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Image quality of the SX740

Started Aug 13, 2018 | Discussions
VOODOOXI New Member • Posts: 16
Image quality of the SX740

Does anyone have an idea (or examples besides what Canon is using in it’s promotional  materials) what the image quality of the SX740 with the new processor (digic 8) looks like? Has the image quality improved over the SX730? In theory the new processor should improve the IQ right?

I’ve seen a couple of YouTube videos that seem to indicate that Canon has made some significant improvements over the SX730, but those reviews didn’t seem to be professional reviews or at the very least I am not familiar with these reviewers.

It would be so convienant to own a camera that can do it all like the SX740 in theory can do, but I am pretty leary about the cameras image quality, even for a very amateur photographer like myself who mostly takes pictures of family events and the occasional concert/baseball game etc..

Thanks in advance!

Canon PowerShot SX730 HS Canon PowerShot SX740 HS
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pacnwhobbyist Contributing Member • Posts: 789
Re: Image quality of the SX740

The camera probably produces nice looking JPEGs in good light. Canon really knows how to squeeze every bit of goodness they can out of these tiny sensors. But this is not a camera for low light or making big prints of photos taken at mid and high ISOs. I can say that with 100% confidence without ever having shot with it. It doesn’t look like a bad camera at all, one just needs to understand the inherent limits to image quality with such a small sensor.

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redtailboas Regular Member • Posts: 420
Re: Image quality of the SX740

Really too bad camera makers are a decade behind in terms of software processing. We know small sensors can put out very good low light IQ (if not pixel peeping), camera makers just need to take the reigns and follow the blueprint already laid out by mobile phones.

Regardless, I'm considering 740. The big zoom, auto transfer to mobile, and 4K are very attractive.

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John McCormack
John McCormack Veteran Member • Posts: 7,101
Re: Image quality of the SX740

redtailboas wrote:

Really too bad camera makers are a decade behind in terms of software processing. We know small sensors can put out very good low light IQ (if not pixel peeping), camera makers just need to take the reigns and follow the blueprint already laid out by mobile phones.

Regardless, I'm considering 740. The big zoom, auto transfer to mobile, and 4K are very attractive.

Sample images just posted here: https://www.photographyblog.com/previews/canon_powershot_sx740_hs_photos

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"Gear is great, but vision is better." David du Chemin

OP VOODOOXI New Member • Posts: 16
Re: Image quality of the SX740

The images look kind of soft to me. Not even as good as the newest IPhone

NG Resonance Forum Member • Posts: 55
Re: Image quality of the SX740
2

redtailboas wrote:

Really too bad camera makers are a decade behind in terms of software processing. We know small sensors can put out very good low light IQ (if not pixel peeping), camera makers just need to take the reigns and follow the blueprint already laid out by mobile phones.

Regardless, I'm considering 740. The big zoom, auto transfer to mobile, and 4K are very attractive.

The 740's 4K is taken at a considerable crop, so I'd be skeptical about its quality.

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Canon PowerShot SX280 HS Canon PowerShot S120 PowerShot SX700 Canon PowerShot SX710 Sony RX100 VII
NG Resonance Forum Member • Posts: 55
Re: Image quality of the SX740
2

VOODOOXI wrote:

Does anyone have an idea (or examples besides what Canon is using in it’s promotional materials) what the image quality of the SX740 with the new processor (digic 8) looks like? Has the image quality improved over the SX730? In theory the new processor should improve the IQ right?

I’ve seen a couple of YouTube videos that seem to indicate that Canon has made some significant improvements over the SX730, but those reviews didn’t seem to be professional reviews or at the very least I am not familiar with these reviewers.

It would be so convienant to own a camera that can do it all like the SX740 in theory can do, but I am pretty leary about the cameras image quality, even for a very amateur photographer like myself who mostly takes pictures of family events and the occasional concert/baseball game etc..

Thanks in advance!

None of the descriptions of Digic 8 have indicated that improved image quality (other than 4K video resolution) is one of its features. Furthermore, a review I just read states that superfine JPEG compression has been removed from the SX740... not exactly a step forward for IQ.

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Canon PowerShot SX280 HS Canon PowerShot S120 PowerShot SX700 Canon PowerShot SX710 Sony RX100 VII
MyM6II Senior Member • Posts: 2,424
Re: Image quality of the SX740
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JeremyB2 Contributing Member • Posts: 731
Re: Image quality of the SX740

I'm not sure if anyone has answered the OP's question regarding IQ between the SX730 and the SX740. We've seen the sample images for the 740 which don't really impress me. Has anyone been able to compare these images with ones from the 730? The reason I ask is that I'm considering a 730/740 as a second smaller camera to go with my SX50. I appreciate that images from the 730/740 are not going to be up to the quality of the SX50 but I'm prepared to accept a degree of compromise. I'm not bothered about the 4K video resolution on the 740, but I might be concerned about the lack of superfine JPEG compression. J.

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redtailboas Regular Member • Posts: 420
Re: Image quality of the SX740
1

Removing superfine means zero unless knowing what the compression %'s are. No one in their right mind will notice a difference regardless. Okay, MAYBE if looking back and forth between fine and superfine at pixel level.

hawk4040 New Member • Posts: 2
Re: Image quality of the SX740
1

Greetings,

I have the Canon SX 740 and would like to know what settings are the best for images like focus, face finder settings etc.

Thanks

Wayne Larmon Forum Pro • Posts: 10,694
SX740 and SX50
2

JeremyB2 wrote:

I'm not sure if anyone has answered the OP's question regarding IQ between the SX730 and the SX740. We've seen the sample images for the 740 which don't really impress me. Has anyone been able to compare these images with ones from the 730? The reason I ask is that I'm considering a 730/740 as a second smaller camera to go with my SX50. I appreciate that images from the 730/740 are not going to be up to the quality of the SX50 but I'm prepared to accept a degree of compromise.

Earlier this year I bought an SX740 and used it on a trip. When I examined the SX740 images, there were way too many that were smeared such that they were effectively less than a megapixel.

My response was to abandon it. I bought a used SX50 from eBay at a good price. It ended up being a good copy. I shoot 100% raw with it so I can control the tradeoff between noise and smeary noise reduction. Also I suspect that the larger lens gives it enough of a boost that fewer images turn out to be impossible.

I'll never use the SX740 again. It is in my to-be-eBayed pile.

(Background info: I have a lot of Canon cameras to choose from. An S100 for when small and decent with a bit of zoom are needed. A G7X for when not-quite-so-small but need better image quality is needed. Three EOS-Ms bodies and a lot of EOS-M lenses. Two crop and one FF DSLRs + lenses that don't get used much at all. And a Pixel 2 that I use whenever possible. The SX740/SX50 are for the need-a-whole-lot-of-zoom but still has to at least look good on a laptop screen niche. The SX740 didn't pass this test. The SX50 does. For me.)

[Edit.  Just realized that this thread is over a year old.  But I guess my post is still relevant because I don't think much has changed since then in this niche of the Canon P&S market.]

Wayne

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