The Sell: A mega-zooming compact at a great price.
The Test: The 12.1-megapixel SX230 turned out some of the best interior low-light shots we’ve taken. Outdoors, it was equally impressive. The SX230 has simple controls and produced surprisingly sharp 1080p HD video. But it’s the 56x combined zoom that sets this point-and-shoot apart: most super-zooms scale up from an 8x optical zoom, with often grainy results; the SX230 starts with a 14x optical zoom for much cleaner images.
The Verdict: One of the most versatile point-and-shoots we’ve tested. Image Quality: 4. Ease of Use: 4.