topic Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail in Point & Shoot Digital Cameras

PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

Wilsonsteeup — Sat, 01 Feb 2025 17:17:47 GMT

My previous camera was a SX 520 HS PowerShot. My favorite setting was LIVE. I got the most beautiful, clear, sharp photos using that setting. It started making funny sizzling sounds, the screen would go black and shut down. I got a new SX 70 HS and have yet to get a nice clear shot. I am having the hardest time with all the settings. All my photos have soft edges. I captured the dimples on the moon with my old camera. Now, not even close.

My question is, is there a setting I have not found on my new SX 70 HS that compares to the LIVE setting on my old SX 520 HS.

Thank you in advance...Adrienne

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

NatalyaP — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 22:22:58 GMT

Greetings Wilsonsteeup,

Let's check to see how sharp the images come out when shooting in other settings, like the Automatic or Program (P) shooting mode, and test this in a bright environemnt, like during the middle of the day and outside where there is plenty of light.

Please check to see if there is any debris on the front of the lens and you may use a soft dry microfiber cloth to wipe the lens.

If the images still appear soft, then we would suggest on sending the PowerShot SX70 HS camera to our facility for service.

Canon U.S.A., Inc. has created a new online repair portal that allows you to set up service in a few simple steps. The repair portal gives you the ability to set up service for multiple pieces of equipment at once, and to receive a repair estimate in the majority of cases, depending on your model and issue. The portal also allows you to upload images or videos that will assist us in repairing your product. You can also select how you wish to be notified of the progress of your repair. The portal's service history section allows you to view all services that have been performed on any of your camera or video products since January 7, 2020.

Please follow the link below to access our online repair portal to arrange for service:

https://mycanon.usa.canon.com/signin

Instructions for Accessing and Using the Online Repair Portal.

You will need to access or create your My Canon Account.

If you already have a My Canon Account and your product is already registered, simply click on the “Get Repair Services” link on the left menu and follow the onscreen instructions to arrange for service for your product.

If you have a My Canon Account and your product is not registered, you must register your product first. Click on the “Get Repair Services” link on the left menu, then click on the “Register Product” link on the right. After your product is registered, click on the “Get Repair Service” link on the left menu and follow the onscreen instructions to arrange for service for your product.

If you do not have a My Canon Account, you will need to create one. After you create your account, click on the “Add Product” link to register your first product. After your product is registered, click on the “Get Repair Service” link on the left menu and follow the onscreen instructions to arrange for service for your product.

Once you have completed the repair request, you will have an opportunity to print a copy of the request for your records. This request form will also contain shipping instructions and an address label that you will attach to the outside of your shipping box when mailing your equipment for repair.

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

MathieuR — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 10:55:19 GMT

Well, I have a brandnew SX70, and I am trying to get the same "detail" as with my SX50.

The pictures I take with the SX70 have beautifull colors, and are sharp, but not as "crisp" as those from the SX50 using the same conditions.

I shoot normally in RAW, and to compare the results, I slided i DPP the noise reduction of luminance AND chrominance to zero. Sharpness increases, but not to the level of the SX50.

I have read same comment in many fora, and now I see it for myself.

Are we all doing something wrong?

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

Wilsonsteeup — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 19:04:43 GMT

Mathieu, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one. The previous answer was a possibility but considering what I spent on my "new" camera, I hope it doesn't need to be repaired. I am doing what was also suggested and comparing my daytime photos.

I am shooting in RAW but will look at my settings and compare with what you did with the noise reductions, etc. I was also having a problem with a blue tint and read that the "white balance" needed to be adjusted which worked well.

I loved my SX 520 so much and was so disappointed when it started having issues. If there was a setting on this SX 70 like the LIVE setting on my old SX 520, I was really hoping someone can point me in that direction.

I agree, are we all doing something wrong? This camera much more expensive than my SX 520 and I expected it to be better than it has been so far.

Thank you for commenting!! Adrienne

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

Wilsonsteeup — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 19:07:31 GMT

Thank you so much for the reply NatalyaP, I will look at the daytime photos and compare. I sure hope my "new" camera doesn't need to be repaired before I've really been able to use it.

Are you familiar with the LIVE setting on the SX 520? Does the SX 70 have a similar setting?

Thank you in advance...Adrienne

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

MathieuR — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 16:38:18 GMT

the SX70 HS has a "LIVE" setting. But it only works if you photograph in JPG. If you use JPG/RAW combined, you can not change any settings.

Pictures taken in RAW can be given "LIVE" settings in DPP.

For JPG pictures: go to menu 3/style settings. Chose a style, and make adjustments after pushing the INFO button

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

MathieuR — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 16:51:29 GMT

Is there anybody else who has issues with the "crispness" of the pictures taken with the SX70 HS, compared with the SX50 HS ??

"They" say 20Mb is a bit too much for the small sensor, and the lack of "crispness" is caused by diffraction even when using the widest diaphragm available.

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

Wilsonsteeup — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 21:15:33 GMT

Mathieu, my SX 520 actually had LIVE on the settings wheel on the top. The SX 70 does not. Can you tell me how to get the LIVE effect in JPG? I have not had any luck finding anything that I would say compares.

So is the DPP something you downloaded from Canon from their website? Is that how you adjust photos? I will go back to JPG and adjust the settings as you mention and see what I get from that.

Right now I'm pretty frustrated and disappointed with the quality I'm getting and trying just about everything.

Thank you again in advance...

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

MathieuR — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 21:32:40 GMT

DPP is Canon's own free program to work with RAW-files; to be downloaded from their site

Yes, you are right. LIVE is not on the "wheel on the top". I meant to say, by chosing the settings as I indicated, you can get more "sharper/contrast/saturation/color tone" in your jpg picture

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

Wilsonsteeup — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 21:36:30 GMT

Got it Mathieu, thank you. I'll go look at the Canon site for that program and the settings for JPG.

I really appreciate your sticking with me on my frustration!

P.S....just out of curiosity, do you know if you are you going to look for a different camera or stick with this SX 70 and work on the adjustments? Just curious!!

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

MathieuR — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 22:12:42 GMT

I love the IQ of the SX70, and the excellent EVF.

But, I think I'm going to sell it, and keep using my old thrustwurthy SX50

(I have a R6II for "serieus" subject, but I use the bridge as walkaround)

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

Wilsonsteeup — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 22:56:47 GMT

Thanks Mathieu...I wish I could go back to my SX 520. I'd love to know what the problem is but I have a feeling the cost would be more than it's worth.

I can't believe I'm so disappointed with this SX 70. I will keep working on the settings and see what I can come up with.

Thank you again for all your help!!

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

MathieuR — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 08:01:48 GMT

Hi W,

I think with the new settings you will make fine pictures with the SX70. It is a nice camera. High IQ, huge range, beautifull colors.

But I am a "pixelpeeper", and I miss the crispness of my old SX50.

I think you will like DPP. It will improve your results.

I love my Canon camera's and lenses, but sometimes we do have our specific wishes 😎

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

MathieuR — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 08:18:46 GMT

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4348349

Some interesting reading.

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

Wilsonsteeup — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 14:04:07 GMT

I'm sure I will get used to it. I have now changed my settings and am back to JPG only to see the difference.

I also miss the crispness. In my photos of hot air balloons, specifically, You could perfectly see the lines of the patterns and seams. With the photos I just took at our latest festival, they are soft and I am so disappointed. A couple of them were alright but it was during night glow with tons of light. Taking photos of plants, the leaves are not distinct. They are soft. I'm just not used to seeing that. Even distant photos before, were clear. My same photos are just ok. It's like going from a 10 to a 7. I thought I would go the other way.

After I see what happens with the new setting, which I took al the way to 7, then I will check out the DPP from Canon. I hate having to adjust a photo just to make it clear and not have it clear when I take it, but I don't feel I can go get a different camera right now.

Anyway, I will be doing a lot of experimenting now. 🙂

P.S. Thank you for the link. I'll go check it out.

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

Wilsonsteeup — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 14:06:55 GMT

WOW, how interesting and telling. Hmmmm...maybe I'm expecting too much.???

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

Wilsonsteeup — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 14:10:52 GMT

By the way, I think I actually get better photos on the AV setting. I won't use the P, I really don't like that setting. I also purchased a Remote Switch just in case I was jiggling the camera when I snapped the photo. I'm not sure I have noticed a change there but the jury is still out.

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

Hubert — Sat, 08 Feb 2025 15:35:19 GMT

Same here, had my SX50 for 10 years until it started funny noises and finally jammed. Bought a new SX70 last year, which did not generate crisp pictures right from the start. Did send it in to Canon headquarters in Johannesburg, who did return it saying that they replaced the optics module. However, still not much improved images. I then decided to have my SX50 repaired by a local digital camera repair centre. It is now usable again, however, still sounds somewhat rough and am not sure how long it will last. The repair centre manager had a look at the SX70 also and said he did adjust the sharpening settings somewhat, but still image quality does not come close to the SX50 or my Samsung S20 Cell phone. Even my ancient SX10 gives sharper images!

The strange thing is that the SX70 viewfinder is sharp and clear showing all the details, but then taking the image it is not sharp and somewhat washed out. I always thought that the viewfinder uses the same chip as the camera, which indicates to me that it must be a software issue. The raw format, however, is not better.

Thinking of selling the SX70, but don’t know what to replace it with.

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

Wilsonsteeup — Sat, 08 Feb 2025 21:42:24 GMT

Hubert...funny you should say that about the viewfinder. It looks so nice, clear and sharp when I take the photo but the final image doesn't come close to what I saw. I'm glad I'm not the only one.

Re: PowerShot SX70 HS Pics are soft and lack detail

Wilsonsteeup — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 22:29:38 GMT

Mathieu, can I pick your brain? I am looking at the Canon EOS Rebel T7 DSLR. Do you have any experience with this camera? Also, I have been looking at the Canon EOS R50 Mirrorless Camera. Is this the one you liked?

I was wondering if you thought one had sharper clearer photos without having to adjust in a downloaded program? I just can't get the SX70 settings to produce what I want to. My SX520 was so clear without having to do anything, I just want to have something at least as good without a lot of adjusting.

Thank you in advance...Adrienne