Canon PowerShot V1 Review

Introduction

The Canon PowerShot V1 is its maker’s first serious, conventionally styled, fixed-lens compact camera in a good long while.

Coming after the more obviously vlogging community-oriented V10 from a couple of years back, it arrives with anticipation and excitement. Inevitably, in the content creator age, this is again marketed as a hybrid device, suitable for photographers and videographers alike.

Unlike most point and shoot compacts, the V1’s sensor isn’t a tiny 1/2.3-inch chip, nor is it a larger APS-C sensor as found in consumer mirrorless models, including Canon’s EOS R50 V. But rather sits in between at 1.4-inches in size. And so, to my mind, that’s where this camera also sits; somewhere between point-and-shoots and interchangeable lens models.

While the lens on the front cannot be swapped out, as it can on entry level mirrorless models for a similar price, is the Canon PowerShot V1 worth the outlay for those seeking an all-encompassing solution?

Design and Handling

• Portable 118.3x68x52.5mm body dimensions
• 374g without battery or card
• 3-inch, angle adjustable 1.04 million dot resolution touch screen LCD

With its studious black livery, every compact inch of the PowerShot V1 seems to scream that this is a portable camera for serious enthusiasts. Despite being thicker in depth than some of the best cameras, with the V1’s measurements an official 118.3 x 68 x 52.5mm, it has nevertheless been designed to squeeze into a jacket pocket. 

In attempting to maintain manageable proportions, one immediately noticeable omission is the eye-level viewfinder, Given the design and the price, I’d expect to find one here in addition to the backplate LCD provided. 

Sure, the V1’s 3-inch, 1.04 million dot resolution LCD can be flipped out from the body and angled to face whoever is in front of the lens for any to-camera video, or inevitable selfies. And in most circumstances, the view provided is sharp and clear. But in strong direct light, inevitably, screen visibility can still suffer. 

Even more unusually for a compact camera that purports to offer advanced features, no built-in flashbulb is provided either, although there is a vacant hotshoe above the lens for the attachment of an external flash, should it be required.

But for the asking price here, I expected something a bit more ‘all in’ as regards the PowerShot V1. A body-integrated pop-up flash would have maintained the camera’s clean lines while providing a bit of fill when necessary. But no.

More positively, with a decent sized handgrip, the camera weighs a sturdy feeling but not unmanageable 426g with battery and card inserted. Officially, the battery is good for around 400 shots from a full charge, which is a respectable performance, especially given its size.

Features

• Dual pixel CMOS AF II for consistent AF when tracking subjects
• Built-in image stabilisation equivalent to five stops for blur-free handheld shooting
• Wi-Fi and USB connectivity

Sensor aside, other key features of this solidly built 22.3 effective megapixel Canon include a wide-angle lens, equivalent to an ultra-wide 16-50mm focal range, or 3.1x optical zoom, with a maximum f/2.8 aperture. So, if I want to get any closer than its compact zoom will allow, I simply need to walk forward. 

At first glance, while it ticks the boxes for what most of us would want from a digital compact these days, including vari-angle touch screen LCD, the lack of an eye level viewfinder remains rather disappointing for me. Especially as there is no facility to add an EVF, even as an optional extra.

We do however get 4K resolution video recording up to 60fps, with the usual Full HD footage offered at up to 120fps for those of us seeking that slow motion effect.

A rubber flap at the side of the camera protects a port for an external microphone for potentially better sound than the camera’s built-in variety can provide. Adjacent to this is a port for headphone monitoring, which is a feature we don’t always get on more compact devices. Also impressive for the capture of moving objects is continuous shooting up to 15fps via mechanical shutter, or 30fps via electronic shutter.

Though the thick, two-inch camera depth helps maintain a steady hold and at no point did I feel like I was about to fumble or drop the V1, there is also built-in optical image stabilisation equivalent to five stops to facilitate results free from the effects of hand wobble or camera shake. T

hat being said, it’s not infallible. Even on a brighter day, I did occasionally get softer results than I would have liked, particularly when shooting handheld towards the telephoto end of the zoom. And that’s despite optical image stabilisation being provided.

Image Quality

• 22.3 effective megapixel stills photography
• 30fps high speed continuous shooting via electronic shutter, or 10fps utilising mechanical shutter 
• 4K resolution video at up to 60fps or Full HD video at up to 120fps for slow motion replay

With JPEG and Raw format images captured in 3:2 aspect ratio as a default, and either standalone or in combination, picture quality is exactly what we’d expect from Canon. It’s respectably sharp and consistent, if ultimately not quite at the level of what a mirrorless or DSLR alternative with an APS-C or full frame sensor might deliver. 

Still, colours here are well saturated yet realistically rendered and exposure is commendably balanced, even in those instances of a bright background and darker foreground that would test a lot of less sophisticated digital compacts.

Portability here is just as much of a consideration as performance, however, and I’m much more likely to slip a V1 into my pocket for spur-of-the-moment stills or video opportunities than I am a larger interchangeable lens camera. After all, that’s why the best camera phones got so popular.

As we’d expect of a camera in its class and of these dimensions, images are written to just the single SD card slot.

Should you buy it?