Canon PowerShot SX740 HS Comprehensive Review

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With the emergence of cell phone cameras, point and shoot cameras have been forced to provide more bang for your buck to stay competitive. Here, I will be reviewing the Canon PowerShotSX740HS point and shoot camera in a full, comprehensive review where I go over all of the specs, what they mean, and where this camera fits in the world of photography.
-Gear used to make this video-
Canon PowerShot SX740 HS - amzn.to/3zLjaji
Sony a6000 - amzn.to/3qeD162
Sony a6100 - amzn.to/3gQu7aA
Sony Microphone - amzn.to/3gQv034
Manfrotto Tripod - amzn.to/3iYV2DI
Huawei Laptop - amzn.to/2UgXOde
-These are affiliate links that help to support this channel-
0:35 - Smartphones vs Point and Shoots
3:32 - Unique Characteristics of a Point and Shoot Camera
5:00 - Smartphone vs Point and Shoot vs DSLR/Mirrorless
6:01 - Canon SX740HS Main Features
6:38 - The Screen
7:41 - Camera Dimensions
8:00 - Zoom Capabilities
9:57 - Optical Image Stabilization
10:38 - Zoom Framing Assistant
11:39 - Focus
12:22 - Facial Recognition
12:57 - The Lens
13:00 - Aperture
14:03 - Shutter Speed
14:15 - ISO
14:20 - Shooting Modes
14:53 - Still Photos
15:07 - Megapixels vs Sensor Size
16:19 - Continuous Shooting Modes
17:49 - No RAW Shooting (RAW vs JPEG)
18:58 - Video
19:03 - 4k Video (With Crop Factor)
19:38 - All Resolutions and Frame Rates
20:28 - Microphone
21:44 - General Considerations
22:46 - Vlogging
24:29 - Final Thoughts/Would I Recommend It?

[@stevemaislin2700]

Thanks. This was very helpful and as a new owner of the 740HS, this confirmed that I have the right camera for my need which is mainly to have something small with a really great zoom. I rarely take video and simply want to be sure when I have a photo opportunity while on a hike, snowshoe, or bike ride, I will be able to get a decent shot. Again, thanks for taking the time for this good and thorough overview.

[@SugarMapleForge]

I really love your point of view on cell phone vs camera photography. Very interesting the way you put it.

[@itsjohnzamora]

Thanks, I appreciate that!

[@nutzach23]

I’m only 5 minutes into this review and it’s already way better than the other reviews I seen for this camera. The other reviews are all about blogging so thanks for this

[@itsjohnzamora]

Really appreciate it, Zach!

[@ajh5124]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this camera. I own it and find picture quality to be capable of producing excellent images. The macro shots are awesome.

[@sarahbokusky3719]

Great review! Very thorough!

[@itsjohnzamora]

Thanks so much! :)

[@jamesTWisco]

You are a smart guy! Great video and very informative. I never really understood trigonometry so you get an extra thumbs up for that.

[@itsjohnzamora]

Really appreciate such a nice comment, Jim! 🙂

[@nicodeamous111]

Excellent review. You really go into a lot of detail which you explain clearly and in a manner that makes the whole subject interesting. You obviously know what you are talking about and I have now ordered this camera based on your review. I already have a good smartphone and an old DSLR and was disappointed when I compared the quality between the two. This made me realise that I needed something more modern to replace my DSLR but I cannot justify the cost of a new DSLR and lenses so, welcome to the point and shoot with a massive zoom. I figure that, for what I use it for, it will be better than a smartphone and something that I will enjoy using. Thank you again

[@itsjohnzamora]

Thanks for such a kind comment!! 😁 It has its warts, but it's such a fun camera to use, which is really what it's all about

[@ErikaCerese]

Great video, thanks☺

[@itsjohnzamora]

I'm glad it was helpful!

[@RackFocusProductions1226]

this is a really good review...love this camera.

[@itsjohnzamora]

Thanks Johnny! Not a bad camera

[@kittycloudz813]

Great review

[@sofiasamayoa5152]

Best review and I've seen many! Thanks for talking about photo shots and not only blogging, that's all the other reviews are doing and not giving any info about how is the performance for stills. All the info I need it to make a decision. Great job!

[@itsjohnzamora]

Thank you so much, Sofía! I'm happy to be able to help!

[@guanacoyyz9646]

Great video, I’m a beginner in photo and even though I have a iPhone 12 Pro I wanted the canon for vloging and long zooms... I ordered it last night and can’t wait to receive it.

[@itsjohnzamora]

It pairs well with smartphone cameras! You may prefer the iPhone when it comes to wider shots but the zoom lens really adds to what you're able to capture

[@freddievasquez1959]

I just bought one last night I was skeptical but now I feel better. I just want to up my Instagram game

[@itsjohnzamora]

It can definitely give you more versatility than a cell phone 👍

[@leonnobles545]

Sx740hs is so good, I had to buy tow of them. One for each hand.

[@itsjohnzamora]

Double the camera. Double the zoom.

[@dianeandrews4115]

Thanks for this video

[@itsjohnzamora]

Thanks for the comment!

[@jchai1343]

Great information!

[@itsjohnzamora]

Thank you!

[@raphprobably]

I just ran into your video by happen chance and this video was exactly what I’ve been looking for! Great review, thanks man! I think you hit the nail right on the head when you mentioned that a point and shoot is the budget gateway into traditional cameras. Instead of buying a flagship phone this year, I went with getting the iPhone SE and wanted to start getting into better picture and videos so I picked up this SX740HS a few weeks ago. Figured I can get my feet wet with something and judge to see if I can to further this itch or not. After I got it though, I started to feel that buyer’s remorse because I felt like my pictures and videos just weren’t coming out as crisp or clean as my iPhone was getting. So I figure I must need a better understanding of the settings on the camera. Running into this video and your field testing video today was such an eye opener to how naive I am to all of this. I’ve watched a handful of videos on defining the common terms, but still have trouble applying any of that once I start taking pictures. But just seeing the output you’re getting in your field test, I know the camera I got is still a good choice, I just need to get better.

[@itsjohnzamora]

Thanks so much for the support! I think the key advantage you're going to have is the zoom on your Canon that the iPhone doesn't have. The wider shots will be what the iPhone is great at, and may even look better than the Canon straight out of the camera because of the edits the iPhone automatically makes to the photo after you shoot it to make it pop. The photos you snap with you Canon will hold up to editing better than your iPhone will, however, and I'd definitely recommend trying out some photo editing if you haven't already. Adobe Lightroom CC is what I used for those shots, and is free on mobile devices 👍

[@bigpoppapump4060]

Great vid

[@nickthinkpainting1978]

0

[@user-ge7kc5gw4t]

Great review. As a new owner who bought it for mainly stills when travelling I think it will more than suit my purpose.

[@itsjohnzamora]

It's got a pretty impressive zoom for sure!

[@Jason33784]

Just ordered a refurb from Canon to complement my Pixel 4 XL when I'm out walking. Looking forward to trying out the zoom

[@itsjohnzamora]

It will give you a lot more versatility for sure! 👍

[@KyraDanyelle]

idk if you mentioned this, but what's the best setting to remove the smooth type look for this camera and to make it look much better?

[@itsjohnzamora]

I believe there's a menu setting for stabilization that you can switch on and off 👍

[@SainzPatrol]

Hi John, the sound of taking the photo, is it possible to mute?

[@judesantillan]

hi how to pause a button when recording a video

[@marksloan4452]

The microphone is actually the longer front bit with the grill. Underneath the grill the mics are about 2 cm apart. The 3 holes to the rear are the speaker. Excellent review though, thanks.

[@itsjohnzamora]

Ahh gotcha. Thanks for that! 👍

[@UltimateVictory88]

What microphone would you recommend to use with his camera? Is there a microphone that can be used with this camera via bluetooth or USB cable?

[@itsjohnzamora]

As far as I know, there isn't a way to connect an external mic to this camera

[@ag1805x]

Is it still worth buying the Canon PowerShot SX740HS or are there any better camera in the same budget?

[@itsjohnzamora]

I don't think the SX740HS is worth the full price of $400. For that budget, I would recommend spending a tiny bit more for an entry-level mirrorless camera like the Sony a5100, Sony a6000, Canon M50, or even older point-and-shoot models of the Sony rx100 or Canon g7x if you can snag a good discount on one of those. The situation where this camera shines is that I do think it's your best option for a long zoom lens at this budget. If you don't see yourself using the zoom often, there are other options out there that will have better image quality and that are more dynamic 👍

[@nilamkshire]

This video was really helpful John, Thanks! Especially because I saw many other videos for this specific camera which seemed to diss it :P (to me it seems quite affordable on amazon right now and much less complicated since I haven't owned or used dslr/mirrorless cameras). My question is for someone wanting to shoot videos of themselves - the way you are doing right now, is it a good option for a beginner or would I be better off with my cellphone and a small tripod? To me it seems 180 degree flip LCD screen will prove very useful for shooting on your own. Share your thoughts if possible. Thanks again!

[@itsjohnzamora]

Thank you very much Nilam, I'm so glad it helped! For a sit-down video, it will definitely get the job done, but I'm not positive that it will be considerably better than a cell phone at getting that specific shot. In my opinion, the point and shoot shines in being able to do a lot of different things, it just doesn't do any one thing particularly well. So if you're shooting video and/or photos where you need some wide shots accompanied by some telephoto shots, that's where this camera will be miles ahead of a cell phone. Its versatility is what you're paying for 👍

[@nilamkshire]

Yes, that makes a lot of sense :) I guess it would be better to consider this when we can restart traveling more. Thanks a lot for your help! 🙋🏽‍♀️😊 Checked out a few more videos from your channel, they look great, keep going 👍🏽

[@itsjohnzamora]

@@nilamkshire Thank you very much!!

[@stievodevivo]

Hi, great review man ... I’m using iPhone 12 Pro Max and from years I’m waiting that iPhones will have periscope zoom camera like Samsung and other brands have... sometimes at music festival or film studio I’m to far away from subject and can’t get close enough to get good picture ... the canon have 40x zoom that’s come in handy such situations . Also another thing I don’t like to take pictures with smartphone is distraction of messages or incoming phone calls while shooting or recording video .... okay I know you can put your phone in don’t disturb mode but of a caller call me twice less in a minute then the call comes through .... and the 3th reason is of you shoot all day with your mobile phone pictures and videos your battery dies much quicker... okey you have solutions like carry a powerbank with you Of course but ... you I’m serious thinking to get myself the canon sx740hs the only thing I’m afraid of nowadays I see barely people using compact cameras anymore so of I’m on streets with the canon I will feel me a idiot using compact camera because maybe compact cameras are old and outdated gadgets ... The big advantages are super zoom, long batterylife, compact point and shoot, and you can even record some video with it so , and no disturbing of apps of your smartphone while shooting ... hope you can give me good advice that I can make good decision thank you for your time .

[@nilamkshire]

@@stievodevivo hey I did buy this camera and I love it! I don't use an iPhone so don't know how it would fair against it but the zoom is fantastic, that breaks lot of boundaries in terms of what pictures you can take and cannot take (I didn't realise this as much before buying it) Colours are beautiful, even more so in the natural light. The selfies are fine, not too better than my regular phone. I had the same concerns that you know, no one buys these cameras these days but honestly whoever has seen me with it was really curious about which one it is especially because of how compact it looks over the heavyweights one they have. I don't know how well it would fair against a dslr or mirrorless... I'm sure they perform much better but from someone who hasn't used either I simply loved it. And for walking around on the streets and taking pictures, I feel it's a very good choice (easily fits into a sling bag or even your pockets if you're wearing baggy pants). The mic is okayish though wasn't too impressed.

[@chickenjoyce5342]

There’s something about the way you talk reminds me of Mark Ruffalo... and that’s a compliment I like Mark Ruffalo. Anyway, awesome video! 👏

[@itsjohnzamora]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate the compliment! 🙏

[@tommydiquasi1424]

I think because you don't open your mouth all the way when trying to enunciate words properly.

[@itsjohnzamora]

@@tommydiquasi1424 Haha, I'm not super familiar with Mark Ruffalo but I do know that I have that problem

[@Kkmediaworks]

Should i avoid buying this camera only because of 4k crop factor?How will it effect the video?pls tell

[@itsjohnzamora]

The crop factor is fine if you don't need a wide shot, but the standard 1080p isn't very wide as it is so it makes wide shots in 4k impossible. I shot about 95% of my footage in 1080p because it was much more versatile

[@Yoko.Kurama]

Does this have manual controls when shooting video?

[@itsjohnzamora]

Unfortunately the video is almost completely automatic

[@Replika23]

1080 60fps is a very decent video for vlogging!

[@itsjohnzamora]

Absolutely it is!

[@freespiritsolo9998]

I am bummed as I sold my A6000 and zoom because I bought the iPhone 11 PRO and it has a great camera and wanted to simplify my life as I take photos in nature, travel, and hiking and want to fit in my waist pack. but I became sensitive to Radiation in 11 PRO as it has double radiation. I got a temporary flip phone to use as I have to sell it. and don't know what else to get with less radiation yet. I got this cannon sx470 at Best Buy on a whim to take photos of fall leaves. I could possibly Keep the 11 PRO just for the camera but if this is as good then I will keep this. What are your thoughts? I have all MAC APPLE PRODUCTS and also concerned about transferring photos and videos into my mac air. please let me know about that as well. Thank you ML aka Free Spirit Solo

[@itsjohnzamora]

Darn, that's a bummer! The 11 pro has a great camera, and might even beat this Canon at wider focal lengths. What this one has going for it is the zoom lens at such a great price point. However, if you're only using the iPhone for it's camera I think you could purchase a better one with the money you'd get for selling the phone

[@itsjohnzamora]

Also as far as syncing, Canon products should have no problem transferring data to Apple products 👍

[@shireenmir5858]

Can I attach external mic with usb ???

[@itsjohnzamora]

Unfortunately there's no way to do this that I know of

[@jerryjohnson1463]

Can you get clean hdmi out?

[@itsjohnzamora]

Unfortunately not

[@nickthinkpainting1978]

Great review so in other words smartphone takes much better pictures.

[@itsjohnzamora]

Thanks! Unless you're using the long zoom, it won't be too much different from a cell phone in my opinion

[@alfellohdezglez993]

camera sensor cleaning ???

[@itsjohnzamora]

It wasn't meant to be taken apart to clean the sensor unfortunately

[@nomore8441]

I've been using my phone for over a year to take photos and all i really want at the moment is a point and shoot camera. I understand its not like DSLR by any stretch but im not looking for anything huge at the moment Also over here the Sony is Like £120 - 150 more than this

[@itsjohnzamora]

Gotcha! It's got a slightly bigger sensor than a cell phone, which means a little better low light performance (though neither are good options in low light) With this camera the biggest upgrade you'll get is that long zoom lens which will give you more versatility in the shots you're able to take while at the same time being small enough to take with you almost everywhere. Another positive I've found with this is being able to take it to events where "proper" cameras are not allowed and still being able to use it to get decent shots 👍

[@nomore8441]

@@itsjohnzamora yeah I'm looking for a good zoom lens, and i will be using it as a travel camera as i go around places alot getting photos of places etc. Anyway thanks and great review

[@sandhirsewmungal]

Hi there, thanks for a great video review on the Canon SX740. I currently have a SX720. The reason why I bought a camera is because of the zoom and if I use my phone all the time for photos and videos the battery dies way quicker than a camera. I feel the camera still does a better job. I am looking at a newer camera especially with a flip up screen that is small and compact too. After seeing this review I feel the SX740 might be perfect for me (After all I am not a professional when it comes to photography and all it's features.) I just want something that can get the job done. I just hope it could work well for me if I do start vlogging eventually... Thanks again for such a detailed review on this camera, would you be able to recommend any other Canon Camera's that are similiar or better that I should look at? (As long as it's a easy to use and carry camera). Regards Sandhir from South Africa

[@itsjohnzamora]

Hi Sandhir! I completely agree; the point and shoot is a much better option than a phone in most situations, and just as easy to bring along. The SX740 really shines in photography, and the on board mic is fine unless you're outside with a lot of wind or in a noisy area. It doesn't have an option to attach an external mic, so you're stuck with the one it comes with, which is its biggest weakness in terms of vlogging. I see lots of vloggers using the Canon g7x, which doesn't have the same zoom but has a wider aperture to help give a nice blurry background if you're vlogging or snapping portraits. I currently can't justify spending that much on a point and shoot however, so what I use to vlog is the Sony a6000/6100 mirrorless camera. It's bigger than a point and shoot, but the video quality is so much better for a comparable price. I hope this helps! 👍

[@itsmeshania9184]

This or the Sony a5000 for recording?

[@itsjohnzamora]

A5000 will by far be more dynamic. Plus it has much more room for upgrades

[@navarrotroutman]

Hey, I need your help. I recently purchased this camera for my trip to Hawaii. and there is a feature where the camera will record and take a snapshot picture at the end. It composed all the clips into one movie. Idk how I did it. And no one seems to know how to do it. I will pay you to help me figure out this feature. Please.

[@itsjohnzamora]

Hello! I don't quite remember how to get to it, but I do remember those features. You're looking for the Video Snapshot feature as well as the 4k Frame Grab feature

[@itsjohnzamora]

They could possibly be in the menu as you're playing back your footage

[@navarrotroutman]

@@itsjohnzamora im going to try and upload it and send it to you its hard to explain lol

[@navarrotroutman]

@@itsjohnzamora kzbin.info/www/bejne/jmLVpmtsncRmbbc

[@leenaalexander2972]

That will be the digest mode

[@raphaelvsauvage5136]

Can you livestream with this camera

[@itsjohnzamora]

It wasn't made for live streaming, so I think the only way to make it work is with a capture card. It doesn't have a clean output, meaning you'll just see whatever is on the LCD screen on the stream

[@Sunshine23628]

Hello ! I saw your review because I'm a big fan of this camera. I have the 720 model that didn't have a flip-up screen and you don't know how much I love this camera. Now I want to buy just this model with a screen to be able to record myself. I love this camera very much and it has been, I think, the most important of the ones I have bought. Maybe it doesn't have a microphone input, maybe you can't put glasses on it, maybe it records ugly at night, but with a good light it could be fixed. I may not have depth of field either, but that camera is super powerful. The why? It records super sharp, it has beautiful colors and the zoom it has is impressive. I have a Nikon dsrl camera and if I can do depth of field, if it has a much larger and clearer sensor, if it is very sharp, it records 4k and also cuts, but with a tripod from a distance it is solved. But for how small that camera is, that it has that zoom, that sharpness and those colors, there is no camera that size that can beat it. I work in the press and it has made much of my work much easier than if I carried a super heavy dsrl camera, having to manually focus and change lenses. My philosophy regarding cameras is to look for a specific function for which each type of camera can serve you. And I have tried to have different cameras to use them, depending on the situation that each one can serve you. I also have a canon camcorder that has a lot of zoom and may not be as sharp as the canon powershot, but it has other features that you can use it for.

[@itsjohnzamora]

Agreed! For the price and also for the size it still packs a punch. The best camera is the one you have on you, and this is an easy one to always have on you 👍

[@influencer8006]

why not show the flip up screen

[@itsjohnzamora]

Probably just spaced it! That's a good point 👍

[@meilain3005]

This or lumix tz90?

[@itsjohnzamora]

I think the Lumix definitely has a lot of advantages over this camera. It has a viewfinder, a touch screen, and can take RAW photos, which the Canon cannot do. I haven't used the TZ90, but on paper it looks like it could be a better option

[@4-WHEEL-DRIVE]

the 40x zoom is much better than any phone

[@itsjohnzamora]

Yes, because that zoom is 100% optical where on phones most of the zoom is digital

[@itsjohnzamora]

Nope! There is an option to add digital zoom, which does decrease quality, but everything I did in this video is optical so the quality stays the same 👍

[@twchan9352]

I used this camera one year the LCD screen had stop working! The warrenty expired no where to repair the stuff.

[@itsjohnzamora]

That's a bummer!! Definitely a huge drawback of point and shoots; they're near impossible to repair

[@robertomoreno5526]

Has Amazon sold this camera but a fake one.

[@itsjohnzamora]

Not that I know of

[@317peppermint]

Thanks I need to check mine out. I got it a year and a half ago. Like everybody else, to take better pictures than with my phone. But I got disappointed right after buying it cause I couldn’t ans till can’t figure out how to take nice pictures. Most of the one I take are blurry. I wanted to sell it but now that I’ve watched your videos I’m gonna give it one last try

[@itsjohnzamora]

I'm glad you're giving it another try! I think that a lot of newer phone cameras can outperform this one, but as far as the zoom lens this camera is still the best bang for your buck!

[@nutritionandhealthmanageme4710]

would this work with the SX740 HS ? kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZa1eq2pq9Oiq6M

[@itsjohnzamora]

I've never tried, but to my understanding the SX740HS doesn't support any microphones through USB unfortunately

[@tulokapiklo]

This or sony dsc w800?

[@itsjohnzamora]

Personally I usually prefer Sony for their autofocus, but I chose this camera over the dsc w800 because the color and image quality seemed to be better

[@vj_great551]

I found image quality to be poor like smartphones from 10 years ago. Or do I have faulty device

[@itsjohnzamora]

If you're shooting in low light, that may be the case. Outdoors, especially with the zoom, it should be outperforming a phone

[@ikirizki9185]

I think this camera is really good for making video or zooming. But for produce bokeh, low light or taking photography, it's not really that special I guess 🤔 because I noticed that the sensor size is 1/2.3", that's equal with most of today's smartphones or action cameras.

[@itsjohnzamora]

I agree 100%. If you're outdoors and need a long zoom, this camera is great for the price. Besides that, I'd say it's average at best in other areas.

[@tlk0216]

Where is the review get on with it man..damn

[@itsjohnzamora]

Well now I'm going to wait even longer

[@crazypuppetbros1943]

Hi

[@itsjohnzamora]

Hello!

[@Cemarslan2701]

Very bad video...

[@itsjohnzamora]

Thanks for letting me know