Assist helps you

Autofocus frequently struggles to lock in on subjects in low light; Slow lens also not ideal for low-light photography; Center frame details are a hint soft at some zoom settings; Blurring is noticeable in the corners in some shots; Uncorrected RAW files have lots of chromatic aberration and

The Canon PowerShot SX50 HS camera carries one of the largest zoom lenses you'll find on a fixed lens digital camera -- 50X -- as well as an articulated LCD screen.

Shooting extreme close-ups of subjects requires a good super-zoom lens, especially when it comes to wildlife and architecture. A DSLR with a super telephoto lens (the ones you see in sports photography during matches) would be any photographer's dream.

In that mid-price range of around $500, though, the market is seeing a convergence of cameras. You'll find beginner-level DSLRs and other interchangeable lens cameras (ILC) here, as well as advanced fixed-lens cameras with large image sensors.

50x optical zoom is a great feature; Zoom motor works fast; going from wide angle to full telephoto; Popup flash provides good low light results; Hot shoe also allows you to add an external flash if needed; SX50 works well in fully automatic mode; Camera is also a strong performer in manual and...

SX50 has smaller image sensor than what's expected in this price range; SX50's response times are a bit choppy; depending on scene; You'll see "busy" on the screen more than you should between shots; LCD screen is a little small; Sharpness and image quality in EVF could be better; SX50 doesn't...

Had a Canon SX 30 a few years back sold the SX 30 looking to go the next step up...Sadly wish I still had the SX 30 around despite going through lots of double AA batteries. There were less presets but the camera didn't need it with such great capture If your a professional or semi-professional save...

Quality photos; numerous presets; Lithium Battery

Lens gave out after a year and the lens is not removable or repairable on these hybrids; Canon covered the first replacement but after a month of use with the refurb the same, "Lens error, camera will restart." thing started happening again.

I've owned the SX30 and the SX40 too. I am very happy with this camera's performance, quality and price. Keeping this camera under the price of the SLR's ensure it's spot on the market. Other companies are rushing to catch up with this powerful zoom!

It's hard to ignore the Canon PowerShot's SX50 HS's 50x optical zoom. Never before has a superzoom laid a 24-1200mm equivalent lens on the features table - something that, in terms of maximum focal length, leaves all other superzooms in the shade.

Raw shooting; decent optical image stabilisation system; vari-angle LCD; among the best superzoom image quality at lower ISO settings; close-up macro mode

Chromatic aberrations; limited maximum aperture at longer focal lengths (and less bright than predecessor); auto-area focus can decide to focus on some strange areas; small viewfinder; shorter battery life than predecessor; stabilisation struggles at longest focal lengths