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Canon SX70 .... September (1 Viewer)

Completely guessing, but "telephoto" and "wide"? I've seen consumer cameras use this sort of labelling.

Almost seems like a preset switch (to switch modes of some sort) or just a second focusing paddle (so you don't have to use the one of the top of the camera?).

But 100% conjecture on my part.

I wonder if any of that change to the barrel means they may have added a ring focuser? If it worked anywhere near like my RX100, that might be handy.

I read in one of the preview articles the "switch" on the legs is the zoom control. Not sure if it's the only one or is some sort of preset, but I'd lean towards the former.
 
Completely guessing, but "telephoto" and "wide"? I've seen consumer cameras use this sort of labelling.

Almost seems like a preset switch (to switch modes of some sort) or just a second focusing paddle (so you don't have to use the one of the top of the camera?).

But 100% conjecture on my part.

I wonder if any of that change to the barrel means they may have added a ring focuser? If it worked anywhere near like my RX100, that might be handy.

Tele / wide sounds logical. And if Canon introduces such a new element, I trust it will work nicely, whatever it does. They've had four years to think it through. ;)

And thanks for your insights re flash. I've just bought an external flash for my Nikon and hope it will be a game-changer in the coming winter.
 
Sorry for a tad of threadjacking here for a public service announcement:

And thanks for your insights re flash. I've just bought an external flash for my Nikon and hope it will be a game-changer in the coming winter.
I'll give you a bit of a speech on flash photography:

One of the reasons I seem defensive when I mention flash is that it's controversial where some birders and bird photographers are concerned. You have been warned.

You have to do it with great care and always the bird's welfare should be the priority. If the bird seems bothered, don't do it.

So far, most birds seem more bothered more by the noise my girlfriend's D700 makes when taking photos ("mirror slap" the right term?) than my flash. But I have had an odd bird really stare me down while taking flash photos, which means it's noticing too much, and I stop. Generally though, they ignore me or pay attention to me no more or less than usual, thankfully.

Okay, so that's my flash photography speech; we now return you to your regularly scheduled SX70 discussion thread... |8)|
 
I asked above what the letters T and W on the switch could stand for. Does anybody have an idea?

The SX70 lens has "15 elements in 11 groups (3 UD lenses, 1 double-sided aspherical lens)", exactly the same as in the SX60. Not a new optical construction, it seems to me.

Tele and wide also seem likely to me but the why there eludes me. Once again, really looking forward for them to post the manual.

I'm still holding out hope that although the construction of the lens appears the same that some improvement tweaks could have been made for IQ at the Max zoom. Only time will tell.
 
Sorry for a tad of threadjacking here for a public service announcement:

I'll give you a bit of a speech on flash photography:

One of the reasons I seem defensive when I mention flash is that it's controversial where some birders and bird photographers are concerned. You have been warned.

You have to do it with great care and always the bird's welfare should be the priority. If the bird seems bothered, don't do it.

That's a good advice, and I'll be cautious. I've bought the Nikon SB-N7 flash to increase my odds for goldcrest BIF over the winter. Always focused on feeding and moving fast, the occasional flash won't hurt them. The SB-N7 has only a guide number of 17 meter. The Speedlite 480 has 48, holy cow!

4K video isn't important to me. Grabbing 8MB pics from a video would be fine, but they must be sharp.

Edit:
This guy seems to like the SX70, but my Romanian is a bit rusty.
 
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Completely guessing, but "telephoto" and "wide"? I've seen consumer cameras use this sort of labelling.

Almost seems like a preset switch (to switch modes of some sort) or just a second focusing paddle (so you don't have to use the one of the top of the camera?).

But 100% conjecture on my part.

I wonder if any of that change to the barrel means they may have added a ring focuser? If it worked anywhere near like my RX100, that might be handy.

At first glance, there seems to be a control ring on the SX70 lens housing. But other cameras with such rings, have grooves all the way around, not just in two small areas, as this one does. I have found no mention anywhere, of there being a lens control ring on this model. Typically, these rings control both manual focus and zoom, with a selector switch. I think that the control feature with the "T" and "W" on it, is a 2nd zoom control. There is a mention in the specifications of a zoom switch being added to the lens. That's all I can say about it at the present. But since these features are not on the SX60 and also since the SX70 is lighter weight, it may be a different lens.
 
This Thread appears to have dried up...has anyone tried it and got any sample pics to share?

There seems to have been one website reviewer who took a few photos with one, but the images are poor quality and not sharply-focused. They would be of no value in determining anything about the camera. The Canon website has what they say are photos and videos from it, but there's another camera shown on the same page and it's unclear which of them produced the pictures. I am not in a big rush to be an early adopter. I will wait for some time, after many samples are posted by numerous users. The big question, is if the lens is different and improved over the one they used on the SX60.
 
There seems to have been one website reviewer who took a few photos with one, but the images are poor quality and not sharply-focused. They would be of no value in determining anything about the camera. The Canon website has what they say are photos and videos from it, but there's another camera shown on the same page and it's unclear which of them produced the pictures. I am not in a big rush to be an early adopter. I will wait for some time, after many samples are posted by numerous users. The big question, is if the lens is different and improved over the one they used on the SX60.

I agree there, Steve, would have to be an improvement or otherwise get an SX60.
 
There seems to have been one website reviewer who took a few photos with one, but the images are poor quality and not sharply-focused. They would be of no value in determining anything about the camera. The Canon website has what they say are photos and videos from it, but there's another camera shown on the same page and it's unclear which of them produced the pictures. I am not in a big rush to be an early adopter. I will wait for some time, after many samples are posted by numerous users. The big question, is if the lens is different and improved over the one they used on the SX60.

Both the SX60 as well as the SX70 have the same 65x lens, 21mm to 1350mm equivalent in 35mm format.
The lens' wider angle capability is a real feature, afaik, none of the other big zooms go wider than 24mm equivalent. However, I'd be stunned if Canon designed a new lens in that unusual size just for the SX70, so improvements are almost certainly not in the lens, but in the processor, the display and perhaps the stabilization as well as the sensor.
 
Okay, thanks for the heads-up...my SX50 is getting a bit long in the tooth, so I'm hoping this model may be the natural successor.

I have 3 SX50's. Tried the SX60 and returned it for poor IQ next to the SX50. If the Sx70 can't match the IQ of the Sx50 at the long end of zoom i suppose i can wait longer but like you, mine are also getting old.
 
Both the SX60 as well as the SX70 have the same 65x lens, 21mm to 1350mm equivalent in 35mm format.
The lens' wider angle capability is a real feature, afaik, none of the other big zooms go wider than 24mm equivalent. However, I'd be stunned if Canon designed a new lens in that unusual size just for the SX70, so improvements are almost certainly not in the lens, but in the processor, the display and perhaps the stabilization as well as the sensor.

The SX70 lens has a gripping ring around the housing and a zoom-control rocker-switch, that are not on the SX60 lens. So it is different to that extent, with new electronics and wiring added. So it's possible that other changes to the lens may have been made. Sometimes, just a small change to the position of one lens element, could correct flawed performance. Fine-tuning in functions such as back-focus and front-focus, can make a big difference. Canon has had four years and every opportunity to improve the lens. Maybe they will do that and make their customers happy? Is there any reason they would revive a line of cameras that has lain fallow for that much time and not do that little bit required to make it a better product? Maybe they put the money they saved by removing the hotshoe, into improving the lens?

I'm sure Canon is well aware of the criticism of the lens performance of the SX60. Would they repeat that mistake and deliberately produce another money-losing model, which would affect their overall reputation? Of course, I'm assuming that the company is guided by a collective rationale.
 
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If Canon was to bring back the SX50 lens, couple it with the same image stabelization, add an improved low light capable 12mp sensor, add the new LCD and viewfinder, and new digitizer, wifi, and keep the overall functionality of the SX50 like the 2x teleconverter, frame assis, etc, in a small portable size of the the Sx50, I think they would have a second legendary camera for birders and general wildlife enthusiasts.

I do consider the SX50 to be legendary for it's time. It's time that they keep what was great and upgrade what is not so great by today's standards.

That said, I still hope to be shockingly surprised that they fixed the lens from the SX60.
 
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