Canon PowerShot SX620 HS

The PowerShot SX620 HS is a pocket compact from Canon, launched in 2016. The body measures 97 x 57 x 28 mm and weighs 182g, so it travels in a jacket pocket rather than a camera bag.

It suits anyone who wants one simple camera for holidays, family days out and everyday snapshots. The fixed lens means there are no extra lenses to buy, carry or change.

A built-in flash covers dim rooms, and Wi-Fi is built in for wireless use. Owners have no external flashes to shop for, which keeps the kit list short.

Stills start with a 20 megapixel 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor. That resolution leaves room to crop tightly or print holiday shots at decent sizes, and the small sensor format is part of why the body stays pocketable.

The lens is fixed, so there is no swapping glass for different subjects, and the Digic 4+ processor handles image processing. The shutter reaches 1/2000s, which is ample for handheld daylight work.

Image stabilisation is built in. It reduces camera shake when you shoot handheld, helping steady shots stay sharp as light fades, though it does nothing to freeze a moving subject.

Pace is where the limits show. Burst shooting reaches a maximum of 2.5 frames per second, autofocus uses nine points, and sensitivity spans ISO 80 to 3200, so the camera favours daylight and patient subjects over action or dim venues.

Movie recording tops out at Full HD resolution, and the maximum frame rate is 30fps. Clips save as MPEG-4 or MOV files.

For casual and family clips, Full HD is a comfortable level of quality, and the built-in image stabilisation steadies handheld footage by reducing camera shake, though a moving subject is a separate problem.

The flip screen earns its place while filming. It lets you hold the camera low or overhead and still see the frame clearly, which helps with group shots, self-recording and awkward angles.

There is no built-in timelapse mode, so interval-style films are not an option here. That is one video feature this camera simply does not offer.

Framing happens entirely on the 3-inch LCD, since there is no viewfinder. The 922,000-dot panel is sharp enough to check focus and detail before you shoot, and it flips out to help with overhead or waist-level angles.

There is no touchscreen, so menus and settings are worked through with the buttons. Anyone coming from an older compact will find that a familiar way of operating.

Wi-Fi is built in, but there is no Bluetooth and no GPS for geotagging. The built-in flash helps indoors, and there is no fitting for an external flash.

The body has no weather sealing, so it needs care around rain, sand and dust.

Stills and video record to SD, SDHC or SDXC cards, a widely available format. There is just one slot, so no second card carries a backup copy of your files while you shoot.

Canon rates the NB-13L battery at 295 shots per charge. That rating is not a promise for every shooting day, and real results can vary with how much you use the screen and the built-in Wi-Fi.

USB charging is supported, so you can refill the battery from a laptop or wall adapter while travelling without a dedicated charger. Packing a charged spare is still sensible for long days out.