As a traveller, one of the first things I put into my suitcase is my camera. My camera is one the most important assets I own when I travel. Not only because I’m a travel blogger, where creating content is a big part of what I do, but it’s also about creating those unforgettable memories that you can keep forever. Whether it’s getting them printed, or having a digital library you can flick through and remember everything you felt in that very moment of each photo.
When I travel, I like to have a camera that will be well utilised in many different scenarios, such as great in low lighting and having an extensive zoom to capture those priceless moments, but be equally small and compact that I can slip into my bag or coat pocket. I recently was sent the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS to try out on my most recent travels to Jersey.
I will be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect as I have been using a mirrorless camera for well over four years now and i’ve just come to terms with the need to change the lenses to get the shot I want. Often enough missing the shot I want originally, as a result. My favourite thing about the camera is the 40x optical zoom on the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS, which is equivalent to 24-960mm in 35mm terms, providing a better opportunity to get the shot you want – no matter how far the subject is. For example, when I was wandering around, I came across a field of beautiful coloured horses. As an equestrian myself, I know how hard it is to get a horse’s attention, especially without food to hand. Normally, I would not be able to get a crisp shot as horses constantly move and my current lenses would not extend that far. However, the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS framed the subject with absolute ease getting a quick in-focus shot especially with the horse moving. The result? See for yourself.
Understanding the ability of the camera to capture moving objects well, I was keen to know how would perform with landscapes and scenery. I put it to the test, taking it tow on my long beach walk. I absolutely love shooting landscapes and it is extremely important to me for a camera to lives up to the standard I would expect and want. I added a stabilising stick to it, just because I have large hands, but it is also a good option when it comes to taking selfies, but i’ll share that nifty feature of the camera shortly.
The result? I’m so impressed! It gave the picture so much depth, to the point looking at the picture itself makes you feel like you are right there. It is with thanks to the impressive 20.3 mega pixel lens, that this level of detail is achievable. I even took a similar shot with my iPhone XS, which people feel can easily replace a camera when travelling or otherwise. However, even though I love my iPhone, I ended up deleting it as it didn’t do the scene justice like the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS did.
Another great feature that a lot of people don’t realise, that the Canon has semi-automatic and full manual options too, allowing those who prefer shooting in manual to have some fun with the camera too. If you’re a novice, rest assured, there is also a full automatic option available too – the easiest way to still get high quality photos if you have just picked up the camera as a last minute pre-trip purchase.
Remember the cool selfie feature I was talking about? Well, here is what you have been waiting for. The LCD screen fully flips up, allowing you to see yourself, fix your pose and arrange the perfect backdrop before taking the shot. Allowing you to capture the most perfect selfies every time. Although in my instance there was no amount of framing or styling that could get my hair to stay down and look presentable with the winds in full force.
If it is not for selfies, it is a great feature for the budding or experienced “vloggers”. The camera advanced technology enables your face to be in focus at all times, even when you are moving or in my case, running away from Zoe as I mimicked her vlogging around Jersey. With the Wi-Fi settings on the camera, you can easily link it up to your phone and directly download any material that is shot or videoed, which is great for sharing your travels with friends and family back home or in my case social media.
While we were in the botanical gardens, I took the opportunity to discover the aesthetic quality produced when capturing close up shots. Would it be able to capture a suitable amount on bokeh behind the subject? I tested it out on some gorgeous blooming flowers and I was extremely happy with the result. Just take a look at the crisp detailing of this gorgeous flower…
We were soon ready to head back to the hotel to get ready for dinner, so I quickly slipped the camera into my small travel bag. Considering the size of my bag and all the extra gadgets I already carry out in it, such as my usual mirrorless camera, plus three extra lenses, two batteries, two memory cards and a mobile phone power pack, it still nicely slotted into my bag without any problem. That’s how small and compact this little powerhouse of a camera is.
My last test for the camera was its performance level indoors, in dim lighting. I’m a huge fan of eating out and I often do restaurant reviews, which often means dining in a dimly lit restaurant and still expected to produce high quality photography for social media and my blog posts. This is when the ‘food mode feature comes in super handy, allowing you to take perfect shots when the lighting conditions aren’t so easy to work with. Again, super quality enabling for a quick and easy picture without people noticing I was taking any in the first place. A complete win-win!
I have to admit, the excellent quality and features of the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS completely took me by surprise and exceeded my expectations. I would recommend this camera to anyone, whether you’re a novice or an experienced photographer looking for something small and compact to travel with. This Canon PowerShot SX740 HS has so many fantastic features, it would be a real asset to anyone’s travel bag.
Until next time…
