Super Zoom, Super Compact

The PowerShot SX500 IS gives you all the power of super zoom in a camera that's sized to go everywhere! The extremely powerful 30x Optical Zoom with 24mm Wide-Angle Lens (35mm equivalent: 24–720mm) gives you true shooting versatility, while the Optical Image Stabilizer ensures crisp, brilliant images at any zoom length. Image quality is spectacular thanks to the 16.0 Megapixel sensor and Canon DIGIC 4 Image Processor, and you can capture stunningly realistic 720p HD video in stereo sound with a simple press of the movie button. An enhanced Zoom Framing Assist button helps you track and capture subjects for sharp super telephoto photography, and new High Speed AF dramatically reduces lag time so you'll never miss a shot. Just hold the PowerShot SX500 IS in your hand to experience what makes the new design so special. The camera's slim, compact body is proportioned in perfect relation to the giant zoom, while rounded corners with angled grips are a natural fit for the palm of your hand. Zoom right onto the field to capture sports action, achieve those wide-angle travel shots, preserve memories of special events as beautiful HD video — it's all possible with the PowerShot SX500 IS!

Advanced Optics Capture the World as You See It

Powerful 30x Optical Zoom with 24mm Wide-Angle Lens

Given the PowerShot SX500 IS's compact size and attractive proportions, it is especially impressive that the camera is equipped with a mega-powerful 30x Optical Zoom. With a 35mm film equivalent focal length that extends all the way from 24mm to 720mm, your shooting reach is superb: you'll capture telephoto shots with detail like never before. The Wide-Angle Lens gives your images a distinctive sweep and grandeur, capturing landscapes, cityscapes, tall buildings and wide groups of people with ease. Genuine Canon optics ensure that your images are resonant with the clarity and brilliance made possible by Canon's decades of industry leadership in optical technology.

Powerful Core Specs Deliver Beautiful Images

16.0 Megapixel Image Sensor

The PowerShot SX500 IS's 16.0 Megapixel CCD sensor delivers impressive photos with fine detail and brilliant color. The high resolution ensures superb image quality even when cropping or making very large prints.

Canon DIGIC 4 Image Processor

Canon DIGIC Image Processors have set the standard for functionality and performance since their groundbreaking introduction in 1999. With each successive generation, DIGIC Image Processors have brought elevated performance and powerful new features to PowerShot digital cameras. The DIGIC 4 Image Processor has ushered in a new level of picture quality and accelerated processing, making possible features such as high-speed continuous shooting, Full HD video and Face Detection Self-timer. New, more powerful noise reduction algorithms also provide improved low-light capture.

Preserve and Share Your Memories in Spectacular HD

Canon HD Video Advantage

The PowerShot SX500 IS lets you record amazingly detailed 720p HD video at 25 frames per second with clear stereo sound. Imagine the fun and excitement of being able to shoot high definition video whenever you want, right from your compact digital camera. Watching your videos and sharing them with family and friends is especially easy with the camera's HDMI output: you can connect the camera directly to your HDTV with an optional HDMI cable, and see your videos on the big screen right away.

Dedicated Movie Button, Wind Filter and Optical Zoom While Shooting

It's never been easier to shoot videos with a PowerShot digital camera. The PowerShot SX500 IS has a dedicated movie button that lets you start and stop recording instantly. The camera is always ready to shoot stills or video whenever you want. The camera also incorporates an electronic wind filter, which suppresses wind noise that can muffle or distort the sound. And the PowerShot SX500 IS lets you use the full range of optical zoom when you're shooting a video, without sacrificing HD video resolution.

iFrame Movie Support

With the PowerShot SX500 IS, you can also shoot video in the Apple iFrame format, which is a computer-friendly standard that speeds up importing and editing of videos. It keeps file sizes small, making it more convenient to upload or e-mail high-quality videos. The iFrame format enjoys native support in compatible Mac and Windows video applications, making it unnecessary to perform time-consuming and often quality-degrading conversions.

Compose Your Shots in High Resolution

High-Resolution 3.0-inch LCD

Composing and checking your shots is easier with PowerShot SX500 IS's clear, high-resolution LCD (approximately 461,000 dots). The extra resolution also makes using the camera's menu functions more convenient. The large screen is easily viewable from a wide angle, whether you're shooting, reviewing or showing off your images. Clear and bright, it also features Night Display for easy viewing in low light.

A Smarter Camera Means Better Photos and Videos

Smart AUTO

The PowerShot SX500 IS features Smart AUTO: sophisticated Canon technology that makes getting that great shot as simple as pressing the shutter button. Smart AUTO automatically detects scenes by assessing various factors in both the background and the subject. Detected scenes are analyzed using 32 predefined shooting situations. The camera then makes optimal settings to ensure the best possible image capture, whether you're shooting stills or video. Smart AUTO also includes Advanced Subject Detection, which allows the camera to detect and track non-human moving subjects like animals and vehicles. With Smart AUTO, all you have to do is frame your shot and capture away.

A Steady Image Is a Beautiful Image

Intelligent IS

Intelligent IS, the latest advance in Canon Optical Image Stabilization technology, analyzes camera movement and applies the best shake correction method for the shooting situation. For stills, the system automatically selects among Normal, Panning, Macro (Hybrid) and Tripod IS modes. When shooting video, the system automatically selects among Dynamic, Powered, Macro and Tripod IS modes. With Intelligent IS, you can concentrate on image capture, letting the camera make the most effective IS settings to assure the steadiest possible image.

Super Telephoto Shooting Made Easy

Enhanced Zoom Framing Assist Button

With its 30x Optical Zoom lens, the PowerShot SX500 IS has the telephoto reach to capture subjects a long distance away. At maximum telephoto, however, it can be challenging to track a moving subject. Zoom Framing Assist makes it much easier to use the camera's powerful zoom lens. When you press and hold the Zoom Framing Assist function button, the camera will automatically zoom out to include a wider angle of view, enabling you to more easily locate your moving subject. Once you find it, releasing the button will cause the lens to return to its original zoom position, intelligently keeping the subject in focus until you're ready to shoot and capture the perfect close-up moment.

For enhanced versatility, the PowerShot SX500 IS now allows you to make adjustments to zoom while the button is pressed, with an animated assist frame that makes viewing easy. When the button is released, the lens will return to the adjusted zoom position.

Several engineering breakthroughs contributed to this major enhancement to speed. In addition to improved AF algorithms, the camera can process multiple sequences simultaneously, and takes advantage of reworked controls between AF and the start of shooting.

Faster Focus Helps You Capture Every Shot

High Speed AF

The PowerShot SX500 IS is equipped with Canon's latest advancements in Autofocus (AF) technology. Canon's newly developed AF achieves a significant increase in speed, for a shooting experience that's spontaneous and natural. The remarkably responsive High Speed AF lets you capture great shots as they happen, with reduced lag time.

Several engineering breakthroughs contributed to this major enhancement to speed. In addition to improved AF algorithms, the camera can process multiple sequences simultaneously, and takes advantage of reworked controls between AF and the start of shooting.

Additional Features

Face Detection Technology

Face Detection technology makes it easy for you to take great photos of people. The camera will automatically detect the face(s) in a frame to give it optimal focus, exposure, flash (if needed) and white balance. Face self-timer adds convenience to Face Detection because you can set the camera to release the shutter when someone enters the frame.

Shooting Modes

PowerShot cameras offer shooting modes that make it easy to take perfect photos in a wide range of shooting situations by providing intelligent presets with optimized settings.

Shooting Modes/Special Scene Modes

Special Scene Modes with Creative Filters

Special Scene Modes have fun and creative filters you can add to your photos without having to use a computer. You can make a quirky portrait using a Fisheye Lens Effect or add a beautiful single-tone effect with Monochrome. Toy Camera Effect simulates a vintage look as if capturing the photo using a "toy" or pinhole camera. Make a scene appear like a small-scale model with Miniature Effect, when shooting from a high vantage point. Super Vivid enhances an image for bright, intense colors while Poster Effect alters the contrast of an image for poster-like presentation.

Available in 30 Languages

There are now a total of 30 display languages from which you can choose: English, German, French, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Spanish, Simplified/Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Portuguese, Korean, Greek, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Thai, Arabic, Romanian, Ukrainian, Farsi, Hindi, Malay, Indonesian and Vietnamese.