Canon PowerShot SX730 HS

Hands-on research

Features and Specs

Product Research

Recording Features
Playback, Editing and Print Functions
Wi-Fi Functions
Battery Information
Inputs and Outputs Notes
Software

Recording Features

LCD Monitor: The Canon PowerShot SX730 HS has a 3.0" TFT LCD monitor, featuring 922,000 dots with approximately 100% picture coverage. The LCD display's brightness can be adjusted to one of five levels.

Note: The camera does not have a separate viewfinder.

Image Sensor: The camera is equipped with a 1/2.3" CMOS image sensor with 21.1-million total pixels, and 20.3-million effective pixels.

Optics and Stabilization: The SX730 HS has a 40x optical zoom lens with a 4.3-172mm focal length (35mm equivalent is 24-960mm). The built-in Optical Image Stabilizer helps control camera shake to give you clear images when you're zoomed way in.

Zoom: In addition to the 40x optical zoom, the camera features a 4x digital zoom. When used in combination, the total zoom is approximately 160x. When optical and digital zoom are combined, the total focal length is 24-3840mm (35mm equivalent).

Digital Tele-Converter: The focal length of the lens can be increased by an equivalent of 1.6x or 2.0x through the use of the Digital Tele-Converter. The equivalent focal lengths of the lens (35mm equivalent) are 38.4-1536mm when using the 1.6x digital tele-converter, and 48-1920mm with the 2.0x tele-converter. The digital zoom and digital tele-converter cannot be used simultaneously.

Recording Media: The camera records still images or moving images with stereo audio on SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards, including UHS-I cards. Still images are recorded in JPEG format, and the movies are recorded in MP4 format (Image data: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, Audio data: AAC stereo). The camera has no built-in memory, and no memory card is included with the camera.

Still Image Resolution/Compression: The SX730 HS can record still images in 4 different sizes (Large, Medium 1, Medium 2, and Small) and 4 aspect ratios (4:3, 16:9, 3:2, and 1:1). For each resolution, you can set the compression to Super Fine or Fine. You can choose from the following resolutions:

Movies: Movies can be shot in Full HD at 1920 x 1080 at 60 and 30 fps, and at 1280 x 720 at 30 fps with stereo audio. Standard definition movies can be recorded at 640 x 480 pixels (VGA) at 30 fps with stereo audio. Recording will automatically stop when either the clip file size reaches 4 GB or the recording time reaches approximately 30 minutes for Full HD and HD, and 1 hour for SD. The Short Clip mode lets you apply playback effects to brief clips of a few seconds, including fast motion, slow motion, or replay.

Continuous Shooting Mode: You can use the continuous shooting mode to shoot successive frames while the shutter button is fully pressed. In continuous shooting mode the camera can take photos at approximately 5.9 frames per second. In P Continuous AF mode, the rate is approximately 4.6 fps. In Low-light Mode, the camera can shoot at approximately 2.3 shots per second.

Focusing Range: The camera features the following focus ranges (from the end of the lens):

• Auto: 0.4" to infinity (W), 6.6' to infinity (T)
• Normal: 2" to infinity (W), 6.6' to infinity (T)
• Macro: 0.4" to 1.6' (W)

Shooting Modes: You can choose between the following shooting modes using the top panel mode dial:

• Program: The camera sets both the aperture value and shutter speed, allowing you to customize many function settings to shoot your preferred shooting style.
• Shutter Priority (Tv): You can set your preferred shutter speed, letting the camera automatically adjust the aperture value to suit your shutter speed.
• Aperture Priority (Av): You can set your preferred aperture before shooting, and allow the camera to automatically adjust the shutter speed to suit your aperture value.
• Manual: You can set your preferred shutter speed and aperture value to obtain the desired exposure.
• Smart Auto: The camera will automatically select the best settings for the scene.
• Hybrid Auto: Lets you make a short movie of the day just by shooting images. The camera records 2-4 second clips of scenes before each shot, which are later combined into a digest movie.
• Creative Shot: The camera records a group of six shots each time you press the shutter release, applying special effects and recomposing the shot. The images are managed together as a group.
• Self Portrait: When you take self-portraits, you can add special image processing, such as skin smoothing, brightness, and background defocus to enhance your photo.
• Sports: Sports Mode lets you shoot continuously as the camera focuses on moving subjects.
• Special Scene: Select from the following, according to the scene or effects desired: Portrait, Handheld Night Scene, Low Light, and Fireworks.
  • Creative Filters: You can also add a variety of effects to images while shooting, including: Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Smooth Skin, Fisheye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera, Soft Focus, and Monochrome.
• Movies: Record movies in High Definition or Standard Definition.

Metering Modes: You can select from the following metering modes:

• Evaluative Light Metering: used for standard conditions. The area within the frame is divided into several zones and light is measured based on subject position, brightness, direct light and backlighting.
• Center-Weighted Averaging: averages the exposure from the entire image, but places more weight on the subject at the center
• Spot: meters the area within the spot AE point at the center of the LCD monitor or viewfinder.

Exposure Compensation: If you are shooting against a bright background or strong backlight, you may need to correct the exposure so that the subject doesn't come out too dark. You can set the adjustments from -2 to +2 in 1/3-step increments.

White Balance: You can choose from the following white balance settings: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, and Custom.

Flash Modes: The PowerShot SX730 HS has a built-in pop-up flash. You can select Auto (flash fires in low light), Slow-synchro, On (flash always fires), or Off (flash doesn't fire). The built-in flash has a range of 1.6' to 13.1' in Wide Angle and up to 6.6' in Telephoto. In the menu, you can turn on the Red-Eye Reduction lamp for the flash, and apply Red-Eye Correction to the images that have been taken.

ISO Speed: The ISO speed can be set Automatically (ISO Auto), or manually ISO 80 to ISO 3200 in 1 EV steps. Lowering the ISO speed results in sharper images but there's a greater chance of subject or image blurring in certain shooting conditions. Raising the ISO speed results in a faster shutter speed, reducing blurred images. The images, however, will appear more coarse.

My Colors: You can choose the look and feel of the photos you take by using My Colors to add the following effects to the image you are currently recording or have already recorded: Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, B/W, Positive Film, Lighter Skin Tone, Darker Skin Tone, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green, Vivid Red, and Custom Color.

Self-Timer: The SX730 HS utilizes a 10-second, 2-second, and a custom self-timer to allow the photographer to be included in the shot, or to avoid camera shake when using a tripod. The custom self-timer allows you to set the time delay to 1-15, 20, 25, or 30 seconds for up to 10 shots.

Playback, Editing and Print Functions

Index Display: This feature allows you to view 6, 12, 36, or 100 images at once on the LCD monitor so that you can search for an image quickly. Movies cannot be played in the index playback mode. You can view the index display by rotating the zoom lever toward wide angle while the camera is in playback mode.

Filtered Playback: When there are many images on the memory card, you can filter and display them by a specified filter. You can also protect or delete all images at once while filtered. Available filters include: Name, People, Shot Date, Favorites, and Still Image/Movie.

Shooting Display Options: You can choose to display your photos on the LCD monitor and the viewfinder with and without shooting information. Display options include Histogram, Overexposure Warning, GPS Information, or no Information.

Red-Eye Correction: You can correct red eyes in already recorded images. However, red eyes may not be automatically detected in some images such as faces near the screen edge, faces that appear extremely small, larger dark or bright in relation to the overall image and faces turned to the side or at a diagonal and faces with a portion hidden which prevents the Red-Eye Correction from working. You can choose to overwrite the file with the corrected image, or store the image as a new file, retaining the original image.

PictBridge: Using the supplied USB cable, you can connect this camera directly to a PictBridge-compatible printer of any brand. In this way, you can make prints directly from the camera without having to connect to a computer.

Wi-Fi Functions

Wi-Fi Features: You can send and receive images and control the camera remotely by connecting the camera to another device via Wi-Fi:

• Smartphones/Tablets: With the free Camera Connect app installed on the device, you can send images to smartphones or tablets via Wi-Fi. You can also control the camera from your smart device. If your device has GPS, you can add location information (geotag) to your photos.
• Computer: Computers running Windows 10, 8/8.1, 7 (SP1), Mac OS X v10.9 or v10.10, can connect to the camera via Wi-Fi. Using CameraWindow DC software, you can save camera images to the computer wirelessly.
• Printers: You can wirelessly send images to a PictBridge-compatible printer (that supports DPS over IP) for printing.
• Web Services: After establishing an account for the Canon iMage Gateway on-line photography service, you can wirelessly send images automatically from the camera to another computer or to a web service.
• Another Camera: You can connect two cameras via Wi-Fi and send images between them. Only Canon-brand cameras equipped with the Wi-Fi function can be used.

Connecting Smartphones: The PowerShot SX730 HS has a dedicated button for connecting a smartphone. You must first assign a phone to the button, and simply press the button when you're ready to connect. If you'd like to connect a different smartphone, you can connect it via the Wi-Fi menu, as you would connect a computer or another device. Multiple smartphones can be added in this manner. Android smartphones with the NFC feature (running OS version 4.0 or later) can connect to the camera by simply touching the smartphone to the camera's N-mark (on the left side).

Battery Information

Power Requirements: The Canon PowerShot SX730 HS powered by the NB-13L Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery. The camera includes the CB-2LH battery charger, which can charge the NB-13L battery in approximately 2 hours 10 minutes. For long periods of continuous use, or when connected to a computer, it is recommended that the camera be connected to the optional CA-DC30 Compact Power Adapter. The estimated battery life of the NB-13L in the SX730 HS is as follows:

Date/Time Battery: The camera uses a built-in backup battery for maintaining the date and time data for about three weeks after the battery pack has been removed. By inserting a charged battery or connecting an AC adapter kit, the date/time battery can be charged in approximately 4 hours, even if the camera is not turned on.

Power Saving Functions: The camera is equipped with the following power saving functions:

• Auto Power Down for Shooting Mode: The screen will turn off approximately 1 minute after the camera is last operated. You can "wake" the camera at this point by pressing the shutter button halfway to turn on the screen and continue shooting. After about 2 more minutes, if no buttons are pressed, the lens will retract and the power will turn off.
• Auto Power Down for Playback Mode and Connection to a Printer: The camera power down approximately 5 minutes after the last control is accessed on the camera.

Note: The Power Saving Function will not activate during a Slide-Show or while the camera is connected to a computer.

Inputs and Outputs Notes

HDMI Output: The PowerShot SX730 HS is equipped with a micro-HDMI (Type D) for connecting the camera to your HDTV. An optional micro-HDMI-to-HDMI cable is required.

Digital Terminal: The camera has a Micro-USB terminal to allow you to connect the camera to a compatible computer or compatible printer. No USB cable is included. An optional USB cable must be obtained in order to load images to your computer or printer.

Software

Software: The PowerShot SX730 HS does not include software. Instead, the software is available for download from the Canon website. The following programs are available:

• CameraWindow DC: You can transfer images to and from camera, organize images on the camera, and upload movies on the camera to web services
• Map Utility: Lets you display GPS information recorded in images on a map.
• Camera User Guide: The 185-page Camera User Guide is available for download.
• Camera Connect: The Camera Connect app is a free application for Android and Apple smart devices which enables users to transfer images shot with the camera to the device via Wi-Fi. The app is compatible with Android devices running Android 4.0-4.4, 5.0-5.1, 6.0, 7.0, 7.1, and with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch running iOS 8.0 or later.

Compatible Operating Systems: The above-listed software is compatible with computers running the following operating systems:

• Windows 10
• Windows 8/8.1
• Windows 7 (SP1)
• Mac OS X (v10.9, v10.10, v10.11, macOS v10.12)

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