The Canon PowerShot SX220 HS was announced back at the beginning of February and we’ve just got our hands on Canon’s new 14x travel zoom camera for review.

As we get stuck into the heavy details of assessing the quality and the practicality of the new features introduced on the camera - like the Full HD video capture and the new Movie Digest mode that captures a video clip prior to taking each photo - we thought we'd bring you some hands-on shots of the camera.

In terms of design it is very similar to the PowerShot SX210 IS that it replaces, with the same 14x zoom lens offered. It has stepped down in megapixels however, now packing a 12.1-megapixel sensor, but critically is has the HS moniker after the name, meaning it pairs a highly sensitive sensor with the DIGIC IV processor, promising enhanced performance. 

The top plate has been tidied up slightly from its forbear too, with the on/off button now moving onto the reverse slope of the body next to the mode dial. Full manual, as well as a range of auto and shooting effects are included, as they were in the previous edition.

The quality of construction feels good and we're impressed that so much lens can be squished into a body that really isn't that bulky, so it is still just about pocketable. 

We liked the last iteration of this camera, so we have high hopes for the SX220 HS - let's hope the enhanced image processing leads to cleaner images in lower light conditions despite the relatively slow F/3.1 lens.

Whilst we work on the details, enjoy the photos.

UPDATE: You can read the full review here.