I’ve always had one big problem with digital cameras: the zoom. Get a camcorder and you can capture events going on a hundred feet or more away like it were right in front of you.  But a digital camera can maybe only show you what’s going on from about ten feet or so.  That changes today, folks, with the Canon SX20IS.

The Canon SX20IS solves the short zoom problem by boasting a whopping 20x optical zoom.  There are some camcorders that won’t zoom that far out, but this digital camera will.  And it’s not just about an incredible zoom, either; the Canon SX20IS also offers twelve megapixel resolution, a 2.5 inch LCD screen, DIGIC 4 imaging processor, face detection, self-timer, image stabilizer, a variety of movie, scene and white balance modes, built-in auto flash, a multi-card slot which accepts a variety of memory cards, USB interface, editing software and a weather resistant chassis.

In short, most everything but the kitchen sink, and that will probably be available with the SX30IS.  The camera itself, meanwhile, functions pretty easily for offering such a variety of modes, though it’s still a very “gearhead” sort of camera and shouldn’t be the first consideration of beginners.  However, for people who can handle the power, the Canon SX20IS should do most everything you want it to do, and for a good price, too–Best Buy’s offering this little beastie at three hundred seventy bucks.

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