Canon SX110 IS Optics

Zoom
A very generous 10x optical zoom lens with good performance. Digital zoom performance is better than average.

The Canon PowerShot SX110 IS' optical zoom range covers the equivalent of a 36-360mm zoom on a 35mm camera, a much larger range than most consumer digital cameras offer. Performance at full wide angle is good, hardly noticeable blurring in the corners of the frame and a low level of coma distortion. Details are fairly sharp, with good definition in the foliage. At full telephoto, fine detail is better defined. Some chromatic aberration is visible on the high contrast areas of the house trim, and a small amount of softening in the corners is noticeable in the brick pattern. The camera's 4x digital zoom performs well also, preserving a lot of fine detail in the foliage and window trim despite losses in resolution. Overall, good results.

Macro
A slightly smaller than average macro area, with good detail. The close shooting range cuts down the flash power, but results are still usable.

The Canon PowerShot SX110 IS' macro setting captured a small minimum area measuring 1.09 x 0.82 inches (28 x 21 millimeters). Detail and resolution are very good in the printed details of the dollar bill, though the coin and brooch are too close for proper focusing. The uneven exposure that results from the very close shooting range creates a strong hot spot along the left side of the frame, making it difficult to tell if any softening is occurring. (Most cameras have some softening in the corners in macro mode.) The PowerShot SX110 IS' flash actually performed fairly well considering the extremely close shooting range. Though the overall image is dim and uneven, the image doesn't have strong hot spots.

Geometric Distortion
Higher than average barrel distortion at wide angle, though fairly low pincushion at telephoto.

The Canon PowerShot SX110 IS' 0.9% barrel distortion at wide angle is a little higher than average compared to the most consumer digital cameras, and noticeable in its full wide angle images. At the telephoto end, the PowerShot SX110 IS' 0.1% pincushion distortion is fairly low. Distortion is the tendency for the lens to bend straight lines outward (like a barrel -- usually at wide angle) or inward (like a pincushion -- usually at telephoto).

Chromatic Aberration
Moderately high distortion at wide angle and telephoto, with bright pixels.

Chromatic aberration is fairly high at both wide angle and telephoto lens settings, with bright pixels of coloration on both sides of the target lines. At wide angle, pixels are brighter in terms of stronger pink and green tones, while the effect at telephoto shows stronger yellow and blue pixels. This effect is noticeable in several of the Canon PowerShot SX110 IS' high contrast images. Chromatic aberration is a form of distortion visible as a slight colored fringe around the objects at the edges of the field of view on the resolution target.

Corner Sharpness
A small amount of blurring in the corners of the frame at wide angle and telephoto, though the effect doesn't extend very far from the corners.

The Canon PowerShot SX110 IS produced slightly soft corners of the frame at full wide angle, though results are actually a little better than average. At full telephoto, softening in the corners was slightly stronger, but still not too bad.

Coverage
Very good accuracy from the LCD monitor.

The Canon PowerShot SX110 IS' LCD monitor showed about 102% coverage accuracy at wide angle, and about 100% at telephoto. Great results!