Camera Test: Canon SX20 IS

Prices unavailable Recommended alternatives Editor's Choice Panasonic Lumix FZ150 Style and Substance Sony Cyber-shot HX100V Monster Zoom Canon PowerShot SX40 HS

Canon's SX10 IS bridge camera wasn't missing much, so it's pretty logical that this updated version, the SX20 IS adds 720 HD video, conspicuous by its absence on the earlier camera.

The new bridge camera looks identical to the old one and shares the same strengths as its predecessor: an optically stabilised 20x zoom, an old-school frame with a large, comfortable handle and a small--but rotating--LCD screen to get those shots above the heads of a crowd or from other unusual angles.

Canon also felt the need to add more pixels as it upgraded the SX10 IS, but we'll forgive that given the arrival of 720 HD video with stereo sound recording.

So, can the SX20 IS rival the Panasonic FZ38?  Let's take a look ...

> Test: Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

> Product Survey: Bridge Digital Cameras

> Buyer's Guides: Our Pick of The Best Products