Canon SX40 HS bad autofocus, bad image stabilization, jumpy video

This camera was purchased from Sam's Club online. It came very poorly packaged, with almost no padding. I don't know if that is why the camera is malfunctioning, but it is totally unusable in this condition. My local Sam's Club graciously let me exchange it for another brand new one that was in the store (hopefully that didn't get bashed to pieces in the shipping process.)

The SECOND identical camera picked up 01/07/2012 STILL HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS! Nearly identical video from that camera is being uploaded now. I'm waiting for an email reply from Canon Customer Service.

I have other issues with this camera model that were not apparent when researching cameras. There is significant loud noise from the zoom lens motor as you zoom in and out during video (which Canon says is normal, with no apology.) I understand it is a big, giant zoom lens, but as it zooms, it sounds like a cheap, plastic lens experiencing friction. Canon's solution to the zoom motor's noise is to tell me to use an external microphone, but this camera HAS NO WAY to plug in an external microphone!

I also like to use Manual mode for night photography, and they messed this camera model up by forcing my ISO to be 100 whenever the shutter speed is too long, (such as the maximum 15-second exposure I like to do on tripod.) By eliminating my choices of a higher ISO, I can no longer capture the maximum available light. Why does Canon feel the need to control my manual setting choices and limit them?

Lastly, I really dislike the new tedious dial wheel which I must use when manually focusing the camera. I use manual focus often, but this wheel is so touchy and takes so long, this model camera is useless for many situations now.

This would have been a great camera, but Canon's poor design has made it horrid. I am so upset at this experience with these two new cameras, that I am about to return this Canon and switch brands. (I have been a proud Canon camera user since my first F-1 purchased from Hirsch Photo of New York in 1976, and the dozens that followed since.)

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Canon
• SX40 HS
• Powershot
• 140x zoom
• digital camera
• Sam's Club
• Canon customer service
• bad camera
• Canon SX40 HS bad autofocus
• bad image stabilization
• jumpy video

[SrOchoa]

weird, i havent had any problem with the focus or the iso limit SLO talks about

[SLOphoto1]

You are right about the problems with the Canon SX40. That's one of the reasons I posted my own YouTube video about the ISO limit. Yes, the manual focus dial is tedious. I have spun it as many as 53 full circles at night just to try to focus it to infinity, and it still drifts away from it after two or three shots. I ended up having to buy a second camera, the older model SX30 for long-exposure night shots, because it has no ISO limits, but that spin dial is still tedious too. Best Wishes.