Canon is not shy of packing the zoom into a superzoom. Its latest PowerShot SX530 HS squeezes a 50x optical lens, delivering a 24-1200mm equivalent, into an affordable and relatively compact package.

It was only a few years back that such optics with such fair-reaching focal lengths weren't a reality. In the last 12 months we've seen Canon's higher-end SX60 HS deliver a similar zoom lens with relative success, and now it's the turn of the SX530 with its reasonable £330 price tag.

The main thing absent in the SX530 that the SX60 features is an electronic viewfinder. Instead it's down to the rear 3-inch, 460k-dot LCD screen to cater for all composition and playback.

But at that full 1200mm extension you'll need exceptionally steady hands, as it's tough to maintain a firm frame in many conditions. Fortunately the SX530 HS features optical image stabilisation which moves the lens elements by tiny amounts to help counteract handshake.

A 16-megapixel sensor, full manual controls and 1080p movie capture mimic the SX520 predecessor, while Wi-Fi connectivity (via NFC if your device supports it) adds to the bulging specification.

The Canon PowerShot SX530 HS will be available from this month, so superzoom fans need not wait for the latest model. But take that mega zoom with a pinch of salt: if it mirrors that of the SX60 it'll be a tricky customer at maximum zoom.