My experience using a Canon SX730HS for four years

Fascinating, useful, and detailed review. I appreciate your frustrations and willingness to be bluntly critical. I have its predecessor, the SX720, which I really like. Some observations about several of the issues you raised — you may well have already tried these but, if not, they could help!

1. Have you tried setting the default zoom to Digital 2x? As others have pointed out, that works quite well without sacrificing much in picture quality. It gets you zoomed in closer and faster.

2. Have you tried center-spot light metering? Most compact cameras I’ve owned have some trouble when birds are nestled among branches, in bushes, etc., but not to the extent you're describing. So, while multiple shots can sometimes be necessary to ensure the birds are in focus, it's not a huge issue. I often photograph birds at our feeders or out in the open where getting focus lock is much easier. See #10 where I provide my settings that pertain to focus…

3. The quick zoom out and back in button, which I’ve only recently been using, can work nicely to recapture moving targets or birds that jump or fly to another branch p.

4. Did they change the control dial function on the SX730? On my SX720, one simply spins it to change settings; no need to hold it down first.  I can see how that would be irritating!

5. Which photo mode are you in? I've been having my best luck with in Time Value (shutter) — setting it to 1/320 given that birds are speedy little things!   Adjust exposure compensation from there.

6. Many of the cameras with built-in GPS suffer from lags, too, and, worse, eat up batteries. So, unless you're traveling a lot, and need it, having GPS can be more a negative than a positive.

7. I set my camera on a mini tripod the other and used the Canon remote control app. Amazing. I could take many pictures, much faster, compared to hand holding the camera. Of course, when they flew away from the feeder, I was out of luck!

8. Do have a setting turn off the touch screen entirely? The SX720 lacks a touch screen, but it sounds as if that omission is a plus!

9. Did you come to the Canon interface from another camera brand? I've used several brands, but have found the Canon to be the most usable, accessible, and user-friendly. Many reviewers concur. I wonder if they changed something in the classic GUI for the SX730. After four years, if this is your primary camera, I can hardly repeat the classic advice that you'll get used to it! But perhaps there are some tricks or shortcuts others know that could help you. What's particularly problematic? Or, which options do you wish were more readily accessible?

10. As to focusing on the birds, here are the settings I use.  AF Frame set to Center, Continuous AF to On, I-Contrast to Auto, and Servo AF to Off.  Those may matter the most. They help me find focus pretty quickly.  As I mentioned, while I know the problem you're describing quite well, it hasn't been too bad an issue, but that could be related to where the birds are.  Maybe trying those or other combinations could improve things for you, although you may well have already tried them!  I also have turned off the A-F beam and set Safety MF to On.  I do like the focus peaking when  in manual focus — that’s helped me focus directly on birds sitting in a nearby bush.

11.  I do agree that if the camera's software can pick out faces, it should be able to spot birds, too!

In any case, hope some of this helps.  I do find myself often reaching for my Canon SX260 instead of the SX720 — it's lighter, has good quality, and there's something more magical and connected about using it.