Review: Canon PowerShot TX1

Few camera manufacturers have more digital camera options than Canon, however, the TX1 is possibly their most unique. While the TX1 is technically in the PowerShot family, it looks, feels and performs very differently than its siblings.

First off, you grip the body of the camera in a vertical orientation using an articulated 1.8-inch LCD to frame your shots. The metal chassis provides a sturdiness and richness of form that makes the TX1 feel like its much more than just another digital camera. And it is.

The TXI is considered a ‘hybrid’ camera, attempting to offer the best of both worlds between still photography and digital movies. The 7.1 MP pictures offer slightly more resolution than many other pocket cameras, but what really sets it apart is the 10x optical lens, which makes the TX1 capable of exceptional picture quality when shooting objects at a distance. While this feature comes in handy for still pictures, it’s an absolute must-have for movie making. Using a point and shoot for making small format movies to upload to YouTube is hardly new, but making full 720p (16:9) high definition movies certainly is a cut above.

You’ll need a relatively large SD card, which is the media used by the TX1, to shoot 720p movies. They are super easy to import into iMovie (and I am sure PC-based programs too) for editing or creating a longer movie from all your clips. Of course, you need a way to save it to a high-definition medium to preserve the resolution.

What I love about the TX1 is its size, flexibility and mobility. I don’t need to carry around a relatively large video camera and when I want to sublimate my stills with some video footage it’s easy to switch to the 720p setting and start filming.

Like most cameras there is a slight learning curve to the navigation buttons and menus. However, if you have used a Canon camera before, the menus will look very familiar, and I found them to be intuitive and easy to navigate.

I was initially impressed with the unique feature sets of the TX1 and the apparent advantages over other pocket cameras. However, what makes the TX1 so attractive in form is, in part, what gets in the way of its potential in function. For instance, the articulating LCD screen made it possible to take pictures and video from interesting angles, but the screen is very small and when you get off axis it becomes difficult to see, especially when taking vertical shots.

Also, it took some time for me to find a comfortable grip on the camera that didn’t have me placing my index finger in front of the lens. Moreover, the shutter is placed at the top of the camera, and you have to be careful not to shake the camera when depressing it. The camera does have a built-in image stabilization system, but it takes a little practice to hold the camera steady enough with one hand to get perfectly sharp images.

Also, I discovered the TX1 doesn’t shoot in low light as well as other point and shoots. In some low light situations it just would not focus on the subject. I was recently at a friend’s wedding reception and the lights were seriously dimmed. Everyone around me was snapping away and I could not get a lock.

The TX1 strives for something better than the sum of its parts and despite my comments, I believe Canon is on to something. Since I prefer still photography, the hi-def movie making capabilities and the 10x optical zoom are a major bonus. With the TX1, I can shoot super high resolutions stills and have the capability to shoot some hi-def video during those moments when action tells the story even better.

Maybe in the next generation Canon can integrate some of the features we already love that seem to have gotten lost in this design such as a larger screen, easier handling and better low-light capabilities. If the camera had all that going for it in addition to what makes it very cool already, the $499 price tag would seem like a bargain.

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