You’re standing on a pier in Santa Monica. The sun is dipping, turning the Pacific into a sheet of hammered gold. You want the shot, but your phone’s digital zoom is already turning the distant Ferris wheel into a pixelated mess of watercolor blobs. This is exactly where the Canon PowerShot SX620 HS comes in, and honestly, it’s why these "obsolete" point-and-shoots are having a weirdly massive second life on TikTok and eBay right now.
Phones are great for wide shots. They suck at distance.
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The SX620 HS packs a 25x optical zoom into a body that’s basically the size of a deck of playing cards. It’s thin. It’s light. It fits in a jacket pocket without making you look like you’re carrying a brick. But is it actually better than your iPhone or Galaxy? That’s where things get nuanced. If you’re just looking at megapixels, you’re missing the point. It’s about focal length. This little guy covers the 35mm equivalent of 25-625mm. To get that on a professional DSLR, you’d need a lens the size of a bazooka that costs three months of rent.
The Hardware Reality: What’s Under the Hood
Let’s get the technical stuff out of the way. The Canon PowerShot SX620 HS uses a 20.2-megapixel CMOS sensor. It’s a 1/2.3-inch sensor, which, yeah, is small. It’s the same physical size as the sensors in many high-end smartphones from a couple of years ago.
So why bother?
Glass. Pure, physical glass.
The lens moves. It’s a mechanical marvel that provides a true optical zoom. When you zoom in on a bird or a distant mountain peak with this camera, you aren't just stretching pixels. You’re physically bringing the image closer to the sensor. This results in a level of detail at 25x that no "Super Zoom" software trickery on a smartphone can truly replicate without looking "crunchy."
The DIGIC 4+ image processor is an older engine, sure. It handles the colors with that classic Canon warmth people rave about. Skin tones look human. The sky looks blue, not neon. But it’s not a speed demon. Don't expect to shoot high-speed sports with this. It’s more of a "stroll through a European city" kind of camera.
The Zoom Factor
The 25x zoom is the headline. But Canon also threw in something called Intelligent IS (Image Stabilization). This is huge because when you’re zoomed out to 625mm, even your heartbeat can make the image shake like an earthquake. The system analyzes the movement and applies one of eight different stabilization modes. It’s not perfect—you still shouldn’t try to shoot at full zoom in a dark alleyway—but for daytime sightseeing, it’s a lifesaver.
Why People Are Buying These in 2026
It’s kind of funny. A few years ago, we thought the point-and-shoot was dead. Gone. Buried by the iPhone 12. But something shifted. People started getting tired of the "over-processed" look of smartphone photos. You know the look: everything is perfectly sharp, the shadows are artificially lifted, and it feels... fake.
The Canon PowerShot SX620 HS feels like a camera. It has a physical shutter button. It has a dedicated zoom toggle. There’s a specific "look" to the files—a bit of organic grain, a certain softness in the background bokeh that feels more like a memory and less like a computer algorithm.
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Plus, there is the battery life factor. If you spend all day taking photos and videos on your phone, your battery is dead by 2 PM. You’re stuck looking for a USB port in a café instead of enjoying your trip. Carrying the SX620 means your phone stays in your pocket, saved for maps and emergencies.
The Low-Light Elephant in the Room
I’m going to be real with you: this camera struggles when the sun goes down.
With an aperture range of f/3.2 to f/6.6, it’s not a low-light beast. If you’re at a dimly lit dinner party, your modern smartphone will probably take a brighter, clearer photo thanks to computational "Night Mode" stack photography. The SX620 will start to show "noise" (that grainy, static look) as soon as the ISO climbs above 800.
If you want to use this at night, you have to use the pop-up flash. But hey, that "flash photography" look is actually back in style. It gives off a very 2000s, nostalgic aesthetic that’s incredibly popular right now for social media.
Video and Connectivity: Is It Enough?
The video is 1080p Full HD. No 4K here. For most people, that’s fine. It’s plenty for YouTube or sharing with family. The footage is smooth thanks to the stabilization, but it’s not "cinematic." It’s "vacation footage."
One thing Canon actually got right was the Wi-Fi and NFC. You can beam photos straight to your phone using the Canon Camera Connect app. It’s a bit clunky—honestly, every camera app is a bit clunky—but it works. You can take a shot of a cathedral, send it to your iPhone, and post it to Instagram in about 60 seconds.
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- Pros: - Massive zoom range in a tiny footprint.
- Very simple "Auto" mode for beginners.
- Classic Canon color science.
- Dedicated Wi-Fi button for quick sharing.
- Cons:
- Poor performance in low light.
- No 4K video.
- The screen isn't a touchscreen (which feels weird in 2026).
- Slow burst shooting speed.
Practical Tips for Getting the Best Shots
If you decide to pick one of these up—maybe you found one in a thrift shop or bought a refurbished unit—there are ways to make the images look professional.
First, keep the ISO low. If you can, lock it to ISO 100 or 200. This keeps the images clean. Second, use the zoom to create "compression." If you stand far back from your subject and zoom in, the background will appear closer and more blurred. This makes for great portraits that don’t look like they were taken on a phone.
Also, don't ignore the "Auto" mode entirely. The Canon PowerShot SX620 HS has a "Smart AUTO" feature that detects 32 different scenes. It’s surprisingly good at knowing when you’re looking at a sunset versus a person’s face.
One thing many people forget is the Macro mode. This camera can focus on objects just 1cm away from the lens. If you’re into flower photography or taking pictures of cool bugs, this is a hidden superpower that most smartphones struggle with unless they have a dedicated macro lens.
Where to Buy and What to Pay
You won't usually find these brand new at Best Buy anymore. You're looking at the used market—sites like MPB, KEH, or eBay. Expect to pay anywhere from $150 to $250 depending on the condition. If someone is asking more than $300, they're probably trying to capitalize on the "vintage digital camera" trend.
Check the lens for dust. Since this lens extends and retracts, it can act like a little vacuum cleaner, sucking in dust particles over time. Give it a test run and look for dark spots on a clear blue sky photo. If the sky is clean, the sensor is clean.
Actionable Next Steps for Potential Buyers
Before you drop money on a Canon PowerShot SX620 HS, do these three things:
- Check your focal length needs: If you rarely find yourself wishing you could "see further," your current smartphone is likely a better tool. This camera is specifically for people who feel limited by their phone’s reach.
- Look at your photo style: If you love "dark and moody" indoor photography, this isn't the camera for you. Look for something with a 1-inch sensor instead, like the PowerShot G7X series.
- Verify the battery: If you buy used, the original NB-13L battery might be tired. Budget an extra $20-30 for a fresh spare so you don't get caught with a dead camera in the middle of a sightseeing tour.
The SX620 HS isn't a professional tool, and it doesn't pretend to be. It's a pocket-sized telescope that happens to take pretty decent pictures. In a world where every phone photo looks the same, having a 25x piece of glass in your pocket gives you a perspective that most people just can't get. It's about the joy of the zoom.